Viennese Escapade

may 10 to 14, 2023

Speaker Patrice Mauriès

J1 - Vienna's Old Town.
St. Stephen's Cathedral, the undisputed masterpiece of Austrian Gothic, Vienna's most beautiful monuments and squares, including the Graben.
J2 - Imperial Vienna and the treasures of the Jugenstil period.
Visit the Hofburg, the imperial apartments and the treasure room.
Discover Viennese Art Nouveau and the Church of St. Charles Borromeo, after a break in a Viennese café.
J3 - Visit the Upper Belvedere collections, featuring masterpieces by Klimt, Schiele and Kokoschka.
Discover the Secession Pavilion, the Beethoven Frieze and Otto Wagner's Juguendstil buildings.
J4 - Museumsquartier and Hundertwasserhaus.
Visit the Habsburg collections at the Museum of Art History.
Discover Otto Wagner's masterpiece, the Savings Bank building, and the astonishing Hundertwasserhaus. In Heiligenstadt, visit the Beethoven Museum and dine in a wine village tavern.
J6 - Visit Schönbrunn Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and its splendid gardens.

The highlights of Tuscany

may 14 to 19, 2022

Speaker Patrice Mauriès

J1 - PISA and the Campo dei Miracoli. The Piazza del Duomo is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
J2 - PISTOIA, with its astonishing concentration of palaces and churches, and the Medicean villa of Poggio a Caiano, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
J3 - LUCQUES, its Roman and medieval heart surrounded by ramparts. Villa Torrigiani, one of the most sumptuous residences in the Lucchese countryside.
J4 - SIENA, a city with an intact medieval heritage. Its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
J5 - SIENNE, the Libreria Piccolomini, an artistic and architectural gem, and theOspedale Santa Maria della Scala, one of Europe's oldest hospitals, now a museum.
J6 - SAN GIMIGNANO, with its tower-houses and historic center listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Chianti, for a tasting lunch at a winery.

Normandy riches

october 8 to 13, 2022

Tour guide Vassiliki Cyrille-Lytras

J1 - Departure from Compiègne and accommodation at Merville-Franceville Plage, near Cabourg.
J2 - CAEN. Visit of the city and the Caen Memorial.
J3 - BAYEUX and OMAHA BEACH. Visit to the Bayeux Tapestry Museum and the town. Arromanches Landing Museum, Omaha Beach and Colleville-Saint-Laurent American Cemetery.
J4 - CABOURG and CÔTE FLEURIE. In the footsteps of Marcel Proust, "Villa du temps Retrouvé" in Cabourg and the Côte Fleurie, from Deauville and Trouville to Honfleur.
J5 - THE PAYS D'AUGE. Château-manoir de Saint-Germain-de-Livet, manoir de Coupesarte. Beuvron-en-Auge, one of France's most beautiful villages. Return via Dives-sur-Mer.
J6 - Departure for Château de Vendeuvre, then return to Compiègne.

J1 - First discovery of Montpellier: walking tour from Saint-Roch station to the Place Royale du Peyrou. Jardin des Plantes de Montpellier, France's oldest botanical garden (1593). Hôpital Saint-Charles (1937), an illustration of the architectural principles of the 1930s.
J2 - Journey through art, from the 16th century to the present day: discover the historic center on foot, squares and courtyards of private mansions. Cathedral. Former medical university and its anatomy amphitheatre. Mo-Co, a former mansion turned contemporary art center.
J3 - Nîmes and its ancient heritage: visit the Musée de la Romanité. Discover the Nîmes arenas, the Maison Carrée and the Jardin de la Fontaine.
J4 - Montpellier, contemporary architecture and urban planning: Antigone district (architect Ricardo Bofill), Port Marianne district, extension of Antigone towards the Mediterranean.
J5 - Visit to the Musée Fabre, with its rich collections dating from the Renaissance to the present day.

