Proust in Paris, Illiers-Combray and Cabourg (Balbec)
Paris May 24 - 30 2010 (6 nights leave for home or Venice)
Note: Leave your home city Mary 23rd. We recomend you arrive in Paris a day or two before the tour to enjoy your favorite Paris activities.
A literary
dream trip for avid Proust fans or for the Proust neophyte eager to explore the
Proust mystique. There is nothing quite like being able to visit the many
sites of Proust’s masterpiece In Search of Lost Time. Your trip will
forever connect you to the novel.
Highlights:
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Paris: Proust’s Louvre, The Ritz, the Dreyfus affair, Proust’s gravesite.
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Illiers-Combray: "Tante Leonie's House", the church, "the Meseglise Way",
madeleines
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Balbec: The Grand Hotel, the beach, the little train station at Dives, and
more
Our tour leader is Harold Augenbraum, Executive Director of the National Book
Foundation, former Director of The Mercantile Library in New York, founder of
the Proust Society of America, and editor of forthcoming "The Collected Poems of Marcel Proust" from Penguin Classics.
As the leader of our first Proust in Paris tour five years ago, Harold
proclaimed that trip as one of the most extraordinary trips of his life.
Everyone agreed that the lectures, readings, lively discussions, walking tours
at Belle Epoque restaurants were outstanding. We think that our 2010 tour with
more great things to see in Balbec will be even better.
For the first
time we will offer a 4-day Venice extension to explore Proust’s fascination with
Venice, Ruskin, and its painters (including Carpaccio). See Proust or Venice.
Tour Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive in Paris. Transfer on your own to our small hotel in the chic 6th
Arrondisement, in our opinion, the best area to stay in Paris. Perhaps a coffee
at Café de Flore, the preferred café for writers including Sartre and Hemingway.
Check in room when available.
Afternoon: Pick up by private bus for tour of Proust sites including:
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The Proust apartment at 102 Blvd. Hausmann
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9 Blvd. Malsherbes (another Proust apartment)
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Pere Lachaise cemetery and Proust’s grave
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A Belle Epoque lavish toilette , a “secret place” near the Madeleine
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Walk in the park close to the Champs d’Elysee
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Drive through Bois de Boulogne
Day 2
A look at 19th century Paris:
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Marais walking tour …Mansions, Madame de Sevigne, The Dreyfus Affair
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The Carnavalet Museum of the City of Paris…view Proust’s bedroom
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The Louvre to visit Proust’s favorite paintings
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Tea at the Ritz Hotel (optional not included in tour price). After his mother
died, Proust dined at the Ritz almost every day. High tea, about 40 euros.
Day 3
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"Tante Leonie House" |
Early morning departure for Illiers-Combray. Activities include:
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Walk along Meseglise Way or Guermantes way
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Tour of "Tante Leonie's House"
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Visit the Church
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Lunch at Le Florent
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Madeleines with reading of that episode
Day 4
Morning: Visit Musee d’Orsay to see the striking portrait of Proust by
Jacques-Emile Blanche, a portrait that Proust owned until he died in 1922. We
can also have a look at the Manets here, a favorite of Proust.
Lunch at the legendary Laperouse restaurant. Good food and a chance to see
their famous private dining rooms, that can be locked. A favorite rendezvous for
romantic interludes
Visit Jacquemart Andre Museum, a beautifully preserved 19th century
mansion reflecting the social life of the period. Walk through Parc Monceau, a
favorite Proust haunt.
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Beach at Cabourg (Balbec) |
Day 5
Early morning departure for Cabourg (Balbec). Activities include:
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Explore Proust sites: The little train station at Dives, the Trouville
boardwalk (matches description of first sightingof girls on the beach),
various villas associated with Proust, ancient church and market
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Lunch at Grand Hotel plus viewing of room Proust stayed in
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Walk around the town, if time allows.
Day 6
Baudelaire and Proust
Day 7
Leave for home or Venice
Cost
$3500 (USD) per person (with the euro at 1.41 as of January 2009). Price
includes 6 nights hotel room (single occupancy breakfast included), all
activities as outlined in itinerary, 4 primary meals (2 are lunches -- Laperouse
in Paris and Le Florent in Illiers-Combray), transportation by private bus as
indicated. In Paris, we will also take taxis, 4 people to a cab, shared cost.
Price does not include lunches, 3 dinners, alcoholic beverages, wine, coffee
stops, transfers to and from airport, airfare to and from your home.
Itinerary and costs will be updated closer to departure date.
If you are extending your tour to Proust
in Venice, you would buy your round trip to Paris and from Paris
to home.
Round trip Paris to Venice on Easy Jet, an excellent discount airline,
flying out of Charles de Gaulle, round trip fare around 100 euros
(fare sure to change). As of 12/18 their only flight to Venice leaves
in the evening which would necessitate leaving on night six for
Venice, not a problem. I am sure there will be a more convenient
flight on day 7.
Sounds complicated but isn't. The flight Paris to Venice runs a
little over an hour.
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