If you have never experienced the rich diversity of northern France in Champagne and Alsace- Lorraine, you have a wonderful treat in store! Come with us to discover great natural beauty, historic sites, art treasures and local gastronomic specialties.

In Champagne visit Reims, the city that for 800 years was the site of royal coronations, and bustling towns that host prestigious champagne cellars. In Lorraine enjoy the newly restored elegance of Nancy. In Alsace discover a culture unique in France, blending rousing German heartiness with sprightly French style, and adding an underpinning of practicality and warm hospitality that is all Alsatian. Take a canal ride in Strasbourg to reach centers of international government; then stroll through picturesque villages where every house greets visitors with a profusion of flower baskets and local families continue a long tradition of producing fine wines.

Trace the complex history of the entire region, which has served for 2000 years as a crossroads of Europe, site of great medieval trade fairs and an important center of culture, but also the route of invading armies and a recurring battleground, from the Roman conquest of Gaul under Caesar through the devastating battles of the First and Second World Wars

HIGHLIGHTS:

	Tour cellars and taste the sparkling wines of some of the region’s most prestigious champagne houses in Epernay.
	Visit the Gothic cathedral of Reims, destroyed and rebuilt twice during the 20th century, site of the coronation of 25 French kings.
	Discover elegant architecture and rich collections of Art Nouveau in Nancy, crystal works in Baccarat.
	Visit battlefield sites of World War I and II – Verdun, sectors of the Maginot Line.
	Explore the cosmopolitan city of Strasbourg and the rich local culture of its smaller neighbors, Colmar and Obernai.
	Browse in tiny Alsatian wine villages – Riquewihr, Kaysersberg and more - shop for local arts and crafts.
	Savor the diverse gastronomic specialties and regional wines of Champagne and Alsace-Lorraine.