DAY ONE. Arrival in Paris, group dinner. Since participants will be coming from various parts of the U.S. and arriving at different times, Laura Ponter and her team will greet you at the Hotel Dauphine, get you settled and show you some nearby market streets and little cafes for a light lunch. Participant's orientation meeting at 6:30 p.m. followed by our first group dinner. Brief stroll after dinner on the banks of the Seine. Lodging in the elegant and chic St. Germain area on the left bank.

DAY TWO. Pearls: A Natural History, French Crown Jewels. Free morning to explore the neighborhood and the antique stores of the famed Carré Rive Gauche. After lunch, we visit the pearls exhibition at the Museum of Natural History in the 5th arrondissement. Later in the afternoon, we go to the Louvre Museum to visit the Gallerie d'Apollon, home to the French Crown Jewels. As the museum remains open until 10 on Fridays, Didier Jacquet will conduct an optional visit of the highlights of the Louvre in one hour, showing the masterpieces of the collection. Rest of the evening free.

DAY THREE. Highlights of the right bank and the jeweler's district. In the morning, optional visit to the Orsay Museum to explore the collection of 19th century and Impressionist paintings. For those interested, Didier Jacquet will conduct a tour of the two islands at the core of medieval Paris including a visit to the beautiful Sainte-Chapelle known for the exceptional quality of its stained glass windows. Later in the afternoon, we take a stroll across the River Seine to visit the Place Vendôme, in the heart of the jewelry district. We also explore side streets where antique jewelers are located. We stop for coffee near the opera house before returning to St. Germain.

DAY FOUR. Union des Arts Decoratifs, group lunch, Picasso Museum. After breakfast, we visit the collections of the Decorative Arts museum located in one of the wings of the Louvre, focusing on their extensive jewelry collection. Group lunch at the classic Bofinger Brasserie at the Bastille Square. In the afternoon, optional visit of the historical place des Vosges and the Marais district, including the world famous Musée Picasso. Rest of the day free.

Champagne Salon Riddling Racks

DAY FIVE. Visit to Champagne, group lunch. We leave Paris after breakfast by motor coach for the Champagne region. Our first stop will be in Reims to visit the breathtaking Gothic cathedral featuring stained glass by Marc Chagall. Group lunch at the Brasserie Le Boulaingrain, favorite eatery of the champagne trade. In the afternoon, we leave for Epernay in the heart of the grape growing region where we have a private tour and tasting at the exclusive Champagne Salon house in the lovely village of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. We return to Paris in the late afternoon, early evening.

DAY SIX. Mineralogy and Gemology Museum, Luxembourg Gardens. Morning free to pursue personal interests. In the afternoon, Leslie Tribe, Spirit of Pearl's jewelry curator will guide us through the gem collection of the French Mineralogy museum, a division of the National School of Engineering, followed by a stroll through the beautiful Jardins du Luxembourg, home of the French Senate. En route, we stop at the Saint-Sulpice church to admire the mural paintings by Eugene Delacroix.

DAY SEVEN. Musée Nissim de Camondo and Parc Monceau. Farewell dinner. After breakfast, we head for the Camondo Museum located in the 8th arrondissement. The museum features an exceptional collection of French 18th century furnishings in a private home setting. Stroll in the beautiful Parc Monceau. In the evening, we have our farewell dinner at the exquisite restaurant La Truffière in the historic 5th district featuring specialties of Southwestern France.

Please contact (707) 939-2399 ext. 20 to reserve your space.
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