THE UPPER RHINE: Where France, Germany, and Switzerland Meet

FALL STUDY TRIP ABROAD 2013

A fascinating assemblage of towns, collections, buildings, and history from Strasbourg and Nancy to Basel.

REGISTRATION NOW CLOSED

ITINERARY (subject to amendment)

Saturday, September 7

We assemble at the historic Hotel Regent Petite France,
5 rue des Moulins, 6700, Strasbourg, France
Telephone 03 88 76 43 43, fax: 03 88 76 43 76
Strasbourg is a Unesco World Heritage Site and capital of the European Union, halfway between Paris and Prague. Our introductory boat cruise on the Ill River will include a visit to the Musee Alsacien, Renaissance buildings which feature popular arts and crafts, and to the magnificent Gothic Cathedral of Notre Dame with its Rose window and mechanical clock.
Our dinner together is at a nearby restaurant.

D included
Overnight: STRASBOURG

Sunday, September 8

We leave by coach/foot for the 18th-century Palace of Bishop Rohan which houses the Musee des Arts Decoratifs and Musee des Beaux Arts. The sumptuous State rooms contain an exceptional Porcelain Collection. We will continue through the Black Forest of Germany to lunch at a typical traditional restaurant near the 19th-century spa town of Baden-Baden where Kings, Queens, and Dostoyevsky drank and gambled!

Afterwards, a visit to the Schloss Favorite at Rastatt shows the early 18th-century German obsession with including all the latest styles (Delft, chinoiserie, pietre dure, grottos, French mirrors etc.) in one building!

We return to Strasbourg for an independent dinner.

B, L included
Overnight: STRASBOURG

Monday, September 9

We leave by coach for Selestat to visit the intriguing Bibliotheque Humaniste, a Renaissance Collection of early illuminated and printed manuscripts. The charming town includes the churches of St. Foy and St. Georges.

We continue to the picturesque wine village of Riquewihr and enjoy a tasting at the Hugel cellars with David Ling, long-time cellar master.

After lunch at Restaurant La Grappe d’Or, we continue to Colmar for the famous Issenheim Altarpiece by Grunewald at the Musee d’Unterlinden. A modern addition there by the Swiss architects Herzog and deMeuron is scheduled to open this fall.
A walk around the 16th-century Colmar center includes the Cathedral, Dominican Cathedral, and La Petite Venise.
Return to Strasbourg for dinner on your own.

B, L included
Overnight: STRASBOURG

Tuesday, September 10

We leave by coach (with luggage) to see the exterior of Luneville, the great Stanislas chateau damaged by fire in 2003 and still under restoration. Our morning visit will be to the Chateau Haroue (by special arrangement with the Princesse Bavon), an elegant and beautifully decorated 18th-century residence still in the family.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we will continue to Nancy and our
Grand Hotel de la Reine, 2 Place Stanislas, 54000 Nancy
Telephone: 03 83 55 03 01
An afternoon walking tour of the Old Town includes the Musee Historique Lorrain in the Ducal Palace, part of the tremendous 18th-century complex built by the deposed Polish King, Stanislas Leczinski, Duke of Lorraine and father-in-law of Louis XVI.
The elegant square, splendid wrought iron gates and Arc de Triomphe are impressive.
Free time and an independent dinner follow.

B, L included
Overnight: NANCY

Wednesday, September 11

We go on foot to visit the Eglise des Cordeliers with the Ducal Mausoleum and the monastery which houses the Musee des Arts and Traditions: folklore, regional furniture, costume, and crafts. A stop at the Beaux Arts Museum in the Place Stanislas is followed by lunch at the delightful Brasserie Excelsior with its original Art Nouveau interior.

The afternoon focuses on the golden age of Art Nouveau around 1900 when Emile Galle founded the famous Ecole de Nancy which we visit to see the glass, furniture, fabrics and jewelry.

Some free time and independent dinner.

B, L included
Overnight: NANCY

Thursday, September 12

Leave by coach (with luggage) for Basel following the Moselle Valley, famous for wine, to Ronchamps, Le Corbusier’s iconic 1955 Chapelle de Notre-Dame-du-Haut, a Unesco World Monument, more sculpture than architecture!
After lunch locally, we head to Rixheim for a fascinating visit to the Zuber Wallpaper Museum with curator Isabelle Dubois-Brinkman. Zuber paper was first used in America in the late 18th century and became very popular in the 19th century. We will also enjoy a rare visit to the Zuber Manufacture to see the wallpaper and coloring in progress.

