September 1 to September 11, 2009
Program itinerary and instructions:
This trip has been designed to give the traveler both an enjoyable sightseeing and antique-buying experience.
Here is the schedule for the France in September 2009 trip.
Tuesday, September 1st
Depart for France. Janice and I will be on US Airways flight 754, a nonstop flight from Philadelphia International Airport to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. This flight departs Philadelphia at 6:15 PM, arriving in Paris September 2nd at 7:55 am. Those who elect to travel with Janice and I should meet us at the Philadelphia International at 4 PM. The balance of the group will be traveling via other airlines meeting us in Paris at the Charles de Gaulle airport or the hotel we will be staying at in Paris.
Wednesday, September 2nd
We arrive in the morning at the Charles de Gaulle Airport. Upon deplaning follow the signs for "Arriving Passengers." The first part of the process will be passport control. Follow the signs for non-EC (European Community) passengers. (This area of Charles de Gaulle Airport can sometimes be very congested). Here we will present our passport and landing card. (Fill out the airline-supplied card on the plane; if you don't get one, ask a flight attendant). We then proceed to the baggage "reclaim" area. There are restrooms in this area. In the baggage reclaim areas are luggage carts that are free for our use. The monitors will display the belt numbers where our luggage can be collected. From baggage reclaim we will pass through the customs area (use the green 'Nothing to Declare' opening) and proceed directly forward into the Arrivals Hall; this will be our groups meeting point. Passengers arriving on other flights should make their way to meet us at this location. Airport information will be helpful in directing you if you require assistance. If your flight is slightly delayed, do not despair. Janice or I will meet you.
After getting our group together, we leave the terminal and go to an Air France ticket agent, curbside at the airport terminal. Air France shuttle buses travel between the Charles de Gaulle airport and various Paris destinations about every 30 minutes.
We will be taking bus 4 (the Yellow Route). After picking up additional passengers at other terminals, we head off to Paris (about a 50-minute drive). The Yellow Route bus makes two stops: we get off at the first stop, the Gare de Lyon train station.
Please note: these buses have very small overhead racks, and do fill up, so only small bags should be taken on board, all others must be stowed in the buses' baggage compartments.
Almost directly across the street from the bus stop is the three star Hotel Terminus Lyon, where we will be staying the first two nights of our trip.
The rest of the day is for relaxing or just familiarizing yourself with the immediate area, which includes a number of restaurants. Or, you can take a short walk to the River Seine.
Overnight Paris
Thursday, September 3rd
If you've recovered from your jetlag, Paris beckons. Today is a good time to familiarize yourself with the City of Light.
One of the city tour bus companies has a pick-up point around the corner from the hotel. With a one day ticket you can easily spend the whole day getting on and off the continuously running buses visiting all of the important points in Paris.
Many in our group did this on prior trips and really enjoyed it.
Also, Paris has a wonderful Metro (subway) system, in many ways better than London's. A one-day Metro pass, good for the whole day, can easily be purchased, and you also will receive a map to the Metro system. The closest Metro station is in the Gare de Lyon station across the street from the hotel. Like London, Paris Metro lines are color-coded and with a little orientation are easy to use.
Overnight Paris
Terminus Lyon Hotel
Friday, September, 4th
Today we leave for Southern France. The hotel checkout time is noon. Our train taking us to Southern France departs the Gare de Lyon station at 1:20 p.m., so we have time to have lunch at one of the many restaurants in the area. A famous, though somewhat expensive one, the Le Train Bleu restaurant, is inside the Gare de Lyon station on the second floor, overlooking the main platform.
We board our high speed TGV train, depart Paris, and head south. In a few minutes, we will be zipping through the French countryside at over 150 miles per hour!
Just before 4 p.m. we pull into the Avignon TGV station, where we leave the train. Our private bus awaits and we head off for the city of Beziers.
We arrive in Beziers around 6:00 p.m., and check into the three-star Imperator Hotel. The Imperator is a quaint hotel located in the old central area of Beziers.
Overnight Beziers
Saturday, September 5th
In the morning we depart the hotel at 8 a.m. for the short drive to the Beziers Parc des Expositions, site of the 600-dealer Beziers Antique and Collectors fair. This is the first of three large Antique and Collectors fairs we will be attending while in Southern France.
Today Buyers enter at 8 a.m., which is also dealer set-up time.
At 2 p.m. (or earlier) we leave the fair and drive to Avignon where we check into the Hotel d'Angleterre our home for the next two nights.
