Day 1 -
Arrival & Orientation (Monrecour)

• We gather in Bordeaux before traveling east into the wooded valleys of the Périgord Noir. Upon arrival at Domaine de Monrecour, we settle into the rhythm of the Dordogne River and begin considering how geography shapes movement, refuge, and identity.

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• Activities:

• Group transfer from Bordeaux Train Station or Airport to Monrecour

• Orientation walk overlooking the Dordogne River

• Welcome dinner and seminar introduction

Day 2 - Sarlat & Urban Form, and Introducing Operation Courrier

• Today we explore how medieval design shaped everyday life and quiet resilience in Sarlat-la-Canéda. Narrow streets, stone passages, and market networks offer insight into how information and goods once moved discreetly through town. This evening, we introduce Operation Courrier, an optional immersive experience that will unfold gradually as we travel westward toward Bordeaux.

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• Activities:

• Guided walking tour of Sarlat’s old town

• Market visit and regional lunch

• Seminar discussion on logistics, concealment, and urban form

• Introduction to Operation Courrier (optional participation)

• Evening introduction to Bergerac-region wines

Day 3 -Château des Milandes: Identity & Networks

• At Château des Milandes, we consider how mobility, visibility, and influence intersected with resistance through the life of Joséphine Baker. Participants in Operation Courrier receive the first fragment of a westward-moving transmission.

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• Activities:

• Guided visit of the château and grounds

• Case study discussion on identity and persuasion

• Distribution of Operation Courrier Fragment I (optional)

• Evening at leisure

Day 4 -Maquis de Durestal: Forest & Concealment

• In the wooded ridges near Journiac, we step into the reconstructed encampments of the Maquis de Durestal and examine how terrain shaped concealment and survival. For those participating in Operation Courrier, a second fragment is revealed, deepening the connection between landscape and movement.

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• Activities

• Coach transfer to Durestal

• Forest walk through reconstructed maquis camps

• Terrain-reading exercise

• Distribution of Operation Courrier Fragment II (optional)

• Scenic drive through the Vézère Valley

Day 5 -Mauzac & the River Corridor

• Today we confront the machinery of confinement at Mauzac-et-Grand-Castang Military Prison before shifting westward into wine country along the Dordogne River. Operation Courrier participants receive a final fragment, introducing the constraint that the message must travel in pieces.

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• Activities:​

• Visit to the former detention site

• Discussion on Vichy authority and spatial control

• Distribution of Operation Courrier Fragment III (optional)

• Afternoon vineyard visit in Bergerac or Pécharmant

• Final evening in the Dordogne

Day 6 – Following the River to Bordeaux

• We follow the Dordogne west as it joins the Garonne, tracing the river corridor into Bordeaux. During our transfer, participants in Operation Courrier assemble the fragments in the order the river flows. The transmission is completed as we arrive in Bordeaux; and the mission quietly concludes.

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• Activities:

• Scenic coach transfer to Bordeaux

• Assembly of Operation Courrier transmission (optional)

• Walking seminar along the Garonne River

• Exploration of the Chartrons wine district

• Evening at leisure

Day 7 -Saint-Émilion: Reputation & Craft

• In Saint-Émilion, we explore how land, labor, and classification shaped one of France’s most renowned wine regions. With Operation Courrier concluded, the day is devoted fully to place, craft, and conversation.​

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• Activities:

• Village walking tour

• Château visit and tasting

• Discussion on appellation systems and prestige

• Farewell seminar dinner in Bordeaux

Day 8 -
Departure

After breakfast, we depart Bordeaux with a deeper understanding of how forest, river, and vine shape both history and identity.

Activities:

• Breakfast

• Departures from Bordeaux