paris: art & antiques

This tour is for shoppers and antique lovers. We spend two full days at antique markets (about 6 hours at each one) and one early morning at a smaller market. In addition, we also have a shopping tour of local stores near our hotel. If you are not a shopper, this may not be the tour for you.

• 6 nights private, en-suite accommodation at the Hotel des Saints-Peres.

• Two full-time expert guides: Laura, an art historian, and Ross, an antiques expert

• Private transportation to three antique markets

• Bilingual assistance shipping your larger purchases home

• Admission fees and guided visits to three historical sites.

• Shopping tour of the 6th and 7th arrondissements, including meeting the owners of several of our favorite shops

• Daily breakfast at hotel, one lunch, two dinners.

• Wingback Travel's Guide to Paris with additional shopping, sightseeing, and restaurant recommendations.

• We will stay at the Hotel des Saints-Peres, a four-star hotel full of charm and local character located in the St-Germain-des-Pres area on Paris’s Left Bank. We have both lived in this neighborhood and love it dearly for its abundance of excellent shops and restaurants all within walking distance of the hotel.

• Double occupancy travelers will stay in Deluxe rooms with the option of one king-size or two twin beds.

• Single travelers will stay in Classic rooms with queen sized beds.

• Early Arrival: We can arrange an extra night at the hotel on September 29 if you wish arrive early (ass may of our travelers do!). For double occupancy rooms, this cost is $375 per person. For single occupancy, $600.

We have arranged an optional cooking class on the afternoon of Friday, October 3 from 2-5pm. During this private class, a chef will teach you the art of making classic French pastries: croissants, pain au chocolate, and pain au raisin. For pricing, please speak with Laura or Ross.

• Airfare is not included in the cost of the tour and you should book your plane tickets as soon as you know your travel plans.

• The hotel can arrange private transportation to and from the airport at an additional cost. They can also reserve a taxi to take you to the airport on departure day. Taxis are plentiful at CDG when you arrive and there is a fixed fare into the city.

• For this tour, you should fly in and out of Paris Roissy-CDG airport. You should arrive at the hotel no later than 4pm on September 30. This means you will need to leave the US the night before for your overnight flight.

• There are no activities on the last day of the tour, October 6. You can depart any time on this day. Breakfast at the hotel is included and you will need to check out by 10am.

The most affordable and easiest way to transport your treasures home is by taking them back with you on your flight home. This trip has no luggage limit - in fact we encourage you to bring an empty suitcase!

We can also arrange shipping of larger items back to the US with a reputable shipper. The cost varies by the amount you buy. Please speak with us for more details.

• What are your qualifications? Laura is a published art historian who has taught and studied widely in her field and has co-led study abroad programs. Laura and Ross both lived in Paris and speak French. Laura has also lived in London and Berlin and has spent significant time (several months a year) traveling, studying, and working in Europe. As a PhD student, she taught undergraduate art history classes from the ancient to modern periods and she co-led two study abroad trips to Paris and Italy. Her students consistently gave her high ratings for her clear teaching.

  Ross has been sourcing antiques from England and France for many years now, offering his finds for sale at his store in Columbus, GA. He is also an expert floral arranger and an excellent arbiter of good taste. If you are undecided about purchasing something at a market, Ross is the person to ask.

• How do I get to the hotel? If you are flying into Paris’s Roissy-CDG airport, you can either take a taxi to the hotel or the hotel can arrange a private driver for you (not included in cost of tour).

• What is not included? Airfare, some meals (see itinerary), any purchases you make, the cost of shipping, and anything else not listed on the itinerary.

• Will there be any free time? Yes, you will have two free afternoons and a few hours to yourself in the late afternoon or early evening the other days. Most days we begin around 9am and finish between 2-5pm depending on the activity.

• What should I pack? We will provide you with a list of things we find useful for traveling and visiting the markets. Our tours run regardless of the weather, so your should come prepared with a rain jacket and/or umbrella. Comfortable footwear is a must: we are not marathon runners, but we will be on our feet for hours at a time.

  If you plan to buy a lot at the markets, the most economical way to get your purchases home is in an empty suitcase.

• How active is this trip? Walking is our favorite way to explore the city of light! You should be comfortable walking up to 20 minutes to a museum and 10,000-15,000 steps per day over uneven surfaces, up and down stairs, and for standing for up to two hours at a time. A driver will transport us and our purchases to/from the markets. The markets are large and we allow 6 hours for the larger ones. You need not be a marathon runner, but you should bring a comfortable pair of shoes. Please speak with us if you have mobility concerns.

• I have a group of friends who would love to do this trip. Do you offer a private version of this tour? Yes! We are available several times a year for private trips. These limited slots fill up quickly, so we recommend that you contact us at least a year in advance. Please call or email Laura for more details.