Dear Parents or Guardians: We are planning to take our students to the UK, Belgium & France for a Global Studies & History Tour, March 2019. The planned dates for this trip are March 21 st March 31 st, 2019. The higher the student participation, the more affordable the trip cost will be. Pricing (including taxes and fees): $4,175 based on 25-29 students $4,475 based on 20-24 students An initial deposit is required by the end of this school year and the balance of payments will be staggered over the course of the new 2018-19 school year and not required all at one time. This trip includes: Transportation: Flights, Airport transfers, Motor Coach, Eurostar Ticket, T Metro passes & RER ticket* 9 Breakfasts & 9 s* A dynamic Tour Manager & Localized Specialized Guides* Admission to all group attractions and guided tourst ours* Travel Guard Insurance (Mandatory by Peel) All Tips and Gratuities for Tour Leader, Guide and Drivers Canadian and In Destination (Local) 24 hour Emergency Support *as outlined on the attached preliminary itinerary If your child is interested in participating in this amazing opportunity, please complete the bottom portion below and email it back to me at ian.cowan@peelsb.com by Friday, May 25 th, 2019. Once we have received enough interest we will host a Parent Information Evening at the school in June. We will have a full presentation about the trip and all questions can be answered at this time. A copy of the preliminary itinerary is attached for you to view our exciting Tour details! Thank you, Ian David Cowan BA, JD, BEd Curriculum Head Global Studies - 905-822-6700 x 783 YES We are interested in sending our child on this trip. NO - We are not interested in this opportunity. Student Name (please print) Parent/Guardian Signature
Day One Thursday, March 21 st, 2019 Departure The day has arrived, the trip you've been waiting all year for is finally here! TOUR PROPOSAL Meet at Toronto Pearson Airport and take off aboard your flight towards London, England! Day Two Friday, March 22 nd, 2019 Arrival Welcome to London - You've arrived at London Heathrow Airport. Gather your luggage and belongings before you meet up with your Tour Manager and hop on a locally chartered motor coach. Drop off your luggage at the hotel. Head towards London City Center to start your discovery! Enjoy some lunch in Covent Garden Area (at individual expense). Guided Walking Tour of London Local Blue Badge Guide Meet with your local guide and enjoy a walking tour of the British Capital. To see: Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden, Leicester Square and Kensington Palace, and so much more! Experience the Tower of London (self-guided includes public tour) Let's visit the terrific Tower of London, home of the Crown Jewels. It s an impressive collection, but don t get any ideas! Their torture chamber tour is no joke. Visit the Churchill War Rooms (Audio Guided included) You will learn about the leadership and decision-making of a Prime Minister who has been described as "The Man Who Saved Europe" during the Second World War! Ready for some British delicacies? You will have the opportunity to try some authentic dishes in a typical English Pub! Return to the hotel for check-in and a well-deserved night's rest Overnight in London at the hotel Ibis Styles Kensington 3* (or similar) Day Three Saturday, March 23 rd, 2019 Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and an orientation with your Tour Manager City Coach Tour (Guided) Board your locally chartered motor coach, meet with your local tour guide and depart for a panoramic tour of London. You will discover Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, 10 Downing Street and the Tower Bridge, among other treasures! Free time for lunch (at individual expense).
Visit the Imperial War Museum (Self-Guided) Get ready to discover the real stories and experiences of modern war during your self-guided visit at the Imperial War Museum London: from WWI to conflicts today. Enjoy a nice dinner as a group in a local restaurant in the heart of London. Overnight in London at the hotel Ibis Styles Kensington 3* (or similar) Day Four Sunday, March 24 th, 2019 Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and an orientation with your Tour Manager Meet with your driver and departure with all your luggage towards Saint-Pancras Train Station to catch the Eurostar towards Belgium. You have arrived at Bruxelles Midi Train Station. Gather your luggage and belongings and hop on a locally chartered motor coach. Departure towards Ypres. Lunch en route (at individual expense). Half-day Tour of Ypres with Local Guide Prepare for a very moving experience as you visit the Essex Farm Cemetery, located in the John MacRae Memorial site and where 1204 soldiers were buried after their death during the Second Battle of Ypres that lasted from early 1915 to 1918. Your next stop will be at the In Flanders Fields Museum, named as a reference to the famous poem by the Canadian JohnMacRae and relates to the battles that took place at the Ypres Salient, and more generally to World War 1. Walk on Grote Markt Street and make a stop at the famous Leonidas Chocolate ShopS hop! Because you can't visit Belgium without tasting chocolate (at individual expense). Check-in to your hotel and go in your room to drop your luggage before heading to dinner. Enjoy a nice dinner at the restaurant of the hotel. Visit Menin Memorial Gate Attend a Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Memorial Gate. This stirring memorial bears the names of the 54,896 British soldiers who were killed on August 16th, 1917. Overnight in Ypres at the hotel Gasthof't Zweerd 2* or similar.
