Three Parke Heritage High School students brushed up on their French as they traveled to France during the month of July.
Cassie Miller, Natalie Tome and Michaela Troutman toured France along with 27 other area students as a part of the d’Arlier trip, which is partly sponsored by the d’Arlier Foundation in Veedersburg.
Before the group embarked on their journey, they had monthly meetings in the Foundation office.
“Each month, from January to June, the chaperones would hold meetings to prepare us for various aspects of the trip. Together we learned basic French history, went over common French phrases and reviewed what we would need to pack. By the time the last meeting rolled around, I felt very prepared and excited to set off for France,” Troutman said.
For the first three weeks of their trip, the group toured southern France which is a more rural area. They also had weekend trips to the beach, art museums and markets.
As a part of their trip, the group lived in a high school dorm which was connected to a university. The French students were on summer holiday. During their stay, the American students learned about France by taking classes in French, art history as well as history of the local area. They also had a French woman teach them how to cook a local dish. They also took day trips to see the many sites, including beaches, museums and the markets.
“Visiting the museums was really exciting to me,” Tome said. “I’m an artist, so I really like art. I hadn’t been to any art museums before and now I’ve been to like 10.”
One of the museums they visited was the Louvre, which is located in Paris.
“The Mona Lisa was very underwhelming to me,” Tome said. “It was smaller than I thought it would be. The museum was crowded so I couldn’t really see it. It’s the only painting on the wall.”
During their visit, the students were also able to experience the towns and to visit the surrounding area to experience the French lifestyle.
“Mont Saint-Michel was beautiful and was probably my favorite place to visit,” Miller said. “We had to cross a bridge to go there. It had a castle and I enjoyed spending time there.”
Miller also enjoyed being able to swim in the Mediterranean Sea. Even though the beaches were rocky instead of sandy, she appreciated the beauty of them and the water.
“It was really cold in the Mediterranean Sea, even in the middle of July. It was definitely cool swimming there, especially since one of the spots was under castle ruins,” Miller added.
The students traveled to Normandy where they were able to experience the history of the D-Day invasion.
“Normandy was just so much history,” Tome said. “I was wishing my Dad could see it. We got to see the American graveyard and it was surreal. It reminded me of Arlington Cemetery.”
While visiting Paris, the group was able to visit landmarks that are tourists’ favorites. In addition to the Louvre, they visited Notre Dame Cathedral, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Catacombs and drove through the Arc de Triomphe.
“We didn’t get to go up in the Eiffel Tower, because the line was too long,” Miller said. “We were able to see it at night and it was very impressive.”
Being in France allowed the students to experience a different country as well as a unique culture.
“I most enjoyed being able to see so many diverse sites while in France; the different forms of architecture were stunning, There was a lot of art history and culture to learn about, and I found myself looking forward to exploring even more in the near future,” said Michaela.
All three girls agreed that the trip provided them with an experience to see another country and would be one that they would always remember.
“If anyone has the opportunity to go on this trip, I highly suggest they take it. The memories I made on this trip have left an unforgettable impact. If you have an appreciation for travel, art, or even just getting out of your comfort zone, please don’t hesitate to apply,” Troutman said.
