A Pilgrimage to the Ends of the Earth: The Camino to...

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A Pilgrimage to the Ends of the Earth: The Camino to Santiago de Compostela

Featuring the Reverend Dr. Les Fairfield and Dr. Julian Brown

June 17 -30, 2015


Dear Friends,

A pilgrimage to the ends of the earth! For over a thousand years, pilgrims have been traveling the Way of St. James, the Camino to Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. This famous Christian shrine near the Atlantic coast has been drawing folk since the 950s. Some travel to find a closer walk with God. Some travel for Christian fellowship. Some find out why they are traveling as they travel. Whatever the reasons, from the green hills of Burgundy to the greatest sanctuary in medieval Europe, the Camino to Santiago has blessed hundreds of thousands (maybe millions) of pilgrims with its holiness and its beauty.

I hope that you will join me on this pilgrimage. We begin in the mountains of southeastern France, in Le-Puy-en-Velay where the first journeys to Santiago began over a thousand years ago. As we trace the Road through France, we witness the breathtakingly beautiful tiny medieval villages and churches that offered their hos-pitality to the pilgrims in the Middle Ages. Romanesque churches like the ones in Moissac and Conques are treasures for the entire world. Crossing the Pyrenees, we continue into Spain and the magnificent pilgrimage cathedrals in Burgos and Leon. At last we end our journey - almost all the way to the Atlantic - at the storied shrine of St. James in Compostela. We will travel in some comfort (with chances to walk a bit if you like) and enjoy the company of fellow Christians on the Way.

I hope you can join us! With warmest wishes,

In Christ,

Les

Reverend Dr. Leslie P. FairfieldThe Rev. Dr. Leslie P. Fairfield was educated at Princeton and Harvard, and for thirty years (1976-2006) was professor of

Church History at Trinity. He is the author of John Bale: Mythmaker for the English Reformation. He taught courses at Trinity ranging from Patristics to Postmodernism. Les retired from full-time teaching in 2006. He continues to lead study tours and to teach part-time at Trinity.

TOUR LEADERS: Dr. Julian BrownJulian Brown has made his home in Paris for almost 30 years. As an art his-torian and licensed guide, he special-izes in tailor-made tours throughout Europe and lec-tures for museums, universities, Royal Societies and international confer-ences. He has a B.A. from the University of Durham in Modern Languages (French & Spanish), an M.A. from the University of London: School of African and Ori-ental Studies in Art & Archaeology, and a Ph.D. from the University of London: SOAS on the Museological & Colonial Contexts of the Art of Ancient Champa.


DAY 1: DEPART HOME CITY

DAY 2: ARRIVE LYONArrive today to Lyon. Lyon, more than any other city in France, embodies that elusive French “art of living,” the joyful synthesis of all that makes life worthwhile: food, wine, culture, friends and family. It’s an art that the Lyonnais are very happy

to share with even the most casual visitor. After settling into hotel, we are free until our Welcome Dinner in the evening. (D)

DAY 3: LYON TO LE PUYThis morning we will have a tour of Lyon and begin our pilgrimage this afternoon- driving by coach from Lyon to Le Puy-en-Velay. The trip up from Lyon to Le Puy-en-Velay passes through some of the most magnificent scenery of the Massif

Central. While not grandiose in the way the Alps can be, the superb panoramic scenes across the ancient volcanic hills, depending of course on light and visibility, can be completely stunning. (B,D)

DAY 4: LE PUYToday we explore Le Puy, where the first pilgrimag-es to Santiago de Compostela began in the 950s.

We will enjoy a guided visit of the old town, the cathedral and the dramatic pinnacle of St. Michel d’Aiguilhe. The cathedral is one of the three great traditional medieval starting points for the Camino de Santiago in France. It is a magnificent Romanesque building, with some very excep-tional construction features which you will readily appreciate when you first climb up to the cathedral. In terms of church history in France, Le Puy ranks as a centre of major religious importance equal

to that of Chartres. Leaving the cathedral, we pass in front of the superb statue of St. James (the faithful pilgrims will touch his feet) and descend the monumental stairs to explore the Old Town below. After lunch we will visit, as all pilgrims have been doing for nearly a thousand years, the extraordinary 10th century sanctuary of St. Michel d’Aiguilhe which stands high above the town. The climb is not easy, but the reward is magnificent. In the late afternoon, those who so wish will be taken back to the cathedral to place their hands on the feet of the celebrated St. James statue, and start out on the Camino to Compostela for as far as they wish (maximum 2 hours’ walking) before being picked up and taken back to the hotel for dinner. (B,D)