Day Five Monday, March 25 th, 2019 Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and an orientation with your Tour Manager Depart for Courcelette Arrival in Courcelette, a small city that played a great role during World War I. The Battle of the Somme took place between July 1 and November 18, 1916, and consisted of a large British and French offensive against the German army. You will also visit near Bapaume the Courcelette Canadian Memorial set within a small park. Meet with your Specialized S Local Guide G and departure for your half-day tour of the area. Beaumont-Hamel Memorial (Local Guide) Explore and visit the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial, dedicated to the commemoration of Dominion of Newfoundland forces members who were killed during World War I, and more specifically during the Battle of the Somme. Free time for lunch (at individual expense). Wellington Quarries (Local Guide) Departure for the visit of the Wellington Quarries and discover one of the most secret military places! Explore the undergrounds where thousands of British soldiers prepared a mythic attack during the First World War. Visit Vimy Ridge Memorial (Local Guide) The historic site that was the location of the most notable victory in Canada s military history. You will get a scenic view of the site and have a chance to learn about this significant area. The monument holds the 11, 425 names of Canadian soldiers who died or disappeared during the battles between 1914 and 1918. Visit the trenches, tour the Tunnel and Monument. Check into Hotel & Check in to your hotel in Arras, drop your luggage in your rooms and head out for dinner. Enjoy dinner at a Local Restaurant. Overnight in Arras at the hotel Mercure Centre 3* or similar. Day Six Tuesday, March 26 th, 2019 Depart and travel to Caen Upon arrival in Caen, enjoy some free time for lunch and to explore the city center (at individual expense). Caen Memorial - Guided Tour with Specialized Local Guide Discover the Caen Memorial with a specialized guide. The site, dedicated to peace and reconciliation, deciphers and explains in an interactive way the events that led to the Second World War, and its consequences on the world we know today.
Check into Hotel & Check in to your hotel in Caen, drop your luggage in your rooms and head out for dinner at the Hotel. Head back to your rooms for a well-deserved night's rest. Overnight in Caen at the hotel Royal Centre 3* or similar. Day Seven Wednesday, March 27 th, 2019 Meet with your Specialized Local Guide G and departure for your full day tour of the area. Normandy & D-Day D Day Beaches Begin your journey at the Juno Beach Center, the only Canadian museum in Normandy. It is here to commemorate the contributions and sacrifices of Canadian soldiers during the liberation of Europe in World War II. Follow your local guide and discover Juno Park and the remnants of a German defensive strongpoint, part of the famous Atlantic Wall. Your steps will then lead you to the small village of Bernières where you will discover the Canada House or Maison des Canadiens, a classic timber-framed house, occupied during the war by a German officer and which was among the first to be liberated by the Canadians on June 6th, 1944. You will then continue towards Saint-Aubin sur Mer, to keep on following the events of the D-Day. Lunch during the excursion (at individual expense). Visit to the Bény-sur sur-mer, Villons & Ardenne Abbey This cemetery contains predominantly Canadian soldiers killed during the early stages of the Battle of Normandy in the Second World War. Bény-sur-Mer was created as a permanent resting place for Canadian soldiers who had been temporarily interred in smaller plots close to where they fell. Make a short stop in the village of Villons to discover a place called Hell's Corner and let your guide explain you why it was named like that by the Canadian Troops. You will then make a stop at the Ardenne Abbey, dating of the 12th century. Your guide will detail you the tragic events that happened here on June 7th 1944, when Canadians soldiers were held prisoners and executed by the German army. Tour of Carpiquet This airfield that is on higher ground west of Caen had a strategic location in order to allow the capture of the city by the Sword Beach troops from the north. In the village that was almost entirely destroyed, you will discover only few prewar remains, but certainly numerous monuments in tribute to the Canadian liberators.
