An 8-day tour exploring the lives & artistic achievements of
the women & men who flocked to Paris during the 1920s & ’30s
October 27-November 3, 2018
WITH MARJORIE ST. CLAIR
No period of time continues to capture the imagination as the belle époque of Paris in the early 20th century. In 2011, for example, there were major exhibitions in San Francisco, featuring the art of Picasso, the art collection of the Stein family who were instrumental in purchasing and nurturing the avant-garde artists in Paris pre-WWI, and an exhibition of Gertrude Stein, her writing and memorabilia.
What was it like to be a woman in this literary Paris? We know that women set up bookshops, little magazines, publishing houses and artistic salons in which they marketed the products of literary Paris; and while some are better known to us than others, each woman who migrated to Paris had a particular influence on the cultural scene. It was Sylvia Beach, for example, who paid for and published the first issues of Joyce’s Ulysses and whose bookstore Shakespeare & Co. became a meeting place for American writers to connect with one another. Other women, like Natalie Barney who held regular salons, made enormous contributions in helping to create a community of women who were committed to producing serious art and writing.
The expatriate men of literary Paris held various careers in addition to their writing: Hemingway was a journalist; others were bankers, teachers, & physicians. F. Scott Fitzgerald alone had made enough money from his writing to support himself and Zelda when they arrived in Paris. But why did the Americans come to Paris in the first place? What all of the ex-pats valued, especially the women, was the cultural freedom to explore their own creativity and personal lifestyles.
Marjorie is especially suited to serve as facilitator-guide for this trip having lived in Paris for a number of years. It was during her time as an ex-pat herself that she became interested in the American writers and artists who had made Paris their home earlier in the twentieth century. Later, during PhD studies in Women’s History, her interest was re-ignited in the women writers & artists of this period and she began to share her knowledge through teaching classes on the amazing expatriate women of the left bank. For many years it has been her dream to share her love of Paris and the compelling literary & artistic history belonging to the unique group of American Expatriates who converged there during the belle époque. From these diverse threads, Marjorie has designed a trip that offers a delectable array of experiences, a true moveable feast of the senses, intellect and the spirit!
PARIS-JE T’AIME
If you’ve been captivated by the magic of this historical time in Paris, please consider joining me for A Writer’s Adventure to Paris
October 27 – November 3, 2018. Our tour will include: visits to literary cafes frequented by the artists and writers of that period; a visit to the famous Shakespeare & Co Bookstore with time to peruse this unique treasure & learn more of its history; visits to the world-famous Louvre & Musee de l’Orangerie- home to Monet’s magnificent Water Lilies paintings; a visit to the outdoor book stalls along the Seine; a sightseeing tour of the city, taking in such sites as the Champs Elysees, Arc de Triumphe, Eiffel Tower, the Sorbonne, Pantheon, Sacre-Coeur Basilica, the Paris Opera House and a visit to the famed Notre Dame Cathedral, an evening at the Theatre des Nouveautes and a special farewell dinner cruise on the Seine. There will also be time on your own to reflect and write about your experiences. Throughout our journey, we will pause to discuss the life and times of the artists and writers who made the 1920s Paris the century’s greatest decade and seek to understand why Gertrude Stein dubbed the ex-pat writers “the Lost Generation.”
FRENCH CAFÉ LIFE ON THE LEFT BANK
WRITE, REFLECT, SHOP
There will also be free time to walk, shop and discover special places on your own as our hotel is conveniently located on the Left Bank where so many of the expatriates lived. Throughout the trip, Marjorie will lead discussions on the expatriates and time will be given to reflect and write about your experiences. Altogether, this will be a memory-making, unforgettable, exquisite experience. Don’t miss it!
