The
following are the 2002 prices:
Requested
tour:
Paris to the Pyrennes (10 or 13
days)
Optional
3 day extension: Madrid
Requested
tour date:
July of 2002
Requested
departure city: Baton Rouge
Registration Fee $495
Accepting registration payments now
through mid February.
Program Fee Balance $1395
Departure Fees*
$82*
(*Subject
to change.)
____ With Madrid extension...
10
day....Total for Students
$1972 STUDENT
13 DAYS = $2267
Adult Supplement
($65 +
$20/day)
$265
____ With Madrid
extension...
10
day…Total for Adults
$2237
ADULT
13 DAYS = $2592
Optional
Insurance
10
day trip
13
day trip
Cancel/Interruption Insurance
$49
$49
Medical Insurance
$39
$49
Baggage Insurance
$35
$35
All Inclusive Insurance Plan
$99
$109
**Additional
insurance information will follow.
It is not necessary to include insurance payments at this time.
Optional
Excursions (Travelers are
responsible for selected optional fees.)
Versailles
$35
Flamenco Evening
$30
*Airport
fees are subject to change. Refer
to the Booking Conditions in the EF program brochure for payment plans and
deadlines. Please be aware that EF
reserves the right to make changes in the itinerary as well as make price
adjustments if deemed necessary.
**A
$35 supplement will be added for any flight leaving on Friday, Saturday or
Sunday in either direction.
Dear
Traveler,
The applications
for the trip to Europe are in! I
have enclosed an updated itinerary, a price break down and an application.
I must have a definite number of committed individuals before continuing.
Please look over the information carefully.
Pay special attention to company policy regarding travel dates, refunds
and itinerary. I would strongly
recommend that each traveler include the insurance payment as part of the plan.
Since we do not have a large enough group to make it financially feasible
to travel on our own, we will be combined with another
group which may include students. Please
note that I have requested to travel at the end of July.
EF cannot confirm the exact departure date at this time.
Please let me know if there is a date in July that I must avoid in order
for you to travel with us.
After you have carefully studied all of this information, please return
the bottom part of this letter to me with $495 soon as possible.
Make your payment to EF but send it directly to me.
This enables me to verify the number of travelers before booking the
trip. If I do not receive enough
responses, I will return your deposit. Payments
sent directly to EF cannot be
refunded if we do not have enough travelers.
My
address is: 5213 Eudora Drive,
Addis, LA 70710.
Looking forward
to your response,
Donna Kirkland
______
I am definitely making this trip. I
have enclosed my deposit.
______ I am interested but unsure
as to whether or not I will travel.
(If
this is the case, please let me know how long before you will know.)
______ I am no longer interested.
______ I cannot make this trip.
Maybe next time!
Name___________________________________
Phone ______________
**REMEMBER...Make
deposits payable to EF but SEND THEM directly TO ME.
Deposits sent directly to EF CANNOT
be refunded if we do not have enough travelers.
Day 2 Paris EF walking tour of Paris*Join our walking tour of the chic Opera district and the haute couture boutiques of Rue du Faubourg St. Honore. Stroll past the official residence of the president of France and through Place de la Concorde, the city’s largest public square, buit to honor Louis XV. The next Louis was not so lucky—he was beheaded here during the Revolution, along with Marie Antoinette. Continue through the geometric gardens of the Tuileries as you make your way to Place Vendome, a vast square wrapped in 17th-century facades. Pass the Ritz hotel at no. 15, a favorite haunt of Hemingway.
Day 3 Paris Guided sightseeing of Paris* Discover the city on the Seine; from the imposing Arc de Triomphe, commemorating Napoleon’s Grande Armee, to the Ile de la Cite, birthplace of Paris. Take a drive down the elegant Champs-Elysees. Pass the Conciergerie, where prisoners of the Revolution spent their final days, and see Les Invalides, Louis XIV’s grand retirement home for wounded soldiers. You’ll also see the Ecole Militaire, where Napoleon graduated to Lieutenant and was told he’d go far if circumstances allowed. Next, make a photo stop at the Eiffel Tower to marvel at the 6,000-ton centerpiece for the 1889 World’s Fair. Learn why this impressive, yet controversial, symbol of Paris was spared the wrecking ball in 1909.