Visit Hill 67 On this higher ground marked on military maps as "Hill 67" is located the Memorial Garden of Cindais, from where one overlooks the whole southern part of Caen. You will appreciate the panoramic view over the villages of St-Martin de Fontenay et May sur Orne, as well as the Verrières Ridge, finally taken on August 9th during Operation Totalize. Enjoy dinner at the hotel. Head back to your rooms for a well-deserved night's rest. Overnight in Caen at the hotel Royal Centre 3* or similar. Day Eight Thursday, March 28 th, 2019 Tour of Caen Tour of the amazing city of Caen and its thousand-year of history. Discover the three key sites of the city that recall this era and give an emblematic identity to the city: the castle, the Abbey-aux- Hommes and the Abbaye-aux-Dames. Depart for Paris Free time for lunch (at individual expense). Paris City Tour (Guided) Welcome to Paris, the City of Lights, the City of Love! Hop aboard your motor coach and leave for a 3h sightseeing tour with a local tour guide that will give you a glimpse of all the marvels you're going to discover during the next few days Check into Hotel & After the tour, check-in to your hotel in Paris, drop your luggage in your rooms and head to the restaurant by foot for a delicious Parisian dinner at Restaurant Le Saulnier. Overnight in Paris at the hotel Axel Opéra 3* or similar. Day Nine Friday, March 29 th, 2019 Walking Tour of Ile de la Cite & the Quartier Latin (with Local Guide) Follow your local guide and explore the Ile Saint Louis and the Ile de la Cité, home to many treasures! Discover in particular the Pont Neuf which is in fact one of the oldest bridges of Paris! Go past the Conciergerie that has seen the last hours of Queen Marie Antoinette, or stroll through the alleys of the Square du Vert-Gallant to reach the point that will offer you a view of the Pont des Arts and the Louvre.
Visit Notre Dame Cathedral (with Local Guide) Visit the magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral, whose construction took more than 170 years. Built more than eight centuries ago, this architectural masterpiece has been the witness of significant events in history. Note: Audio-Guides provided please provide an ID per person as security deposit. Time for lunch and to explore the diverse and charming Latin Quarter (at individual expense). Tour at the Louvre (Guided Tour) Explore one of the richest museums in the world, the Louvre. View amazing works of art including the Venus of Milo to Mona Lisa. Enjoy some free time at the Carrousel du Louvre, an amazing shopping mall located near the Louvre. During your stroll, don't miss the reversed pyramid. Hungry yet? Settle at the Le Malakoff Café and get ready to enjoy a delicious meal in this traditional brasserie located in the heart of the capital! Evening visit at the Eiffel Tower Visit the Eiffel Tower and take a photo from the best vantage point: le parvis du Palais de Chaillot. Those feeling daring can take the elevator to see bird s eye views of the Parisian landscape. Overnight in Paris at the hotel Axel Opéra 3* or similar Day Ten Saturday, March 30 th, 2019 Depart for Versailles All aboard the RER train and departure for Versailles! Versailles Palace (Guided ( Tour) Enjoy a guided tour of the magnificent Palace of Versailles, where you ll discover, among other the things, the great King's apartment and the Hall of Mirrors. Explore Versailles Gardens Discover the magnificent gardens of the castle. At your leisure, you will discover the gardens and the Bouquets of the castle. You will see the Ballroom, the Colonnade, the Enceladus decorated with vases, fountains and statues. Note: the access to the Jardins Musicaux and Grandes Eaux Musicales is not included. Depart for Paris Return to Paris via RER train in the afternoon. Walking Tour & Free Time Take a walk through the famous Avenue des Champs Élysées, considered by many as the most beautiful areas of the French Capital. Walk along the numerous boutiques and shops and discover why Paris is renowned as the capital of fashion.
Enjoy the culture with a nice dinner in a traditional Parisian bistro before or after the cruise (pending on availability). Cruise on the Seine Enjoy a one hour cruise on the Seine aboard a Bateau-Mouche. Admire Paris' monuments from a completely different point of view. Return to the hotel to pack up your luggage before a well-deserved night's rest. Overnight in Paris at the hotel Axel Opéra 3* or similar. Day Eleven Sunday, March 31 st, 2019 Enjoy breakfast at hotel Transfer to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and check in for your flight. Take off aboard your flight towards Toronto, Canada. Arrival at your home city's airport, where your friends and family will be eager to hear all about your trip! The above itinerary is a preliminary itinerary and it is subject to change once bookings become finalized.