The post-conference tour will take us on a journey south to Lyon for five days, from the 4th to the 8th of June.

Arc-et-Senans: Ledoux’s utopian salt factory
The first stop on our way to Lyon will be at the Salines of Arc-et-Senans. This semi-circular salt factory, designed by Claude-Nicolas Ledoux in 1775-1779, is a remarkable illustration of utopian architecture. The royal manufacture was indeed the starting point and the centre of Ledoux’s project for an ideal city of Chaux. This exceptional example of eighteenth-century visionary architecture has been listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. After the salt factory, we will make our way to the city of Salins-les-Bains, famous for its salt production over le last 1200 years. Salty water reached Arc-et-Senans thanks to two 21km long salt canals.  

On the way to Lyon, natural landscapes of the Bresse and the Dombes
The trip from Salins to Bourg-en-Bresse will include a visit of the Royal Monastery of Brou, masterpiece of high gothic art dating from the early 16th century. From Bourg-en-Bresse to Lyon you will discover the beautiful natural landscapes of the Bresse and the Dombes.

Lyon: an architectural panorama, from Antiquity to the present day
The tour then goes on to Lyon, the third largest city in France. The city offers a very rich architectural panorama that stretches from Antiquity to the present day.

The rich archaeological heritage linked to the Gallo-roman city of Lugdunum will be introduced by the visit of two archaeological museums, which are also noteworthy for their buildings and settings: the museum of Fourvière, built in 1975 by Bernard Zehrfuss, an underground architecture of concrete overlooking two Roman open-air theatres, and the museum of Saint-Romain-en-Gal, built in 1995 by architects Chaix & Morel, a floating glass box overlooking the Rhone.

A walk along the river banks of the Saône will lead us to discover some important 19th century urban developments. The architecture of the 1920s and 1930s will also feature prominently during the visit, with a tour of two housing schemes: the Cité des Gratte-Ciel (“Skyscrapers Development”) by Môrice Leroux, and the Cité des États-Unis by Tony Garnier.

We will also visit more recent projects such as Lyon’s black Opera House (1986-1993), a major work by Jean Nouvel, or current projects, such as the Confluences development: it is the largest urban renewal plan carried out in France today, in a district located at the symbolic junction of Lyon’s two rivers, the Saône and the Rhone.

Le Corbusier’s works at Firminy and at La Tourette
A whole afternoon will be dedicated to a visit of Le Corbusier’s works at Firminy (1954-1965), where he designed an Unité d’habitation, the sports and cultural centre as well as the church of Saint-Pierre (only listed Historic building constructed after its author’s death). The tour will also take us to another famous work by Le Corbusier, the Dominican convent of La Tourette, where some of you may want to spend the night in a monk’s cell (to be confirmed).

On the return journey back from Firminy, we will take a route through the Natural Regional Park of the Mont Pilat with a dinner in a farm-inn (traditional French food).

schedule:

Friday, June 4, 2010
TGV to Arc-et-Senans. Visit of the Salines of Arc-et-Senans and of the salt factory of Salins-les-Bains. Bus to Bourg-en-Bresse. Night in Bourg-en-Bresse.

Saturday, June 5, 2010
Visit of the Royal Abbey of Brou. Bus to Lyon. Meeting at the Maison de l’architecture Rhône-Alpes, visit of the Musée Gallo-Romain, visit of the Fourvière basilica and of Medieval Lyon. Night in Lyon.

Sunday, June 6, 2010
Bus to Saint-Romain-en-Gal. Visit of the archaeological museum. Bus to Firminy. Visit of Firminy (Unité d’habitation, church of Saint-Pierre, etc.). Night in Lyon.

Monday, June 7, 2010
Visit of the Cité des Gratte-Ciel in Villeurbanne (including an apartment and the town hall). Visit of the Cité des États-Unis and of the former slaughterhouse at La Mouche by Tony Garnier. Visit of the École normale supérieure by Henri Gaudin (2000). Visit of the Lyon Confluence urban development area. Night in Lyon or in the convent of La Tourette (to be confirmed).

Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Visit of the convent of La Tourette. Bus back to Lyon, Visit of the Lyon Opera house. End of post-conference tour in the afternoon (exact time to be confirmed).

IMPORTANT: The tour ends in Lyon. The trip back to Paris is not included.
The participants can fly out from Lyon or take the train back to Paris or to Charles-de-Gaulle airport (2hrs by TGV). They can also continue their journey, by going on to Marseille by train (1h30 by TGV) to visit Le Corbusier’s Unité d’habitation.

To book a train back, participants can contact Package Organisation, or go directly on www.voyagesncf.com (which is available in English). Booking for TGV opens 3 months in advance.

To book an extra night in Lyon, please contact Package Organisation.

cost per person
Single : 880€ / double: 750€
Please note: above rate is applicable if a minimum of 20 people register for this tour.

The rate includes:
• Transportation throughout the tour by train or private air-conditioned coach
• 4 nights accommodation
• 4 breakfasts and 4 dinners (drinks not included)
• 5 lunches (drinks not included)
• Entrance fees to museums
• English speaking guides