JOIN US FOR An 8-DAY WRITING ADVENTURE TO PARIS, FRANCE: October 27th – Nov. 3rd, 2018.
If you have been captivated by the magic of the historical time in Paris, known as the belle époque, please consider joining me for A Writing Adventure to Paris October 27th-Nov. 3rd, 2018. I have designed this trip to offer a delectable array of experiences, a true moveable feast of the senses, intellect and spirit! Our tour will include: visits to cafes frequented by the writers & artists of the belle epoque; a visit to the famous Shakespeare & Co Bookstore with time to peruse this unique literary treasure & learn more of its history; a day tour of the city by panoramic bus with stops and museum passes to the world-famous Lourvre & Musee de l’Orangerie, home to Monet’s magnificent Water Lilies paintings; visit to the outdoor book stalls along the River Seine; an evening at the Theatre des Nouveautes and a special farewell dinner cruise on the River Seine. There will also be time on your own to reflect and write about your experiences as well as time to shop & explore. Throughout our journey, we will pause to discuss the life and times of the artists and writers who made 1920s and 30s Paris the century’s greatest decade!
PARIS JE T’AIME
No period of time continues to capture the imagination as the belle époque of Paris in the early 20th century. In 2011, for example, there were major exhibitions in San Francisco, featuring the art of Picasso, the art collection of the Stein family who were instrumental in purchasing and nurturing Picasso & other avant-garde artists in per-WWI Paris, and at the SF Jewish Museum there was an exhibition of Gertrude Stein’s writing and memorabilia. (See these websites for videos, lectures, and photos De Young Museum, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and The Contemporary Jewish Museum).
We often view the self-indulgent hedonism and intellectual fervor of the expatriate artists & writers of this period through a romantic lens in which they seem larger than life. We know well the resounding effect on culture of James Joyce’s Ulysses, Ernest Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast and of Ezra Pound’s hand in molding Modernism, but what of the many women such as Gertrude Stein, Janet Flanner, Djuna Barnes and Sylvia Beach who fled America to the Left Bank where they became part of the vibrant and artistic community of expatriates whose literary contributions included major works of poetry, drama, prose, fiction and memoirs.
What was it like to be a woman in this literary Paris? We know that women set up bookshops, little magazines, publishing houses and artistic salons in which they marketed the products of literary Paris; and while some are better known to us than others, each woman who migrated to Paris had a particular influence on the cultural scene. Did you know for example, that it was Sylvia Beach who paid for and published the first issues of James Joyce’s Ulysses and whose bookstore Shakespeare & Co. provided a meeting place for American writers to connect with one another? Other women like Natalie Barney also made enormous contributions in helping to create a community of women who were committed to producing serious art and writing.
The expatriate men of literary Paris held various careers in addition to their writing: Hemingway was a journalist; others were bankers, teachers, & physicians. F. Scott Fitzgerald alone had made enough money from his writing to support himself and Zelda when they arrived in Paris. But why did the Americans come to Paris in the first place? “It was not what France gave you, but what it did not take away from you that was important,” was a sentiment expressed by Gertrude Stein and shared by most expatriates. What all of the ex-pats valued, especially the women, was the cultural freedom to explore their own creativity and personal lifestyles.
FRENCH CAFE LIFE ON THE LEFT BANK
An important part of the expatriates experience was the time they spent in local cafes, talking, laughing, sharing and creating the work that would bring fame to some and inspiration to all. During our Paris tour, we’ll take a day for a walking tour hosted by a local guide to visit a few of the cafe haunts of these literary giants: Cafe des Deus-Magots, Cafe Le Mere Catherine and Le Grand Colbert. We’ll visit the famous Shakespeare & Co. Bookstore, pass by Gertrude Stein’s apartment on rue de Fleurus and Colette’s residence nearby. And, a treat for all book lovers, we’ll visit the Paris outdoor book stalls located along the Seine run by merchants known as les bouquinistes.
WRITE, REFLECT, SHOP
There will be free time to walk, shop and discover special places on your own as our hotel is conveniently located on the Left Bank where so many expatriates lived. The beautiful Luxembourg garden is a wonderful place to relax, write, people-watch and drink in the culture of Parisian life. Suggestions for places to see, explore & shop will be given. This trip will be a memory-making, unforgettable, exquisite experience. Don’t miss it!
HOSTED BY MARJORIE ST.CLAIR
Marjorie is especially suited to serve as facilitator-guide for this trip, having lived in Paris for a number of years. It was during her time as an ex-pat herself that she became interested in the American writers and artists who had made Paris their home earlier in the twentieth century. Later, during PhD studies in Women’s History, her interest was re-ignited in the women writers and artists of this period and she began to share her knowledge by teaching classes on this subject. For years it has been her dream to share her love of Paris and the compelling literary & artistic history belonging to the unique group of American expatriates who converged there during the belle epoque. From these diverse threads, Marjorie has designed a trip that offers a delectable array of experiences sure to provide memories for a life time!
ITINERARY, REGISTRATION & COSTS:
Registration has begun! Trip costs have been finalized and deposits are now being taken! There are a limited number of spaces available so to secure your space, you should make your deposit as soon as possible. There a number of payment options, including a 6-month re-payment plan with no interest charged. To see a complete trip itinerary, trip costs and to make your deposit, please visit RMC Travel who will host our tour to Paris. Once you have signed up with your deposit, a complete reading list will be sent to you, giving a more complete background on the people and times that will enrich your experience during your trip to Paris.
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!