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Trip 1:
June 18th to June 30th, 2010
12 nights
| Limited to 7 participants
$3,921 USD per person, land only | Single supplement is 14% of trip cost
See discounts for repeat clients, early enrollment, room sharing, and back-to-back trips etcetera
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TRIP FULL: A second trip is available
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Updated Thursday the 2nd of September, 2010
Gateway airport: Charles De Gaulle,
Paris [CDG]
Arrival window:
8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
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Orbitz or your favorite airline for a fare
The tour fee details are
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Also see
Ireland
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England
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London |
Paris
Normandy/Brittany/Loire 2
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European Alps
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Provence
OVERVIEW: Travel Images’ is proud to provide this unique
photography tour of the Normandy and Brittany regions of France for the
very first time. Whatever your favorite photography subjects may be, you'll find that
this photography workshop contains a variety of captivating subject
matter to suit all tastes. From flowers in Giverny, to the
historical beaches of Normandy. From Loire Valley Châteaus [castles] to the
many quaint
harbor scenes. From lighthouses aplenty to the medieval
villages and walled towns. From ancient standing stones to the entrancing island castle of Le Mont San
Michel. In all, this is a photography tour awash
with a potpourri of photographic opportunities.
TRAVEL TO THE GATEWAY AIRPORT
o It is recommended that clients arrive a day early to be fresh for the trip, and to also counteract possible flight delays.
o Early arrival also enables you to explore the gateway city should you wish to do so.
o When booking flights, add a day for overnight travel or two days if also crossing the Pacific Ocean/International Dateline.
o The last day of the trip is the date you should arrange your flight home unless you plan to stay on. Thank you!
DAY 1 | To GIVERNY, NORMANDY
I’ll meet your mid morning flight arrival in Paris and we will then head
northwestwards to Giverny and the gardens made famous by the
impressionist painter Claude Monet. Here you will see the artist's home,
garden and the bridge seen in so many of his paintings. I'll help
you get some 'Monet effects' as you're going to have to play with long
exposures, intentional blur, and perhaps some tinkling about in PhotoShop!
Then to our overnight stay at a small chateau for dinner and
late light photography.
VIEUX VILLEZ, 1 night
DAYS 2 + 3 | To the NORMANDY COAST
At first light on day 2 we shall be
above the River Seine for a panoramic view, plus a quaint
village church. After breakfast
we will continue northwestwards in Normandy [Normandie], and beyond Caen, join the coast at Luc-sur-Mer.
This is the coastline where brave Allied forces came ashore on June 6, 1944,
in what has become known as the D-Day Invasion. We'll
explore the beaches of Gold, Juno and Sword where British,
Canadian troops and heroes from ten other countries landed
and fought so bravely. Remnants of the temporary Mulberry
harbor are still visible offshore.
At first light on day 3 we will explore
Port-en-Bessin harbor .
After breakfast back at our hotel we shall capture
respectful and 'symmetric' images of the American Cemetery near Colleville-sur-Mer where 9,386 young American
soldiers lie having fallen here in June of 1944. Also at the cemetery is
a memorial with the names of another 1,557 young Americans who died in
this battle, and whose remains were never found. Heading west
we'll explore Pointe du Hoc and
the hallowed Omaha beach where thousands of brave
young Americans landed on that fateful day in 1944. The rest of the day
will be spent following the coastline of the Valognes peninsula to
places such as Utah Beach, Saint Vaast la Hougue, small villages and
farmland, Cap de la Hauge, and many lighthouses including one near Goury.
PORT-EN-BESSIN, 2 nights
DAY 4 |
To Le MONT SAN MICHEL
More coastal photography at dawn, and then we'll spend the day on the
remainder of the Valognes peninsula following the west facing coastline with the photographic
highlights being Pont de la Sienne, and Granville etcetera. We'll check into our hotel in
the late afternoon, take dinner, and at late light we'll be
in the southwest corner of Normandy shooting the French icon of Le Mont San Michel [St Michael's Mount].
This special Gothic 'pyramid' was originally a tidal island, now
connected to land by road, and constructed in the 13th
to 16th centuries. It's a spectacular sight as it sits just off the Normandy coastline.
PONTORSON, 1 night
DAY 5 | To TREGUIER
Back to Le Mont San Michel at dawn to once again
capture the magic of this magical island castle. After
breakfast we'll go west into Brittany [Bretagne] to medieval Dinan
which in 1836 was described by Victor Hugo thus: “Dinan is a
beautiful old town bound and built on the overhang of a
precipice, like a swallow nest.” We shall spend
some time exploring the cobblestone streets, half-timbered houses
and more before continuing along the coastline. There will be plenty to photograph along the 'pink granite coast' including locations such as Fort la Latte, Cap Frehel, Pointe du Roselier, and Pointe de Bilfot.
Near PLOUGRESCANT, 1 night
DAYS 6 + 7 |
Western BRITTANY
Dawn at Pointe du Château where a 'house sandwich' is a
worthy photographic oddity. After breakfast we shall head
west and take in a coastline that offers,
Ploumanach, and the Tregastel bay with it's granite
formations. We then head inland to shoot the largest Celtic
standing stone in Brittany at Saint-Uzec. Via Morlaix
and into the region known as 'Finistère', 'the end of the
land'.
