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Grand European Adventure 20 amazing days filled with fabrics and quilts
Short on time? You may also choose from 12 days in France, or 10 days in Italy and Switzerland. Switzerland
& Italy - July 16-25
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Itinerary Day 1, Saturday - July 16, 2011: Depart the USA from your own home city or any city of your choice! Deb's Free to Fly program allows you to depart directly from any airport to meet our group in Rome, Italy. Not only will you avoid the hassles associated with meeting at a fixed departure airport to travel with a group, but you may leave when you want and use any points or mileage plan that suits you! In the past, clients who fly independently save 100s of dollars over group arranged flights. Deb's program allows you to save money while you relax and enjoy your overnight flight from your hometown to this ancient city. D, B Day 2: July 17 - After you check in to our hotel, today will be free to relax after your flight and/or enjoy the city of Rome. This evening we will gather for a welcome dinner together. Overnight Rome. B, D Day 3: July 18 - Today is your day to see Rome. Take in the historic sites, see the incredible art, visit the Collosseum, Sistine chapel, St. Peters Basilica, there will be no shortage of things to see or do. Overnight Rome. B Day 4: July 19 - After breakfast today, we will visit the Museo Nazionale della Arte Tradizone Populare, Italy's Folk-Art and Culture Museum. Here, we will enjoy a large collection of traditional costumes and artifacts from this amazing area. After our visit here and lunch, we will transfer to Florence. Overnight Florence. B Day 5: July 20 - This morning after an incredible breakfast, we will have a guided visit at the Textile Museum in Prato - the only one of its kind, dedicated to the vanishing Italian wool industry. Following our museum visits, the afternoon and evening will be ours to enjoy the ambience of Florence. Overnight Florence. B Day 6: July 21 - Following breakfast we will depart for Lake Como, IT. On our way, we will stop in Milan for a visit at the Zucchi Museum Collection. The Zucchi collection is one of 1000s of wood blocks used for printing fabric in the 18th and 19th centuries throughout Europe and India. Here we will have an opportunity to hand block print our own scarf. Following lunch we will have a short drive to our final destination of beautiful Lake Como. Overnight Como. B Day 7: July 22 - An interesting day for any fabric or textile enthusiast! Today we will go to the Antonio Ratti Foundation, home to the museum collection of over 400,000 pieces of antique textiles collected by Mr. Ratti over a 40 year period. This afternoon we will go to Como's incredible silk museum where we will see and learn about Italy's silk textile heritage. The remainder of the day will be free to enjoy the enchanting Lake Como area. Overnight Como. B Day 8: July 23 - Incredible vistas await us as today as we drive through the Italian/Swiss Alps to our next destination. First, we will be stopping in the small town of Nafels, in Switzerland. Here, we will visit a museum well known to highlight the Swiss textile printing industry. Many printed textiles from this area were exported to the United States in the mid-nineteenth century. Following Nafels we will enjoy an afternoon ride to Zurich, our home for the next two nights. B Day 9: July 24 - After a leisurely breakfast, we will make our way to the Swiss village of St. Gallen made famous for their outstanding embroideries and lace. We will spend time at the St. Gallen Textile Museum before enjoying a guided walking tour of the old town famous for its 111 Oriels. Our day will end with dinner together in Zurich. B, D Today, those joining us for the French tour will be meeting with us in our hotel for a welcome dinner. The Italy and Switzerland tour will end here in Zurich. Day 10: July 25 - Today we will say goodbye to those who were with us in Italy and Switzerland as they will depart today for the USA. Our France tour begins today, and an incredible day awaits us as we leave Switzerland for the textile rich areas of Alsace, France. Our first stop of the day will be at the Musée de Haute Alsace - the Textile Museum of Parc Wesserling. Here, lies an incredible textile museum and working garden dedicated to the preservation of the heritage of this former Royal Manufactory. Many textile related activities await us here; it is a beautiful area where we will be able to easily imagine the days when France was king of printed cotton fabric production. From Wesserling it is only a short ride to Mulhouse, our home of the next two nights. Overnight Mulhouse. B