DAY    1            DEPARTURE FROM NORTH AMERICA
Enjoy full meal service on your scheduled wide-bodied flight to Paris.

DAY    2            ARRIVE PARIS (3 NIGHTS)
We will be met at the airport by our Casterbridge Tour Manager/Guide, who will escort us to our private coach for transfer into Paris, "The City of Lights." This afternoon we take a Seine River Cruise, which will take us under many of Paris' graceful bridges, and past many important landmarks and monuments along both banks - a perfect introduction to the beauty of Paris. This evening we will ascend the Eiffel Tower, Paris' most recognizable landmark, built for the Universal Exhibition of 1889.

DAY    3            NOYON & PARIS (JOHN CALVIN: THE EARLY YEARS)
This morning we travel north of Paris to Noyon, the birthplace of John Calvin. We will visit the John Calvin Museum, housed in a reproduction of his childhood home, followed by a visit to the Cathedrale-de Notre-Dame, which provides a harmonious example of the transition from Romanesque to Gothic style. We return to Paris, where we will take a Walking Tour of the Latin Quarter, home of the University of Paris. It was here that Calvin, at the age of 14 in 1523, entered into the study of classical languages, rhetoric and theology. During this time he developed into one of the greatest writers of expression, grace, and style in the French language, and is sometimes referred to as "The Father of the French Tongue." Calvin graduated from the University of Paris at the age of 19 and continued his education in the city of Orleans where he spent 3 years studying law. Our afternoon concludes with a visit to the Musee National du Moyen Age - Thermes de Cluny, housed in the Hôtel de Cluny, one of last remains of domestic medieval architecture in Paris. The museum houses a collection of medieval arts and crafts, highlighted by The Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries, the most acclaimed tapestries of their kind. We will also visit the ruins of the Roman baths, from around A.D. 200.

DAY    4            PARIS (CHRISTIAN HISTORY IN PARIS)
This morning we explore the treasures of the Ile de la Cite, beginning with a visit to the ethereal and magical Sainte Chapelle, one of the masterpieces of Western architecture, commissioned by Louis IX. The tiny Gothic marvel features 15 of the most spectacular stained glass windows in Europe, which depict over 1,000 religious scenes. We continue with a visit to the adjoining Conciergerie, forming part of the huge Palais de Justice. This historic building served as a prison from 1391-1914, including those that awaited their execution during the Revolution. Highlights of our visit will include: the superb four-aisled Gothic Hall and the 14th century clock tower. Our morning continues with a visit to the nearby Cathedral of Notre Dame, begun in 1163 on a spot that had already been a religious shrine since Roman times. Over the centuries, the cathedral has been the scene of some of France's most momentous occasions, including the coronation of Napoleon. Our afternoon commences at the site of the infamous St. Bartholomew's Day massacre, where in August of 1572, during the Wars of Religion, thousands of French Protestants known as "Huguenots" were massacred for their beliefs. Our afternoon concludes with a guided tour of the Louvre, where we will view the many masterpieces, which display how Christianity has been reflected in the arts throughout the ages. After dinner, we will have a spectacular evening on the funicular to Montmartre, an area of Paris made famous in the late 19th century as an artists haunt. We will relax in the Place du Tertre, a square known for its local artwork, and then visit Sacre-Coeur Basilica, a huge white church that dominates the Parisian skyline.

DAY    5            PARIS - REIMS - METZ - STRASBOURG (2 NIGHTS)
This morning we will begin our journey to Strasbourg. En route, we stop for a visit in Reims, a city with great historical importance in France. We begin with a visit to the Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Reims, one of the world's most famous cathedrals, which was restored after World War I, largely by U.S. contributions from John D. Rockefeller; it escaped World War II relatively unharmed. St. Rémi was the bishop of Reims who baptized Clovis, the king of the Franks, in this very cathedral in 496 A.D. Since that time, all of the kings of France from Louis the Pious in 815 A.D., to Charles X in 1825, were crowned in the Cathedrale de Reims. We move on to Metz, where we will enjoy a Walking Tour of the city to view some of its most impressive buildings, including the Cathedrale St. Etienne, the Theatre de la Comedie, the Portes des Allemands, Eglise St-Pierre-aux-Nonnains and the Chapelle des Templiers. Our day will end in Strasbourg for dinner and relaxation.