Berlin through history

april 16 to 20 or May 6 to 10, 2019

Speaker Patrice Mauriès

J1 - Panoramic city tour. Discovery of Nikolaïviertel, Berlin's oldest district.
J2 - Visit to the Neues Museum and its famous Egyptian collections.
Discover the Bundestag, Parizer Platz and Brandenburg Gate.
J3 - Alexanderplatz, rebuilt in the socialist urbanist style.
Altes Museum: collections of Etruscan, Greek and Roman art. Pergamon Museum (Pergamon Altar, Ishtar Gate,...)
New Berlin Synagogue, Bernauerstrasse, where a portion of the border system is preserved.
J4 - Kulturforum, West Berlin's cultural center designed in the late 1950s. Pass by the Neue Nationalgalerie and the Philharmonie, then visit the Gemäldegalerie, dedicated to European art from the 13th to 18th centuries.
Cruise on the River Spree.
J5 - Berlin Jewish Museum, whose architecture reflects the complex relationship between the Jewish and German communities over the centuries.
Visit to Schloss Sanssouci, built for Frederick II.

Marseille and Aix-en-Provence

september 21 to 26, 2019

Guide Claire Joncheray

J1 - Marseille: panoramic tour of the city and its corniche, Notre-Dame de la Garde, visit to the historical museum of the
historical museum.
J2 - Marseille: Excursion to the Iles du Frioul. Walking tour of the Panier district, Vieille Charité, cathedral, MUCEM, Fort Saint-Jean..
J3 - Marseille: Le Corbusier's Cité Radieuse.
Cassis and the wild beauty of the calanques.
J4 - Visit to the Jardins d'Albertas in Bouc-Bel-Air.
Aix-en-Provence: walking tour of historic districts, from the Sextius quarter to the Rotonde, from the Cours Mirabeau to the Cathérale.
J5 - In the footsteps of Paul Cézanne (studio at Les Lauves, Cézanne route, Sainte-Victoire). Musée Granet in Aix.
J6 - Aix-en-Provence: Mazarin district, visit to a 17th/18th century town house and Hôtel de Caumont (Tannhauser collection, Guggenheim masterpieces).

Discover Sicily

april 5 to 12, 2018

Speaker Patrice Mauriès

J1 - Paris - Palermo - Monrealevisit to the cathedral and its cloister.
J2 - Segestasegesta: Doric temple and theater carved into the rock of Mount Barbaro.
Agrigentodiscover the Valley of the Temples and visit the regional archaeological museum.
J3 - Piazza Armerinavisit the roman villa of Casale and its splendid mosaics.
Ragusamedieval and baroque old town.
J4 - Syracusesyracuse : Neapolis archaeological park, Paolo Orsi archaeological museum. Walk on the island of Ortygia, cathedral.
J5 - Taorminavisit to the Greek theater and the town.
Cefalùvisit the Norman-style Romanesque cathedral and the Mandralisca museum.
J6 - Palermo: Norman Palacethe palatine Chapel. Church of St John the Hermits. Church of thea Martorana. Cathedral. Salinas Archaeological Museum (Phoenician and Greek art). Oratories of the Rosary of Saint Dominic and the Rosary of Saint Cita (Serpotta stuccoes).
J7 - Palermo: visit to the Regional Gallery of Sicily (Annunciation by Antonello da Messina). Visit to Gangi Palace (see Visconti's film Le Guépard).
J8 - Palermo - Paris.

Troyes en Champagne

september 19 to 24, 2018

With the help of Eric Blanchegorge, Director of the Pôle Muséal de Troyes.

