Many of you that have traveled with us in the past are familiar with miniaturist ANITA CRAFTS-LIGHTY. She has traveled with us over the years and hosted two miniature events when she was living in England. Anita moved to France a couple of years ago, and now goes by her married name of Anita Mills as it is much easier for the French to spell! In addition to having Anita join us on the tour to be our French interpreter, she will be offering optional visits to see her collection, now housed in a small museum at her newly renovated conference center and house, Le Domaine des Hallais, a 200+ year old property in the Mayenne, SW of Paris. More information about Anita and her collection follows the daily tour itinerary.

MICHELLE LEBOUTEILLER is a miniature artisan from the Bordeaux region of France. Although we will not be visiting that area of France on this tour, Michelle has been invaluable in helping us plan our visits with French artisans in Burgundy and Lyon. Michelle makes wonderful miniatures from wood and creates beautiful roomboxes, with Chantal Siguret supplying amazing flowers and embroidered items for the displays. You will see more of Michelle’s work during our visit to the Musée de la Miniature et des Décors de Cinéma, in Lyon.

YOUR TOUR ITINERARY:

Thu, Oct 01
If you are traveling from North America, you will need to depart today in order to arrive in Birmingham, England tomorrow, October 02.

Fri, Oct 02
No matter what time you arrive in Birmingham today, just exit the airport’s Terminal 1 and walk across the street to the Novotel Birmingham Airport Hotel, our home for two nights. (Please note that there are no porters at this hotel, so be sure to have a suitcase that has wheels and is easy to handle.) We’ve reserved all superior rooms, which have the latest Novotel décor and amenities. Most flights arrive early in the day, giving you time to relax prior to our 6:00pm Welcome Dinner.

Below the optional visit information, you will find a list of websites for many of the artisans that we will be meeting on this tour.

Sun, Oct 04
The show opens at 10am this morning and you will have enough time to return for some last-minute shopping before we depart for London. Although we will just be spending the night in London, our hotel just happens to be rather close to the miniature shop of KRISTIN BAYBARS. Kristin will be at Miniatura, but she is arranging for one of her colleagues to open the shop for us. For those of you that have had the experience of visiting her shop on previous tours, you know that there will be plenty of minis to find in this wonderful treasure trove! We will have dinner and spend the night at the Novotel St. Pancras Hotel, the perfect location for our early morning departure from London’s St. Pancras International train station.

Mon, Oct 05
This morning we board the comfortable Eurostar train and in just about two-and-a-half hours, we arrive in Paris! The actual time going through the Chunnel takes only 20 minutes, with the remainder of the ride taking you through the countryside on both sides of the English Channel. Location, location, location! Just a short walk from the famous Rue de Rivoli, the Novotel Les Halles is centrally located near the Louvre, Notre Dame and many of the major sites in Paris. You will have the early afternoon free before meeting with some of the local artisans at the hotel. EMMAFLAM AND MINIMAN make some of the most wonderful mini foods you will ever find. Their dessert dishes are amazing and you can see their work by visiting Emmaflam & Miniman Advance orders can be made if you see something on their site that you particularly want. Emmanuelle Martinot and Neil Dyde have graciously offered to contact some of the other artisans in the Paris area, offering for them to join us for this private sale. Dinner this evening will be at our hotel.

Tue, Oct 06
Our day begins with a Panoramic Tour of Paris. It will give you a chance to see all of the famous sites that Paris has to offer and help you plan your free time to visit those places that most interest you. We recommend the following travel guides for France: Rick Steve’s, Frommer’s, Foder’s or DK Eyewitness. After time for lunch, we will be visiting PAIN D’EPICES & LA BOITE A JOUJOUX, two small miniature shops, with other interesting shops in the immediate area to keep everyone happy! Then we are off to visit POUPÉE TENDRESSE, owned by INGEBORG RIESSER. In 1991, Ingeborg was a recipient of IGMA’s Guild Crystal Award, an award that gives recognition to select individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the miniature field, apart from personal artistic achievement. Ingeborg is probably the single most famous miniature collector in France and for many years ran the Club de la Miniature Française, a nation-wide group for French miniaturists, which organized shows and competitions and published a magazine. In addition to lots of mini shopping today, Ingeborg has graciously invited us to her home to view her private miniature collection, certain to be a highlight of the tour!

Wed, Oct 07
Today will be yours to spend as you wish. All museums and sights are open today! You will be given a list of other shops that offer minis if you would like to visit them in your free time, as they are very small and would not hold a group of any size! Whether you decide to shop for more minis, take a stroll of the Left Bank, go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, visit the Louvre or any of the other wonderful galleries, this will be a day to explore what this exciting city has to offer. **(Or see below for an optional day tour to MAYENNE MINIATURES.) Depending on the weather this evening, there will be an optional one-hour boat cruise on the Seine. We’ll walk down to board the Bateaux Mouche just before sunset and return after dark, giving you the opportunity to see the dazzling lights of Paris!

