Anne & Kirk Woodyard – Music and Markets Tours

Do you have a favorite Parisian street? Perhaps one where a writer, such as Camus, spent time? Or a musician, such as Chopin? A scientist, such as Marie Curie?
Susan Cahill’s book, The Streets of Paris, takes us through many a much-loved lane or quartier in the steps of famous Parisians, from Héloise and Abelard’s medieval love story beside Notre Dame (photo taken before the devastating fire of April 2019 – the Cathedral will reopen in December!)

to Giacometti’s studio tucked away in the 14th arrondissement. The streets where these brilliant characters, ancient and modern, lived and worked become the stories for those who love to walk, to discover, to explore deeper into the mysteries of Paris.
Let’s choose one of those characters – how about Chopin, one of my favorite composers? Imagine him inspired by the beauty of the garden he often enjoyed on Rue Chaptal in the 16th arrondissement, creating one of his exquisite nocturnes….the melody is running through my head as I write…
16 rue Chaptal is now the Musée de la Vie Romantique (closed for renovation, reopening in 2025) and Ms. Cahill walks us around the neighborhood, in the composer’s steps. She also includes a “Nearby” list in each chapter highlighting suggested cafés and restaurants, worthwhile sights (a “secret garden”!), museums or churches.
Of course changes come through the decades, but quite often we can experience a spot very much like those who came before – is that Camus’ table at Brasserie Lipp on Boulevard Saint-Germain? The desk where Marie Curie studied in the Sainte-Geneviève Library on Place du Panthéon?
An enriching read, lovely for dreaming when I’m not in Paris, and for discovering new delights when I am.

The best way to describe us (Kirk and Anne Woodyard) is that we’re interested in the stories that make the places we visit come alive. We’ve visited Europe more times than we can count, learned some entertaining stories there, and met some warm and helpful people who also enjoy the wonders of music and life in Europe. We look forward to sharing these stories and friends and experiences with our Music and Markets guests. Since 2003 we’ve hosted Music and Markets tours in France, Italy, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, England and Spain, and in 2019 added Wonder Tours with a more intentional concentration on art and architecture, local culture, food and wine, and less time dedicated to concert-going.We also design and host custom private tours – previous locations include many French, Spanish, British and Italian regions. Between our music-related travels, we enjoy our home in the south of France. While both of us have experience in organizing travel and music groups, Kirk’s background is in project management and competitive writing, and Anne is an accomplished pianist with over forty years of teaching and performance experience. Slow Travel Tours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France and other European countries.