Private Escorted Tours - Monet, Montmartre and French Art ULFR01

Personal Highlights:

• Visiting the Marmatton for the finest collection of Monet’s paintings
• A guided tour through the Orsay including the Impressionists and Van Gogh
• Visiting the homes where both Monet and Van Gogh completed some of their most famous works
• Visiting and dining in Montmartre

Day 1 Depart USA

You board your overnight flight to Paris, the City of Lights and the center of your exploration of French Art.

Day 2 Bienvenue a Paris

Upon arrival in Paris you are met by your guide as we take you on an an orientation tour of Paris. Whether this is your first or fifteenth trip to Paris it is impossible not to be impressed as you see the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, L'arc de Triomphe or the Champs Elysees and know that you are truly in Paris. You will view many of these sites in detail later on but for now you absorb it all.  After your tour you are taken to your centrally-located hotel where you have the afternoon to relax or explore the neighborhood around the hotel. Dinner is at the hotel's superb restaurant this evening.

Day 3 Saint Chapelle and the Louvre

Today's excursion will start at Isle de la Cite, the island in the Seine thought to be the site of the original settlement in Paris. Your tour starts with the Conciergerie built in the 14th Century. During the French Revolution, nearly 3,000 prisoners, including Marie Antoinette, spent their last days here before heading to the Guillotine in Concorde Square. Nearby is Saint Chapelle, built by Louis IX to store the crown of thorns and a piece of the true cross. Despite damage during the revolution, over two thirds of the stained glass windows are original. You will tour the church and then adjourn for lunch at a nearby restaurant. After lunch you proceed to the Louvre where you spend the afternoon viewing some of the great works displayed here including The Wedding at Cana by Veronese, Coronation of Napoleon by David, the Venus de Milo and, of course the Mona Lisa by DaVinci. Tonight, you dine from a selection of restaurants in various parts of the city through our Concierge dining offer and put together through collaboration with your hotel's concierge.

Day 4 An Impressionable Day

Today will be spent viewing, arguably, the best collections of 19th Century art in the world. Your host will meet you at the hotel and take you to the Orsay Museum, located on the Seine and home to art ranging from 1848 to 1914. In addition to the large French Impressionist collection, there is also a substantial pre-impression Barbizon school of artists such as Millet and Corot or artists such as Coubet and Manet. There is also post-impressionism exemplified by Van Gogh. The building was opened in 1900 for the World's Fair and originally designed as a luxurious railway station and hotel. In 1986 it was brilliantly transformed into a museum. Your guide will take you on a private tour pointing out some the major works and artists. We then have some time to peruse the gallery on your own. After the Orsay and lunch, you are taken to the residential Passy district where a private 19th Century mansion has been transformed into the Marmatton Museum containing the largest collection of paintings by Monet as well as works by his friends and contemporaries.Tonight sample another Concierge dinner from our list of restaurants.

Day 5 At Home with Monet and Van Gogh

After breakfast your guide picks you up for the trip into the countryside to visit the former homes of Monet and Van Gogh. It may all seem familiar since Giverny forms the inspiration for many of the paintings you saw yesterday. It is not just about the art, however, but the beauty of the natural setting and we take some time just to walk the grounds. Monet originally rented the house and about two acres of land but, over the years, after buying the property he expanded his holdings and actually diverted the river to create the lily pond and the Japanese Bridge associated with his paintings After lunch you arrive at Auvers sur Oise where Van Gogh came to stay in May of 1890 after leaving the asylum. He committed suicide in July of that year in a building that now houses a restaurant. During that time however he painted 76 paintings, many considered to be his best work and many featuring the wheat fields around Auvers. Ironically, the portrait of his physician, Dr Gachet fetched one of the highest price ever paid for one of his works. After returning to Paris, this evening you can relax over dinner at the hotel

Day 6 From the Moulin Rouge to Sacre Coeur

Today, you again, head to the country but without leaving Paris as you enter the hillside village of Montmartre. While located within Paris, this area has one of the few remaining vineyards in Paris and two windmills one of which was "Le Bal du Moulin de la Galette" painted by Renoir in 1876 and viewed by you at the Musee d' Orsay. At various times Montmartre has been home to Picasso, Monet, and Renoir and even today you can have your portrait sketched in the Place du Tetre. Your guide is knowledgeable about the area and will take you down some narrow alleyways to absorb the true flavor of Montmartre. After your exertion (Montmartre is a hill after all) you stop for lunch at one of our favorite bistros in Montmartre. After lunch the rest of the afternoon is free, but join us for another Concierge dinner, perhaps in St. Germain de Pres?

Day 7 From the Champs-Elysees to the Eiffel Tower

After breakfast, your guide will meet you and take you on a walking tour of some of the most recognizable sights on the Right Bank. We will discover the major monuments of Paris between the 17th Century and the early part of the 20th Century. During your walk we will stroll the Champs Elysees, pass Les Invalides, the building containing the remains of Napoleon, and the Ecole Militaire where he studied to be an artillery officer. You then arrive at the Eiffel Tower where you take an elevator to the first level where a table has been reserved for lunch at Altitude 95. After lunch you have the afternoon free before enjoying a farewell dinner at your hotel along with a bottle of wine with our compliments.

Day 8 Depart for USA

After breakfast, your driver is ready to take you to the airport for your return flight to the US arriving back in the afternoon.

Services Included

• 1st Class rail travel as indicated on the itinerary
• Superior Rooms at the properties indicated in the accommodations area (We reserve the right to substitute a property of equal quality in advance of departure should the designated hotel be unavailable)
• Private Transfers to and from the airport or rail station at destination
• All meals as indicated on the itinerary by B=Breakfast, L=Lunch and D=Dinner
• Private guides for city explorations and private driver/guide while traveling.
• Entrance fees to all museums, attractions and other venues as indicated on the daily itinerary
• Baggage handling at all hotels
• All applicable taxes and service fees

Services Not Included

• International airfare (round-trip from hometown departure gateway to destination)
• Beverages with included meals (unless otherwise indicated on itinerary page)
• Any meals not indicated on the Itinerary page
• Items of a personal nature e.g. minibar, film, postcards etc.
• Gratuities to Guides and Driver/Guides (we provide suggested guidelines for your selected destination in your pre-departure material)
• Any passport or visa fees or government departure taxes (It is the traveler’s responsibility to secure the latest information regarding passports and visa requirements)

Available Year Round