On day 7 we’ll explore the Crozon Peninsula with photography
in such places as Camaret-Sur-Mer, Pointe de Penhir, an
ancient Dolmen near St. Nic, yep the one of Christmas fame,
and Locronan, one of the most quaint and authentic villages
in all of Brittany. Then west to Audierne followed by the
late light out at La Point du Raz.
Near PLOGOFF, 2 nights
DAYS 8 + 9 | QUIBERON and STANDING STONES
Sunrise at the water's edge this morning then following
breakfast we'll head for the ancient town of Quimper which
sits pictorially on the banks of the River Odet. It's a
place to experience the Celtic side of Breton culture and
find another potpourri of images. We’ll then follow the
Brittany coast and take in Concarneau which is a walled town
including the medieval Ville Close, a long island in the
center of the harbor. Then to Pont Aven followed by the late
light at the tip of the Quiberon peninsula where we’ll make
our home for two nights.
On day 9 we’ll be hoping for mist in the fields as we shoot
a stunning collection of standing stones near the village of
Carnac. This particular concentration of megalithic stones
reputedly dates to between 2000 BC to 5000 BC, and some are
believed to be older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian
Pyramids. We’ll also spend part of the day exploring the
rocky Quiberon peninsula, harbors and more.
QUIBERON, 2 nights
DAY 10 + 11 | LOIRE VALLEY CASTLES
Sunrise in Quiberon harbor this
morning, breakfast, and as we leave the Quiberon peninsula we'll make a
detour to shoot various sea-cliff views and so on. To Carnac village, then the bridge at La Trinite-Sur-Mer, and on to historic and picturesque Auray prior to taking the fast
track eastwards into the Loire region for our two
night home near Chinon on the Vienne River. Evening light on Chateau Chinon tonight.
The Loire Valley nee 'Valle de la Loire' or 'Garden of
France', is also considered to be the 'cradle of the French
language.' We will photograph several significant chateaus
[castles] while in the Loire, but will start today with Château d’ Azay-le Rideau. The Château dates from 1515 and is
located adjacent to the River Indre. Historically, in 1418 Prince Charles [later King Charles VII] visited and was jeered
by the guards upon his arrival. The Prince was so angry he had all 350
of the soldiers killed and burned the local village down to the ground.
Also scheduled is
Château Villandry, built in 1536 and complete with
magnificent vegetable gardens, plus
the stunning Château de Chenonceaux situated
quite literally on the River Cher
complete with drawbridge and moat. The original castle burnt to the
ground in 1411, then the replacement was demolished too. Today's
building was completed in 1521. The town of Amboise is also scheduled for today.
Near CHINON, 2 nights
DAY 12 | LOIRE VALLEY CASTLES . . . and on to Paris
Sunrise images on the River Vienne this morning and
following breakfast we'll head for the
Château Chaumont-sur-Loire, the town of Blois on the Loire River for a short exploration on foot,
then as we
head for Paris our last major stop of the trip will be for the Château
de Chambord, the largest of all the Loire valley castles and a
magnificent example of French Renaissance architecture. It was built
between 1519 and 1547 and has a roof-line like no other castle. And
finally . . . we'll meander some charming Loire valley lanes
and take a fast track to our hotel north of Paris to close the trip.
GOUSSAINVILLE, 1 night
DAY 13 | Flights home
Departing flights can be arranged for any time this morning. USA residents will arrive home on the same calendar day.
Photographer/Leader
John Baker
This above itinerary is copyrighted by John T. Baker Photographer LLC, and Travel Images.com,
and authorization is NOT granted to business entities for professional use of said material.
PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR FEES
TRIP COST: $3,921 per person, double occupancy [land only]
SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT: 14% of the trip cost
SMALL
GROUP SUPPLEMENT:
For groups of 3 only: Add 10% of the trip cost above.
For 1 and 2-person ‘groups’ only, the rate is negotiable.
INCLUDED IN THE TRIP COST:
The following items are included in the trip cost: personalized photography instruction throughout the trip by John; all accommodations; all breakfasts; on-vehicle
snacks and bottled water; all ground transportation; airport
transfers on the first and last days of the trip only; entrance fees for sites and activities listed below under ‘Admissions’; and following the trip, field notes describing the time, place and subject of each photo stop, and a disc containing images of clients 'in action' on the trip.
NOT INCLUDED IN THE TRIP COST: The costs for these items are
the responsibility of each participant: airfare; travel costs
between your home and the gateway airport and return; any
transportation or travel costs incurred prior to or after the tour’s
inclusive dates; pre-tour and/or post-tour accommodation; lunches and
dinners; alcoholic beverages; entrance fees or costs related to
optional sites or activities not included in the itinerary or a part
of the trip; excess baggage charges; medical costs; personal items;
incidental charges incurred at our accommodations such as internet
access, phone calls or laundry; baggage and/or travel insurance;
passport or visa expenses; and airport departure taxes.
ADMISSIONS: The cost of admission to Monet's house and gardens,
and the Loire valley
castles of
Château d’ Azay-le Rideau, Château Villandry, and
Château Chaumont are included in the
trip fees. Any other admissions are optional and
not
included.
ENROLLMENT
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