Site Description

Situated in the beautiful Kaisersberg Valley in Alsace, near from the German border, the village of Orbey will host the Feast of Tabernacles 2012. Alsace is known for the beautiful Vosges Mountains, its world-famous vineyards, fascinating historical sites and its colorful and unique culture.

Sites of interest in the vicinity include the city of Strasbourg, which dates back to the Roman Empire. The city was the home of Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of movable type, for many years and is the present seat of the European Parliament. The 12th-century castle of Haut Koenigsbourg is one of the most visited sites in France. The amazing village of Riquewhir still has its medieval wall surrounding colorful cobblestone streets. A drive down the beautiful route du vin (wine road) in the foothills of the Vosges provides unforgettable vistas of vineyards, the Rhine River valley and, in the distance, Germany’s Black Forest. History buffs will be interested in the trenches from the front lines of World War I, which ran along the crest of the Vosges and which can still be visited, as can bunkers of the Maginot Line.

October temperatures in Alsace have an average high of 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees F.) Rain is common in the autumn. It is advisable to bring a jacket and an umbrella.

Passports and Visas

American and Canadian citizens need a valid passport for travel to France, but no visa is currently required if the visit is less than 90 days. For citizens of the EU, a national ID card is all that is required. Visitors from countries other than those mentioned above should check with the nearest French consulate or embassy to verify travel formalities.

Access by air

By air, it is best to arrive in either Strasbourg or Basle/Mulhouse. From either, it is approximately a one-hour drive or train ride to the site. You may sign up for a shuttle to/from either airport for a fee of 20 euros per person each way.

By train

The nearest train station is in Colmar, 27 km (18 miles) from the site. We can arrange a shuttle from/to this train station if there is a need. See this website to help you plan train travel: http://www.sncf.com/en_EN/flash/

Lodging and Services

Lodging

The accommodations are similar to hotel rooms. A few larger units have kitchenettes; these will be reserved for attendees with small children or special needs. The rooms are clean but basic and simple by North American standards. All rooms have their own toilet and shower.

Bedding and bath towels will be supplied at the beginning of the Feast and changed once during your stay. (Soap and washcloths are not supplied). Extra linen and towel changes will be available for a small charge. Maid service is not automatically provided, but is also available for a small charge.

It is not possible to arrive earlier than Sept. 30.

This site is not a hotel; one cannot arrive and get a room without previously booking.

Electricity

The electrical current in France is 200-220 volts, 50 cycles. This will burn out North American appliances if no transformer is used (in the past, several visitors attending the Feast in France have had “bad hair days” due to short-lived but supercharged curling irons…). Note that a transformer is not the same thing as an adapter. An adapter is the plug that allows the appliance to be connected to the wall outlet. The sockets in France generally have two thin cylindrical prongs rather than the rectangular flat type found in North America. A transformer is a separate item (a small box) that actually modifies the electrical current. Several companies market travel sets that include both a transformer and several European adapters. Such sets usually cost about $25 and are available at luggage shops or department stores.

Meals

Since your lodging includes full board, three meals will be provided in the restaurant. Breakfast will be served buffet-style, while lunch and dinner will be served family-style at the table. French custom is not to serve a table until everyone has arrived, and it is full. Please plan to be on time for lunch and dinner.

Schedule

Breakfast: 7:30 to 9

Lunch: 12

Dinner: 7:15

Services available

Free parking is available. There is a coin-operated laundry facility. Wi-Fi Internet access is available in the common areas, which will be open during the day until the end of dinner.

On-site recreational facilities include walking and hiking trails in the mountains, Ping-Pong and billiards, a pétanque court (we’ll show you how to play pétanque—you’ll love it!), a non-guarded indoor swimming pool and a children’s playground. There are several 18-hole golf courses in the vicinity.

Financial information

This year you will need to pay for your lodging in U.S. dollars. Members coming from the U.S. may pay by check. For those coming from countries other than the U.S., your bank can advise you as to the best means of sending money in foreign currency (international money order, cashier’s check, wire transfer, etc.). Offerings may be given in any major currency.

Exchanging money

The currency now used in France is the euro. Exchange rates vary from day to day. At the time this form was prepared, one euro was worth approximately US$1.30.

