Travel-Learn Program

When: October 15, 2009 - October 23, 2009 (iCal)

Description

Join us for a delightful sojourn in the heart of the Dordogne River Valley, where France’s provincial charms have been distilled into one of Europe’s most beautiful and intact medieval villages, Sarlat-la-Canéda. For one full week immerse yourself in the rich culture, fascinating history and rhythms of daily life in Dordogne while enjoying accommodations in the charming Hôtel de la Madeleine. Explore the region’s greatest historical treasures, including the prehistoric caves of Lascaux II and Rouffignac, Richard the Lionheart’s castle at Beynac, and the medieval villages of Domme and Rocamadour. Experience a centuries-old tradition with a stroll through Sarlat’s colorful weekly market, and meet with a local resident to discuss life in southwestern France at an exclusive village forum. To further enhance our understanding and appreciation of this delightful region, this unique itinerary also features lectures presented by our host Philippe Melot, renowned chef and former mayor of Sarlat, who will introduce us to the town’s architectural legacy and the Périgord’s renowned culinary heritage. If you wish to extend your time in this charming region, a Bordeaux Pre-Program Option is also available!

Cost

From $2,745 per person, plus airfare.

Contact

Contact: For more information, contact Usha Sellers, Program Director, in the Office of Alumni Relations at usha.sellers@tufts.edu or 1-800-THE-ALUM (1-800-843-2586) or 617-627-5323.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Departure

Depart your gateway city for Bordeaux, France.

Day 2 - Bordeaux / Sarlat-la-Canéda, France

Upon arrival in Bordeaux, transfer to Sarlat-la-Canéda and check into the Hotel de la Madeleine. This evening, dinner is at the hotel.

Day 3 - Sarlat-la-Canéda

This morning, we begin our exploration with a walking tour of the Renaissance town of Sarlat-la-Canéda. At the Italianate townhouse of Étienne la Boétie, a friend of author Michel de Montaigne, appreciate the subtle blend of the flamboyant and subdued art masterfully rendered by medieval stonemasons. See the 16th century cathedral of Saint Sacerdos, the sublime Romanesque design of the Chapel of the White Penitents, and the Place de la Liberté with its corbelled towers, steep pepperpot cappings, and rich ocher walls.

Return to the hotel for lunch and learn about how Sarlat has worked to preserve its architectural gems. The afternoon is at leisure to explore the famous Sarlat Market, followed by a Welcome Reception and dinner at the hotel.

Day 4 - Sarlat-la-Canéda/ Rocamadour/ Souillac

Following breakfast, depart for Rocamadour, a three-tiered city set in a gorge above the River Dordogne where it is carved into the limestone cliffs. Upon arrival, walk the pilgrim steps from the lover level to the Chapel of Notre Dame to behold the sacred Black Virgin and Child, a walnut carving over a thousand years old that has attracted pilgrims from around the world. Also see a mysterious bell which, according to legend, rings of its own accord to herald a miracle, and the battle sword of Roland, the 8th century hero of Christian France. The chapel is one of seven churches and a hilltop chateau that comprise a remarkable collection of medieval architecture.

After lunch we will depart Rocamadour for Souillac, a town founded in the early 900’s when a monastery was constructed. While a fire in the 1570’s destroyed most of the monastery, the Romanesque Church Sainte-Marie and its belfry still stand today.

This evening, return to the hotel in Sarlat-la-Canéda.

Day 5 - Sarlat-la-Canéda/ Cap Blanc / Les Eyzies-de-Tayac / Eyrignac Gardens

Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Cap Blanc, where we can see a monumental frieze of sculptures and a human skeleton dating from 15,000 years ago. Cro-Magnon people often painted or engraved walls, and at the limestone cliffs of Cap Blanc, they sculpted entire images of animals, some of which are life size. Discovered in 1909, the site is today the only frieze of prehistoric sculptures in the world to be shown to the public.

