WEYBURN – The Weyburn Travel Club from the Weyburn Comprehensive School was able to provide 51 teenage and adult local travelers with the opportunity to experience London, the Normandy Region and Paris over the Easter Break.
Leaving from Regina on April 6, travelers flew to Calgary then on to London to arrive on April 7. The group loaded a bus and ventured into London’s city center to visit Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square. While doing a walking tour of the area, the group witnessed the changing of the guard at the Household Cavalry Museum, Westminster Abby, Big Ben and the Parliament Building on the way to the London Eye.
Travelers enjoyed a 30-minute ride with breath-taking views of London’s skyline from the glass capsule of the London Eye revolving observation wheel.
The third day of the tour, the group explored London on a guided bus tour that made stops at Platform 9 ¾ at King’s Cross Station, St. Paul’s Cathedral in the morning and an afternoon excursion to Windsor Castle. While at Windsor Castle, travelers were able to enter St. George’s Chapel to view the final resting place of Queen Elizabeth II and tour through historic state apartments.
To make the trip to Windsor extra special, King Charles III was in residence the day the group was touring which was noted by the flag of the Sovereign mounted above the castle. After the afternoon in Windsor, the group returned to London for dinner and some time to view the Tower of London and Tower Bridge.
On the fourth day of the tour the group made its way from London to Portsmouth to board an early morning ferry to cross the English Channel to Caen, France. Upon arriving in France, the group travelled to Bayeux to take in the Notre Dame de Bayeux Cathedral, which was completed in the time of William the Conqueror and was consecrated in 1077.
The Normandy Region of France was the fifth day of the 10-day tour. The Travel Club spent the day appreciating the efforts of the Canadian Armed Forces in the Second World War. To begin the day, the Weyburn Travel Club paid their respects to those who fought and lost their lives in battle with a visit to the Beny-Sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery.
From the cemetery the travel club continued their journey to gain a glimpse of the dedication and valor Canadian troops displayed while contributing to the efforts of D-Day on June 6, 1944 at Juno Beach. In the late morning, Travelers explored Juno Beach and the Juno Beach Center, a museum commemorating Canada’s contribution to D-Day and the Second World War.
From Juno Beach, the group visited a German artillery battery with multiple gun casements near Longues-sur-Mer, ventured to Arromanches for lunch and viewing of Gold Beach, the location of the Mulberry artificial harbour that was constructed during the Normandy invasion. In the afternoon, the group explored Pont du Hoc U.S. Ranger Monument that overlooks Omaha Beach. Travelers were able to explore bunkers and artillery locations of German forces that remain along the cliffs above Omaha Beach.
Mont St. Michel and St. Malo were sites to be examined on day 6 of the tour. The morning was spent visiting a Benedictine Abbey that was founded in 966 and dedicated to archangel St Michael at the top of Mont St. Michel. In the afternoon, the travelers explored the walled city of St. Malo, which included the St. Vincent’s Cathedral that is the final resting place of Jacques Cartier.
On Day 7, the travel club left the Normandy Region and traveled to Chartres to visit the Chartres Cathedral and enjoy some local cuisine. The group continued on to Paris in the early afternoon with the first stop being the Eiffel Tower. The group was extremely lucky to be able to go to the top of the tower since the summit had been closed prior to the group’s arrival. The group finished the day off in the Latin Quarter for some supper.
The morning and early afternoon of day 8 was spent on a bus tour of Paris with a local guide with stops at the Arc de Triomphe, Champ Elysees, Luxembourg Palace, Les Invalides that houses Napoleon’s Tomb, and the Montmartre area of Paris, which includes Painters Square and Sacre Ceour, The Basilica of the Sacred Heart.
After lunch, the group ventured to Notre Dame Cathedral via the subway system. Travelers were able to see the front façade of the cathedral and displays of the wreckage of the fire in 2019. For supper the group returned to the Latin Quarter where they celebrated one of the traveler’s 17th birthday.
The final day in Paris was full of exciting locations. The travel club started the day with a stop at the Louvre to see famous works of art, such as the Mona Lisa. In the afternoon, the group traveled to Versailles to explore the palace and the gardens. Highlights of Versailles included apartments of King Louis XIV, the Queen’s apartments and the Hall of Mirrors, which was the location of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles marking the end of the First World War.
After touring Versailles, the group returned to Paris for a photo stop at the Eiffel Tower, supper and an evening cruise on the Seine. To finish off the cruise, the group was able to witness the Eiffel Tower light up and sparkle. On the 10th day, the group ventured home from Paris via Calgary to Regina.
Weyburn Travel Club was excited to be able to provide the opportunity to travel to our community members once again after a five-year hiatus due to travel limitations during the pandemic. The Weyburn Travel Club is excited to be branching out and will be offering an adult tour to Italy and the French Riviera over Easter in 2024 for those over 18 years who would like to explore Europe.
In addition to the adult tour, the travel club is offering another youth trip in 2025 to Italy and Greece for travelers age 14 to 18 with any parents that may want to join their child on the adventure.
