La Belle France - Mountain Lake PBS

La Belle France
Normandy, Brittany and Loire with Mountain Lake PBS!
October 21–30, 2016
Limited to 25 participants
since the 8th century. As we explore the rugged seacoast, we
learn about its swashbuckling past of pirates and privateers,
sample oysters in the fishing village of Cancale and take over
our own maritime manor house for dinner cooked by a Michelinstarred chef!
Chateau Chenonceau
Few parts of the world offer such a
wealth of history and political
intrigue, exploration and invasion
as Normandy, Brittany and the Loire– and especially for its
far-flung English– and French-speaking peoples. Join Mountain
Lake PBS for a deluxe cultural tour to these ancient provinces of
France this fall.
We begin with three nights in Normandy, whose landscape of
orchards, cornfields, and rich pastures dotted with village spires
and ruins of medieval castles recall that of its neighbor across
the water. Our base is the charming town of Bayeux, home of
the eponymous 1000-year old Tapestry depicting the Norman
Conquest of England in 1066. From there we are close to the
famous landing beaches of the Battle of Normandy, the turning
point in World War II for the Allies. Major General Graham
Hollands, a renowned military historian and expert on the battle,
brings to life the events of that time as we tour the battlefields,
museums and monuments. We’ll visit the pretty fishing port of
Honfleur, from where Champlain settled Quebec, and sample its
famous cuisine and tastings of its cheeses, ciders, and the apple
brandy, Calvados, for which the region is famous.
On our next two days, we dip a toe into the province of Brittany
and sleep within the fortified walls of Saint-Malo, the site of
many scenes from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel All the Light
We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. On the way, we stop by the
unusual town of Villedieu-les-Poêles—literally “town of frying
pans!”—lined with shops carrying various cooper utensils, and
visit astounding Mont St-Michel, rising imperiously from the sea
Finally, we head south and inland to the tranquil Loire Valley.
Sheltered between limestone cliffs, enjoying a fertile climate, the
Loire has long been famed for its gastronomy. It is also the cradle
of the French Renaissance which saw a chateau-building frenzy
amidst political intrigues and sumptuous revelry orchestrated by
no less characters than Catherine de Medici and Leonardo da
Vinci! Based in the heart of Tours for three nights, we visit the
romanesque Abbey of Fontevraud, Eleanor of Aquitaine’s resting
place, sample the fine wines of Saumur, stroll the Renaissance
gardens of Villandry, and visit the enchanting bijou chateau of
Chenonceau.
The tour director in France is Alasdair Clayre, whose expert
insights and personal charm so enlivened our World of Downton
Abbey trip in 2014. We hope you will join us on this unforgettable
journey!
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Tour Highlights
• Deluxe accommodations in 4-star hotels
in Normandy, Brittany and the Loire
•
Private guided tours of major sites in all three regions, including Mont
St-Michel, the D-Day invasion beaches, Bayeux Tapestry, Rouen Cathedral, the Chateaux of Chenonceau and Amboise, and many others, with expert guides
• Dining in many of the finest regional restaurants • Tastings of wines, cheeses, ciders and other products
• Private motorcoach transportation for all excursions in the itinerary
• Plenty of free time for relaxing, shopping or additional sight-seeing
Tour Cost: $3,980, ground only, based on double occupancy.
Tour limited to 25 participants.
La Belle France is organized exclusively for Mountain Lake PBS by The Grand Tour Travel Company,
Peterborough, New Hampshire.
Daily
Itinerary
Friday, October 21
Flights from the US and Canada, with arrival the
following day.
Saturday, October 22 Bienvenue!
Arrivals at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, and
transfer to the town of Bayeux by motorcoach.
We’ll follow the Seine and stop in Rouen, the ancient
capital of the duchy of Normandy, to admire the
magnificent gothic Cathedral of Rouen—painted
often by Monet. The town is the birthplace of
Flaubert and where Joan of Arc was burnt at the
stake. We arrive in pretty Bayeux and check-in at
the 4-star, deluxe Villa Lara, before our welcome
dinner at a fine restaurant nearby.
Sunday, October 23
The Tapestry and Honfleur
Breakfast daily at all three hotels. The so-called
Bayeux Tapestry depicts the Norman Conquest of
England from the Norman point of view. Of woven
embroidery on coarse linen, made not long after
the event it depicts, the tapestry was used as a
wagon cover and for wrapping food, until saved by
an observant officer! After our viewing we head
east to explore town and countryside. Lunch is at
the Grand Hotel Cabourg, made famous by Proust,
overlooking the English Channel. We continue on
to a small local farm to taste their ciders and the
delicious apple liqueur, calvados, before entering
the picturesque town of Honfleur to spend the rest
of the afternoon. Its quaint streets of timber and
slated houses has made it a prime destination for
painters, such as Boudin.
