We’re planning a fun and family-friendly day with something for everyone,” said Matt LaFond, Cantigny executive director. “Voyage is an exciting expression of our special relationship with France, and our most photogenic event of the summer.”
The day will also commemorate our state’s connection to French voyagers and Cantigny’s own unique ties to a country that proved life-changing for Robert R. McCormick, Cantigny’s benefactor. In 1918, at age 37, Colonel McCormick commanded an artillery unit in the Battle of Cantigny in France as a member of the U.S. Army’s First Division. It was America’s first significant victory in World War I. Upon returning to Wheaton, the Colonel renamed his estate after the tiny French village that he and his fellow soldiers helped liberate from German occupation.
Visitors to Voyage en France can learn more about the Battle of Cantigny at the First Division Museum, where special activities will be available.
Tickets are on sale now at Cantigny.org. Adults are $15 per person, seniors $12, and ages 15 and under free. Parking is included with ticket purchase, and all sales are final.
Several premium food and beverage opportunities are available as well, and must be reserved:
• The VIP Culinary Experience ($75) includes a tasting featuring specially curated French wines paired with complementing food delicacies. This “event within the event” will take place in the Prairie View Garden from 1 to 3 pm.
• The Artisanal Picnic for Two, for $60, features a 9″ x 9″ bamboo charcuterie box meticulously crafted by Chi-cuterie of Geneva, plus a French Bistro Salad from Cantigny. All items are packed in a handy Cantigny insulated tote bag. Cantigny will be open only to Voyage en France ticket holders on July 16. Park gates open at 9 am, and festival activities begin at 10 am.
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About Cantigny
Cantigny, in Wheaton, Illinois, is the 500 acre estate of Colonel Robert R. McCormick (1880 1955), long time editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune , and founder of the Chicago based Robert R. McCormick Foundation It is home to gardens, walking trails, a museum dedicated to the 1 st Infantry Division of the U.S. Army, a highly ranked 27 hole public golf course and a golf academy for all ages . More information is online at Cantigny.org, including hours, admission fees and upcoming events.