THE 21ST SEMINAR AT OXFORD, ENGLAND

THE ERA OF REVOLUTION IN

BRITAIN, FRANCE AND AMERICA

AND THE MAKING OF THE MODERN WESTERN WORLD

Optional Post Program Excursion to Paris

August 16-18, 2008

For those interested in continuing their journey, the Oxford seminar will for the first time offer a post-program excursion to Paris where Professors Onuf, Black and others will take you beyond the hustle and bustle of today to the city as it was at the time of the French Revolution.  We will explore revolutionary Paris, from Versailles to Napoleon’s tomb, with stops along the way at places like the Empress Josephine’s rooms at Chateau de Malmaison and the City Museum of Paris (Musée Carnavalet). Dine where Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson did, at Café Procope, and enjoy the ambience of a Parisian summer.  We will stay in a small French hotel in the city center and travel by coach to program sites for private tours and lectures, as well as stops for café au lait and the occasional glass of French wine! 

 

Saturday, August 16 (Oxford to London to Paris)

6:30AM:  This morning we depart Oxford on our private bus for London, where we board a Eurostar high speed train at 9:00 AM from the new St Pancras International Station and travel through the “Chunnel” to Paris.

12:47PM: Arrive at Gare du Nord, where we will be met by private coach.

2:30PM:  Château de Malmaison.  This 17th century château was purchased by Josephine, wife of Napoleon and became her main residence after their divorce.    This important Napoleonic museum has artifacts and mementoes of the imperial family.  You can see the Empress’s bed, Napoleon’s Throne room and the camp bed in which he died.  Professor Jeremy Black will lead the guided tour. 

4:30PM:  Depart for hotel.  We check in to the Hotel Ibis Tour Eiffel.

6:00PM:  Dinner at Au Chien qui Fume near Les Halles, or Le Chat qui Peche near Ile de la Cite.

  

8:30PM:  We end the day with an evening cruise on the Seine. 

 

Sunday, August 17 (Paris & Versailles - History & Napoleon)

Breakfast

8:30AM:  Depart hotel.  Our morning commences with an ascent of the Arc de Triomphe, the massive triumphal arch commissioned by Napoleon and home to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

10:30AM:  Musée Carnavalet. The building, once a Renaissance palace, was acquired by Mme de Carnavalet and the great François Mansart later transformed it.  Several salons cover the Revolution, with a bust of Marat, a portrait of Danton, and a model of the Bastille (one painting shows its demolition). Another salon tells the story of the captivity of the royal family at the Conciergerie, including the bed in which Mme Elisabeth (the sister of Louis XVI) slept and the dauphin's exercise book. 

12:00PM:  Lunch - Café Procope (subject to availability) in the Latin Quarter, or at another nearby local restaurant of your choice (lunch at your own expense). 

2:00PM:  Depart for Versailles.  This afternoon we journey to Versailles, a palace commissioned by Louis XIV around Louis XIII’s hunting lodge.  Highlights of the tour led by Jeremy Black include the ornate State Apartments, the magnificent Hall of Mirrors, and the spectacular gardens and fountains.  We will also see the Petit Trianon, a comparatively dainty mansion by Versailles standards, albeit sumptuously furnished.  Marie-Antoinette often fled here to avoid the stuffy atmosphere of the court.

6:00PM:  Return to Paris/Visit to Montmartre.  As we arrive back in Paris, we have a late visit to Montmartre, an area of Paris made famous in the late 19th century as an artists haunt.  We will stroll the Place du Tertre, a square known for its local artwork, and view the Sacre-Coeur Basilica (admittance not included), a huge white church, which dominates the Parisian skyline.  Dinner is on your own.

 

 

 

 

Monday, August 18 (Paris to London)

Breakfast

9:30AM:  Depart/check-out hotel. 

10:00AM:  Hotel des Invalides.  In 1671, Louis XIV commissioned the building for his wounded and homeless veterans, many of whom had become beggars.  We will have the opportunity to explore the Musée de l’ Armée, one of the most comprehensive museums of military history in the world, the Musée de l’ Ordre de la Libération, set up to honor feats of heroism during World War II, and the Dome Church, built by Mansart for Louis XIV in 1676.  The church is one of the finest examples of 17th century French architecture and is highlighted by the Tomb of Napoleon.

12:30PM:  Notre Dame Cathedral.   Over the centuries, the cathedral has been the scene of some of France's most momentous occasions, including the coronation of Napoleon. 

3:30PM:  Depart for Gare du Nord. 

4:45PM:  Train boards for 5:13PM departure:  Arrive London St Pancras International Station at 6:34PM.

   

Paris costs:

Oxford program PLUS Paris option, double room:  $4650

Oxford program PLUS Paris option, single room:  $4790

We must have 24 participants registered for our Paris program by June 1, 2008, for this program to operate.  We are pleased to say we are already getting registrations for this option as well as our Oxford University program.  If we do have to cancel the Paris option we will notify you on June 1 and you will receive your deposit and payment for this option back in full.  We recommend, when you book your flights, if you wish to return home sooner should the Paris option not be offered, that you request of the airlines that you book your air ticket, even if it is non-refundable, with the option to pay a penalty and change your return date. 

What is Included: 

*  Two nights accommodation in Hotel Ibis Tour Eiffel.

*  Continental breakfast each morning, one dinner in Paris.

*  All excursions, cultural activities and admissions.

*  Transportation by private coach for rail transfer from Oxford to London and Paris, and throughout touring in France

*  Eurostar rail return journey - London/Paris/London  

*  All Taxes

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This Does Not Include: 

*  Flights and arrangements from USA to Oxford and London to USA at end of program.

*  Lunches, one dinner in Paris, personal beverages with meals.

*  Travel insurance - We highly recommend you purchase travel cancellation insurance (and confirm what it may cover.)  Useful travel insurance information can be found at www.TripInsuranceStore.com or 888-407-3854.  You may also wish to check with your local travel agency for recommended sources.      

 

 

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