2027 Christian Heritage to France Pilgrimage
April 16, 2027 All Day Event
Kirk in the Hills is pleased to announce our 2027 Christian Heritage to France Pilgrimage, April 16-27, 2027 – a 12-day trip.
France has a long, continuous Christian history, dating back to the Roman Empire, and we will focus on John Calvin and the Huguenots. We’ll worship in La Rochelle, a key Protestant city in the Middle Ages, and visit a new church in the 5th Arrondissement of Paris. We will visit the Protestant museums in La Rochelle and the Musée du Désert to hear more about the courageous faith of believers in France, particularly in the 16th and 17th centuries.
On this tour, we will view stunning art, taste wine and champagne, see glorious cathedrals, abbeys and châteaux, and taste delicious French cuisine. A highlight will be the TGV train from Avignon to Paris, offering a comfortable view of the French countryside. With multiple nights at each location, the tour has a relaxed pace and plenty of free time.
For more information, please get in touch with Ruth Reading at 248-875-1371 or .
ITINERARY
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Key: IF = In Flight Meals, B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
Day 1: Friday, April 16, 2027: Departure
We will depart from Detroit on our overnight flights to Bordeaux via Paris.Day 2: Saturday, April 17, 2027: Arrival in Bordeaux
When we land in Bordeaux, we will transfer to our centrally located hotel and have time to relax before our welcome meal. (IF/D)Day 3: Sunday, April 18, 2027: La Rochelle, Bordeaux
Today’s day trip is to La Rochelle, the “capital” of Protestant France in the 16th and 17th centuries. It adopted Reformation ideas as early as the 1530s. The main protestant church has been used since 1798, when the previous cathedral was destroyed. We’ll attend the 10:30 AM morning service (in French), then view the attached museum. After a delicious seafood lunch, we will have a gentle walking tour of Protestant sites and the delightful harbor. We will return to Bordeaux in the late afternoon. (B/L)Day 4: Monday, April 19, 2027: Bordeaux|
In the morning, we’ll have a bus and walking tour of some of Bordeaux’s cultural highlights, followed by a lunch cruise on the Garonne River, with fantastic views of the city. We’ll visit the interactive Cité du Vin, which explains the story of wine through interactive displays. The tour ends with a free glass of wine from the rooftop bar. The rest of the day is at leisure. (B/L)Day 5: Tuesday, April 20, 2027: Châteaux de Malle, Bordeaux
We will receive a very warm welcome from the owners of the stunning Châteaux de Malle. We’ll begin with a tour, accompanied by a costumed guide. This is a wonderful place to learn about French history – they even have a bedroom for the king! We’ll either have lunch in the garden or in the Orangerie, accompanied by wine, of course. We will return to Bordeaux for a free evening, or an optional meal at a Michelin-star restaurant (additional cost). (B/L)Day 6: Wednesday, April 21, 2027: Narbonne, Nîmes
We will board our bus after breakfast, and travel through Southern France to visit Fontfroide Abbey. This stunning pink stone former Cistercian monastery, close to the Spanish border, was founded in 1093 as a Benedictine house. In 1144-1146, it affiliated with the Cistercians, becoming a significant religious center. It was dissolved during the French Revolution, but was restored by the Fayet family. Our visit will include a group lunch. We’ll end the day in Nîmes, where we will stay for two nights. (B/L)Day 7: Thursday, April 22, 2027: Musée du Desert, Nîmes
Located in the heart of a Cévennes hamlet, in the house where the Camisard leader Pierre Laporte, known as Rolland, was born, Le Musée du Désert aims to bring to life the Huguenot past and the history of the Camisards. “Desert” refers to the history of French Protestantism between the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685) and the French Revolution (1789). During that time, the Protestants in France had to hide in isolated, deserted regions such as the Cévennes. We will return to Nîmes and dine together. (B/D)Day 8: Friday, April 23, 2027: Avignon, Paris
Our luggage will be picked up from the hotel this morning to be taken directly to our Paris hotel. Today’s highlight is the Palais des Papes, one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe. It was a seat of Western Christianity during the 14th century, with seven “official” popes, starting with Pope Clement V in 1309. After seeing the famous bridge in Avignon, we will enjoy a relaxed group lunch before boarding the high-speed TGV train to Paris (1st class). Our hotel is on the Left Bank, near the Pantheon, in easy walking distance to Notre Dame. (B/L)Day 9: Saturday, April 24, 2027: Paris
On our morning walking tour, we will learn more about the Christian history of Paris, including the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, John Calvin, and the Huguenots. We will also visit the newly restored Notre Dame Cathedral. We’ll have an early dinner, then attend a hour-long concert of classical music concert at La Sainte-Chapelle, with outstanding stained-glass windows. (B/D)Day 10: Sunday, April 25, 2027: Paris
Today we will worship at the Eglise de la Montagne, a new church plant which meets in the 5th arrondissement. We will hear about this wonderful community of faith that’s reaching out to students, families, and professionals with the truth, beauty, and goodness of the Christian gospel. After a group lunch, the rest of the day is at leisure. This afternoon, there’s an optional private tour and perfume workshop at the Fragonard Perfume Museum, where we will make our own custom Eau de Toilette. (B/L)Day 11: Monday, April 26, 2027: Paris or Reims
Today is a free day in Paris, or an optional day trip to Reims. The city of Reims was a bustling settlement when Paris was only a small village. Emperor Hadrian called it the “Athens of the north” because chalk was the local building material. There have been Christians in Reims since the 3rd century. Clovis was the first of many French kings to be crowned in Reims’ Notre Dame Cathedral in 406 AD. Next door to the Cathedral, in the Palais du Tau, we will see many of the cathedral’s treasures. Our day trip will include sampling some Champagne – of course! We will return to Paris for our Farewell Meal. (B/D)Day 12: Tuesday, April 27, 2027: Return home
We will transfer to Charles de Gaulle Airport for our direct flight back to Detroit. (B/IF)Please note this itinerary is copyrighted by Reformation Tours.
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