2026 France

Compagnon de Voyage: A companion tour to the magnifique pipe organs of Paris, and northern France: Paris, Normandy and Strasbourg.

Finish your pâtisserie and walk inside to the magic and mystery of an old and majestic place of worship. Sit down in a pew, the organ starts and begins to fill the air, blooming into a full and all encompassing chord. The world stops for a moment as you let the sound surround you. You are listening to either a master organist or one of our amazing St. Olaf organ scholars on the bench.  Either way, spectaculaire!! Welcome to the astounding organs of Paris and surrounding areas. 

We are pulling out all the stops on this one, offering you a unique and utterly delightful travel experience. Besides exploring and touring, savoring the cuisine, and all the flavors of an area rich with history and art, we will be invited to organ masterclasses, recitals and history lessons on the pipe organs that once were commanded by organists such as Messiaen, Vierne, and Durufle. We will gather information alongside our current organ scholars as they take a student journey that will intersect at times with our study tour. The you-can-only-get-it-with-us part of this tour will be intersections with our St. Olaf organ faculty, namely Catherine Rodland and James Bobb, and St. Olaf organ scholars. 

Just imagine hearing in person the organs of Notre Dame and Saint-Sulpice. Fantastique!

In addition, we’ll start our tour with a few days at the beaches of Normandy and visit Mont-St-Michel, and round out our journey in Strasbourg. 

Of course no trip with Karen will be complete without at least a ticket to the Paris Opera House or the symphony, perhaps something choral, and just perhaps a few impromptu French melodies on a street corner or bridge … if encouraged! Venez voyager avec á Paris. 

We’re working on the details – please check back!

This trip will start in Paris with an overnight before heading to Normandy for two nights, then back to Paris for several nights with a couple of day excursions out of the city, before ending in Strasbourg for three nights. You will be able to view – and download and print, if you wish – the most up-to-date itinerary here. (We’re finalizing the details — please check back!)

Our intention with each tour is to provide an itinerary that introduces you to key elements related to your destination or the educational theme, while also providing some free time for you to pursue your own interests or have some down time. The balance can vary from day to day, and from tour to tour.

You’ll get the most out of study travel if you research what to do during your free time. This allows you to reap the benefits of group travel, while also customizing the tour to your interests and activity level. Read more about How to Be an Independent Group Traveler.

Karen Wilkerson,  recently became emerita of St. Olaf College after many years of teaching in the music department. She continues to  teach voice privately in Northfield and continues her association with St. Olaf as a sabbatical replacement professor from time to time.  Leading alumni travel for St. Olaf has become a wonderful experience over the years, most recently a glorious trip to Sicily and Malta Fall of 2024. In 2023 she taught a J-term class in Austria, and Italy called Opera in Context. Besides having led 2 previous Alumni study tours for St. Olaf, she has led and conducted on 4 international choral tours for Roseville Festival Singers. For many years she has been director of adult choirs at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church in Roseville MN. 

Growing up in Southern California, she attended California Lutheran College (now University) and graduated from California State University, Northridge. She received her graduate degree in Music from Westminster Choir College, Princeton New Jersey. Continuing studies led her to study voice with Rita Patane in Milan Italy, traveling back and forth over a span of four years. 

Karen’s performing career spans many genres including opera, recital, and choral, and music theater both as a singer, conductor and stage director.  She appeared with Minnesota Opera, Dale Warland Singers, and with Vocal Essence where she sang for international tours to England, Korea and China. She had the honor of singing as a soloist with the St. Olaf Orchestra, Chapel Choir and Cantorei, she recently was a featured soloist with the Fresno California Master Chorale for the Mozart Requiem. Gary and Karen live in Northfield, and delight in having  9 grandchildren. 

Dr. Gary Wilkerson is a retired Lutheran Pastor, professor, and counselor. He has served congregations in California, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota. Gary was on the original staff of The Betty Ford Center where he was an addictions counselor and Inpatient Director. He was a visiting Professor in pastoral care, and counseling at Luther Seminary and directed the counseling center at Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church, Minneapolis. He was educated at University of Texas, Arlington, Wartburg Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa, and received his Ph.D. in Pastoral Care and Counseling at Luther Seminary, St. Paul Minnesota.

Expect to revel in sites and stories of historical importance and experience stirring musical performances.

Movement between cities will be by air-conditioned private motor coach. Movement within each city and at cultural/historic sites will be on foot, requiring a lot of walking and standing, often over uneven ground. You should be capable of walking a mile or more at a time and up to five to seven miles per day, frequently over uneven terrain, of climbing stairs that may not have handrails, of climbing in and out of various types of transportation, of keeping pace with an active group of travelers on long days of traveling, of dealing with the emotional highs and lows that can occur when experiencing different cultures, and of being a considerate member of the group (prompt, courteous and flexible).

Any participant who has demonstrated an inability, in the opinion of the tour leader, of keeping up with the group or of safely participating in program activities may be prohibited from participating in certain activities.

You will be responsible for carrying your own luggage throughout the tour. Traveling lightly is highly recommended.

Hotels will be tourist class (four-star or superior rating) with private baths, air conditioning, and English-speaking staff.

Inclusions and exclusions vary by tour, so please read the following information carefully. We try to strike a balance between nickel-and-diming you once on the tour and allowing you some freedom in your price point (for meals, for example). A variety of modes of transportation tends to be pricier than a single bus throughout the tour. Highly rated guides are essential and should command higher wages. 

The tour price is PENDING. It will be based on double occupancy and a supplement for single occupancy will apply. 

Inclusions: educational content from Karen and Gary, a full-time guide, several musical interludes, accommodations, breakfast daily and group meals as listed on the itinerary, admissions for group activities, ground transportation during the tour except for airport transfers, gratuities to group guides, drivers, and meal servers, and some limited medical coverage while overseas. 

Exclusions: Airfare to and from France is not included. Participants are solely responsible for all expenses not specifically included in the tour fee. Examples of excluded expenses are: airfare to and from the tour, airport transfers, any passport fees, any recommended immunizations or vaccinations, baggage insurance, trip cancellation insurance above $2,500 lifetime coverage, beverages at most group meals, tips to housekeeping staff, laundry, dry cleaning, phone charges, room service or other items of a personal nature, expenses incurred during free time or non-group activities, lunch and dinner, unless specifically included on tour itinerary.

This schedule is TENTATIVE and will be based on payments St. Olaf College must make to tour vendors to guarantee group rates. We highly recommend that you purchase additional trip cancellation insurance at the time of registration to recover your payments should you need to withdraw from the tour.

Deposit due:                          $500 upon registration
Refund if you cancel:          $475 if you cancel on or before August 31, 2025. If the deposit is made after August 31, 2025 there is no refund.

Interim payment due:        $2,000 on September 1, 2025
Refund if you cancel:          $950 if you cancel on or before February 28, 2026

Balance due:                          March 1, 2026
Refund if you cancel:          None, unless the tour is full and your place can be resold

Cancellations must be in writing.

Read the Terms & Conditions and Release & Waiver (in draft stage).

Review the latest information on recommended immunizations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Look at the International Travel section of the U.S. State Department, including Before You Go, Country Information, While Abroad, and Emergencies.

Check your passport to ensure that it has at least 6 months’ validity past the tour return date. Should you need to renew, visit the U.S. State Department for instructions.

Take time to prepare for your adventure by checking out a variety of resources, including frequently asked questions, general health information, included travel insurance, safety overview, and more.

Hold the dates of May 25–June 7, 2026, but do not book non-refundable airfare until we can confirm that the trip is a go. Meanwhile, see our tips on Booking Your flights.