DAY 5: LE PUY TO FIGEACThe emphasis for the day will be the entire World Heritage stretch of the Chemin du Puy from Nasbinals to Estaing and on to Figeac. Villages that we may visit include Nasbinals, Saint-Chély-d’Aubrac, Saint-Côme-d’Olt, Espalion and Esta-ing. Attractive countryside throughout the day! Historically interesting villages and small towns (all of them are either World Heritage places in their own right or hold WH monuments within their walls) offer view upon view of medieval streets, great market places and more intimate

squares, buildings from the 14th to the 18th cen-turies magnificently restored, churches, chapels, sculptures, a non-stop feast for the eye and for the camera lover. If the weather allows, we suggest, for those who wish to walk for an hour to hour and a half on the pilgrim way, to do so for part of the stretch between Aubrac and Saint-Chély-d’Aubrac. The coach will take the others to Es-palion, and return to pick up the foot pilgrims at

an agreed point. Lunch to be taken in Espalion before going to Estaing.

(Both Estaing and Espalion boast ancient World Heritage St. James historic pilgrim bridges). Then into Figeac for the evening. (B,D)

DAY 6: FIGEAC & CONQUESA morning excursion to the wonderful medieval village of Conques, is one of the highlights of the trip through France. The great Basilica of Sainte-Foy which dominates the whole site is one of

the glories of France. Both the basilica and the village itself are classed World Heritage sites, together with a most beautiful Roman bridge by which the foot pilgrims leave Conques. The Romanesque tympanum above the west door of the basilica is considered one of the most beauti-ful in France. Before leaving Conques, we will

have time to walk across the ancient medieval (World Heri-tage) bridge over the river Dourdou. For the afternoon we are back in

Figeac. And the rest of the day is free. Figeac is one of the finest remaining examples of a small medieval town unspoiled by 19th century res-toration. The architecture, sculptures, churches, and residences, be they modest or luxurious, from the 12th to the 14th centuries, offer unpar-alleled glimpses into the society and culture of this period. To lose oneself in the narrow, twist-ing medieval streets overhung with sandstone and wood-lined buildings is to share at least in a small way something of the setting which welcomed all the Compostela pilgrims all those centuries ago. (B,D)

DAY 7: MOISSAC TO OLORON-STE. MARIEIn the morning we drive to Moissac. If Spain is renowned throughout the world for the beauty of its cloisters, those in France, often lesser known than many of those in Spain, can some-times quite simply take away your breath – one such example is Moissac Abbey. Here the great


cloister is considered to be one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture anywhere, not only because it is one of the oldest to sur-vive, but for the sheer beauty of its columns and capitals. The cloister alone justifies the World Heritage status of the abbey – but there is more to come. While many churches offer traces of splendidly colorful decorations of the past, there are few where you can experience the full im-pact. The abbey church at Moissac is one such treasure, where the church has been restored in all its colorful patterns throughout exactly as it appeared in the 15th century. There will be plenty of lunch possibilities after the visit. In the afternoon we drive to the town of Auch. Auch was a major centre for pilgrims on the Roads to Compostela, and is now a World Heritage site. It is also intimately associated with the story of

the Three Musketeers, for d’Artagnan was born only 35 km from Auch. The guided visit will in-clude both the cathedral and the old town. The

World Heritage Cathedral of Sainte-Marie, over 100 meters long, is not only one of the largest in France, it is one of the most recent. Started in 1487 it took 200 years to complete. When finished, it also housed the celebrated Jean de Joyeuse organ, the largest in France at the time of its construction in 1694. There are also 18 magnificent stained-glass windows dating from the very beginning of the 16th century, while the cathedral’s greatest treasure is without doubt the set of 113 oak-carved choir stalls (including 60 upper stalls), dating from the first half of the 16th century, with more than 1500 figures carved in the oak, and which took more than 50 years to make. Then on into the (World Heri-tage) town of Oloron-Sainte-Marie for the eve-ning. (B,D)

DAY 8: BY COACH VIA RONCESVALLES & PUENTE LA REINA TO BURGOSAfter breakfast we make our way to St. Jean-Pied-de-Port, “St. John at the Foot of the Pass,” where we begin our ascent into the Pyrenees. The core of the town retains its medieval atmosphere, with cobbled streets and red sandstone buildings. The town walls were built by King Sancho the Strong in the early 13th century, and have withstood armies ever since. From St. Jean-Pied-de-Port we go up into the mountains, following the track of countless medieval pilgrims. Just over the summit of the 4000 ft. pass we come to the tiny village of Roncevaux (Roncevalles in Spanish). Nearby lies