Day 11: July 26 - Today we will visit the Musée d'Impression sur Etoffes (Museum of Printed Textiles) within walking distance of our hotel. Here, we will have a guided tour of the facility and if it is desired, you may spend time in their document study room with over 3,000,000 printed fabric samples. A must for any quilt or textile historian, or someone who loves fabric motifs! The remainder of the day is free to explore this enchanting town. Overnight Mulhouse. B Day 12: July 27 - Today is a free day in Alsace. You may use it as a day to recuperate from all of our activities, or enjoy some of the additional sights in this incredible area. There is a renowned automobile museum nearby as well as a historic wallpaper museum located in the next town. Additionally, we can arrange for block printing classes in the museum or textile study in their document room. Both optional activities have limited space, so do sign up early. Overnight Mulhouse. B Day 13: July 28 - Today we will travel by train to Avignon in the South of France. This is the area of France where their printed textile and quilt history took root. Once we have arrived in Avignon, we will be transferred to our central Avignon hotel and the remainder of the day will be free to enjoy this exciting and historic city. Overnight Avignon. B Day 14: July 29 - After our breakfast buffet we will be heading further south to the village of Tarasçon and the Souleiado Museum. This is an amazing place dedicated to the preservation of the textile history of the area. The museum exhibits tell the story of the textile and quilt atelier's of Provence in the 18th and 19th centuries. Lucky for us, a factory outlet for Soulieado is on the grounds of the museum - a must stop for any quilt maker. Following lunch, we will go to the factory of Les Oliviades to contrast our morning visit with a factory tour during contemporary fabric production. A special surprise for chocolate lovers will conclude our day in St. Remy de Provençe. Overnight Avignon. B Day 15: July 30 - There are so many places rich with quilt history in this part of France, and today we will visit one of my favorites. Located in Calvisson, this museum is dedicated to the Broderie de Marseille style (or Boutis) quilts this region is famous for. Following our visit here, it is a short drive over to Nimes, where we will enjoy the some first hand views of early Provençial life and culture in the Musée de Vieux Nimes. Overnight Avignon. B Day 16: July 31 - Today will be a delight for any antique or fabric lover - it is market day in L'isle sur la Sorgue. Known as one of Europe's antique capital's, on Sunday this picturesque and sleepy village becomes a haven for shoppers. You will enjoy the aromas of freshly milled soaps, spices and sausages as you wander the cobblestone streets finding almost any treasure you can imagine. Overnight Avignon. B Day 17: August 1 - Following breakfast we will transfer to the train station to catch the TGV to Paris. Our quick train ride will be over before you know it and you will quickly find yourself in the city of lights. Once we check into our hotel, the remainder of the day will be free for you to explore this incredible city. Overnight Paris. B Day 18: August 2 - Not far from the center of Paris is the town of Jouy en Josas - the home of France's most well known 18th century fabric industrialist Christophe-Phillipe Oberkampf. Here we will visit a museum that honors his contributions to the world of printed fabrics. This afternoon we will return to Paris where the remainder of the day is yours to enjoy on your own. Overnight Paris. B Day 19: August 3 - It is a day to unwind and recall the incredible journey we have had together, exploring Europe's quilt and textile arts and culture. Take time for some shopping, the Eiffel Tower, Luxembourg Gardens or any of the many Paris sites. This evening we will gather for a farewell dinner together followed by a sunset cruise on the Seine. Overnight Paris. B, D Day 20: August 4 - As all good things must come to an end - today, we must say good-bye to the City of Lights. It is my hope you return home from your journey with vivid memories of a rich textile tradition and inspiration to carry it forward in your own way. B
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Included in your incredible journey
9 days in Italy and
Switzerland
12 days in
France
The Grand
Adventure Read more about the France tour Download Registration Materials Here Terms and Conditions apply when registration is received International travel law states that your passport must remain valid for 6 months after your scheduled return from this trip.
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