Visit to the Notre Dame Cathedral* Victor Hugo once described the sculptured façade of Notre Dame as “a vast symphony in stone.” However, had it not been for the creation of his famous hunchback, Quasimodo, the cathedral might never have returned to her former glory. Hugo’s novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1831), helped inspire a 23-year restoration of the cathedral that began in 1841. Step inside to admire her stained-glass rose windows and seemingly weightless vaulted ceilings. Built between 1163-1361 over the remains of an ancient Roman temple, it was here that Joan of Arc was tried in 1455, and Napoleon crowned himself emperor in 1804.
Optional excursion to Versailles* Join an optional excursion to Versailles, dreamhouse of Louis XIV. Here the Sun King held court in the most lavish style imaginable. At one point, 1,000 nobles were attended by 4,000 servants inside the palace, while 15,000 soldiers and servants inhabited the annexes. Tour the Royal Apartments, walk through the historic Hall of Mirrors, and stroll through the elegantly landscaped gardens, designed by Andre Le Notre. (Please note: Because of the extreme popularity of Versailles, guided visits of the interior cannot be guaranteed during peak seasons. In this case, your group will hear a presentation from our guide before entering the palace.) On occasions when Versailles is closed (as in every Monday) you will instead take in the regal splendor of Chateau de Fountainebleau, a 12th century royal residence that was a favored hunting palace for Napoleon and other rulers of France.
Day 4 Paris * Cognac Transfer via the Loire Valley * Journey through the French countryside to the magnificent Loire Valley, playground of the Kings. Visit to Chateau de Chenonceau * Your excursion into the Playground of the Kings includes a visit to the most romantic chateau in the region: the exquisite Chateau de Chenonceau. Beginning in the 1500s with Catherine Bohier, Diane de Poitiers, and Catherine de Medicis an extraordinary succession of women each had a strong hand in the design of the castle.
Arrival in Cognac * Spend the night in Cognac, famous center of French brandy-making.
Day 5 Cognac * Biarritz Visit to a Cognac distillery * Get a behind-the-scenes look at the age-old tradition of brandy-making as you tour one of Cognac’s famous distilleries. Today’s presentation introduces you to the fine art of barrel-making and distillation that has brought international acclaim to brandy houses like Hennessy, Martell, Remy-Martin, and Otard.
Arrival in Biarritz * Travel past the vineyards of Bordeaux into Basque
country, a linguistically and culturally unique region.
Today’s destination: the world-famous seaside resort of Biarritz,
located at the foot of the Pyreness.
Day 6 Biarritz Excursion to San Sebastian * Cross the Spanish border and continue through the culturally and linguistically unique Basque region to oceanside San Sebastian (known as Donostia in Basque). While in the Old Town, notice the numbers on the balconies above, which used to be ringside sets for bullfights.
Return via St. Jean de Luz * Visit the charming fishing town of St. Jean de Luz, city of Cezanne.
Here Louis XIV married the Infanta Maria Teresa in 1660.
Day 7 Biarritz * Carcassonne Visit to Lourdes shrine * Transfer via Pau and Lourdes, a place of pilgrimage for more than three million devout Catholics every year. In 1858, a young peasant girl had a vision of the Virgin Mary here. Subsequently, a great gushing of water appeared where no spring had previously existed. Pilgrims flock to the site, drawn by the water’s reported healing powers.
Arrival in Carcassone * Arrive in medieval Carcassonne, named after a woman who rescued the town from the hands of Charlemagne.
Day 8 Carcassonnne * Barcelona Guided sightseeing of Carcassone * Relive medieval times as you walk past the city’s age-old ramparts (which slowly turned to ruin after falling to the Crusaders in the 13th century). Carcassonne is also home to Europe’s largest and most complete medieval fortress.
Transfer to Barcelona * Pass through the foothills of the Pyrenees to Barcelona. Spain’s second-largest city and the capital of Catalonia. Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand V received Columbus in Barcelona upon his return from the Americas in 1493. Recall that Barcelona, which played a prominenet role in the overthrow of Spain’s monarchy in 1931, was also the last city in Spain to surrender to Franco in 1939.
