Daily Itinerary for the September 2012 tour to Alsace and the Quilt-Europa Exposition
Wednesday, September 5 - Flying day
The journey begins! From the airport closest to your home, take your overnight flight to Strasbourg, where the group meets and the tour starts. There are several routes, one of which is an Air France flight which will have you landing in Paris and connecting on to Strasbourg. If you are uncertain, check with travel agent/quilter friend Suzanne Cox.
Thursday, September 6 - Day 1
Before dinner we will meet in the hotel lobby for a "welcome drink" and a chance to meet and greet each other.
Friday, September 7 - Day 2
To acquaint us with Strasbourg, a UNESCO World Heritage city, a local guide will be on hand for a walking tour of the charming Petite France area adjacent to our hotel. The visit will include a visit to the pink-stoned gothic cathedral, Notre Dame de Strasbourg, in the middle of the historic district. In the afternoon our guide will take us to the Alsatian Museum, a museum of art and folk tradition. It is located in three of Strasbourg's old houses, which are linked together by wooden staircases and passageways. The museum contains roughly a thousand objects attesting to rural Alsatian life from the 18th and 19th centuries. In reconstructed interiors costumes, furniture and furnishings, earthenware, toys, and religious and secular images are displayed.
Saturday, September 8 - Day 3
To see a bit more of Strasbourg's city center, we've scheduled a short visit on the Petit Train de Strasbourg, after which you are free to take off on your own to explore the city, browse, shop, take photos or take a leisurely walk along the banks of the River Ill, which encircles the city center. Be forewarned, the many shops filled with local crafts are very enticing. As the tour approaches, I'll list a few names and addresses in one of the monthly newsletters.
Sunday, September 9 - Day 4
A guided visit of the Museum of Decorative Arts, located in the Palais Rohan adjacent to the cathedral, will be the activity this Sunday morning. The museum is divided into two sections: the sumptuous apartments of the Cardinal de Rohan and the collection of decorative arts of Strasbourg. During the free afternoon you might enjoy visiting one of the other museums in the city or take a boat ride on the Ill River.
Monday, September 10 - Day 5
Pack up! We're leaving Strasbourg and heading south to Colmar, our home base for the next six nights. It's not far. On the way we have a morning guided visit at Haut Koenigsbourg Castle, a medieval fortress, which was restored in the early 20th century. We plan to arrive in Colmar in time for a get-acquainted Petit Train visit of the town at the end of the afternoon.
Tuesday, September 11 - Day 6
A guided visit of the Frederic Auguste Bartholdi Museum is scheduled. Does the name ring a bell? Bartholdi was the designer/sculptor of our Statue of Liberty. The museum is housed in Bartholdi's childhood home, a vast 17th century residence in Colmar. You are free this afternoon to wander the streets of the town center and discover the charm of Colmar, which, as the capital of central Alsace, has an outstanding architectural and historical heritage.
Wednesday, September 12 - Day 7
By coach we head west toward the Alsatian vineyards and wine villages. First we'll go to the outlet for Beauvillé table linens in Ribeauvillé. Bring your table measurements if you think you might want to buy a tablecloth. You'll drool over the beautifully printed, colorful tablecloths, placemats, napkins and kitchen towels, as well as fabric on the bolt. In the afternoon we'll visit the villages of Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr; both are touristy, but then we are tourists.
Thursday, September 13 - Day 8
It's quilt show time! Whichever you call it, Patchwork-Europa or the Carrefour Européen du Patchwork (CEP), it's all about quilts! LOTS of quilts (1000 pieces of textile art within 30 different exhibits in 2011) and LOTS of vendors and LOTS of quilters are spread out in Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines and three nearby little villages in the foothills of the Vosges Mountains. Did I mention 125 vendors? Have cameras, Euros and good walking shoes.
Friday, September 14 - Day 9
OK, so you need another day at Patchwork-Europa. This will give you time to take the free shuttle buses between the villages.
Saturday, September 15 - Day 10
A change of pace today, in fact a day trip across the open border to Freiburg, Germany. Freiburg is the capital of southwestern Germany. The minster or cathedral is its most famous landmark. Munsterplatz, or minster square, is the focal point and heart of the town, and is surrounded by Freiburg's picturesque old quarter. We've planned a morning guided visit and free time in the afternoon to browse in the historic town center.
Sunday, September 16 - Day 11
Again we board the coach with packed bags, and leave Alsace for the town of Beaune, capital of Burgundy wines and "city of art". In addition to being situated in the Burgundy wine region, Beaune is known for its historic 15th century charitable almshouse, the Hospices de Beaune. After leaving our luggage at our hotel, a guided visit of the town is planned for this afternoon.
Monday, September 17 - Day 12
Today we have a guided visit of the Hospices de Beaune and a visit at La Moutardarie, the last independent family-owned mustard factory in France. The remainder of the day is free for rest and relaxation, or wandering through Beaune's cobblestone streets and photographing its historical mansions, medieval half-timbered houses and flowered squares and gardens. Or perhaps you'd like to visit the Burgundy Wine Museum or stop in a wine cave for a taste of Burgundy whites or reds.
Tuesday, September 18 - Day 13
From country to capital city, one more coach ride, this one to take us from Beaune to Paris and deliver us at the door of our hotel in the 7th arrondissement.
Wednesday, September 19 - Day 14
If you are not staying extra days in Paris, it's time to pack your bags, and gather up your memories and souvenirs and head back home.
3-Day Extension - September 19, 20, 21
Whether you've never been to Paris or whether, like some of us, you have left your heart in Paris and want to spend a few days in the "City of Light", you can sign up for the three-day extension.
Wednesday, September 19 - Extension Day 1
We're off to spend a day in Versailles, specifically at the Palace of Versailles. We'll get there on the RER, the regional train network and have a self-guided audio-tour of the Palace itself. Your entry ticket will allow you to visit the Gardens, the Grand and Petit Trianons and the charming Hamlet of Marie Antoinette, during the remainder of the day.
Thursday, September 20 - Extension Day 2
This morning we have a guided walking tour, "Paris and the American Writers", led by Daniele Pironon. The afternoon is free for all those "must-see" places on your list.
Friday, September 21 - Extension Day 3
The shops are all open, as are all the museums and monuments. Fill the day with visits, or take a leisurely stroll in the Luxembourg or Tuileries Gardens. Take a ride on a Bateau Mouche, or ride up to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Our newsletters will have suggestions when we learn of exhibits of interest during our days in Paris.
Saturday, September 22
And now it really is time to say "au revoir" to Paris and France and, with a suitcase full of souvenirs and memories, head for the airport and home.