DAY    6            STRASBOURG (A REFUGE FOR CALVIN)
This morning we will explore the city of Strasbourg, the intellectual, cultural, and economic capital of Alsace. John Calvin settled in Strasbourg in 1538, after having been banished from Geneva. He spent three very productive years in Strasbourg preaching and writing, and he also married widow Idelette de Bure. It was in Strasbourg that Calvin published his Commentary on Romans (1539), the first of many commentaries on books of the Bible. We will begin the day with a Walking Tour of Old Strasbourg, including covered bridges and towers from its former fortifications, plus many 15th- and 17th-century dwellings with painted wooden fronts and carved beams. A highlight of our walk will be the stroll down Rue des Grandes-Arcades southeast to Place Gutenberg, one of the city's oldest squares, with a central statue by David d'Angers of Gutenberg, who perfected his printing press in Strasbourg in the winter of 1436 to 1437. We will also view the former town hall, now the Hôtel du Commerce, which was built in 1582 and is one of the most significant Renaissance buildings in all Alsace. Our walk will also include La Petite France, the most interesting quarter of Strasbourg, where 16th-century houses are mirrored in the waters of the Ill River. During our walk, we will also visit Strasbourg Cathedral, which was built on the remains of an early Romanesque church.

DAY    7            STRASBOURG - BERN - GENEVA (2 NIGHTS)
We will make an early morning start as we journey to Bern, the capital of Switzerland. We will begin our sight seeing in the famous Bear Pits, a deep moon-shaped den where the bears of Bern, the city's mascot, have been kept since 1480. We will be able to view and feed the unique bears, which are beloved by residents and visitors alike. We will continue to the Old Town, where we will take a guided Walking Tour. We will stop to view the Clock Tower, where we will view the worlds oldest and biggest Horological Puppet Show. Mechanical bears, jesters and emperors put on an animated performance, which has been staged since 1530. We continue to Geneva, Calvin's "Shining City on a Hill." Upon our arrival, we will view the Jet d' Eau, a beautiful fountain throws water 460 feet into the air and is visible for miles, and the Jardin Anglais, featuring the world famous Flower Clock, which is made of carefully landscaped beds of flowers, and its keeps perfect time.

DAY    8            GENEVA (CALVIN & THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION)
John Calvin visited Geneva in 1536, and Reformer Guillaume Farel persuaded him to stay to help strengthen the Reformation in the city. Both men were asked to leave the city in 1538 when anti-Protestant forces prevailed. Calvin was asked to return in 1541, and became the dominant figure in Geneva until his death in 1564. At his request, he was buried in an unmarked grave. Our morning commences with an Old Quarter Walking Tour, which will also include a visit to the Cathedrale de Saint-Pierre, where in 1536 the people of Geneva gathered in the cloister and voted to make the cathedral Protestant. With a philosophy of austerity, they destroyed all of the altars, statues and ornamentation in the cathedral, leaving only the pulpit and stained glass windows. Highlights of our visit will include Calvin's Chair, and an Ascent of the North Tower, where will enjoy spectacular views of the city. We continue next door to the Temple de l'Auditoire, a Gothic church where Calvin preached, which was restored in 1959 just in tike for Calvin's 450th anniversary. Our morning concludes in the park, Promenade des Bastions, where will view the Monument de la Reformation. Built in 1917 along a 16th century rampart beneath the walls of the old town, the monument represents John Knox, John Calvin, Theodore de Beze, and Guillame Farel at one end and the Pilgrim Fathers on either end, Luther and Zwingli. Our afternoon will include a visit to the Musee International de la Croix-Rouge et du Crossiant-Rouge (The Red Cross Museum). The museum features magnificent and unique exhibits on the sweep and drama of the historic organization.

DAY    9            DEPARTURE FROM GENEVA
Our enjoyable and rewarding tour will come to an end as our Casterbridge Tour Manager/Guide accompanies us to the airport for the return flight home.