9.30 a.m.-12.30 p.m.: (alternating)
Guided tour of Ligny en Barrois
Get right to the heart of the Luxembourgs’ town by following its heritage discovery trail. From the Church of Our Lady of Virtues (église Notre-Dame des Vertus) to the France Gate (Porte de France), follow in the footsteps of the canons with a walk along the old battlements and see the Valéran Tower which, at 22 metres high, still seems to be keeping watch over the town walls. The walk ends with the Parc du Luxembourg, an 8-hectare listed location on the banks of the River Ornain, one of the most delightful walks in the Bar district, in the shade of trees hundreds of years old. Tasting event – the Lorgnon Linnéen
The story goes that Léonie mistook a pot of praline for a pot of redcurrant jam after she herself had deseeded the fruit. Nowadays, the story is remembered in the “lorgnon linnéen” (Ligny pince-nez), a wonderful chocolate delight made by Cyril Demée. You will hear all about the legend of Léonie and watch a film showing the various stages in the making of the chocolate. This is followed by a demonstration of dipping the various centres of the chocolates and, of course, a tasting session!
12.45 p.m.: Lunch in a rustic setting, including drinks
Local Crudités / Lorraine Pie / Roast Veal / Cheeseboard (four cheeses) and Mixed Salad / Seasonal Dessert: ice creams, regional tarts. Coffee, Tea, Herbal Tea.

Arrive in Verdun between 9.30 a.m. and 10 a.m. Meet at the Tourist Office.
Morning: Sightseeing tour of Côtes de Meuse
With a local guide, take a coach tour of the plains and hillsides clad in vines and mirabelle plum trees, and the hilltop village of Hattonchâtel. Panoramic views. See the hill known as Butte de Montsec and the memorial to the young American soldiers killed during the 1918 offensives. Stop in Viéville-sous-les-Côtes to visit a wine cellar and taste some local products*. Lunch at the restaurant in the Hôtel du Lac de Madine, Logis de France hotel.
Afternoon: Tour of Commercy
Accompanied by a local guide, enjoy a coach tour of Commercy and Place Stanislas, with panoramic views. Stop at the Ivory Museum to see superb collections of ceramics and ivory. Mid-afternoon, see how the famous golden Commercy madeleines are made – then enjoy one with a drink.

10 a.m.: Arrival at Stenay. Meet at the Beer Museum.
10.15 a.m.: Guided tour of the Beer Museum set up in 1986. It has recently been completely renovated and, in 2008, it reopened with a new layout and sound to provide ambiance, an old film, a botanic garden and its hop garden and new areas i.e. the 250 sq. metre advertising room, a display showing changes in café styling, and the new tavern.
11.45 a.m.: Tasting of three different beers* with commentary on each one.
12.30 p.m.: Lunch at the tavern in the Beer Museum.
3 p.m.: Guided tour of the Charmois Brewery and the area around the château. In the depths of the Charmois estate, in the oldest section of the building, is the brewery producing Charmoy Beer in almost secretive surroundings. A chance to enjoy a beer*.
5 p.m.: end of tour.

12.30 p.m.: Lunch in a restaurant in Verdun.
3 p.m. – 7 p.m.: 4-hour guided tour including the following:
Razed village of Fleury: one of the nine villages destroyed during the First World War and never rebuilt.
Fort Vaux: spotlight on the suffering of soldiers during the Battle of Verdun. See the Bourges casemates, the command post, the soldiers’ barracks and the dovecote.
Douaumont Ossuary: it contains the unidentified remains of some 130,000 men collected from the battlefield. It overlooks a military cemetery containing 15,000 graves.
The Bayonets’ Trench: a monument in honour of the French 137th infantry regiment.
Braquier sugared almonds factory: this confectionery, first made in Verdun in 1220, was enjoyed by such prestigious clients as Napoleon Bonaparte, Charles de Gaulle, the Prince of Wales etc. Guided tour to see the various stages in the production process, video and tasting session.
7.30 p.m.: Dinner in a marquee, at the show location (drinks not included).
9.30 p.m.: The show entitled, “From Flames… to Light”, a sound and light show depicting the Battle of Verdun.

