France: Paris, Loire Valley

June 15-June 24, 2025

Join the Berkeley Community Chorus & Orchestra for an exciting French experience. Experience the beauty of the Loire Valley and all that Paris has to offer both musically and culturally. 

Perform the Fauré Requiem in the Madeleine Church where Fauré served as organist, choirmaster, and composer, and where this work premiered in 1888! Collaborate with local French choirs and L'Orchestre Musici Europae. Visit the newly-reopened Notre-Dame Cathedral in its most beautiful restored state! 

The Berkeley Community Chorus & Orchestra has contracted Classical Movements to arrange this concert tour to France. You are invited to participate either as a member of the ensemble or a guest. Please note that the itinerary is a work in progress and is subject to change as we continue to refine the tour. 

To submit your traveler information, you will create a WeTravel account with a username and password. You can log into your account after the initial form has been submitted to make changes if needed. 

Please check each field carefully and be sure to accurately input all requested information in detail. Fields with a red asterisk are required. Your passport details will be used for your airline tickets and hotel bookings which must match your legal travel documents exactly.  

Please complete this form (one for each passenger) by Monday, September 30, 2024. You will receive a confirmation email after successfully submitting the form.  

If you have questions about the tour, please reach out to Linda Berti. She is your primary liaison with Classical Movements and will relay any questions she cannot answer to us. 

Thank you for your assistance. We look forward to having you on tour!

Classical Movements strongly recommends that tour participants purchase travel insurance. 

Many travel insurance companies offer plans with and without trip cancellation and cancel for any reason insurance. Some plans require purchase within 14-21 days +/- of your first deposit to get a pre-existing condition waiver or cancel for any reason coverage.  You can choose any plan that meets your preferences. 

Here are two companies that offer cancel for any reason coverage:

1. Travel Insured link to get quotes for an individual or family plan: 
http://www.travelinsured.com/agency?agency=53985

Contact for more information: 1-855-752-8303

2. Travelex link to get quotes for an individual or family plan: https://www.travelexinsurance.com/?location=46-6022&go=bp

Contact for more information: 1-800-228-9792

Plans are subject to change until purchased.

Sunday June 15,2025

DAY 1: USA – PARIS 

Subject to change

•2:40 PM Depart San Francisco International Airport on overnight Lufthansa flight 455 to Frankfurt. Dinner and breakfast will be served on this flight.

Monday June 16,2025

DAY 2: PARIS 

•10:25 AM Arrive in Frankfurt

•12:35 PM Depart on Lufthansa flight 1034 to Paris. 

•1:50 PM Arrive in Paris. 

•Upon arrival, meet with your Tour Manager at the airport. 

•Check in to hotel: Mercure Montparnasse Gare TGV in the 14th district of Paris. 

•1 hour boat cruise on the Seine River  

•Welcome Dinner 

•Overnight in Paris

Please press the arrow in the photo above to advance to the next day. 

Tuesday June 17,2025

DAY 3: Paris

Subject to change

•Buffet breakfast at the hotel. 

•Enjoy a panoramic bus tour of Paris with multiple stops for photos of the major landmarks such as the Arc de Triomphe,  the Eiffel Tower and Champs-Elysées  •Enjoy some time to stop and visit the interior of the Notre Dame Cathedral in its newly-restored beauty

•Lunch on own 

•Transfer to Montmartre. Montmartre is a historic hilltop district in Paris, known for its bohemian atmosphere and artistic heritage. Offering stunning panoramic views of the city, Montmartre has long been a hub for artists, including Picasso and Van Gogh and its cobblestone streets exude a charming blend of creativity in French culture  

•Board Le Petit train de Montmartre at the Moulin Rouge for a guided visit of the famous hill district including the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur, and the famous Montmartre vineyards.  

•Free time to explore the art and shops in Montmartre before taking Le Petit train de Montmartre back down the hill

•Dinner on your own  

•Overnight in Paris.  

Wednesday June 18,2025

DAY 4: PARIS - VERSAILLES - PARIS

Subject to change

•Buffet breakfast at the hotel.

•Depart for Versailles, the ultimate palace, built by Louis XIV, and famously housing the royal family and its court from 1582, when the Sun King moved in, to the French Revolution. Guided visit of the palace and free time to explore the stunning gardens. 

•Lunch on your own. 

•3:00 pm Rehearsal with L'Orchestre Musici Europae

•6:00 PM Free time to socialize with collaborating musicians, prepare for concert

•8:00 PM CONCERT I at Notre-Dame de Versailles, the parish church of the Palace of Versailles, and within sight of the palace grounds

•Dinner on your own.

•Overnight in Paris. 

Thursday June 19, 2025

DAY 8: PARIS

Subject to change

•Buffet breakfast at the hotel. 

•Option #1: Spend the morning exploring the Louvre, the world's largest art museum.  Housed in a medieval fortress-turned-castle, the Louvre features a 71-foot glass pyramid designed by I.M. Pei, and, of course, the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory (the headless statue, circa 200 BC, discovered at Samothrace). 

•Option #2:  Enjoy a visit to the Musée d'Orsay a world-renowned museum housed in a former railway station. It is celebrated for its extensive collection of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces, including works by Monet, Van Gogh, and Degas. 

•Lunch on your own.

•4:00 pm Masterclass with conductor Till Ally on French vocal repertoire

*Dinner on your own. 

*Overnight in Paris. 

Friday June 20, 2025

DAY 5: PARIS-  LOIRE VALLEY    

Subject to change

•Buffet breakfast at the hotel.