Thu, Oct 08
We depart Paris this morning and head south to Burgundy, and the charming town of Beaune. The area around Beaune, the Côte de Beaune, is known for its Burgundy wines, with Beaune as something of a hub of the wine business, since it is the largest city inside the wine region. Well-known for its annual wine sales organized by the Hospices de Beaune, it is situated on the route des Grands Crus, a tourist route among the vineyards. After time for lunch, we will visit the cellars of Bouchard Ainé & Fils for a tour of Hôtel du Conseiller du Roy, followed by a wine tasting. Located close to the historic center of Beaune, the Hotel de la Poste is a former 19th-century coaching inn and a member of the "Châteaux & Hôtels Collection". You may want to enjoy a glass of wine or a cocktail in their Thirties-inspired bar, prior to our dinner at “Le Relais”. This fine-dining restaurant prides itself on its regional products and the restaurant’s reputation is based on a few specialties. Opening out onto a large terrace, the restaurant adjoins the hotel’s internal garden. Each hotel room is individually decorated with antiques or more contemporary furnishings, accommodations that are sure to provide you with a relaxing evening after a full day of touring!

Fri, Oct 09
Lyon is our final destination today, but first we will visit the studio of ELISABETH CAUSERET, famous for her hand-thrown pottery, turned earthenware and porcelain items in 1/12 and 1/24 scales. In addition to seeing her throw the pottery, you will want to purchase some of her one-of-a-kind pieces. Wooden miniatures are a specialty of JOËL AND MARYSE DEDIANNE. Whether you are in the market for mini toys, automatons, or music boxes, you will enjoy seeing Joel’s workshop and having the opportunity to buy some of these amazing miniatures. After a stop for lunch, we arrive in Lyon in time for an afternoon tour of this wonderful city. Having a reputation as the French capital of gastronomy and having a significant role in the history of cinema, Lyon is known for its historical and architectural landmarks and is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our tour will include a drive up Fourviere Hill and a visit to St. John’s Cathedral, where you will have a magnificent view of the city. We’ll take a walk in the Lyon Renaissance district and explore some of the "traboules", the hidden passageways that allowed the silk workers and craftsmen to transport clothes and other textiles through the city while remaining sheltered from inclement weather. These were later credited as part of the reason why Lyon never completely succumbed to its Nazi occupiers as they acted as secret passages for the Resistance. After the tour we will be checking in to the Sofitel Lyon Bellecour, located in the very heart of Lyon on the banks of the Rhone River and a short distance from Place Bellecour, a large plaza that serves as the focal point of the city and links the major shopping streets. Dinner will be at the hotel this evening.

Sat, Oct 10
Another highlight of the tour will be a visit to the MUSÉE DE LA MINIATURE ET DES DÉCORS DE CINÉMA, newly relocated in Vieux Lyon (formerly Palais de la Miniature). DAN OHLMANN started out as a sculptor and then became an interior designer. He did a lot of theater work, and realized that the scale models he was building of proposed sets were more fun to make than the sets themselves, and so, for the past 20 years or so, he has devoted himself to the creation of miniatures. Dan’s interiors are amazing and range from the dining room of Maxim's, Paris, rendered in perfect detail (2,700 hours of work), to the bottom of a grubby, white-tiled municipal swimming pool. MIMLYON Other artisans also have their work on display at this museum: "Jazz Aunts" by Pascale Casarosa features miniature insect Jazz musicians with the strings of the instruments being made from the artist's first gray hairs; Carlos Chili's micro sculptures carved from matchsticks; and Julien Martinez' artist dolls. Dan will be at the museum today to greet us and show us his workshop, in addition to organizing a ‘Private Exhibit’. Artisans will be displaying their work and offering items that they have for sale, including MICHELLE LEBOUTEILLER and CHANTAL SIGURET with their wonderful miniature creations. You will meet ANNICK JACQUET CRUCK, BRIGITTE DELAGE, VÉRONIQUE LUX, ZARA THOMSON-RIBEAUD, JAN GRYGIEL, and JEAN-CLAUDE MARTIN, just to name a few! The remainder of the day is yours to enjoy! Stay at the museum as long as you like and have lunch at one of the many cafes in Old Lyon with it’s winding cobblestone streets, centuries-old buildings, and red-tile roofs, or explore more of Lyon. If shopping interests you, it’s Saturday and Lyon’s many shops are all open.

Sunday, Oct 11
You will have the morning free to sleep in or relax over that wonderful French-roasted coffee at breakfast. But, if you are looking for something more to do, we have a great suggestion! Although the majority of the shops are closed on Sunday, Lyon is famous for its Sunday morning markets. Whether you are looking for second-hand books at Marche aux Bouquinistes, or for art creations and crafts at Marche de la Creation and Marché de l'Artisanat et des Métiers d'Art de Lyon, you’ll be sure to find something at these markets while soaking up the atmosphere along the riverbanks of this charming city. In the afternoon, artisan MAUREEN MCSHEEHY will be at the hotel with her hand-made porcelain dolls (dressed or undressed), hats, lingerie, and floral arrangements. Maureen McSheehy. We’ll have an informal show and tell before it’s time to pack up all your mini purchases and join your fellow travelers for a Farewell Dinner at our hotel.