J1 - "16th-century Champagne" guided tour of old Troyes, churches, Hôtel-Dieu-le-Comte museum (ArkéAube, Prince de Lavau's treasure).
J2 - Château de la Motte Tilly and garden
Nogent-sur-Seine, Musée Camille Claudel
Villemaur-sur-Vanne church, famous for its 16th-century wooden rood screen.
J3 - Abbaye de Clairvaux, La Boisserie in Colombey-les Deux-Eglises, Château de Cirey-sur-Blaise (Voltaire and the Marquise du Châtelet).
J4 - Chaource: Saint-Jean-Baptiste church (exceptional Entombment). Essoye: visit in the footsteps of Auguste Renoir and "la belle Gabrielle".
Fontette: visit to the Charles Collin champagne cellar
J5 - Brienne-le-Château, visit to the Napoleon Museum.
The timber-framed churches of the Der region (Ceffonds, Lentilles and Chavanges)
J6 - Troyes, continuation of guided tours by E. Blanchegorge. Churches, Musée de Vauluisant (Musée historique de Troyes et de la Bonneterie) and Musée Saint-Loup (Beaux-Arts et Archéologie).
J7 - Morning at leisure, then return to Compiègne.

Andalusia

march 28 to April 4, 2017

Local English-speaking guide

J1 - Paris / Malaga: Welcome and transfer to Ronda.
J2 - Ronda: city tour, bullring, cathedral.
Arcos de la Frontera, one of Andalusia's most beautiful villages.
J3 - Jerez: visit to theriding school, horse show, Cadiz: panoramic tour, visit to the cathedral and provincial museum.
J4 - Seville: panoramic tour and visits to the cathedral, Giralda, orange tree patio, then Casa de Pilatos and Fine Arts Museum.
J5 - Medina Azahara
Cordoba: the Great Mosque, the Juderia, the old city center.
J6 - Cordoba: visitTorre de la Calahorra, museum of the 3 cultures: Muslim, Jewish and Christian.
Granada: visit to the cathedral and royal chapel (tombs of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella the Catholic, and collection of 16th- and 17th-century paintings).
J7 - Granada: visit the Alhambra fortress, palaces and gardens, then the Albayzin district.
For some, tapas and flamenco dinner in a Sacromonte cave.
J8 - Malaga / Paris

Discovering Finistère

september 24 to 30, 2017

J1 - Visit to the Musée du Bateau in Douarnenez.
J2 - Locronan.
Discovery of the Crozon peninsula with the Pointe de Pen-Hir, the Pointe des Espagnols, the Lagatyar menhirs and the port of Camaret.
J3 - Discover the town of Morlaix.
Landerneau: visit the exhibition organized by the Fonds Hélène et Edouard Leclerc pour la culture.
J4 - Quimper: visit to the Henriot pottery and the Locmaria district. Musée Départemental Breton. Saint-Corentin Cathedral and old quarters.
J5 - Concarneau - its walled town and Vauban fortifications are a real step back in time. Pont-Aven: discover the city of painters, visit its Museum.
J6 - Brest: discover the city's history and visit its military Arsenal.
Saint-Thégonnec and Lampaul-Guimillau parish enclosures.
J7 - Visit to the Sainte-Marie du Menez Hom chapel.

Bologna and the surrounding area

april 11 to 17, 2016

Guide Claire Joncheray

J1 - Paris / Bologna: piazza de la Ravegnana, San Stefano church, a complex of several churches and religious buildings. Stroll through the Jewish quarter. Piazza del Nettuno, with its magnificent Neptune fountain. Visit the Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio (16th c.), seat of the University for several centuries.
J2 - Modena: discover the city, Piazza Grande, the cathedral with its reliefs by Wiligelmo and the Ghirlandina tower, a jewel of Romanesque architecture.
Visit to the town hall and cathedral museum.
Marzabotto: Visit to the Etruscan archaeological site.
J3 - Bologna: Palazzo d'Accursio, or del Comune, a blend of different styles and periods. Cathedral dedicated to St. Peter. Visit to the archaeological museum. Church and piazza San Domenico. Oratory of Saint Cecilia (frescoes). Visit to the Basilica of San Petronio, the city's largest church.
J4 - Mantua: Palazzo del Te, a unique example of Mannerist architecture and decor. Boat trip on the lake. Ducal Palace, a true "city within a city".
J5 - Parma: Visit Palazzo della Pilotta, former ducal palace, and the Cathedral, Romanesque and redecorated in the 16th century.
Fontanellato: visit to Sanvitale Castle.
J6 - Ravenna: Visit to the Basilica of San Vitale, an architectural masterpiece (extraordinary mosaics, including those of Emperor Justinian and his wife Theodora).
J7 - Ferrara: visit to the archaeological museum.
Schifanoia Palace and Estens Castle, the city's most emblematic monument.
Bologna / Paris

