2024 Ralston Valley France Program

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Blog 7

Written by Justin
Today we got to feel like royals as we spent the day visiting two castles. We started the day with Château d’Ambroise, just a couple blocks away from where we spent the night. There we explored the cozy castle and roamed the gardens. Leonardo da Vinci is believed to be buried there, and we saw iconography of him spread across the grounds. After that, we headed to Château de Chambord, which was commissioned by King Francis I. It’s a beautiful castle with towering spires and chimneys, hinting at the castle’s hundreds of fireplaces. The interior centrally features a double helix staircase, believed to have been designed by Leonardo da Vinci, which allows people to see each other across the staircase as they go up and down without ever crossing paths. We ended the day with a bus ride back to Paris to prepare for our final full day in France. All in all, it was a great day experiencing grand architectural feats of the past.

Blog 6

Written by Ainsley
We started the day by getting on a bus to head over to Saumur. We then arrived at Rochemenier Village Troglodytique and did a scavenger hunt where we learned about Troglodytes. After, we went to a mushroom museum where we learned how they harvest mushrooms. We went to another mushroom museum where we learned the history of mushroom farming. Then we arrived at our hotel and had dinner!

Blog 5

Written by Isaac
Our earliest day yet, today started with an early breakfast before hopping on a 07:30 bus from Paris to Bayeux. After 3 hours on a bus, spent either sleeping or taking in the landscape, the day truly started with an electric bike tour with Petite Reine Normandie. The electric bikes made the more than 19 km trip a breeze. Before the fog rolled in during our lunch break, we had pretty good views of the ocean and surrounding landscape. Unfortunately, the most exciting view — that of the docks built by the British that remain to this day — were obscured by a heavy fog. We were then able to drop off our bags at our hotel in Bayeux and went to see the tapestry of Bayeux. This 68,3 m long tapestry tells the story of the Norman conquest of the Saxons through pictures, to a then mostly illiterate population. We were then given an hour and a half to walk around Bayeux and shop, resulting in purchased clothing, candy, and food. We rounded out the day with dinner at Le Table du Terroir. Most of us ordered a full 3-course French dinner, which, yet again, failed to disappoint. From poulet to terrine, everyone enjoyed every part of their meal. Here’s to another outstanding day in France!

Blog 4

Written by Maddie
If you’ve ever wondered what visiting the Sacré Couer is like, here was our experience:
We first went into the cathedral and admired the grandure of it all. Then, some of us were intensely invited by a sister to join in a prayer. It was a beautiful yet unexpected experience. After that, we exited and found ourselves watching a street hip hop show featuring many backflips and back handsrings (as well as some moves from our very own Ainsley Miller). The show ended and we decided to take a picture. However, there was a random man who also wanted to be in the picture. He was quite lovely and very silly.
You never quite know what you will see next in Paris but I think I can say we are all experiencing new things and having fun along the way.

Blog 3

Written by Alicia

Bonsoir (good evening) from Paris!! We are all having an amazing time. Today we spent the morning learning the joys of the Metro and RER with a long trip to the Chateau de Versailles (Palace of Versailles). After having lunch while waiting in line we were able to see how amazing the palace was decorated before the French Revolution and amazing paintings within. Afterwards we went on a river cruise on the Seine River to see immaculate views of many museums and monuments on the Seine. After dinner we went to the Eiffel Tower and were able to see it sparkle before heading to the second level for views of Paris.

Blog 2

Written by Katie

Today, before lunch, we visited the luxembourg garden then the pantheon, after lunch we visited l’île de la cité and went to a fun modern art museum and celebrated a Madams birthday! Today was really fun and we did some very interesting stuff!

Blog 1

Written by Lyndsey

Although we had a long travel day we still managed to fit a lot into the first day and make sure everyone had a great time! I loved going to the Musée D’Orsay and L’Arc de Triomphe, it was a great day exploring Paris by foot and understanding what the trip will be like!

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