MAYFLOWER

- a new partnership -

invites you to join us for an Autumn tour:

The Heart of the Romanesque:

BASILICAS and MADONNAS
of the
Auvergne

An exploration of the rich treasures of the Auvergne, seeking out many mysterious and moving images of the Black Madonna and the Virgin in Majesty


Mon 20 - Sat 25 Sept
2010

With expert guide
ROGER WOOLGER, PH.D. OUR TOUR
There are many little-known treasures (and pleasures) hidden in the lush volcanic landscape of the Auvergne. A rich hoard of Romanesque churches each sublimely reflects its own unique spirit of place, while in remote shrines and great Cathedrals, many ancient statues of the Black Madonna and "Virgin in Majesty" wait to be discovered. Their appearance is striking and can be profoundly moving. Some, like the Madonna of Le Puy, have mysterious links to the East, possibly through the Crusades. Others, like the magnificent Black Madonna of Orcival, have the dignity of the Great Mother in majesty, her divine son recalling the mysteries of Attis or Isiris, her authority emanating the wisdom of Holy Sophia.

OUR PROGRAMME
We stay in comfortable hotels (no chains!) and aim for a balance of exploration, learning and companionship in our groups.
In Lyon, we stay at the Hotel des Artistes, next to the Opera House; we will have time to explore this city of Cybele before moving on into the heart of the Auvergne in Issoire, visiting the great Romanesque churches of Brioude, St. Nectaire and Issoire, and searching out the Black Madonnas such as those at St. Gervazy and Vassiviere; also the great pilgrimage centres of Orcival and Le Puy, with its Moorish Cathedral and St. Michael Chapel high on a volcanic plug. (An itinerary is available on request)


REGISTRATION
A group of 20 people is needed for us to go ahead. We hold hotel reservations, but can only retain these after
28 February 2010 by paying a deposit to the hotels, so would like to ask you to send us your deposit before this date. (We already have some bookings, single rooms are limited). The guide price for the tour is £750/US $ 1215 based on shared twin room, and exchange rates as at 19.11.09. This includes all transportation and accommodation from your arrival in Lyon to the end of the tour in Lyon, and most main meals. Some singles are available at a supplement of £75/ US $ 122. Please note: Group members make their own travel arrangements to/from Lyon via air or Eurostar/TGV - we are pleased to advise and help with these bookings, and will put travellers in contact if they wish to share travel/taxis etc with others. Travel advice will be sent with your booking, we advise you to wait until you have received this before making arrangements.

TO ENROL IN THE TOUR, please send your £150/US $ 250 deposit cheque (may be dated 28 Feb) to Jane`s address below, payable to Marigold Hutton. Please understand that our itinerary is provisional, and that deposits are only refundable in the event that the tour does not go ahead, or that our guide price is significantly exceeded. A full itinerary and travel information will be sent to you in good time.

Cancellations in writing more than 60 days before the tour receive refunds as recoverable from French suppliers; no refunds after that date, so please ensure you have adequate travel insurance, which is not included.  

  OUR GUIDE

We are delighted to welcome as our guide the well-known author, lecturer and teacher

Dr Roger Woolger

a life-long student of religion and mysticism, whose great pleasure lies in introducing others to the civilization and culture of medieval France.   

Mayflower

is a new name for the partnership between Marigold Hutton and Jane May, evolving from events and pilgrimages which they have organized for the Jupiter Trust for some years. Further conferences and tours are in preparation.

We will be writing to you soon with further details of our 2010 programme, in the meanwhile please don`t hesitate to call us on the numbers below if you have queries.

If you do not wish to receive information from us by email, please send an email to the address below with your name and email address clearly stated and the message "unsubscribe". Thank you!   

Mayflower
www.jupitertrust.org see also www.magdalenetours.com

janedmay@btinternet.com
Briarwood, Long Wittenham w ABINGDON, Oxon OX14 4QW w
Tel enqs 01865 407680/01865 407490  

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