Day 11: Chartres & Return to Paris

Our final day of travel was full of group bonding, singing, and a few more amazing historical sites.  We are back resting and packing for our 4 am bus to the airport!  Maleah and Lauren will tell you more about the last day below.

After what was becoming our typical breakfast of some combination of bread, jam, cheese, cereal, and yogurt, the group headed back south with a stop in the Medieval city of Chartres; which we were later informed is pronounced sharTCHGRE by our dear bus driver Ali. We visited the local cathedral, renouned for being a gothic masterpiece (I think I agree) and were then released into the city for lunch. 

A chunk of us went for pizza, but me and my little group went and got some ratatouille and shrimpy-creamy deliciousness with a chocolate lava cake thingy...clearly my french menu skills are stellar. We then bought some souvenirs and hopped back on the bus to head to Paris, spending the next several hours on the bus either singing, eating snacks, or catching z's. 

After arriving in Paris we quickly dropped our bags off at the hotel and headed to dinner for some chicken and potatoes; not my favorite meal of the trip but the potatoes tasted like French fries, which I found fitting for the day before our return to the land of the free and home of the fried food. We wrapped up the day warmly with some super nice certificates from our lovely tour guide Phoebe and many forlorn looks as we headed back up to our rooms. Now, I sit writing my blog entry, resigned to the end of the trip, and horrified of the idea of a 3:30 breakfast. 

Banter aside, this was one of the best trips of my life and I'd like to thank all the parents and whoever else is reading this for their contribution to either sending us here, being great pals, or helping organise the trip (and just being awesome in general). Thank you. I will never forget the time I spent here.

- Maleah

Opening my eyes this morning, I could not believe it was our final full day in Europe. Determined to make the most of it, our group enjoyed various croissants and coffee during breakfast before dragging our bags to the lobby before one final hotel switch. The long bus ride to Chartres started out rather quiet in anticipation of the long, tireless day of travel that would follow. Soon, however, we all began playing music and singing songs until we arrived. The Chartres cathedral was glorious; like many other churches we have seen, it had towering spires and massive, colorful stained glass windows that dominated the walls and stole my breath. We enjoyed lunch in Chartres before boarding the bus once again and heading to Paris. We checked into our Paris hotel quickly, then proceeded to our last dinner in Europe consisting of salad, chicken, potatoes, and (not surprisingly) crepes. Once back at the hotel, we wrapped up a game we had been playing throughout the trip in which we had to “get” people with certain objects in different locations. Our tour guide, Phoebe, finished off the day by handing out adorable awards to each person based on their characteristics and individual highs of the trip. 

While I am excited to be able to sleep in my own bed again, I will miss the amazing people I met and got to know throughout the trip. It will be hard to forget the memories made, knowledge gained, and connections made between learning content in AP Euro and actually seeing the magnificent architecture and culture that we had previously only discussed.

-Lauren

Day 10: Le Mont-Saint-Michel & Saint-Malo

Despite early forecasts calling for lots of rain on this trip, we had been extremely lucky with weather until this morning!  Rain made for a memorable visit to Le Mont-Saint-Michel, but th afternoon in Saint-Malo was filled with sunshine (and the beach).  Meehir and Ken will tell you more!

As soon we stepped off the bus at Mont St. Michel, gusts of wind hit us with full force while the rain relentlessly soaked through our clothes.  The scent from the ocean and the constant spray was refreshing.  Throughout the morning, we were rushing to be sheltered from the rain.  So much so that I personally had hardly enough time to take pictures of one of France’s iconic landmarks.  On the way down from the mountain, many of us stopped in little cafes to have AP small snacks or warm ourselves up with hot chocolate and coffee.  As everyone was drenched, we were allowed to check into the hotel early.  We were allotted 45 minutes to dry off, pack, and change clothes.  Most people wore sweatshirts for the rest of the day and changed their foot ware.  After the break, the bus transported us to the historic harbor of St. Malo.  There we were given 3 hours of free time.  We were encouraged to dine-in in a restaurant and explore the streets.  I think this was the most enjoyable free time since we were truly unrestrained by time and could have done whatever we pleased.  Once we all arrived at the meeting point, we were taken on a guided walking tour to explain the city’s economic significance for centuries.  Then we ate dinner at a Creperie with a savory and sweet crepe combination.  After our plentiful dinner, Phoebe took us to the beach for some picture opportunities and to dip our feet in the water.  To end our tumultuous day, we walked back to the hotel.  Thus, while our day started miserably caused by the terrible weather, it ended perfectly with sunshine.

