Below you will find our plans for tours to the Waldkirch Mechanical Musical Festival 2008. Hopefully there will be something here to suit everyone, if not please contact me to discuss your requirements.

Option 1 Short Rail Tour
Again we have accommodation on a Bed and Breakfast basis at the Gasthof Rebstock, a nice little guesthouse in a village close to the festival. Included with this accommodation is a ticket for bus and train, to and from Waldkirch. The train leaves London around lunchtime on 12th June (Thursday) and we will arrange a transfer from the station in Mulhouse to Winden in Eltzal. This choice was popular with travellers on the last trip because of its easy access to the show along with freedom to travel when and where it suited. It should be emphasised, however, that although en-suite this is a small guesthouse and things such as soap are not included in the package. On Monday we will return you to Mulhouse for the return trip arriving in the UK early evening. With four nights’ accommodation, train fare and transfers, the fare is £275 per person in a twin and £300 in a single. This is subject to availability at the time of booking our train, which cannot happen until March 2008.

Note : on this tour you can choose to stay in the hotel which is being used by the coach tour below and transfer with the bus which arrives on the 13th June.  We will arrange transfers on Thursday evening.  Price on request.

Option 2 Coach Tour
Dave Wright is accompanying a group to visit the show and there is room on the coach for others who are interested. We propose the following options which you can mix and match to your own choice. This tour leaves on Wednesday 11th June, mid morning from Dover and spends one night in Brussels at the Hotel Mozart.  On Thursday 12th June the tour takes a leisurely and scenic drive along the River Rhine to Rudesheim for an over night stop at the Hotel Trapp.

On Friday 13th June after visiting the premises of Siegfried Wendel you will make the rest of the journey to the Hotel Zum Schiff, a four-star family run hotel near to Freiburg. It is situated in a quiet location and has been run by generations of the same family since 1821!  The hotel has its own vineyard and sauna and a lovely, relaxed atmosphere.   From here the coach will transfer you to the Waldkirch music festival over the weekend.

There will be optional excursions to the extensive Mechanical Music Museum at Triberg and to Vöhrenbach's Town Hall to hear their Imhof & Mukle 'Herold' orchestrion. In 1998, this superb instrument was retrieved from a restaurant in the Alsace region to act as a reminder of the once important orchestrion industry based in Vöhrenbach. There will also be a trip to picturesque Lake Konstanz and the delightful Isle of Mainau for anyone who loves flowers.

On Monday 16th June this tour visits Uberlingen and the premises of Orgelbau Raffin alongside Lake Konstanz. Founded by Josef Raffin, this firm has become renowned worldwide for their beautifully crafted products, ranging from small street organs right up to 'Concert Style' hand-turned instruments. They also have a selection of superb organ-clocks, which can be made to order.  This afternoon we will visit the Clock Museum at Furtwangen on the German Clock Route.

Tuesday 17th June, the coach will leave for the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, where there is an overnight stop in the city centre, before returning to England the next day. En route a visit will be made to the Museum of Mechanical Music on the outskirts of Lille.  The coach stops at Dover.

Price per person travelling by coach will be £750 in a twin and £860 in a single.  7 nights accommodation, half board and including excursions but not entrances (except on outward and return.) 

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