Banking hours in small towns and villages are typically 9 a.m. to noon and 2 to 5 p.m. We recommend that you change at least a small amount of money before you leave on the trip to ensure you will have some local currency when you arrive. An ATM card with which to withdraw euros from French ATMs is the easiest means of changing money in country. Your home bank account is debited in your home currency, and there is a small exchange fee.

It is always a good idea to have at least two different means of procuring euros in case there is a problem with an ATM machine or with your card. We recommend bringing some cash for emergencies. Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted in France; American Express is accepted in very limited locations; Discover Card is unknown and not accepted.

Costs
 

The prices include a small fee to help offset Festival expenses. These prices are for full board, which includes wine with lunch and dinner.

Per adult single occupancy:                     US$790

Per adult double occupancy:                   US$635

Per child 11-15:                                       US$570

Per child 4-10:                                         US$505

Per child 2-3                                            US$375

Per child 0-1:                                           Free

Application Form

A separate application form (see downloadable form to the right) must be filled out and returned to us in order to register for the Feast in France. You may return it by post or by e-mail.

The completed form must be received by June 30. Attendance to the French site will probably be closed to transfers after that date. When you have been informed that you have been accepted, we will provide information on where to send your payment. For more information, you may contact Daniel and Cindy Harper at:             +1-240-281-3919      .

Projected Program and Activities

Church Services and Translation

You do not need to understand French to attend this site. Approximately half of the services will be held in French, the other half in English. In each case, a simultaneous translation will be provided via FM radios and earphones/headsets. Those wishing to make use of the translation service will need to provide their own FM radios, batteries (please bring spares) and earphones. We will not be able to provide radios, headsets or batteries at the site. Such items are usually less expensive in the United States and Canada than they would be in France. The first service will be held on Sunday, Sept. 30 at 8:30 p.m.

Excursions

Some afternoons during the Feast, coach excursions will be offered for a per person price. The proposed list of excursions is below along with the approximate per person price (exact information is still pending). We ask you to indicate to us in advance which excursions interest you (so that we can plan), though payment will be made upon your arrival at the Feast site.

1. Strasbourg (cost about 25 euros). We will take the one-hour canal boat tour, which gives an excellent overview of the city and points out many European Union buildings in the city. There will also be time to walk the pedestrian streets in the city  center, and visit the famous high Gothic cathedral. The world’s tallest building for over 200 years, its construction began in 1176; it is still the sixth tallest church in the world. You can also enjoy a coffee and piece of kugelhopf at sidewalk cafés near where Gutenberg changed the Western World by inventing movable type.

2. Haut Koenigsbourg (cost about 25 euros). With its name coming from the German Königsburg (king’s castle) this 12th-century fortress is first found in a historical record in 1147. Over the years ownership passed through several hands including the dukes of Lorraine and Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I. Burned and pillages during the 30 Years’ War, the ruins were abandoned for several hundred years. In 1899 the ruins were presented as a gift to Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany, which had taken ownership of Alsace and Lorraine after the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71). Wilhelm had the castle rebuilt as a celebration of Alsace’s connection to Germanic culture. Alsace and Lorraine reverted to France at the end of World War II. Today the Haut Koenigsbourg can be called a brand-new 12th-century castle. It is a fascinating construction located on a fabulous mountainside.

3. La route du vin—Riquewhir (cost about 15 euros). We will travel on the  famous route du vin, the “wine road” that meanders among the vineyards in the foothills of the Vosges. We’ll stop at two picturesque villages, Ribeauvillé and Riquewhir, to travel back in time to a simpler life as we explore the colorful pedestrian streets. We’ll also enjoy tasting several of the famous white wines of the region at a local cellar.

4. Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany (cost about 20 euros). This ancient city, founded in 1120, is sometimes called the jewel of the Black Forest. Germany’s Black Forest is actually a wooded mountain range, the trans-Rhine counterpart to the Vosges. The city is famous for its cathedral, the construction of which began in the 1200s. It also has one of the oldest universities in Germany. Freiburg was heavily bombed during World War II but was reconstructed on its original medieval plans. It boasts many picturesque buildings and pleasant vistas. This is your chance to make a brief visit to Germany, to sites both ancient and modern.