Paris 2019 Itinerary
Saturday, Oct. 26: Arrive in PARIS
Inkslingers in Paris officially begins at 5:00 pm in The Writing Room at the beautiful 4 star Evergreen Laurel Hotel in Paris. Here we meet our Travel Director/Guide, say hello, settle in and begin to share our stories.
A group dinner follows immediately afterwards (7:00 pm) in the hotel.
A special note: On our previous trips we have changed hotels 3 or 4 times throughout the week as we traveled around Ireland or Scotland. This year we continue to enjoy the services of our own 48 seat bus and a tour guide, but we want to maximize the time available during the week to experience as much of Paris as possible, so we enjoy the hospitality of just one hotel for the entire trip!
Another special note: Our hotel is only a few minutes from The Metro (Paris boasts the finest subway system in the world), so freedom of movement is readily available if you wish to venture out on your own or with your fellow travelers.
We have arranged for our bus to be available at Charles de Gaulle Airport for a one-time pickup of the largest group arriving this morning. We offer this service on the departure day as well.
ABOUT OUR ITINERARY:
Every morning in Paris, we enjoy the option of joining a gentle morning yoga class led by the compassionate and joyous Kate Marshall Flaherty. A complimentary buffet breakfast in the hotel follows. We gather with our fellow travelers at 9:00 a.m. for the group writing workshop that ends at 11:30.
We enjoy lunch in the immediate area or share a repast once we’ve arrived at the first museum or other exciting location for the day. Each afternoon we provide optional opportunities for sightseeing and travelling. We have our own bus and driver/guide to take us to the sites, restaurants and hotel.
It is your writing/yoga retreat. Feel free to select the activity, or opportunity to relax that suits you best. If you prefer to be alone any day, just let us know. Our hotel is within easy walking distance of local shops and restaurants. It is very close to The Metro for those who would like to explore Paris on their own.
Sunday, Oct 27: Morning Yoga & Writing – Afternoon Exploration
After lunch we visit Père Lachaise Cemetery, the largest in Paris and the most visited necropolis in the world.
Find the burial places of famous women and men: Colette, Oscar Wilde, Simone Signoret, Edith Piaf, Honoré de Balzac, Guillaume Apollinaire, Frédéric Chopin, Jean-François Champollion, Molière, Yves Montand, Jim Morrison, and Camille Pissarro, to name a few.
Afterwards we visit the House of Victor Hugo, his private residence from 1832 – 1848.
It is situated in Place de Vosages so we have some time here to walk around.
We have a selection of options here: Drive back to the hotel, join some of our fellow participants for dinner at a fabulous French restaurant, or enjoy the rest of the day as we wish.
DAY 3 – Monday, Oct. 28: Morning Yoga & Writing – Afternoon Exploration
This afternoon we meet with a Local Specialist for a guided walk of The Latin Quarter to learn about the history and absorb the sensuous details.
Then a real treat! We visit the Bibliotheque Mazarine, the oldest library in France with a guided tour of this 17th century treasure.
Today, the library holds one of the richest collections of rare books and manuscripts in France.
The guided activities for the day will conclude with a tour of the city of lights from the river aboard a Seine Cruise before having the rest of the day at our leisure.
We have the choice of driving back to the hotel, joining some of our fellow participants for dinner at a fabulous French restaurant, or enjoying the rest of the day as we wish.
DAY 4 – Tuesday, Oct 29: Morning Yoga & Writing – Afternoon Exploration
Enjoy some free time for shopping and lunch today at Rue Beaurepaire,
followed by an exploration of two of Paris’ most extraordinary museums:
The Musee d’Orsay and The Rodin Museum
Our only choices to make are where to have dinner and how to spend the evening.
DAY 5 – Wednesday, Oct 30: Morning Yoga & Writing – Self-Guided Afternoon & Evening
After our morning workshop, the rest of the day is all ours!
If there is anywhere or anything to see or experience in Paris not included in our itinerary, this is the day to plan it.
Sample delicious French cakes at a local pâtisserie, amble along the cobblestone lanes of Le Marais or visit the Eiffel Tower.
OR, simply find a cafe, enjoy the ambiance, write in our journals and enjoy some alone time.
DAY 6 – Thursday, Oct. 31: Morning Yoga & Writing – Afternoon Exploration
Montmartre is our first destination. The hill of Montmartre has been a sacred site since druids worshipped there and the Romans later built temples dedicated to the gods Mars and Mercury, hence the name ‘Mons Martis’. The first Christian chapel was built on the site in 270 AD in honour of Paris’ first bishop, St Denis.
Today we start by visiting the Sacre Coeur Basilica.
Then on to the Musee de la Vie Romantique.
It is the house of the painter Ary Scheffer built in 1830 and has collections of literature, sculptures and paintings from the 18th to the 20th centuries.
We enjoy the company of a guide who tells tales of the literary history in Paris and includes a visit to the famous Shakespeare and Company Bookstore.
Last stop today we journey (holding hands, of course!) into the macabre underground Catacombs dating back to the 19th century.
DAY 7 – Friday, Nov. 1: Morning Yoga & Writing – Afternoon Exploration
After lunch we explore the Orangerie Museum, an art gallery of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings next to the Place de la Concorde.
Then, we enjoy an evening visit to the biggest and best known museum in the world, The Louvre. The Louvre was once palace to the kings of France.
Our Local Specialist guides us through the sumptuous maze of galleries to view masterpieces such as Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Mona Lisa’ and Winged Victory, one of the most celebrated sculptures in the world.
DAY 8 – Saturday, Nov. 2: Morning Yoga & Writing – Afternoon Exploration
This afternoon we visit the Panthéon. It’s iconic silhouette and dome is perched at the top of the Montagne Sainte-Geneviève, the historic hill of the Latin Quarter.
Since the days of the French Revolution, this former church, dedicated to the patron saint of Paris, has housed a necropolis in its crypt, containing the remains of such well-known French figures as Victor Hugo, Marie Curie and Alexandre Dumas.
Then we visit the Luxembourg Gardens and Montparnasse Cemetery. Among some of the famous works of art at the cemetery is ‘Le Baiser’ (The Kiss) by the sculptor Constantin Brancusi.
Discover the burial places of Charles Baudelaire, Guy de Maupassant, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir and Charles Garnier.
Tonight we celebrate and enjoy a Farewell Dinner together at the hotel. Although reading in front of others is never mandatory on an Inkslingers’ Adventure, everyone is invited to read a short piece inspired by our experiences of Paris.
DAY 9 – Sunday, Nov. 3: Morning Yoga & Writing (unless everyone leaves for the airport early)
Our adventure together comes to an end.
Say goodbye to each other after enjoying one of the most memorable experiences of a lifetime.Note: A one-time bus trip to Charles de Gaulle Airport is available for all participants early on Sunday morning.
Click HERE To Register for Inkslingers in Paris.