Monday, Oct 12
You will be transferred to Lyon’s Saint Exupéry International Airport this morning for flights scheduled to depart no earlier than 9:00am. **See below for an optional extension to Mayenne Miniatures with Anita Mills

Book Early!
Space is limited!

Tour Price
$3,199 per person, based on double occupancy
$ 898 single supplement

NOT included in the price of the tour:
Four dinners (Oct 03 in Birmingham, Oct 06 & 07 in Paris, and Oct 10 in Lyon)
Your airfare to Birmingham at the beginning of the tour
Your return airfare from Lyon or your return from Paris if taking the optional post-tour extension with Anita
Optional visits to Mayenne Miniatures. Any and all costs associated with these visits are to be paid directly to Anita

Please note: In order to enjoy this tour, you need to be able to walk at a moderate pace and keep up with the group. There is a lot of walking at airports and train stations, in addition to handling your carry-on item and suitcase when going through customs, etc. There is always a chance that you will need to climb several flights of stairs. If you have any questions about these recommendations, please give our office a call and we will be happy to discuss this with you, in more detail.

**Optional visits with Anita Mills to MAYENNE MINATURES
There are two optional trips being offered to visit the collection of Anita Mills, now housed in a small museum at her newly renovated conference center and house, Le Domaine des Hallais, a 200+ year old property in the Mayenne, SW of Paris. Anita is an American who has collected miniatures for over 40 years, mainly during the 32 years she lived in England, who has now retired to France. Some of you may recall visiting her collection at her home near Windsor some years ago, but of course it has grown considerably since then! Mayenne Miniatures now houses more than 35 miniature displays ranging from small roomboxes and window-box scenes, to a 9-room medieval castle and a 12 room modern dollhouse, and also includes several shops (hats, bears, cat-themed gifts, deli, Xmas, etc). Also on display are three houses and a box by Georgina Steeds, an English miniaturist who makes flowers. The collection includes pieces in several scales including two 1/144th scale houses by Nell Corkin, several 1/24th scale items, two 1/16th scale boxes with 1930s furniture and a small collection of miniature bears. Visit Le Domaine des Hallais to learn more about Mayenne Miniatures.

OPTION 1 : Day trip on Wednesday, October 07
Because it is about a 3 hour drive each way by bus, Anita proposes to escort a small group (maximum 9 people) there and back, by train. It is a one hour train trip on the fast TGV train from Montparnasse station to Le Mans and then her husband will drive the group to and from the museum. Lunch will be available at a nearby restaurant in the beautiful adjacent river valley. There will be time for a quick stop to view the beautiful 11th century footbridge over the river and an historic church in the village of St Pierre sur Erve. (As of 07/20/09 there are still 2 spaces available, subject to current train fares).

The price of 95 euros includes: metro and train fare (if reserved before 1 July), museum entry, transport to/from Le Mans rail station, museum entry, coffee/tea at Le Domaine des Hallais, transport to/from the restaurant (lunch not included).

NOTES: Travel by metro and train means you must be willing and able to do a considerable amount of walking!

Option 2: Post-tour Extension beginning Monday, October 12
(Your return air from France will need to be booked accordingly– leaving from Paris late afternoon or evening of Tuesday October 13, or later)

This extra day in France will allow you to see the collection of Anita Mills, with overnight accommodation.

The price of 245 euros includes: train fare (if reserved before 1 July) from Lyon to Le Mans and from Le Mans to PARIS CHARLES DE GAULLE AIRPORT, museum entry, transport to/from Le Mans rail station, overnight accommodation at Le Domaine des Hallais in shared room (15 euros single supplement), continental breakfast, museum entry, coffee/tea, transport to/from the Hotel de Commerce restaurant in Vaiges for the evening meal (dinner not included).

NOTES: Maximum 5 people. Rail tickets to central Paris instead of to the airport can be booked for anyone not departing immediately. Anita will escort the group at all times except for the final train trip to Paris. Travel by train means you must be willing to do a considerable amount of walking and manage your own luggage. Baggage carts are available at the airport, and you can walk from the train to your check-in desk…but it is quite a long way, depending on the airline chosen!

If you are interested in one of the above options, please contact Anita directly.
Anita Mills
Le Domain des Hallais, Chemin des Grottes, 53270 St Pierre sur Erve, FRANCE
email: anita.mills@orange.fr Tel: from the U.S.: 011 33 243 917769 (France is 6 hours later than Eastern time)

In addition to those listed that have their own website, Swan House Miniatures will enable you to see the work of many of these artisans that we will be meeting throughout the tour, in addition to S.I.M.P. Paris the official site for the Salon International de la Maison de la Poupée

Michelle Lebouteiller
Chantal Siguret
Dominique Autin
Betty Sartorio
Elisabeth Causeret
Joël and Maryse Dedianne
Annick Jacquet Cruck
Jan Grygiel
Brigitte Delage Atelier Mirabilis
Véronique Lux Veronique Lux
Jean-Claude Martin l'Once d'Art
Zara Thomson-Ribeaud ZaraThomsonRibeaud

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