- Meehir

The day is started out pretty dreadful to put it in a nice way. First off, we were all pretty tired after getting limited sleep the night before. It was the coldest day of the trip so far, and it was pouring as we made our way to Le Mont Saint Michel, an island along the French coast. The weather hurt the mood and the views as we explored the castle and the island. After about half an hour of exploring, we all got food from some of the cafes on the island. Phoebe, our tour guide from EF, came in clutch and readjusted our schedule so we could head to the hotel in Saint Malo to rest and change since we were soaked from the rain. It was as if a whole new day had started as we were given about 3 hours to hang out in Saint Malo with the sun coming out and temperature warming up. We knew this was the last block of free time we would get for the whole trip, so we made sure to make the most of it. The majority of us sat down for a nice, long lunch, and then went for dessert and souvenir shopping. We then embarked on a walking tour around Saint Malo, learning about the founding of and history of this city. We had crepes for dinner and then finished the day on the beach. This was one of the many unforgettable moments on the trip. We walked back as the sun set, capping off our second to last day of the trip.

- Ken

Day 9: Normandy

We have begun the final leg of our journey in Normandy, returning to our focus on WoelnWar Two.  It was a day of powerful experiences that remind us of the courage of mankind.  Read more below from Helen and Andrew.

This morning we left Paris, quite tired after yesterday, which was filled with walking, and quite sad to say goodbye to such a beautiful place. We took a three-hour sleep-filled bus ride to Caen, a city of Normandy crucial to the events of the Second World War. 

Visiting the Caen WWII Memorial, it was especially interesting to be able to view detailed statistics and firsthand accounts of the events and atrocities of the war. As Euro students, we so often learn about wars through a lens of detatched omniscience, tending to focus mostly on their political and economic impacts. The museum made me quite emotional, as the evidence presented of the graveness and horror of the wartime crimes committed made me further realize the extent of the war's damage on individuals and entire civilian populations. 

We met our tour guide for the day, Laurent/Lawrence, who took us to see the Pointe du Hoc promontory and Omaha Beach, two sites of the D-Day Landing, as well as the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach. Being in Normandy so close to the anniversary of D-Day helped connect us to its history and strive to understand the events of that day even more. On the way, Laurent shared his wealth of knowledge on the military planning and outcome of D-Day. The sites were misty and slightly chilly, setting a contemplative tone to our experiences there. At Omaha Beach, Cheryl said something that struck me— the promontory and beach seemed unsettlingly peaceful, as if there was a normality and stillness present which didn't belong in places that had seen such bloodshed. 

Seeing the American Cemetery was a difficult but moving experience; reading the names of the hundreds of soldiers who were missing in action, and hearing stories from Laurent of those who were lost and then recovered was especially striking. The sheer number of headstones (more than 9,000) was the most overwhelming part to me. 

After returning to the city, we had a wonderful dinner in Caen with entertaining anecdotes and food that was delightful. I look foward to Mont St. Michel and St. Malo tomorrow!

- Helen

On June 8th we had a partial travel day on our way from Paris to Normandy. The ride (which took about 4 hours) was fairly uneventful and calming, and was a nice change of pace from the large amount of walking from the previous day. However, after a brief stop at a WW2 museum and our hotel in Caen, we went to the old Nazi stronghold at Pointe Du Hoc where we learned of the important commando raid that took place there during the D-Day operation and viewed the remnants of the German bunkers that were there. After this, we went to the infamous Omaha Beach where the majority of the American casualties during D-Day took place, and we learned of the vast preparation and complexity of the operation. Later, we went to the American military cemetery in Normandy and have our respects before heading to a light dinner at a grill in Caen, and resting up for an early start the next day!

-Andrew

Day 8: Paris

For our final day in Paris, we took a more in depth look at arts and culture (including many traditional French culinary experiences).  Our feet may be worn out, but every step was worth it.  Read more about our busy day from Sophia, Braeden, and Anton.

Today was eventful and amazing. We started off the day with going to the Louvre where we saw many of the pieces that related to AP Euro such as Liberty Leading the People and the Mona Lisa. After lunch, we were able to choose whether we wanted to go to an artists neighborhood or another art museum. I chose to go to the artists neighborhood. The neighborhood was crowded, however, my group was able to make it out safely. After dinner we went on a river cruise on the Seine River and we got to see many of Parisian monuments and landmarks. Afterwards, everyone went to get crepes which made us all happy. 