We continue a short distance into Basel and the famous luxury hotel,
Grand Hotel des Trois Rois, Blumenrain 8, CH-4001 Basel, Switzerland
Telephone: +41 61 260 50 50, fax: +41 61 260 50 60.
Some free time and independent dinner.

B, L included
Overnight: BASEL

Friday, September 13

We begin with a morning walking tour through the Old Town including the Historical Museum in a former Franciscan church (with Curator Margret Ribbert), and the Haus Zum Kirschgarten built in 1775 for the prosperous silk merchant Burckhardt.
Lunch is independent.
We continue to Weil-am-Rhein for the Vitra Design Museum, a world renowned furniture manufactory responsible for Thonet Bentwood, Bauhaus, Knoll, Eames, etc. Architecture on the site by Gehry, Alvaro Siza, and Tadao Ando.

We return to have dinner together at Safran Zunft, which is located in an historic guildhall.

B, D included
Overnight: BASEL

Saturday, September 14

Depart by coach for Mulhouse to visit the Museum of Printed Textiles (Musee de l’Impression sur Etoffe), a premier collection of printed textiles spanning three centuries, including toile and the popular Pierre Deux Provence look.
Lunch independently and return to Basel for free time.
Farewell dinner at Chez Donati.

B, D included
Overnight: BASEL

Sunday, September 15

Morning departure to Basel Airport for return flights.

B included

Terms and Conditions

Land Arrangement Cost:
$5,350.00 per person based on twin occupancy. This cost is based on the current rate of exchange of one Euro = 1.35 U.S. Dollars and subject to rate changes. Final invoice may reflect this change.

Airfare:
TransAtlantic airfare is not included. Please do not make your airline reservations until you have received written confirmation from The Trust.

Reservations:
An $960.00 per person deposit is required by March 5, 2013.
Reservations and deposits are taken on an “as received” basis. You will receive a written confirmation in the mail from The Decorative Arts Trust. Do not make any irrevocable airline reservations until you receive your written confirmation. If not registering online, please make your check payable to: The Decorative Arts Trustand mail to 106 Bainbridge St., Phila., PA 19147.
Deposit is non-refundable after March 5, 2013. Cancellation insurance is strongly advised.

Contributions:
A donation to the Decorative Arts Trust of $500 per person is required for this trip.
This donation is fully tax deductible. Please use separate check.

Membership Class:
For participation in Study Trips Abroad, a Benefactor membership level is necessary.
Membership is fully tax deductible. If an increase in your membership level is needed, the Trust will invoice you for a Benefactor level upgrade.

Single Supplement:
$1,140.00 additional for a single supplement. These are limited.

Final Payment:
Will be due by June 26, 2013.

Travel Documents:
A valid United States passport is required for this itinerary.

Itinerary:
All schedules mentioned in this itinerary are contracted for at this time but are subject to change if necessary. A Study Trip reading list will be sent to you.

Trip Participants:
The trip is limited to a maximum of 25 members and requires a minimum of 15 people. The trip will cancel if under-subscribed. We will organize and maintain a waiting list on the basis of the time registrations are received. This is a strenuous trip. We regret that we cannot be responsible for those needing assistance on this trip. By registering for the trip, you are certifying that you do not have any mental, physical or other condition of disability that would create a hazard for yourself or other passengers. The right is reserved to decline to accept or decline to retain anyone as a member of this study trip should the person’s health, actions or general deportment impede the operation of the study trip or the rights, welfare or enjoyment of others.

Included in Trip Cost:

Hotel accommodations in 4–5 star hotels,
8 buffet breakfasts, 5 lunches, 3 dinners,
private motor coach transportation, local guides, museums, parks, and historic houses,
Porterage for one suitcase only. This is particularly important.

Not Included in the Trip Cost:

Air travel, bar drinks, any other personal extras, and tips only for the accompanying professional guide (suggested $4 per person per day) and motor coach driver ($3 per day), which will be collected at the end of the trip.

Cancellation and Refund:
If you must cancel your reservation, you are urged to do so as soon as possible in writing to The Decorative Arts Trust. However, deposits are non-refundable after March 5, 2013.

Cancellations received 42 days before the start of the tour will receive a 50% refund.
Cancellations received between 42 and 22 days before the start of the tour will receive a 25% refund.
Cancellations received between 21 and 14 days before the start of the tour will receive a 15% refund.
For cancellations occurring within two weeks of the tour starting, there are no refunds.

Cancellation and accident insurance are strongly advised. Check to see that baggage and personal property are covered on your householders insurance.