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The French ResistanceFighting the twin spectres of the Nazi occupiers and French collaboratorsLocation Lyon, France with excursion to the village of Izieu Dates May 11–18 (7 nights) Works Jules Vercors, The Silence of the Sea; Antoine de St. Exupery, Wind Sand and Stars; Albert Camus, The Stranger Program Description (view itinerary) During War II, Lyon was both a centre for the occupying German forces and also a stronghold of French resistance. Here Albert Camus edited Combat , the leading underground paper and Jean Moulin united the scattered elements of spontaneous French resistance to German occupation. The traboules (hidden passageways to protect silk as it was transported between buildings during the rain) were used by Resistance fighters to escape from the Nazis. Through French literature of the time, we will explore the nature, extent and significance of resistance in Occupied France. Camus's The Stranger (1942) was a groundbreaking exploration of 'the nakedness of man faced with the absurd.' Vercors's novella, The Silence of the Sea (1942), is a patriotic tale of self-deception and of the triumph of passive resistance over evil, was published clandestinely and served to rally a spirit of French defiance. Lyon native and pilot for the Free French Air Force in 1944, Antoine de Saint-Exupery reflects in his luminous memoir Wind, Sand and Stars (1939) on what makes life worth living and who we are or should be. To enrich our discussions, we will visit the WWII headquarters of Lyon's notorious Gestapo chief, Klaus Barbie, which is now the site of the Center for the History of the Resistance and Deportation. We will also take a day trip to the Memorial of the Izieu Children's Home where Jewish children were sheltered. Our leader, Nora Palmieri, will guide us on several walking tours. Vieux Lyon, dating back to the ancient Roman presence and listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, is now the artists quarter, with narrow winding streets, meticulously restored medieval churches and Renaissance houses, hanging gardens, spiral staircases and tiny courtyards. The Croix Rousse quarter housed Lyon's silk weavers. You can almost feel Jean Moulin brushing up against your shoulder, as he slips into a traboule en route to a secret meeting to plan an attack against the Nazis. Lyon is considered the gastronomic capital of France and the birthplace of haute cuisine. We will enjoy a fabulous meal at L'Institut Paul Bocuse and take a cooking class in Lyonnais cooking with a private chef. Discussion Leaders Nora Palmieri has been living in Lyon with her family for five years and proposed this trip. Nora worked for many years with the Great Books Foundation. She has led discussions on numerous Classical Pursuits trips to Paris. Accommodation Hotel Globe et Cecil, a gracious and traditional hotel located in downtown Lyon, 7 nights Fees $3,750 Cdn Fees include
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