Anjou and Saumur

september 25 to 30, 2016

J1 - Angers - Guided tour of the Doutre district and Saint-Jean hospital (tapestries by Jean Lurçat).

J2 - Visit to château du Plessis-Bourré.
Visit to château de Serrant.
Guided tour of the Loire River.

J3 - Visit to Château d'Angers and theApocalypse hanging. Visit toSaint-Aubin Abbey. Visit to Galerie David d'Angers.

J4 - Visit toFontevraud Abbey.
Discovery of Candes Saint-Martin.
Visit to the Château de Chinon and Chinon's old quarters.

J5 - Saumur - Ecole Nationale d'Equitation for a presentation of the Cadre Noir.
Guided tour of Saumur. Visit to the "Engloutie Cathedral" in the heart of the Bouvet-Ladubay cellars.
Guided tour of the old town of Montreuil-Bellay.

J6 - Guided tour of the Prieurale de Cunault.
Guided tour of the sculpture cellar at Dénezé-Sous-Doué.
Semi-guided tour of the troglodytic village of Rochemenier.

Greece at a glance

april 1 to 7, 2015

Trip organized by Océanides, accompanied by a local English-speaking guide

J1 - Panoramic tour of Athens.
J2 - Athens: the Acropolis (the Propylaea, the Erechteion, the temple of Athena Nike, the Parthenon), the Theater of Dionysus and the Odeon, the new Acropolis Museum.
Visit to the National Museum of Archaeology.
J3 - Athens: visit to the Agora, the Ceramic Cemetery.
En route to Delphi, visit to the Byzantine monastery of Ossios Loukas.
J4 - Delphi: visit the sanctuary, the Tholos, the Castalie fountain, and the archaeological museum. Departure for Olympia.
J5 - Olympia: visit to the sacred site, remains of the stadium, the temples of Hera and Zeus, and the archaeological museum. Departure for Argolid. Stopover in Nafplio (Venetian port and first capital of Greece).
J6 - Epidaurus: visit the site of the sanctuary of Asclepius, and the theater, the most beautiful in Greece.
Mycenae, visit to the ancient city of the King of Kings: the Lioness Gate, the royal tombs, the palace and its megaron, the domed tombs...
Return to Athens, stop at the Corinth Canal.
J7 - Transfer to airport and return flight.

Languedoc

september 13 to 19, 2015

J1 - visit to theenserune oppidum and the malpas tunnel.
J2 - Etang de Thauvisit to a shellfish farm.
Visit gardens of Saint-Adrienclassified as one of the most beautiful gardens in France, followed by a guided tour of Pézenasthe town of Molière.
J3 - guided tour of La Couvertoiradea Templar city on the Causse du Larzac, with its walls still intact.
Guided tour of Saint-Guilhem-le Désertclassified as a "Grand Site de France": abbey church, village.
J4 - Guided tour of Sètethe port, the canals, Mont Saint-Clair and its panoramic views...
Visit toValmagne Abbeya former Cistercian abbey and winery, and the Loupian Gallo-Roman Villa.
J5 - Agdeguided tour of the Musée de l'Ephèbe and the grande Conque site.
Barge trip on the Canal du Midi with passage through the Fonsérane locks, guided tour of Béziers.
J6 - Guided tour of the City of Carcassonne
Guided tour of Fontfroide Abbey.
J7 - guided tour of the town of Agde.