Leaving on Friday, November 17^th, Lafayette French students, led by Madame Collins, left for a week-long vacation to France. The group of about twenty students flew via Air France from Washington, DC direct to Paris. They traveled around the country visiting locations such as Paris, Nice, Monaco, and Avignon, spending no more than a couple days in each place. The experience was certainly an incredible opportunity, especially for those students who had never before had the opportunity to travel abroad. The group of students was able to practice their French skills as well as enjoy an array of breathtaking sights and cultural differences. Here is what several participants thought of the trip:

Astrid Stanley, who has been to France several times in the past to visit family, particularly enjoyed the French candy and the Sainte-Chapelle, a royal chapel in Paris. She said, “I have been many times to see my family but it was really interesting to go as a tourist,” remarking on the unique nature of the trip. She also thought that, despite being tourists, the other students got an accurate impression of what France is really like.

Justin Carroll was quite fond of visiting Nice, where he said it was very warm. He remarked on the incredible beaches of rocks rather than sand.
“My favorite food was pain au chocolat,” a type of sweet pastry, he told us. Despite spending Thanksgiving in a country that does not celebrate the holiday, Justin enjoyed the meal they had at nice restaurant.

Stuart Beach had a hard time choosing his favorite part of what was an incredible week, but he took particular pleasure in visiting the Eiffel Tower in Paris. He commented, “I really liked being able to go into a restaurant and order food in French.” Among all the incredible food, Stuart’s favorite was the fresh baked bread that could be found in the many bakeries lining the street.