Day 9 Barcelona Guided sightseeing of Barcelona * Your guided tour takes you past the controversial and still unfinished La Sagrada Familia (the Church of the Holy Family). This masterpiece of twisting spires and colorful mosaics was designed by Gaudi, who estimated it would take 200 years to complete. You will also visit the city’s cathedral, built in a Mediterranean Gothic style, and stroll the narrow lanes of the 14th-century Barrio Gotico, the oldest surviving part of the city. Then enjoy a marvelous harbor view from atop Montjuic Hill, where much of the 1992 Olympics took place.
Visit to Parque Guell * You will also visit the mosaic-encrusted Parque Guell, a World Heritage Site designed by Antoni Gaudi. Visit the room of a Hundred Columns, a covered market with 84 pillars, and see the Casa-Museu where Gaudi lived from 1906-1926.
EF walking tour of Barcelona * Soak in the flavor of Barcelona on our EF walking tour down Las Ramblas, the tree-lined pedestrian boulevard that W. Somerset Maugham called “the most beautiful street in the world.” As you stroll the famous paseo, keep in mind that Barcelona has inspired countless artists—Miro, Picasso, and Dali all lived o\r studied here at the beginning of their respective careers.
Optional Flamenco Evening * Encounter the drama, rhythm, and heartbeat of Spain at an optional Flamenco performance. Born of Indian, Moorish, Arabian, and gypsy influences. Flamenco dance is a passionate blend of intricate heelwork and clapping, accompanied by songs and guitar.
Day 10 Barcelona * Madrid Tour director-led sightseeing of Zaragoza * A quintessential Iberian city, Zaragoza was founded by Caesar Augustus in 19 B.C. Part of the Aragon region. Zaragoza was a hub of Muslim activity in Moorish times. View the brightly colored domes of the Basilica del Pilar, who central pillar is said to be a gift from the Virgin Mary to St. James. Also see the building that housed Zaragoza’s 16th-century stock exchange.
Arrival in Madrid * Arrive in Madrid. At 2,100 feet, this is Europe’s highest capital.
Day 11 Madrid Guided sightseeing of Madrid * Your local guide introduces you to the sights of Madrid followed by a visit to the extravagant Palacio Real (Royal Palace), built by Bourbon King Philip V. Once the seat of the most powerful court in the world, it was here that Spain officially joined the European Community in 1986. Marvel at eh splendor of the marble staircase, the golden Throne Room, and the incredible collection of priceless frescoes and chandeliers. The palace boasts more than 2,000 extravagant rooms, including one encased in porcelain. Be sure to see the swords of El Cid, Spain’s national hero.
EF walking tour of Madrid * Meet at the Puetta del Sol for our EF walking tour of Madrid. Here Madrilenos once battled Napoleon. Walk through one of the nine arched gateways leading to the Plaza Mayor, the Renaissance hub of the city. This square has witnessed events ranging from bullfights to public executions. Pass by a restaurant immortalized by Hemingway in The Sun Also Rises. You will also visit the worllld-renowned Prado, filled with many works that once belonged to the Spanish monarch. Look for the self-portrait of of Velazquez in Las Meninas, marvel at how scandalous Goya’s Naked Maja must have been for 18th-century Spain, and keep an eye out for the unflattering but true-to-life portraits that Goya painted for the royal court.
Day 12 Madrid Guided Excursion to El Escorial, the Valley of the Fallen, and Segovia * Journey into the Castilian countryside. First stop is El Escorial, known to Spaniards as “the eight wonder of the world.” In this royal city created by Philip II, see the king’s deathbed and the tombs of the majority of past kings and queens of Spain. This enormous Renaissance palace consists of 16 courtyards, 2,673 windows, 1,250 doors, 86 staircases, and 88 fountains. Then visit the Valle de los Cafdos (Valley of the Fallen), an enormous mountain basiclica commemorating the thousands who died in the Spanish Civil War. Here, at the foot of the Guadarrama Mountains, Franco lies buried. Also included is a visit to medieval Segovia, famous for its 2,000 year old aqueduct.
Day 13 Return Home * Your tour director assists with the transfer to the airport, where you will check in for your return flight.