Coming down from the mountains we skirt the ancient city of Pamplona and visit the town of Puente la Reina, named for the Romanesque bridge endowed in the 11th century by Queen Dona Mayor of Navarre, to carry pilgrims across the River Arga. The Calle Mayor (“main street”) leading to the bridge retains its ancient ambience intact, with 15th century galleried houses on ei-ther side bearing the coats of arms of many noble families. The Iglesia del Crucifijo (“Church of the Crucifixion”) founded by the Knights Templar is connected by an arch to the monastery on the site of the original pilgrim hospice here. At the end of the day we travel westward to the great city of Burgos where we spend the night. (B,D)

DAY 9: BURGOS & SANTO DOMINGO DE SILOSMuch of the day until mid-afternoon will be spent in Burgos exploring this most beautiful city, and one of the most important of all the stopping places for pilgrims on their way to Compostela. The cathedral, one of the four original World Heritage monuments in Spain, is acknowledged as one of the great Gothic glories of the world. It offers a wonderful experience of the range of the great Gothic style over three centuries (building started in 1221 but was not completed until well into the 15th century). Burgos is also famous for

its association with one of the legendary heroes of Spanish history going back more than a thou-sand years: Rodrigo Diaz, better known the world over as El Cid. He was born less than 10 kilometers from Burgos, and the ashes of El Cid and his wife Ximena lie buried in the cathedral.

one of the most famous battlefields in all Europe-an history. On August 15, 778 the Emperor Char-lemagne was returning to France from campaign-ing in northern Spain. His rearguard, commanded by Roland, Duke of Brittany was ambushed by Basque mountaineers at Roncevaux. Unwilling to tarnish his honor by calling for aid, Roland and his men died in this mountain pass. Centuries later the famous “Song of Roland” transformed the

Basques into Muslims, and the story of Roland’s heroism nerved Europe in its conflict with Islam, in particular the Reconquista (“reconquest”) of Spain that concluded in 1492. For pilgrims on the Road to Santiago, however, Roncevaux was a welcome haven from the cold winds and the wild animals of the surrounding Pyrenees. The Augus-tinian monastery here was the first great pilgrim hostel to be established on the Road. The near-by chapel of the Holy Spirit is the oldest building in Roncevaux, protecting the bones of pilgrims who died crossing the mountains here. The col-

legiate church of Santa Maria dates from 1219, whose chapter house contains the tombs of King Sancho the Strong and his Queen Clemencia, who founded the church. Altogether Roncevaux is liter-ally (and metaphor-ically) the summit of the Road to Santiago.


In the streets of Burgos you will inevitably en-counter references (statues, street names, res-taurants...) to them. The influence of El Cid and his exploits have been a major source of literary inspiration down the centuries, from medieval chansons de geste to the Légende des Siècles of Victor Hugo, but undoubtedly the greatest work

linked to his name is the play Le Cid by the 17th century dramatist Corneille. The guided visit of the cathedral will be followed by vis-its to the two other sites of major inter-est, the Royal Con-vent of Las Huelgas and its Museum of Medieval Materials, with its outstanding collection in par-

ticular of royal clothing in 13th century Castile. The visit terminates with the Miraflores Carthu-sian Monastery, which dates from the end of the 15th century, and which contains three extraordi-nary treasures – an outstanding wooden sculpted altarpiece, the spectacular Royal Mausoleum in flamboyant white marble exuberantly decorated, and an extremely ornate funereal recess (enfeu) which houses the tomb of the infante Alphonso whose death led to his sister, Isabella the Catho-lic, inheriting the throne of Castile. Late this afternoon we will travel by coach to the Benedic-tine abbey of Santo Domingo de Silos. The ab-bey possesses what is generally considered the most marvelous of all the Romanesque cloisters in Spain. Here a group of young monks - led by a monk who came from the Abbey of Solesmes in France - became known in liturgical musical cir-cles the world over for the quality of their presentation of the Gregorian Chant. The monks of Silos were thus to become the Spanish equivalent

of their illustrious French brothers – and indeed the recordings made of the Gregorian Chant in Silos are every bit as remarkable as those of Solesmes. The visit to Silos will commence with a guided visit of the clois-ters, and finish with the sung Vespers in the Abbey church. (B,D)