Your Tour Includes:
-Transfer on your arrival from the Airport to our hotel
-7 Night’s First-Class hotel accommodations with private bath
-Hotel taxes and service charges
-Breakfast every day
-Lunches and dinners as per itinerary
-Sightseeing as per itinerary including entrance fees
-Locally Hosted
Special Features:
-Discussions on the expatriates, led by Marjorie
-Welcome dinner at the Le Train Blue
-Lunches at La Mere Catherine in Montmartre, Le Procope, Cafe des Deus-Magots and La Closerie des Lilas
-A glass of wine with lunches
-Time to visit Shakespeare & Co Bookstore & Walking tour to see where many expatriates lived
-Sightseeing Tour of Paris
-Visits to the Louvre & Musee de l’Orangerie
-Visit to the Bookstalls on the River Seine
-Farewell Seine River dinner cruise
-Wine with your Welcome and Farewell dinners
-Evening at the one-man show at the Theatre des Nouveautes with Oliver Giraud
Our Hotel -The Hotel “9” Opera
ITINERARY
Day 1, Saturday, October 27: In Paris (D)
Day 2, Sunday – October 28: In Paris (B/L)
Day 3, Monday, October 29: In Paris (B/L)
Day 4, Tuesday, October 30: In Paris (B/L)
Day 5, Wednesday, October 31: In Paris (B/D)
Lunch will be followed by a visit to the Musee l’Orangerie where many of the most famous impressionist drawings & paintings are displayed, especially Claude Monet’s Water Lilies paintings. One unique aspect of the gallery is that the paintings are lit by natural sunlight exactly as Claude Monet designed them to be displayed. After a long day, you have the evening on your own to relax, reflect and record your musings in your journal.
Day 6, Thursday, November 1: In Paris (B/L)
Day 7, Friday, November 2: In Paris (B/D)
After breakfast, we begin our walking tour by passing Gertrude Stein & Alice B. Toklas’ apartment at 27 rue de Flores where they lived for 25 years & was home to their famous Salons where artists, writers, philosophers & poets gathered. We’ll make our way past some of the other residences of the Left Bank tribe of artists and writers on our way to the beautiful Luxembourg Gardens where we’ll spend a few leisurely hours writing, discussing & sharing ideas about the expatriates. Lunch and afternoon are free for some last minute exploration and shopping. This evening we have our Farewell Dinner River Cruise as we journey on this famed Seine river admiring the sites of the “City of Lights” at night.
Day 8, Saturday, November 3: Tour ends after breakfast.
Tour ends after breakfast as you make your way on your own to the airport.
Please Read the Terms and Conditions for this Tour
** Bonus! SAVE! You will receive a 5% discount if ALL payments are made by check or money order. This discounted price is noted below in red.
*Special No Interest + No Payments for 6 Months Plan Now Available!
RMC Travel now offers the “PayPal Credit” Plan (Click here for details)
PRICING
Land Only Costs Per Person, double occupancy:
$3,299 payments via check or money order
$3,569 payments via credit card
Land Only Costs Per Person, single room occupancy:
$4,279 payments via check or money order
$4,499 payments via credit card
Pre-Paid Gratuities:
$70 ($75 by credit card)
NOTE: The Single Room Supplement applies for those who would like to secure a private room throughout the tour.
ROOMMATES: We will be happy to try to find a suitable roommate for those who are traveling alone and would like to share a room. Per our Terms and Conditions, registration for the tour will be held open until four weeks before the departure date in order to try to match everyone with a roommate. If, by that date, we have not been able to match you with a suitable roommate, you will be responsible to pay for the single supplement. An early registration will facilitate this process.
Payment Schedule:
Non-Refundable Initial Deposit, due on or before May 17, 2018 in order to ensure a place on the tour: $500 by check or money order, $525 by credit card.
2nd Payment, due on or before June 17, 2018: $500 by check or money order, $525 by credit card.
Final Payment (amount as per invoice) due on or before August 17, 2018
Marjorie will send you an extensive reading list after you register.
for secure payment online by credit or debit card, or mail-in check.
If you have already registered and would like access to the Payment Page, please CLICK HERE.
Travel Insurance
RMC Travel highly recommends the purchase of Trip Cancellation/Interruption Travel Insurance, and we therefore provide you with an easy way to contact BMSJ’s preferred insurance provider, Allianz Global Assistance. If you need additional information or have questions, please call Allianz directly at 1-800-284-8300, and refer to code F025323.
For Flight Assistance and Ticketing
email horstkitzig@peoplepc.com in our air department