2026 SSFS Spain and France Explorers Program
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Blog 2
Over the last few days in Paris, we’ve had some amazing experiences. We visited Versailles, where we completed a scavenger hunt and learned more about French royalty, luxury, and the French Revolution. Seeing the palace in person was incredible, and it helped bring a lot of history to life.
We also got to see the Eiffel Tower from two different perspectives: standing right underneath it and later from a boat on the Seine River. Both views were unforgettable and gave us a chance to appreciate one of the world’s most famous landmarks.
Paris has been very hot, so we’ve been making good use of the public water fountains around the city to refill our water bottles. Some of us even got surprised by the water sprays at a few of them, which was actually pretty refreshing in the heat!
The Paris Metro has been an adventure on its own. Between crowded trains, busy stations, and figuring out where to go, we’ve definitely become more confident travelers. We’ve also been walking a lot, like around 20,000 steps every day.
Of course, we’ve also been enjoying the food. We’ve eaten delicious crêpes and plenty of other treats, and some brave students even tried scallops for the first time. We’ve sampled all kinds of desserts along the way, making sure to experience as much French food as possible.
Paris is a vibrant city filled with visitors from all over the world who come to admire its beauty, history, and architecture. We’re having a great time exploring it and making memories together.
Blog 1
Hi parents and friends!
After a long trip with a stop in Portugal, we finally arrived in Paris with Harriet and Sarah, who are going to show us around France and Spain. Our first afternoon, we walked all the way up to Montmartre (which definitely felt like a workout!) and had a walking tour around Sacré-Cœur. The views were amazing, and we learned a lot about the area.
After that, everyone was pretty tired, so we went for dinner. A lot of us decided to be adventurous and try French food. Some had duck, others tried beef brassiere or sea bass, and of course we had French fries, which were actually really good! We also discovered that in France, if you order lemonade, it’s more like Sprite than what we’re used to. Since it’s been really hot in Paris, some of us finished the day with gelato before heading back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep.
Today we got up early, had croissants with Nutella for breakfast, and squeezed onto a packed metro to get to the Louvre. We did a scavenger hunt inside the museum, which helped us discover not only famous masterpieces but also lots of other incredible works of art in this huge former palace.
After that, we walked to Place de la Concorde, took the metro again, and visited the beautiful Notre-Dame Cathedral. Along the way, some of us grabbed ice cream while others looked for souvenirs to take home.
Now we’re heading back to the hotel before dinner. Later tonight, we’re hoping to write some postcards and send them to our families and friends. Paris has already been an amazing experience, and we can’t wait to see what comes next!
They made it!
The group is on the ground in Paris, updates coming soon.