Paris: The Great World City

Highlights

• A cultural tour of Paris with lectures and site visits by art and architectural historian Christopher Wood
• Live in ‘studio’ rooms in the heart of Quartier Latin, near the Pont-Neuf, so you can experience Paris’ street-life, boulevards, markets, gardens and cafés: Citadines Apart’Hotel Paris Saint-Germain-des-Prés
• Learn to read the urban structure of this great city, and explore the ways in which its urbanism, its great monuments and its vibrant political, social and cultural life made it the quintessential world city
• Enjoy a series of walks designed to illustrate the story of Paris and take a private interior tour of the Opéra Garnier
• Visit magnificent religious architecture including Paris’ Notre-Dame, Sacré-Coeur and Sainte-Chapelle
• Make excursions to the grand Château of Vaux-le-Vicomte with France’s finest gardens designed by André Le Nôtre and Le Corbusier’s recently restored Villa La Roche
• Explore some of the world’s major art collections at the Musée du Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, Musée Rodin, Musée Marmottan, the Pompidou Centre and the Fondation Louis Vuitton – a contemporary art museum designed by Frank Gehry.
• Visit a number of smaller and little known museums and galleries that provide snapshots of Parisian history including the Musée Nissim de Camondo housed in a former private home of the early 20th century, and the Yves Saint Laurent Foundation which includes Yves Saint Laurent’s studio and library
• Sample the very latest in design at spaces like Philippe Starck’s Cristal Room Baccarat
• Dine at famous places, such as Le Train Bleu, the grand Belle Époque restaurant at Gare de Lyon; the oldest restaurant in the world Le Procope and Les Ombres, designed by Jean Nouvel with unique views of the Eiffel Tower.

What's this trip about?

Experience one of the world’s most beautiful and exciting cities, from her medieval patrimony to cutting-edge modernity. Medieval masterpieces include the renovated Musée de Cluny displaying the Unicorn Tapestries, exquisite La Sainte-Chapelle and Notre-Dame Cathedral. We visit the 17th-century Baroque masterpiece of Vaux-le-Vicomte, displaying one of France’s finest gardens designed by André Le Nôtre, inspiration for Versailles, and in central Paris, the Place des Vosges and the Palais Royal. We explore the interior of the 19th-century Opéra Garnier, view the Eiffel Tower and walk the Bohemian quarters of Montmartre and Sacré-Coeur. The 19th century fostered avant-garde communities which attracted writers such as Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway and Oscar Wilde – whose last home, L’Hôtel, we visit. We explore the genesis of architectural modernism at Le Corbusier’s restored Villa La Roche and visit the studio and library of the great fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent. In the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Musée Marmottan, Musée Rodin and the Pompidou Centre we view Paris’ great art treasures. The Musée Carnavalet is devoted to the story of Paris and the Musée Nissim de Camondo, maintained as if it were still a private home, contains 18th- century French furniture and art objects. We also visit Frank Gehry’s new Fondation Louis Vuitton, an amazing contemporary art museum that opened in October 2014 in the Bois de Boulogne. We sample Paris’ wonderful cuisine at the Belle Époque restaurant Le Train Bleu, Paris’ oldest dining establishment Le Procope and at the Cristal Room Baccarat designed by Philippe Starck. We lunch at Les Ombres, designed by Jean Nouvel and view the nearby ‘Living Wall’ vertical garden designed by Patrick Blanc. This cultural tour explores Paris through extensive walking tours. We travel by Métro and shop at produce markets near our self-catering studio apartments located in the heart of Paris.

What's excluded

• Airfare: Australia-Paris, Paris-Australia
• Arrival/Departure airport transfers (please contact ASA if you wish to reserve a private transfer)
• Personal spending money
• Luggage in excess of 20 kg (44 lbs)
• Travel insurance

Accommodation