Located inside the city walls it is only a short walk to everything Avignon has to offer
During our drive to Avignon we will stop at the Pont du Gard, a famous Roman aqueduct crossing the Gard River and an Unesco World Heritage Site. For those of you who have never seen the Pont de Gard, it is something you won't forget.
Overnight Avignon
Sunday, September 6th
An open day in Avignon, a good day to do something special. After breakfast our coach drives us to the City of Arles. Like Avignon the old part of Arles is inside the city walls. Our coach will leave us off just outside the walls and within easy walking distance of all the main attractions including the Roman coliseum and outdoor theater.
The famous Dutch painter, Vincent van Gogh arrived in Arles from Paris in 1888 and stayed for 18 months. During this time some of his most famous paintings were created. Even today some of the scenes and places he painted can be visited.
We leave Arles in the afternoon and drive the short distance to the Chateau des Baux.
Built in one of the most beautiful locations in France, the Chateau des Baux tells us of the turbulent times of the Middle Ages. From its hilltop fortified towers one can see the landscape around and as far as the Mediterrian Sea. See up close the weapons of medieval times, some still operable today. From here we travel back to the City of Avignon
Overnight Avignon
Hotel d'Angleterre
Monday, September 7th
At 8:00 a.m. we depart the hotel for the short drive to the Avignon Parc des Expositions, site of the 800-dealer Avignon Antique and Collectors Fair.
At 2 p.m. we leave the fair for the short drive back to Avignon, the rest of the day is open.
Here, at Avignon, the walls are history in themselves and the Palais des Papes, (Palace of the Popes), rises up inside. We will be staying near unique surroundings and a number of quaint restaurants with outdoor seating are within easy walking distance.
When we return to Avignon we will be checking into the Hotel Bristol, where we will stay three nights. Our original plan was while in Avignon to stay all five nights in the Hotel Bristol., However, the hotel was not able to accommodate our group for the first two nights.
Overnight Avignon
Tuesday, September 8th
We depart the hotel at 7:00 a.m. for the approximately one and one-half hour drive to the Montpellier Parc des Expositions, site of the 1,200-dealer Montpellier Antique and Collectors Fair. Buyers enter at 8 a.m., which is also dealer set-up time.
We leave the fair in the afternoon and return to Avignon.
Overnight Avignon
Hotel Bristol
Wednesday, September 9th
Today is an open day but many things can be seen and done. Stroll the streets of Avignon or shop in one of its many side street shops. Or take one of several day trips that are available.
Overnight Avignon
Hotel Bristol
Thursday, September 10th
Our high-speed TGV train departs Avignon at 1 p.m., arriving back at the Gare De Lyon station in Paris at 4 p.m. We check back into the Terminus Lyon Hotel for our final night in France.
Overnight Paris
Terminus Lyon Hotel
Friday September 11th
Those traveling with Janice and I leave the hotel at 8 a.m., taking the Air France bus back to the Charles de Gaille Airport.
Our US Airways flight 755 departs Charles de Gaille at 11:30 am for the eight-hour flight back to Philadelphia.
Time to go back to the good old U.S.A. as our 'France in
September' trip comes to an end.
Included in this special package are:
Three nights in the three star Terminus Lyon Hotel in Central Paris, near the Seine River
One night in the three star Imperator Hotel in Beziers
(Continental breakfast included)
Two nights in the Hotel d'Angleterre just inside the historic walled city of Avignon
(Continental breakfast included)
Three nights in the three star Hotel Bristol in Avignon
(Continental breakfast included)
Private bus transportation to all three of the big Antique & Collectors Fairs in Southern France
Roundtrip 1st class tickets on high speed TGV trains to and from Southern France.
Early buyer passes for all three fairs
Plus hotel transfers, and taxes.
All for only $1,495.00 (Airfare NOT included)
Price is per person, based on double occupancy
A $300.00 supplement is added on if traveling alone.
A $150.00 deposit per person is required to hold the reservation.
Make all checks payable to: James Hagenbuch
Cancellation penalties of: $100.00 per person up to 30 days before departure.
No refund will be available after August 20, 2009
Due to limited hotel available in September, and depending on the size of the group, it is possible that not everyone will stay in the same hotel.
For more information contact: James Hagenbuch,
102 Jefferson Street, East Greenville, PA 18041.
PH: (215) 679-5849, FAX: 215 679-3068
email: glswrk@enter.net
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