•Check out of the hotel 

•Depart for the Loire Valley/Tours

•Lunch on your own

•Visit one of the most celebrated Châteaus of the Loire Valley, the fabulous Château Chenonceau, the toast of the Loire

•Late afternoon visit of Maison Plou & Fils to enjoy a wine tasting. 

•Check in to hotel: Grand Hotel de Tours

•Dinner on your own

•Overnight in Tours/Loire Valley 

Saturday June 21, 2025
DAY 7: TOURS - BLOIS - TOURS

Subject to change

•Buffet breakfast at the hotel  

•Enjoy a guided walking tour of the historical city of Tours  

•Free time and lunch on your own  

•3:30 PM Acoustic Rehearsal and soundcheck with L'Orchestra Musici Europae and Le Chœur Bord du Loire 

•Free time to prepare for concert and socialize with local musicians

•6:00 Concert II in Blois, Loire Valley. Blois Halle aux Grains. This concert will be included as an official event of the Fête de la Musique. 

•Enjoy a post-concert reception with collaborating musicians 

•Dinner on your own 

•Overnight in Tours/Loire Valley  

Sunday June 22, 2025

DAY 7: TOURS–CHARTRES- PARIS

Subject to change

•Buffet breakfast at the hotel

•Check out of the hotel  

•Depart for Chartres  

•Lunch on your own in Chartres 

•Enjoy a guided visit of the Cathedral Notre Dame de Chartres. The Cathedral Notre Dame is known for its stunning Gothic architecture, magnificent stained glass windows, and its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

•Continue on to Paris.  

•Check into hotel: Marriott Rive Gauche  in the 14th district of Paris 

•Group early “farewell” dinner on the left bank 

•Overnight in Paris  

Monday June 23, 2025

DAY 8: PARIS

Subject to change

•Buffet breakfast at the hotel. 

•Enjoy a guided visit of the Palais Garnier, a breathtaking opera house known for its opulent architecture designed by Charles Garnier in 1875. It remains the symbol of the city's cultural heritage.  

•Lunch on your own. 

•6:30 pm Acoustic Rehearsal and Sound Check with L'Orchestra Musici Europae and the Chœur de Paris. 

•Free time to prepare for concert and socialize with local musicians

•8:30 pm CONCERT III: Performance at the Church of Sainte Marie-Madeleine, where Fauré was organist, choirmaster, and composer, and where his Requiem was premiered in 1888. 

•Dinner on your own

•Overnight in Paris

Tuesday June 24, 2025

DAY 10: PARIS – USA

Subject to change

*Buffet breakfast at the hotel 

*Check out of the hotel 

*Depart for airport 

*12:05 PM Depart on Lufthansa flight 2229 to Munich 

*1:30 PM Arrive in Munich

*4:30 PM Depart on Lufthansa flight 458 to San Francisco. Two meals will be served on this flight. 

*7:00 PM Arrive San Francisco International Airport.  Welcome home! 

Here are some suggestions of musical activities in Paris that can be booked by anyone interested in attending on their own:

• June 17: LA Master Chorale at Paris Philharmonie: https://philharmoniedeparis.fr/en/activite/27210?itemId=135288
• June 19: Barber of Seville at Opéra National de Paris: https://www.operadeparis.fr/en/season-24-25/opera/il-barbiere-di-siviglia
• Cité de la Musique: Cité de la Musique is a renowned music complex located in Paris, part of the larger Philharmonie de Paris. It houses concert halls, a music museum, and spaces for music education. Opened in 1995, it serves as a cultural hub for classical music, jazz, and world music performances. https://philharmoniedeparis.fr/en

Here are some suggestions of non-musical activities that can be booked by anyone who would like to make arrangements to explore on their own: 

2nd floor of the Eiffel Tower cut in line:

https://www.pariscityvision.com/en/paris/landmarks/eiffel-tower

Atelier des Lumières : Atelier des Lumières, managed by the company Culturespaces, proposes an immersive experience thanks to a giant digital exhibition about Van Gogh's art and Japanese art. Atelier des Lumières was conceived inside an ex-foundry of the XIXth century.

https://www.atelier-lumieres.com/en/professionals/tourism-professionals

Orsay Museum: The Musée d'Orsay in Paris is renowned for its vast collection of 19th and early 20th-century art, including masterpieces by Monet, Van Gogh, and Degas. Housed in a former Beaux-Arts railway station, it showcases works from Impressionism to Art Nouveau. Its stunning architecture and extensive collection make it one of the most visited museums in the world.

https://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/visit/audio%20guides

The Paris Catacombs: The Paris Catacombs are an extensive underground ossuary, housing the remains of over six million people. Originally limestone quarries, they were transformed into burial sites in the late 18th century due to overcrowded cemeteries. The tunnels stretch over 200 miles, but only a small section is open to the public for tours.

https://www.catacombes.paris.fr/en

Guided visit of Marais Paris: A guided visit of Le Marais in Paris offers a rich exploration of this historic district, known for its narrow medieval streets and elegant 17th-century mansions. Visitors can discover hidden courtyards, vibrant art galleries, and the Jewish Quarter's cultural landmarks. The tour also highlights the area's trendy boutiques and charming cafés, blending old-world charm with modern Parisian life.

https://www.cometoparis.com/sightseeing-tours-paris/guided-walking-tour-in-english-of-the-marais-memories-france-m9000920

Wine and cheese tasting in Paris

https://wine-tasting-in-paris.com/