Parc Zoologique de Thoiry & Parc Asterix!

We spent our last day in Paris visiting the Parc Zoologique de Thoiry in the morning and the Parc Asterix in the afternoon. At the Parc Zoologique de Thoiry we visited the zoo and park to observe the life and habitats of animals roaming free in the African, North American, and South American resorts. In our lesson today we learned about endangered species and how they become endangered. The students really liked learning about a universal topic that effects all countries around the world.

This afternoon we visited the Parc Asterix which is a theme park that is based on four cultures: Gaul, The Roman Empire, Greece, and the Vikings. The class learned about these cultures and enjoy our last night in Paris riding rides and seeing a dolphin show. Everyone was able to find something they enjoyed doing whether it was watching a show or riding rides. Our last night in Paris was definitely a memorable one!

We really enjoyed our visit to Paris, but are happy to be reunited our families tomorrow. We will be up and out early to make it to the airport in plenty of time for our 1:30pm flight back to the United States. Our flight will land in Philadelphia at 4:10pm and should see you all back in Elizabethtown by 6:30. Look forward to seeing you soon!

Visits to the Pantheon and Giverny!

This morning, we visited the Pantheon Paris, which is considered the soul of the Latin quarter. The magnifiscent some and solemn interior were amazing to see. We were able to conduct our lesson on the front steps on the Pantheon. We learned about the different uses of this superb building over the years - from it's original purpose of being a church to a temple honoring Paris.

This afternoon, we took a chartered bus tour to Giverny. The 4 1/2 tour picked us up at our hotel and took us to Monet's famous home and gardens. We were able to explore Monet's gardens famous for their water lillies, his workshop, the pond with the famous Japanese bridge, and the picturesque world of this amazing Impressionist painter. On the way back into Paris we visited the American Art Museum to get a feel of how American art is portrayed in France.

We are looking forward to our last full day in Paris! We will be spending tomorrow at the Parc Zoologique de Thoiry and the Parc Asterix.

The Louvre Museum and Disneyland Resort Paris!

Today we had a fabulous day! We spent our morning at the Louvre Museum in Paris, taking a guided tour to see the Mona Lisa as well as many other worthwhile pieces of art. The Louvre, which began as a royal fortress to the public institution, today is a wonderful center of art, history, and beauty. The lesson today focused on the Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci and how culture and social and historical aspects can affect the creation of art.

We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening at the Disneyland Resort Paris. Disneyland Resort Paris is a holiday and recreation resort in Marne-la-Vallee, a new town in the eastern suburbs of Paris. We were able to find something for everyone to enjoy here at the park – from rollercoasters to water rides. I’m sure everyone had a fantastic time exploring the European version of the famous Disneyland Resort.

Tomorrow we have another busy day planned! We will be going to the Pantheon and taking a chartered bus tour to Giverny. Wish us luck and we will be in touch soon!

Traveling to Opal Coast!

After spending the day in Paris yesterday, we took an hour and a half bus ride this morning to go toward the Opal Coast and visited World War I battlefields in the Somme area of France. Once we arrived in Somme, we visited the memorials at the Newfoundland Memorial Park, The Ulster Memorial Tower and the South African Memorial at Delville Wood. We learned a lot here while exploring the countryside where such an important event in history took place.

From the battlefields, we visited the Opal Coast. Here we visited Les Chocolats de Beussant and took a tour of the chocolate production process followed by a tasting. It was really good! The students all really enjoyed this part of the trip.

After taking this tasteful tour, we visited Cape Blanc-Nez (White Nose) beach. Everyone had a great time here, since the weather was perfect for relaxing and enjoying the beauty of France on this warm evening. Everyone loved having a chance to relax before returning to the bus for our trip back to the hotel in Paris.

Everyone is excited for tomorrow where we will spend the morning at the Louvre Museum, where we will get to see the Mona Lisa while taking a guided tour! In the afternoon we are visiting Disneyland Resort Paris, and everyone is eager for this great cultural experience! Keep checking back for more updates daily!

First Day in Paris!

We arrived in Paris yesterday morning after a long flight across the Atlantic Ocean. We all tried to sleep on the plane but the excitement made it difficult. Once we got to the airport and all our luggage arrived safely, we took two shuttle buses to the Holiday Inn Paris-Velizy. The hotel is very nice and the students sure seem to like the pool. Yesterday everyone was a little tired from the flight and the time change, so we stayed around the hotel for the day and took a walk around Paris at night.

Today was our first full day in Paris and we saw some really interesting things. We visited the Palace de Versailles, a royal château in Versailles, France. When the château was built, Versailles was a country village; today, however, it is a suburb of Paris. Versailles is not only famous as a building, but as a symbol of the system of absolute monarchy. We visited the Marie Antoinette exhibition at the Grand Palais. Students learned about the personality of one of the last queens of France through over 300 paintings, sculptures, and works of art.

Although our morning was very fabulous, this evening we were able to experience one of the most magical aspects of Paris – the Eiffel Tower! We saw the lights lit up and observed the city view by going up to the top floor. The view was absolutely beautiful!

Tomorrow we have a busy day of traveling to the Opal Coast and WWI battlefields. Your children miss you very much but are having a wonderful time in France. Check back soon for updates of all the fun activities we are doing this week!