Monday, October 24 D-Day!
Planned many months in advance, the invasion of
Allied forces on the coast of Normandy, turned the
tide in World War II for the Allies. Major General
Graham Hollands knows the territory well. He
served 32 years with the British Royal Artillery, and
had a major role in the deployment for Operation
Desert Storm. He will guide us through the principal
sites of the American and Canadian invasion: Ste.
Mère Eglise, Utah Beach, Pointe de Hoc, Omaha
Beach and other sites. Lunch is at Omaha Beach.
Evening free.
Tuesday, October 25
Bretagne
Today, we drive west to the seaside villages of
the northern Brittany coast. On the way, we stop
in Villeneuve-les-Poeles, with its shops lined
with copper frying pans, the village’s primary
manufacture for centuries, before we reach famed
Mont St-Michel. One of the great natural curiosities
of France, the ancient abbey is now a UNESCO
World Heritage Site. Begun in the 8th century
and evolving into the Romanesque structure we
see today, the abbey has always been a place of
pilgrimage. After lunch and our tour, we continue on
to our lodging in the town of Saint-Malo, La Maison
des Armateurs. Dinner tonight is on your own and
your evening is free.
Wednesday October 26
Seaside Villages
A relaxed day exploring both Saint-Malo and the
fishing village of Cancale, strolling the streets of the
former, while tasting the prized oysters of the latter.
Tonight we enjoy a private gourmet dinner at La
Ville Bague, a traditional ship owner’s manor house
near Saint-Malo.
Saint-Malo
Thursday, October 27
Entering the Loire
We drive south through Brittany to the town of
Angers at the conjunction of the Maine and Loire
rivers. Here we visit its imposing Chateau, medieval
seat of the Plantagenet dynasty and home to the
Apocalypse Tapestry, and the Cathedral of StMaurice. Then we continue into the heart of the
Loire Valley and its capital, Tours, where we will
spend the next three nights at the Hotel L’Univers.
Enjoy an orientation walk through the old town
with free time for dinner.
Friday, October 28
The Abbey and Wine Country
We start with an excursion to the ancient abbey of
Fontevraud, resting place of Eleanor of Aquitaine,
one of the wealthiest and most powerful women
in European history, and continue on to Saumur.
Once a Protestant stronghold which later resisted
the French Revolution in the times of the Vendée,
Saumur still boasts a beautiful chateau and the
Cavalry School of the French Army. But is best
known to the French for its wines, including a
sparkling red! We’ll enjoy a private wine tasting
and lunch at a prominent cave, then drive back
south of the Loire, past Sleeping Beauty’s chateau
D-Day Landing in Normandy
Mont St-Michel
of Usse’ before a visit to the renowned Renaissance
gardens of Villandry.
Saturday, October 29
Chenonceau and Amboise
A glamorous final day takes us east towards the
pretty little chateau of Chenonceau which bridges
the River Cher. Often called “Le chateau des dames”
because of all the women in its history, and the
second most visited in France, Chenonceau was
home to Diane de Poitiers, Catherine de Medici and
Mary Queen of Scots was even married here. A
short drive from Chenonceau brings us to the little
town of Amboise where its Chateau dominates
the valley. Replete with original furnishings from
medieval, renaissance and empire periods, and with
fine views from the top of its towers, the Chateau
of Amboise provides both a superb historical and
a literal overview of the Loire Valley. Of course,
Amboise is also where Leonardo Da Vinci spent
the last years of his life and is buried. A short drive
back along the north of the Loire gives glimpses
of troglodyte dwellings. Our farewell dinner takes
place at the pretty 18th century Chateau de Beaulieu
with fine gardens and its gastronimque restaurant.
Sunday, October 30
Departure
The tour ends after breakfast and a coach back to
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.
Itinerary subject to change. Meals in bold included
in the price of the tour.
Tour Registration
Tour Cost: $3,980 per person, ground only,
double occupancy. Single supplement: $755
Deposit: $1,000 per person, first come, first served.
$300 is non-refundable.
Balance Deadline: August 26, 2016.
After that date, call for availability.
To reserve your place, send registration form,
with check or credit card information for the
deposit amount to: France Tour, c/o Janine Scherline,
Mountain Lake PBS, One Sesame Street,
Plattsburgh, NY 12901
Questions? Contact Janine Scherline at
Mountain Lake PBS at [email protected] or
518-324-0157.