Croissants, Champagne and Chanel

Itinerary

Day 1 – Depart US

Day 2 – Arrive Paris. You will be met by M.A. Shute and our guide, Alessandro Fontanini, outside of customs. You will travel in a comfortable van as we drive through Paris and see some of the
sights including the Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysees, and Place de Concorde, among others.
Spend a few leisure hours before gathering at 6pm for welcome cocktails and dinner.

Day 3 – Join Alessandro as we explore Notre Dame and St. Chappelle and the Luxembourg
Gardens before we head to Sacre-Coeur and the bohemian neighborhood, Monmarte. Dinner
in Paris.

Day 4 – Today we start the day early as we travel to Givenchy for a visit to Monet’s home and
gardens. See the lily pond and other beauty that inspired him. After the visit you are free to
explore the village and have lunch before we return to Paris. Dinner in Paris.

Day 5 – What is better than a trip to Giverney? A visit to Musee d’Orsay to see the real
paintings. In addition to Monet to you will see other great impressionists. But Musee d’Orsay
has much more to see than just impressionists. The museum itself is gorgeous, have been
designed by Gustav Eiffel. Tour at your leisure with an audio guide. For lunch, you might want
to splurge and have lunch in the Museum. The food is good, but the restaurant is beautiful.

But save your appetite as this evening we enjoy dinner on the Seine and a chance to see the
City of Lights from a different perspective.

Day 6 – Today is a change of pace as we meet Lawrence d’Almeida at the train station and we
head to Reims where the wine wizard will take us through the heart of the Champagne region
to sip some of the word’s best “bubbly.” Tour the Cathedral of Notre-Dame at Reims, site of
the coronation of kings and a world UNESCO site. Return to Paris for dinner on your own.

Day 7 – Start the day early as we head to Versailles. See the Hall of Mirrors where the Treaty
of Versailles was signed in 1919, effectively ending World War I. In addition to the palace, we
will visit Petite Trianon, Marie Antionette’s place of respite. The day can be exhausting but save
a little energy to walk out to her gardens. Return to Paris for dinner and prepare to bid au
revoir to Paris.

Day 8 – This morning we head to the train station and reconnect with Lawrence as we take
the train to Beaune, the heart of Burgundy. After we check in to the hotel, we will visit the
Musee de l’Hotel-Dieu, a key landmark in France. A short walking tour of this walled-in city
ends at the The Cook’s Atelier, one of the premier cooking schools in Burgundy. We will learn
about Burgundian cuisine as we cook and enjoy the fruits of our labor for dinner.

Day 9 – It is time to quit dabbling in wine and get serious as we explore the grapes of
Burgundy. Enjoy the almost-fairytale views of the region as we visit wineries in centuries-old
chateaux. Dinner in Beaune.

Day 10 – We venture out again on our wine education and exploration. Today we focus on the
red grape of Burgundy, pinot noir. Lunch today will be in the country side. Return to Beaune
with free time to explore Beaune and have dinner on your own.

Day 11 – We leave Beaune and a short ride takes to the charming 15 th century city, Dijon, the
former capital of the Burgundy Duchy. We will tour the Palais du Ducs and other architectural
sites. Stop at the iconic Moutarde Maille for souvenirs of the region. Explore this pedestrian-
friendly city before we meet for our farewell dinner.

Day 12 – Catch the TGV to Charles de Gaulle Airport and your flight back to Houston.
Please note; The itineraries on certain days me be changed to accommodate museum
schedules or other conflicts. However, all sites and activities on the itinerary will be included.