9.30 a.m.: Guided walk through the Renaissance District
The Upper Town in Bar-le-Duc is like an open-air museum and is now one of the most priceless examples of Renaissance architecture in France. Follow the guide through the picturesque streets and alleyways of this district and get a feel for the atmosphere of the past. See the façades of private mansions on Place Saint Pierre and in Rue des Ducs de Bar, the aristocrats’ wine press, the observation platform (Les Grangettes) and the old covered market. The most outstanding moment of the tour is the visit to St. Stephen’s Church (église Saint-Etienne) with its elegant Flamboyant Gothic architecture and its treasure, especially the Calvary and Skeleton thought to have been carved by Ligier Richier. 11.20 a.m. - 12.20 a.m.: Deseeded redcurrant jam: a tour, a tradition and a tasting session.
The family-owned Dutriez business known as “A la Lorraine” produces and markets Bar-le-Duc’s world-famous redcurrant jam. Also referred to as “Bar Caviar”, it is a reminder that, once the redcurrants have been deseeded using a goose quill, they have been used to make this divine jam for the past six hundred years. It is the only product of its kind in the world, made in a small family business, and is a luxury item. After watching a 10-minute film, visitors will be able to taste the sweet, ruby-coloured jam with small spoons and, in the right season, watch a deseeding demonstration. There is also a shop.
12.30 p.m.: Lunch in one of the town’s excellent restaurants (including drinks)
(Lorraine punch / Lorraine Pork and Vegetable Stew / Salad / Cheeseboard / Mirabelle Tart / Coffee and a Commercy Madeleine).
2.30 p.m. - 4.30 p.m.: Guided tour of the Bergère de France company
Set up in 1946, Bergère de France has developed its business over the years mainly by creating one of the largest and most competitive spinning mills in Europe. The company now controls the entire production line, from wool to distribution. The guided tour shows visitors the spinning shops, from the arrival of the raw material to the balling of the wool and the order preparation area. Products can be purchased at the factory shop.

10 a.m.: Meet at a madeleine bakery. Find out how Madeleine sponge cakes are made with one of the town’s last traditional producers. The visit ends with a coffee and a chance to taste the cakes.
11 a.m.: Tour of the Ceramics and Ivory Museum, one of the finest public collections of ivory in France.
Noon: Lunch in a restaurant in Commercy with a meal built around Meuse truffles.
Ramekin of Snails in Gris de Toul Wine Sauce / Guinea Fowl Supreme with Meuse Truffles / Brie de Meuse on a Nest of Salad / Côtes de Meuse Mirabelle Chaud-froid with a Madeleine.
2.30 p.m.: Guided tour of Château Stanislas, the summer residence of the King of Poland, rebuilt by Germain Boffrand and Emmanuel Héré. In front of the castle is a horseshoe-shaped courtyard opening onto an avenue that leads straight to a forest. This is one of the most spectacular urban buildings in Eastern France.
Each participant will receive a free madeleine in a traditional wooden box like the ones first designed in the 19th century.

Verdun was the “Heart of France” in 1916 and a vision of “Hell” for the soldiers. Now, it is a centre for battlefield and historic tourism. In the town centre and on the battlefield itself, there are countless monuments and locations serving as reminders of the Great War. Turn one of the major pages in the History of France!

Tour suggestion:
Arrival in Verdun at 9.30 a.m. N.B.: The guide will take charge of the group as soon as it arrives in Verdun. Meet at the Tourist Office (Japiot Pavilion). 9.30 a.m.: Coach tour of the town
Verdun’s history did not begin in 1916. Set on a promontory overlooking the Meuse Valley, Verdun has its roots in days long gone and it has a particularly rich and diverse heritage. Located at the junction of a number of roads and waterways, the bishopric has been at the centre of territorial issues and major events throughout the ages i.e. battles, invasions and political, religious and diplomatic disputes. As a result of these episodes in its history, the town has a large number of heritage buildings e.g. the Chaussée Tower, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Citadel, the Bishop’s Palace, the Victory monument etc. and Verdun has skilfully preserved and enhanced the many traces of its eventful past.
10.30 a.m.: Tour of Verdun’s underground citadel
The citadel has been reconstructed and laid out in a manner that makes it the only display of its kind in Europe. The citadel stands at a strategic location and the display illustrates the life of soldiers during the First World War. Visitors board automated carriages to travel through the 15 galleries showing what everyday life was like for soldiers fighting in the 1916 battle. They see the infirmary, meetings of the High Command, trench warfare and the selection of the Unknown Soldier etc.
12.30 p.m.: Lunch in one of the town’s restaurants (“Local Produce” menu).
2 p.m.: Verdun battlefield tour (Right bank of the river)
On 21st February 1916, the German Army launched its major offensive on Verdun. This date marked the beginning of a nightmare for all the soldiers. “Verdun, the Hellhole” was to last for 10 months – 300 days and nights of incessant, murderous combat. The battle has left deep scars in the collective memory, local identity and landscape. The “Red Zone” at the heart of the fighting still bears traces of the battle. Accompanied by a guide, visitors will be taken on a tour that gives them greater insight into one of the greatest pages in the history of France and takes them to locations that are world-famous.
5 p.m.: Guided tour of the Verdun Memorial
At the centre of the battlefield stands the Verdun Memorial, one of Europe’s leading First World War museums. Set up under the aegis of Maurice Genevoix, it is a place of history and remembrance, bearing witness to the commitment and suffering of the French, German and American soldiers who fought in this key sector of the Western Front from 1914 to 1918.
The tour ends at approx. 6.30 p.m. Total distance: 25 kms. Total duration of tours: 7 hours.

