France Trip 2015!

Four days after school let out, I took an eleven day trip to France with some of my students.  This was our third trip in the last six years and it was quite the busy one!  We were able to combine most locations that we did in the last two trips plus an extra region of France.  The days were filled and busy, the temperature was quite warm (just like it has been back home), and the students didn't disappoint in keeping things exciting.

Here are a few snapshots from the trip, in case I haven't been able to share the pictures in person.  Prior to leaving and during the trip I was wondering if my new pal, Caleb, would forget all about me.  Here he is on the night before...even though he had never had to witness the suitcase situation before, it was as if he knew that something wasn't quite right... 

We left early on a Sunday morning and I was glad to be traveling, once more, with two great colleagues.  Yes, the PDX carpet is not quite the same!

Our first couple of days were spent in Nice!  The last time I was in Nice, it was in the Spring.  I couldn't believe how blue the water was this time.  This is a beautiful vacation area; I called it the best of both worlds: they speak French and it's tropical!

While in Nice, we ventured-out to one of my favorite villages in all of France: Èze!  By climbing through the pedestrian-only streets of the village, you can find a beautiful, exotic cactus garden at the top, with a breathtaking view of the Mediterranean.

We also took a quick trip to Monaco...which is quite the location for bypassing taxes!

We then headed west into the region of Provence.  Our travels here included many detours, including an hour "Uber" strike and several accidents.  In Provence, we visited Les Baux, Aix-En-Provence, Arles (where we took calligraphy and fencing lessons), and Le Pont du Gard (where the students got to jump into the water next to this ancient aquaduct).

We then made our way to the Loire Valley to check-out the grounds, gardens, and architecture of beautiful castles...

The last part of our trip was spent mostly in Paris.  Paris was insanely busy with tourists but we were able to go up on the Eiffel Tower this year (last time there was a strike).  I even took the stairs up, to face my fear of heights (notice how I am gripping the railing).

We also made a morning side-trip to Versailles.  This time around, we were able to discover the immense grounds and had an hilarious experience paddle boating!

And in a flash, we were back home...and Caleb hadn't forgotten me!  

Considering all of the food work and orchestrating I had to do on this trip, I was happy to be back home.  Still, this was a great trip, with great students, whom I have taught for quite some time.  I was so pleased with their progress and the effort they made in speaking French!  I'm so thankful that I was physically able to take part in this experience with them, as they, indeed, had a trip of a lifetime!

~Andréa