DAY 10: BY COACH TO LEONAfter a relaxed breakfast, leave for the excursion from Burgos to León. We spend much of the day travelling through a sequence of attractive and historically interesting villages and small towns, past churches and monasteries of differing styles and periods, on the pilgrim way, where as many stops will be made as time permits. In particular, Hornillos del Camino, Castrojeriz, Frómista, Sa-hagún (perhaps the most historically important and interesting of the small towns through which we pass), as well as Mansilla de las Mulas where

the monastery of Saint Miguel de Escalada is con-sidered one of the jewels of the whole region. In the late afternoon we come into the city of León for the evening. Here we are privileged to be in an ancient and beautiful building belonging to the history of the Camino to Santiago, the quite glori-ous monastery of San Marco, now (partly) a Para-dor hotel. Needless to say it is one of the World Heritage sites on the Camino in Spain. (B,D)


DAY 11: LEON & BY COACH TO SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

Morning guided visit of the great 13th - 14th century cathedral, the only cathedral in Spain to have copied the French Gothic style of archi-tecture. Extremely rich in architectural forms and design, equally so in its works of art and sculpture, the cathedral is in many ways the “Spanish Char-tres” in that it has perhaps the finest collection of stained glass in the country. Much of this is from the 13th century- 1200 square metres of stained glass windows – part of them having been created during later centuries, including some in recent times, but the whole effect is quite fabulous. In the afternoon we drive to Santiago. We continue on through a series of small villages and sites on the last stage of the pilgrim route, each with their

treasures to reveal to the visitor –time and weath-er permitting. Lavacolla is the spot where the pil-grims traditionally wash themselves before enter-ing the city, while Monte del Gozo (the Mount of Joy) is the spot where the pilgrims see their holy destination in the distance for the first time and kneel with tears of joy in their eyes. (B,D)

DAY 12: SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELAOne of the most remarkable cities in Spain: one of the first city centres in Europe to be classed World Heritage. Only Jerusalem and Rome are more important in the Christian world (and indeed at the time of the Turkish conquest of Jerusalem Compostela became for some time “second” after Rome). Its university goes back to the 14th

century. And, of course, it resounds with the history and legends associated with St. James. To look at the cathedral from the front, it does not appear to be what it really is. Construction dating from the period of the great pilgrimages between the 11th and 13th centuries is hidden behind the baroque façade added in the 18th century. The cathedral’s Pórtico de la Gloria goes well with its name, for this main portal is one of the glories of Compos-tela, one of the finest examples of late Ro-manesque architecture anywhere. There will be two guided tours of the historic centre, all World Heritage since 1985 (including your hotel) (B,D)

DAY 13: TO MADRIDWe will drive to Madrid via Salamanca and then have a brief overview of Madrid before we have our final night in Spain. Salamanca is a charming


town which is untouched in its architectural pu-rity. In central areas all recent buildings are con-structed in Salamanca’s best tradition. The whole city has been declared a World Heritage site. Madrid has been the capital of Spain since 1562, and is located at the geographic center of the Iberian Peninsula. Because of its central location

and high altitude, the climate of Madrid is charac-terized by warm dry summers and cool winters. Madrid is a

city of great monuments. Among its highlights are the medieval center dating back to the Habsburg Empire and the Prado Museum.(B,D)

DAY 14: DEPART MADRID FOR HOMEToday we depart from the Madrid International Airport and head for home.

EXTEND YOUR STAY BEFORE OR AFTER THE TOUR IN PARIS, LYON, OR MADRID:Connoisseurs Tours will assist you with any pre and post tour planning: Traveling to Paris and/or Lyon before the tour begins or extending your stay in Madrid after the tour ends.

Please indicate that you are interested traveling in France before the tour begins or in Spain after the tour ends on the reservation form, and one of our travel specialist will assist you with hotel and sightseeing arrangements.


GENERAL INFORMATION, TERMS & CONDITIONS

PRICESTour price is $3995.00 per person, double occupancy. Single Supplement is $775.00 per person.

DEPOSIT & FINAL PAYMENT A Deposit of $600.00 per person is due to reserve a place on this tour. Deposits and payments can be paid by check or any major credit card. Final payment is due March 18th, 2015. The Travel Insured Group Deluxe travel insurance protection plan is strongly recommend-ed. The cost for this insurance is $289.00 per person.

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CANCELLATIONS• From the date of deposit up to 121 days prior to departure, $350.00 per person is non-refundable.• From 120 to 91 days prior to departure $600.00 per person is non-refundable.• From 90 to 46 days prior to departure 50% of the full program cost is non-refundable.• From 45 to 0 days prior to departure 100% of the full program cost is non-refundable. • All cancellations must be in writing.

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A Pilgrimage to the Ends of the Earth:The Camino to Santiago de Compostela June 17-30, 2015

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