Arrive in Verdun between 9.30 a.m. and 10 a.m. Meet at the Tourist Office.
Morning: Guided tour of Verdun
Coach tour with panoramic views of the town’s main historic buildings, led by a local guide (e.g. Tour Chaussée, Victory Monument etc.) Stop at the citadel, a veritable underground town during the First World War. Tour of the reconstructions – the infirmary, theatre and bakery, a depiction of trench warfare, and the selection of the Unknown Soldier.
Lunch in a restaurant in Verdun.
Afternoon: Guided tour of the battlefield
Set off on your coach, with your local guide, to see a landscape dotted with shell craters that still bears the scars of the war and gain greater understanding of one of the bloodiest pages in the history of the First World War. Stop for a visit of the interiors of the major sites and monuments on the battlefield:
• Verdun Memorial, Museum of the Great War, with a collection of personal items, craft pieces and trench artefacts serving as reminders of the everyday hell experienced by the men who fought here.
• Fort Vaux or Fort Douaumont, designed by Séré de Rivières. The forts pay homage to the fights and struggles between French and German soldiers.
• Douaumont Ossuary, a national cemetery and a memorial to the victims of the First World War in Verdun in 1916.
• Bayonets’ Trench or the razed village of Fleury-Devant-Douaumont.

9.30 a.m.-11 a.m.: Guided walk around the Renaissance district
The Upper Town in Bar-le-Duc is like an open-air museum and is now one of the most priceless examples of Renaissance architecture in France. Follow the guide through the picturesque streets and alleyways of this district and get a feel for the atmosphere of the past. See the façades of private mansions on Place Saint Pierre and in Rue des Ducs de Bar, the aristocrats’ wine press, the observation platform (Les Grangettes) and the old covered market. The most outstanding moment of the tour is the visit to St. Stephen’s Church (église Saint-Etienne) with its elegant Flamboyant Gothic architecture and its treasure, especially the Calvary and Skeleton thought to have been carved by Ligier Richier. 11 a.m.–noon: Coach tour of the area between Bar and the Argonne
From the green pastures of the Bar area to the forests of the Argonne, and from traditional stone-built cottages to half-timbered houses, this is the heart of the Champagne area of Lorraine where the influences of the two regions mix and blend to create an authentically rustic décor. There will be a stop at St. Louvent’s Church overlooking the village of Rembercourt aux Pots. The sheer size and architectural richness of the church are reminders of the prestigious history of the Dukes of Bar and Lorraine. The tour follows the Sacred Way that became famous in 1916 as the route used to carry supplies to Verdun and which, with its huge windmills, now invites visitors to look to the future.
noon–2 p.m.: Lunch in one of the region’s excellent restaurants (including drinks).
(Pre-lunch drink / Quiche Lorraine / Sliced Chicken with Mirabelle Plums / Apple and Rhubarb Tart)
2.30 p.m.–4 p.m.: Guided tour of the village of Beaulieu en Argonne.
This village is typical of the villages in Lorraine and is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in the Meuse. In the summer, its flowers, laid out in a very natural “English garden” style, provide a setting for the traditional local houses, some half-timbered, others built of brick or pale golden stone. A short distance away is St. Rouin’s Chapel, in the depths of the Argonne Forest, a place for quiet reflection and tranquillity.

Arrival at Madine at 9.30 a.m. Meet at the visitors’ centre (Maison de Madine) for a coffee and brioche. Hear the day’s programme beside the 3D model of the lake and the enlarged, modified documents in the Teaching Kit (Leader: Sylvain Thomassin)
9.45 a.m. – Guided tour of the site by small train with a stop at the bird sanctuary and a short walk along the dyke beside the Etang du Haut Chemin (landscape, flora and fauna); a stop on the Marmont dyke (water cycle) and a forest stop at the end of the Marmont Dyke (various activities depending on the day’s resources: songbirds, medicinal plants etc.).
11.45 a.m. - Lunch
(Menu including drinks)
Pre-lunch drink, ¼-litre wine, coffee, meals built up around local produce at the Lake Madine restaurant, “l’escapade de Saturnin”. Every guest will receive a small gift of potted pork.
1.30 p.m. – Coach leaves for a guided excursion around the lake.
“Côtes de Meuse”: Tour of the village of Hattonchatel, old houses, cloister, Ligier Richier altarpiece, neo-mediaeval reconstructions, panoramic view and Louise Cottin Museum (she was an artist who won the second Grand prix de Rome). Return to the lake via the Calonne Trench and the Hilltop Route, with a stop at a vineyard for a wine and liqueur tasting, with no obligation to purchase. Everybody will receive a bottle of Auxerre-region wine.