- Sophia

Our final day in Paris was incredible to say the least! In the morning we set out for the Louvre Museum, where we toured a featured exhibition on Eugene Delacroix before splitting up to look at art in our own groups. Of course the must-see at the Louvre is the Mona Lisa, but all the groups also managed to see some really cool art. My personal favorite was the Coronation of Napoleon by Jacques-Louis David, which is discussed pretty heavily in the AP Euro curriculum and is also physically massive, taking up almost an entire wall. After the Louvre, we got lunch near the Saint Michel plaza before my group visited the Montmartre neighborhood in the north of the city. Montmartre is an artists’ neighborhood, and music seemed to flow from every corner of every street. In the main square you could see tons of artists selling their work and even working in real time. We also visited the Sacre-Couer church in that neighborhood, which is both beautiful on the inside and offers a spectacular view of Paris. After our visit to Montmartre, we had dinner near Notre Dame, before taking a river cruise around the city and finally finishing the day eating crepes in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower; a fitting end to an excellent stay in Paris!

-Braeden

On June 7, 2018, the group visited the Louvre, a massive and beautiful museum in Paris, most infamously known for containing the Mona Lisa. In the Louvre, we saw a collection of Eugene Delacroix’s paintings as a big group, then we split up into smaller groups. In those smaller groups, we walked around the Louvre, and recreated pictures by posing the same way, which was a lot of fun. After the Louvre, we went to a nearby area which contained a lot of restaurants. We had more time than usual, and that allowed us to sit down at a restaurant and eat. After lunch, we went to Montmartre, an amazing part of Paris which contained a beautiful cathedral, an amazing view of Paris on a neat garden, and a stunning market of very skilled artists and painters showing off their work. Some time after Montmartre, we went to eat dinner, which was entertaining. We then went on a boat ride on the Seine, which provided both beautiful views and a great experience. It was a lot of fun to be on there and see the beauty of Paris first-hand. We later went near the beautiful lit up Eiffel Tower to eat some delicious crêpes, ending an absolutely amazing day in Paris. 

- Anton

Day 7: Paris & Versailles

Today we became Parisians and lived like royals at the Palace of Versailles (well, not quite).  Read more about our awesome day in Paris from Ben, Ethan, and Jason below!

Day 7 started out with a bang! We had a classic French breakfast with chocolate milk, a croissant, and a baguette. We then went on a bus tour with a Parisian tour guide, Audrey. We explored the Eiffel Tour, the Arc de Triumph, and the building where Napoleon Bonaparte was buried. We then made the 12 mile drive to Versailles and went on a tour led by Audrey throughout the entire palace. The most impressive place was the Hall of Mirrors, where the Treaty of Versailles that ended WWI in 1919 was signed and where German representatives signed the documents to create a German state in 1871. We then headed back to Paris, passing the Roland Garros tennis courts and driving under PSG’s soccer stadium. We headed to the Notre Dame church and explored the inside and then some of us checked out the supports of the buildings, known as “flying buttresses.” We then went to dinner which consisted of meat and a sweet dessert, and student Andrew Harris led us to the tallest tower in Paris using only a map. We went to the top of the building and got some cool pictures of the Paris skyline, although he fog was a bit inhibiting. Finally, we took the metro back to the hotel for what will hopefully be a good night’s rest. Overall, today was absolutely incredible!

-Jason Rutman

Today on Wednesday June 6th we started our day off with a bus tour around the city of paris and got to almost everything except for the arc de triomphe. Once we were done with that we headed over to the Palace of Versailles where we were able to see the hall of mirrors and walk around in the gardens. Then we went back to Paris and went inside Notre Dame where a service was going on and we got shushed one time. Then we got dinner and took good walk with Andrew leading us to a building where we were able to go on top and see the entirety of Paris. Once finished with that we headed back on the metro but got lost a little and had to backtrack. Overall today was a fabulous one. 

Ethan Riber

Today was an absolute blast! After a delicious breakfast of croissants and bread, we had a guided bus tour across France. We saw iconic locations such as the Notre Dame, the Arc de Triumph, and an iconic plaza frequently used for guillotines. After the bus tour, we drove to Versailles to see the glorious palace that many kings (mostly Louis's) had lived in. The palace was strikingly beautiful with its architectural details and was more grand than I could have imagined. It was further away from Paris than I expected, which made me further appreciate the walk to Versailles that women made during the French Revolution. It was clear why Louis XIV wanted to get away from Paris to be away from the threats of potential rebellion and so he could use propaganda in the palace to glorify himself. After this visit and a brief rainfall, we went to Notre Dame and admired the beautiful stained glass windows and church artwork. A tasty meat served at dinner was enough to get us ready to top off the day by going to Paris's tallest skyscraper to get a view of the massive city. The trip itself has been amazing and I can't wait to continue exploring Paris and other parts of France throughout the trip!

- Ben

Day 6: Arrival in Paris

Early this morning we continued the journey west to France and arrived in Paris!  These students will never forget their first Parisian experience...find out more below!

