Why Ernest Hemingway?
By reading the two novels this trip provides to you, The Sun Also Rises and A Moveable Feast, and by sharing your reactions to these works, we as a group will have a unique foundation from which to build upon. Hemingway is simply the vehicle we use to connect us all and to get to our very own Paris. Ernest Hemingway provides the perfect foundation because his legacy is so very alive in Paris. At times, it will feel like you are walking into the novels you have read. Even our Normandy Day Trip has its roots in Hemingway, as he landed in Normandy as a war correspondent and continued on to help liberate his beloved city.

How much walking will be involved?
Although this is an active trip, we make frequent stops along the way in various places of interest and in various cafes for fine conversation. I always highly recommend a comfortable pair of walking shoes that also provide resistance to potential elements. The good news is twofold: By walking, you won’t miss a single stunning sight, and by walking you will feel fit so there’s no need to hold back on all the French culinary treats we enjoy along the way. Please know that I like to walk at a rather easy pace as there are so many sites to take pleasure in.

What is the hotel like?
I like to describe the Hotel Relais Saint-Sulpice as being perfectly Parisianly charming! I also believe that for our purposes, this hotel is located ideally on the Left Bank. The hotel sits on a narrow and slow street not fifteen feet from the stunning Saint-Sulpice Church and not two hundred yards from the prominent Jardin du Luxembourg. The rooms are quaint and comfortable, and the staff is always pleasant. My daughters continue to speak highly to their friends about the breakfast the hotel provides. The Hotel Relais Saint-Sulpice is a gem and a fantastic accompaniment to your total Parisian experience.

What if I am not a big fan of group tours?
Strangely enough, I’m not a huge fan of group tours…but don’t tell anyone! Most of the group tours I have experienced are run by folks with the right information but with a complete lack of passion for what they are talking about. This will not be your experience as I feel extremely fortunate to be sharing my life’s passion with you. As well, most tours I’ve experienced tend to “stuff” too much into a day—they stick to a strict and heavy schedule. What I like to do is establish a relationship with my group—I get to know you individually and I get to understand what pleases you so that I can meet your individual needs. I try not to overwhelm you and, instead, I try to provide a flavor that you can return to later for a bigger bite. There is a degree of flexibility in my approach to these tours that seems to encourage group participation without stifling individualism. Again, this comes from my desire to connect with you on a friendly as well as professional level.

What should I pack?
I say pack light. Paris is full of sales at this time of year and it’s fun to peruse the stores and find that perfectly Parisian coat and scarf. I do, however, encourage you to pack practically. I simply pack my comfortable shoes and some warm mix-and-match clothes and I’m off. Really, we have such variety now that it is not difficult to find shoes and clothes that are sensible on the beaches of Omaha and yet can look stylish in the Hemingway Bar at the Ritz.

What if I get sick?
It is my duty and pleasure to assist you in any way possible, from providing you with a band-aid to finding the right doctor or dentist for you at midnight.

What will our day trip to Normandy involve and include?
This Normandy Day Tour, that begins at 7am and concludes at 7pm, will be one of the many highlights of your Remembering Hemingway experience. Several participants have stated that this was an emotionally important day in their lives and I completely agree. The day begins at the Normandy Museum for a split-screen film depicting allied offensive planning and Germany’s defensive preparations, and concludes at the peaceful and touching American Cemetery. Between, we visit the beaches and battle grounds of the D-Day Invasion and have lunch in a quaint restaurant on Omaha Beach. Lunch is included as is a private guide who narrates the tour and who takes any questions. Your transportation is a private coach and we do stop along the two-and-a-half hour ride for breakfast. Prior to leaving for your Remembering Hemingway trip, I will provide you with a few dispatches Hemingway wrote depicting his experience on D-Day. When we do arrive back to our hotel, and after we have freshened up, please feel free to join me at the Hemingway Bar in the Ritz Hotel for a debrief and a toast to the success of such a monumental day.

How much personal time will I get?
I am a big proponent of personal time. Each day, I will try to conclude my time with you by 4pm so that you may return to any of the sights we have covered, shop in the stores you love, or simply sit and people watch in a café. Please know, however, that I am always at your service and will gladly accompany you for walks, talks, and coffee. I have built in a few special dinners together, but for the most part, evenings are yours to discover your extraordinary Paris.

What has been the reaction from those that have participated in the trip in previous years?
I still get together with previous groups and individuals who have taken this Remembering Hemingway trip. We all share photographs and we talk about doing the same journey again in the future. Past participants have all agreed that this trip was really about THEIR Paris and that Hemingway provided the perfect platform from which to dive deeply into their own lives and experiences. They have also said that my passion for Hemingway and for living life was contagious and gave them the confidence to really relax and enjoy their experiences. People have really gotten along and enjoyed each other’s company, and they keep in touch long after the trip is over. Given the overwhelmingly positive comments, I have complete faith that your Remembering Hemingway excursion will be a highlight in your life.

What happens in the event of unforeseen travel interruptions such as weather?
If we are delayed in any way, we will simply follow Garber Travel and Air France protocol. One big benefit is that each group member will have the right insurance given a worse case scenario.

How are Americans received in France?
This is a fine question and one that I wish I could have published on the front page of every newspaper in the country. The simple answer or headline would be as follows: The Fine People of Paris Completely Enjoy American Citizens: The Myth is Dispelled! Truthfully, I have always had healthy relations with the people of Paris and Normandy. I consider myself a gentleman and they have received me well. I have always had kind people on my tours and they, too, have been received well. Many participants of this trip have been concerned about this question and within the first day, they realize that the people of Paris completely enjoy their company.

Am I responsible for travel to and from the airport while still at home in the U.S.?
Yes, you are responsible for getting to Boston’s Logan Airport, Terminal E. From that point on, you are my responsibility and I look forward to making your trip an enjoyable one indeed. Upon returning, again, you are responsible for getting back to your home. Please know that if you need any assistance in finding transportation to and from the airport in Boston, I have fine resources that I can share with you.

Can you tell me more about the two books we will be given to read prior to the trip?
The Sun Also Rises is Hemingway’s first major novel and is partially set in Paris and was written in Paris. Many of the writing techniques Hemingway picked up that surface in this book came from the various Modernists he met while living in Paris in the early 1920’s. Hemingway’s later work, the last he worked on in his lifetime, is A Moveable Feast and is a reflection of the time he spent in Paris as a young man. This book is filled with “snapshots” of the people and places in Paris that shaped his life and work. It also provides insight into his first marriage to Hadley, with whom Hemingway later said, after three other marriages, “I wished I had died before I ever loved anyone but her.” Through reading these two novels, you will have a solid foundation from which to build your own Parisian experiences—your own story if you will. You will also have a common base of knowledge through which to meet and get to know other people in your particular group. One additional benefit you will gain is a working knowledge of the places and food of Paris; after all, Hemingway was seen by many as a travel writer and the places and food he delighted in were based in factual experience. On a personal note, I really hope you enjoy your readings, and I’ll look forward to sharing in your reactions.