Chargers Explore France - You Can Too!
Source/Author: Hélène Simon, MS French Teacher
September 05, 2024
In June 2024, several Shorecrest Middle School students (and one family) took part in a coast to coast trip through France.
They started in Paris and visited the incontournables (things that cannot be missed) such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, and a cruise on the Seine river. They then traveled to Normandy and saw the site of D-Day, spending time in Arromanches-les Bains (Gold Beach) and the Normandy American Cemetery (Omaha Beach).
They continued their journey and visited Saint-Malo, the Corsair City of Brittany. They spent an afternoon at the Mont-Saint-Michel which just celebrated its one thousandth anniversary! Students noted that the streets there looked like Diagon Alley - which was not a big coincidence because Mont-Saint-Michel is said to be the inspiration for many Harry Potter elements.
Hélène Simon, the Shorecrest Middle School French Teacher who accompanied the trip, added, “We drove through the Loire Valley and explored the Château of Chambord, a magnificent 504-year-old Renaissance castle with over 440 rooms and 282 fireplaces. We took the TGV (bullet train with average speed of almost 200 miles per hour) all the way to Nice on the French Riviera. We explored the medieval cities of Eze and St-Paul-de-Vence and visited the Fragonard perfumery and its museum. We took a small train to the Principality of Monaco, admired the impressive cars and enjoyed the beautiful city with its palace, gardens and incredible views of the mountains and the sea. The students adored swimming in the Mediterranean Sea in the small and beautiful town of Villefranche-sur-Mer where the water was a balmy 70 degrees!”
They finished their tour in Lyon, traversing through Medieval and Renaissance neighborhoods and taking a break in the Roman theater where people sat watching performances 2000 years ago.
Does this trip sound like a dream come true?
A similar France trip is being offered at the beginning of June 2025 and again in 2026. Trips are open to any student in Shorecrest Middle School or Upper School who is passionate about learning and experiencing different cultures, regardless of the language they are studying at school. If you are interested, contact Mme Simon at [email protected] with any questions.
Flickr album: MS France Trip, June 2024 | Height: auto | Theme: Default | Skin: Default Skin