A short drive from Cap Blanc is the meeting place of the Vézère and Beaune rivers and the town of Les Eyzies de Tayac, where the first known bones of Homo Sapiens were discovered. Learn more about these bones and other prehistoric discoveries at the National Museum of Prehistory, housed in the 16th century castle of the barons of Beynac. Peruse the extensive collection of artifacts of early civilization, including carved stone blocks, cave paintings, and crude tools.

Spend the afternoon in one of France’s most famous gardens: the Gardens of Eyrignac at Eyrignac Manor. This evening, attend a forum on Village Life, followed by dinner at the hotel.

Day 6 –Sarlat-la-Canéda / Lascaux II / Rouffignac Cave

Spend the morning at leisure before an afternoon tour of the Lascaux II and Rouffignac Caves. Just over fifty years ago, a quartet of schoolboys stumbled upon the Lascaux cave- a repository of the most significant and beautiful works of art by prehistoric man. The original cave is no longer accessible to visitors for the sake of conservation, but has been painstakingly reproduced 200 meters from the original in Lascaux II. Visit the cave and delve into the world as it was 15,000 years ago. View cave walls graced with delicate drawings of long extinct aurochs bulls, wild stallions, and bison rendered in magnesium dioxide blacks and iron oxide yellows and reds.

For a more authentic prehistoric experience, we will also explore the Rouffignanc Cave just thirty minutes away. The cave is named the “Cave of a Hundred Mammoths” for its more than six miles of underground galleries and plentiful depictions of mammoths. Marvel at the cave’s “giants’ kettles”: smooth, round dome-like rock formations created by swirling currents.

Day 7 - Sarlat-la-Canéda / Tursac, Madeleine Village / St. Amand de Coly

The morning is at leisure to explore as you please or visit the Sarlat Market. This afternoon, travel to Tursac to discover the Troglodyte Village of La Madeleine, perched in the cliffs high above the Vézère River. Families lived in cave dwellings for over 15,000 years in this prehistoric village. The village was “recycled” and reused from the 11th to the 19th centuries, and the basic ancient caves were updated with more ‘modern’ but still basic features. See the remains of a medieval castle that was built to protect some of the village’s more recent residents.

Continue to the rolling wooded countryside of Perigord Noir. Tucked away in the fold of a small valley is St. Amand de Coly, with its old Lauze roofed houses clustering around the impressive abbey church. This Augustinian abbey of yellow limestone is the most striking of Perigord’s fortified churches. The highly elaborate defense system was designed to keep enemies at a distance and to drive them away should any forays be made into the church.

After dinner at the hotel, attend a show given by the folk group Los Cordillous del Buguo.

Day 8 - Sarlat-la-Canéda / Beynac Castle / Domme

The imposing medieval fortress of Beynac-et-Cazenac, dramatically set atop a towering limestone cliff, is the most regal of the Dordogne riverside châteaux. In the late 12th century, Richard the Lionheart and the Beynac Family waged a bitter war for the castle’s intriguing (and eclectic) interior. Admire the monumental 17th century stairway, the wooden chimney with sculpted mythological figures, and the 15th century frescoes of the Last Supper and la Pieta. Upon leaving the castle, board a Gabare, a 19th century style boat used for river trade, for a scenic cruise upriver towards the castle of the Castelnaud.

*Note: Cruise operation will depend on water levels. If unable to operate, we will visit the Chateau de Maqueyssac overlooking the Dordogne Valley. Owned by the same family since 1692, the grounds of the Château are considered to be one of the greatest examples of French-style gardens in Perigord.

Following lunch in the town of Beynac, we will travel alongside the meandering Dordogne to Domme, the most spectacular of the Perigord towns. We will approach through the 13th century Tower Gate, where two enormous semicircular towers carved from limestone frame a Gothic arched gate. From the town, enjoy an unforgettable panoramic view: clusters of pale stone houses topped by bright orange roofs that yield to the cliff’s edge and a lush green horizon that stretches for miles.

Day 9 - Bordeaux / U.S.

Following breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the Bordeaux Airport and depart for the U.S.

Optional Pre-Departure Trip: Extend your journey with a two-night pre-departure program in Bordeaux at the Hotel Burdigalia.