We started our last day in Switzerland very early and had breakfast. Sadly, we had to bid a goodbye to our amazing bus driver, Alfonso, who drove us throughout Munich and Lucerne. All of us were dropped off at the Zurich Main Station and boarded a train to Paris! It took about 5 hours (with a slight delay) and arrived in the city. Our first stop was a tour/museum of Paris’ sewage system. It was quite interesting, but had a distinct smell. Then, we walked around the city, trying to get associated with the fast pace of the breathtaking city. While touring Paris, we were on the lookout for architectural features that create the famous Parisian streets. We even had a chance to see the ridiculously small apartments around here and one of the oldest streets, “Rue du chat qui pêche”. Then, we visited the park in front of Notre Dame, and even tested the structure of it with the help of some peers. We caught a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower and the Seine River. Afterwards, Phoebe took us to eat at a delicious flammekueche buffet. Following the feast, we took a nice evening walk to our hotel to finish off the eventful day. 

- Antonia

After a very early breakfast in Lucerne, Switzerland, we drove to Zürich Main Station to catch a train to Paris. There, we had free time to get food and drinks. My friends and I went in and out of one Kiosk, struggling to get rid of our remaining Swiss franc, a currency only used in Switzerland. The train ride was about five hours and many slept on the ride in order to prepare for our big day in Paris that would begin as soon as we stepped off. In Paris, we took an eventful guided tour of the city’s huge underground sewage system (which was more interesting and just as gross as it sounds). Afterwards, we took a walking tour of the busy city, visiting old cobblestone roads and even Notre Dame! To end the exhausting day, we indulged in an all you can eat flammekueche buffet, a pizza-like food popular here in France. The walk to the hotel was pleasant and introduced us even more to the café culture common here. 

- Payton

Day 5: Lucerne

Late last night we arrived in Switzerland, and today we explored what summer in the Alps has to offer.  Read more about the Swiss city of Lucerne and Mt. Pilatus from Audrey and Cheryl!

Today was one of the most amazing days of the trip so far. In the morning, we went on a walking tour to explore Lucerne, where the architecture was incredibly breathtaking and intricate. Immediately after, we set off to Mount Pilatus. The boat ride there was incredibly peaceful, and it was awesome to get to eat lunch with friends while looking at the beautiful waters! Once we got there we took a cogwheel train up the mountain. There we were met with an incredible view, and we could see everything all the way from the top of the mountain to the very bottom. Once at the top, we were all stunned by the view.  We were surrounded by the clouds, to the point that we were actually in a cloud, and it felt like something straight out of a movie scene. The view was indescribable, and it was amazing to be able to see the trees and mountains, it felt like we were on top of the world. After about an hour of pure joy, we took cable cars back down, and were pulled back into reality. The experience was once in a lifetime, it’s rare that someone can claim they’ve stood at the top of a mountain, but now we can! Today we all made memories that we probably will never forget, and we hope to come back some day with our families!

- Audrey L.

Contrasting to the one in Munich, our hotel in Lucerne had much more of a homey atmosphere with its wooden tables and chairs and dimly lit breakfast setting. We had the option of breakfast cereals, fruit yogurts, bread and butter, and (of course) coffee, and following this hearty breakfast, we were off for our day in Lucerne. On the bus, I distinctly remember gazing at the rolling hills and passing houses through the window as Phoebe explained the history/quick facts of Switzerland, and I was just awestruck at the natural beauty that this country has. After the bus ride, the first stop that we took was at the shopping center of Lucerne to fulfill our souvenir quota and stock up on some of the famous Switzerland chocolates. Then we took a quick walking tour around the area to take pictures and soak in the architectural beauty, and one part of this was the experience of walking across the bridge located across Lake Lucerne and viewing the included paintings. Afterwards, we were able to take a quick breather and hide from the sun as we partook in a boat tour. Staring at the massive rock formations and mountains in the water as the boat wizzed by was a complete out-of-body experience and absolutely stunning in pictures. The day only got better when we arrived at the base of Mt. Pilatus, as the cogwheel railway up the side of the mountain allowed for some of the most stunning visuals we’ve seen thus far. Then arriving at the top, it was absolutely breathtaking to see the view open up and surround you in all directions as you stood on the edge of the glass railing. The one hour we were given was not nearly enough to soak in the beauty of the scene, but we tried our best as we traversed the designated trail paths and watched as the clouds momentarily covered the mountain ridges. As our hour of exploration sadly came to an end, the scenic sights only continued as we took a gondola to get down the mountain at sunset. At the base of the mountain, we boarded the bus again and watched as the Swiss Alps faded into distant shadows as we headed towards the hotel. We had around an hour to take a much needed rest before dinner at the hotel, and the assortment of pasta, rice, pork and gravy, and dessert of milk pudding and fruit sauce was delicious. Then we bid farewell to one another before heading towards our rooms to shower and sleep for the long journey to Paris that looms ahead. 

- Cheryl