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In the Footsteps of Hemingway France

 

Day 1

Paris – arrival
Arrival at Paris airport and transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Paris.

 

Day 2

Visit the Left Bank & the Latin Quarter
Start with the Notre Dame Cathedral - one pf the landmarks of Paris. It is "the Cathedral of cathedrals", jewel of gothic art in the heart of the " City of Lights". Inside, enjoy the beauty of stained glass from the Middle Ages and the 18th - 20th centuries - including the nearly 30 foot Rose Window and admire the 7,800 pipes of the recently renovated 11th century organ . Next visit Shakespeare and Company book shop just across the Seine from Notre Dame. According to the memories of the owner, Hemingway walked in one day and in a deep voice he simply said who he was. He became one of the “best customers” by actually buying books. The bookstore was a celebrated gathering place for artists such as Scott Fitzgerald and James Joyce. After a short walk have a coffee break at the popular Café de Flore or Café Deux Magots now frequented by contemporary Hemingways - the modern day authors & journalists. In the afternoon - Visit Place Saint Sulpice, La Closerie des Lilas and Hotel D’Angleterre. The balconied, soot-darkened facade of the huge Eglise St-Sulpice dominates the large square of the same name. Hemingway and Pauline attended this church.The church interior houses Delacroix frescoes (Jacob Wrestling with the Angel and Heliodorus Driven from the Temple) and A Virgin and Child by Jean-Baptiste Pigalle. Next visit La Closerie des Lilas Near Point Royal - a restaurant Hemingway was extremely fond of. Your last stop will be at the Hotel D’Angleterre, located in the Latin Quarter. This is where upon arrival in Paris, the 21 year old Hemingway and his bride Hadley Richardson checked in on a December night in 1921.

 

Day 3

Paris
Your tour will include a visit to St. Honore d’Hylau at place Victor Hugo. Hemingway married Pauline here. Stop at the Arc de Triomph and walk on the Champs Elysee, one of the most famous boulevards in the world. Continue to the Place de La Madeleine and visit the church there. This is where Hemingway witnessed German shells exploding and decapitating the statue of St. Luke. Next stop is the Place de Vendome - one of the most beautiful squares in Paris. Stop at the Ritz hotel where Hemingway stayed and visit the bar made famous by Hemingway. In the afternoon visit some of the highlights of the city such as the Grand Opera, the Place Concorde and the Tulleries. Among the most popular open spaces in the city, these neo-classical gardens once belonged to the Palais des Tuileries.They were laid out in the 17th century by Andréé Le Nôôtre, who created the broad central avenue and topiary arranged in geometric designs.

 

Day 4

Paris - Marais
One of the most charming and oldest parts of Paris has many buried hidden treasures  - old houses, private mansions and luxurious hotels. One of the oldest houses in Paris (built in 1292) is situated here. Walk along the Vosges Square with symmetrical houses and arcades with galleries, antique shops and cafes. See the house where the great Victor Hugo lived. Free afternoon.

 

Day 5

Paris - Montmartre
Built on the Montmartre hill the Roman-Byzantine basilica of the Sacred Heart dominates Paris. It was built in devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus after the 1870 disaster, the capture of Paris by the Prussians. The interior of the church contains one of the worlds largest mosaics, and depicts Christ with outstretched arms. The nearby bell tower contains the ``Savoyarde''. Cast in Annecy in 1895, it is one of the worlds heaviest at 19 tons. Its famous white architecture dominates the city, and offers wonderful views. The nearby streets of Montmarte are full of artists and restaurants. Afternoon free.

 

Day 6

Paris – The Louvre
The Louvre is considered to be one of the finest museums in Europe if not in the world. There are so many rooms that even to walk through takes two hours.Opened in 1793, the Louvre brings together art treasures from royal palaces, churches and abbeys. Later, pieces from Egypt and the East were added. This vast museum is organized into six departments covering the art of every period from the Egyptians and Babylonians to the end of the 19th century.  The Picture gallery with over 5000 paintings is one of the richest and finest in the world. Here you will find Dutch and Flemish works, and a splendid display of 17th and 18th century French paintings.Here also are the great masterpieces of Italian painters including Leonard da Vinci and Titian.There is a very fine sampling of 19th century French painters as well as works by English and Spanish masters.

 

Day 7

Paris – departure
Transfer to the airport for your final departure.