Viva La France! We had an absolutely amazing time in France. Our itinerary was jam packed, so we were able to create many memories. The first days pictures are from; The Paris Opera House, A driving tour of Paris, Notre Dame Cathedral, The Louvre and the Eiffel Tower at night. The next day we split into groups in the morning to enjoy Parisian life. In the afternoon we met back up at Sacre Coeur Basilica and a walking tour of the Montmarte artist’s district. We then headed to the Loire Valley where we explored Chateau de Chenonceau and Chateau D’ Amboise (Where Leonardo DaVinci is buried). That night we had a French cooking class. The kids got to cook for and serve their teachers! Then it was on to the ancient abbey of Mt. St. Michel and to the coastal town of St. Malo where we had an uproarious time learning Medieval dancing. The final day was spent on the coast of Normandy. Our study of D-Day came to life as we visited Point du Hoc and got to see the crater holes left by shellings and the bunkers that were still there. We then visited the moving American Military Cemetery and walked on the sands of Omaha Beach. History was alive as we reflected on the sacrifices made by such young soldiers. It was then back to Paris for a last ride on the Metro, and a delicious dinner before saying our goodbyes to this magical place.
The learning that happened on this trip is indescribable. Not only did we learn and feel the history of this land, we got to directly participate in navigating in a different country. Ordering lunch, in French, buying Metro tickets and watching busy Parisians in their daily life are adventures of their own. For many students, discussion was already taking place on where their next trip would be.
A huge thank you to all the chaperones that accompanied us. We loved getting to know you all better and hope that you had as good as a time as we did. You proved to have infinite stamina and patience navigating a week of middle school children through a foreign country. Always remember that a chateau is only as cool as its holes!
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine
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