Cape High students say Paris trip is bon voyage

When Holly Criswell asked her French students where they wanted to go on this year's French trip, their response was unanimous: Paris.

“They had a choice on what to see, but they all wanted to go to Paris,” Criswell said.

Seventeen Cape High French students travelled to Paris over the first week in April for a trip of a lifetime.

“I didn't find anything that I didn't like,” said sophomore Sierra Somerville, speaking mostly of Parisian food, but the city life also a big plus. “We'd get up and eat breakfast and usually walked everywhere or took the metro. It was so much fun.”

Junior Sarah Bennett said she was impressed with how clean the city is, and the coffee was the best she ever had. Her favorite spot was the garden of Versailles.

“It was so big. We had two hours, and we didn't even cover the whole thing,” she said.

Sophomore Savannah Brown said visiting the Louvre and all its famous artwork was a thrill. “I've always wanted to go,” she said.

Inside the underground art museum, students marveled at some of the most famous artwork in the world: sculptures Venus de Milo and Winged Victory, and Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa.

“The Mona Lisa was so tiny. It was surprising,” said Megha Patel, a junior.

The students took the long hike up the Eiffel Tower, and all agreed it was well worth the effort.

“The view from the top was amazing,” said sophomore Jonah Mitchell-Moore. He also enjoyed a chance to try escargots and frog legs for the first time. “They tasted like chicken,” he said about the frog legs.

Hitting the streets of Paris, the students said they had a great time using their French language skills to order food, visit stores and see the sights. They agreed their French class had prepared them for the trip.

The weather was a balmy 65 until the last day, said Megha. Still, she said, it was her favorite day because they took a boat ride on the Seine, the river that winds through the city past many of its famous landmarks.

“It was cold, but that was my favorite day,” she said.

Criswell said it was a high-energy trip with plenty of walking. “The trip was fantastic,” she said. “Everything ran the way it was supposed to.” 

Criswell said the plan is to travel to France again in 2019. “We'll stick with the odd years,” she said.