"Bon voyage," parents cried as two buses full of students in grades 6-10 pulled out of the driveway at ACS Hillingdon en route to Normandy, France. On the 25 of April, more than 60 ACS Hillingdon students and teachers crossed the English Channel into France. The biannual excursion gives students the opportunity to practice their French language skills on a four day excursion to through northern France. 

 After an exciting trip on the Eurostar, through the Chunnel, the group was eager to stretch their legs. The first stop was in the town of Boulogne where they visited the Nausicaa Sea Life Center and watched a sea lion feeding. ACS Students interacted with French school children while identifying famous fish like Nemo, le poisson clown, and Jaws, le requin. Links from familiar English words, to new French vocabulary taught students about marine life and language in a fun atmosphere. Souvenir buying in the Nausicca gift shop provided the opportunity to practice listening comprehension and counting skills as students negotiated prices with French speaking cashiers.

Following their aquatic induction at the Sea Life Center, the group traveled to the town of Criel-sur-Mer where they stayed in an ancient French chateau. The chateau offered authentic French meals like steak hachee, poulet roti, and pommes frites. Evening activities allowed students to get some exercise by walking minutes away from the chateau to the beach. Students competed in relay races and honed their archery and fencing skills. En garde! 

On Saturday morning, the group explored the farmer's market in the seaside town of Dieppe. The sights and sounds of the buzzing French community abounded as the tour guides shared the interesting part Dieppe played in World War II. Students perfected their accents at the marche buying snacks. They greeted the friendly people at each stall with a smiling "bonjour" and politely said "merci" as they counted the change from their purchases. A picnic lunch on the pebble beach recharged the students' batteries before an exciting afternoon.

The group spent Saturday afternoon touring the historic city of Rouen. The famous gothic cathedral, part of which was constructed as a result of a tax on butter, was stunning. It was easy to tell why French Impressionist painter, Claude Monet, painted it so frequently. Another stop on the tour included the Ossuary, a bone depository, created to aid the city when it was ravaged by the plague. In addition, the group learned about Joan of Arc, who was burnt at the stake in Rouen.

 Sunday included a whirlwind tour of Paris. The students began with a panorama of the City of Lights from the top of the Eiffel Tower. A sun drenched cruise along the river Seine allowed them to learn more about landmarks they'd seen in their text book. From the boat, the students admired the gargoyles of Notre Dame on Ile de la Cite, the formidable facade of the Louvre,  and Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris. Back on land, students circled the Arc de Triomphe and explored the ritzy shops on the Champs Elysees.

Before returning to Hillingdon, students learned about cheese making in Neufchatel. At the farm, they caressed cows and learned the French words for cow, bull, and calf. Student saw a cheese making demonstration, sampled handmade Neufchatel while listening to the interactive French presentation and bought fromage to take home.

 The voyage epitomized the French joie de vivre and left all the students yearning to learn more.