Salut We are back in Paris after a fabulous day at Chartres cathedral and Versailles ! Our weather has been ok...today we got poured on a bit, but the skies cleared and we are having a lovely afternoon. Off to dinner and a walk-about in the Latin Quarter for last minute souvenir shopping (just in case there are a few euros left in their pockets!)
I've seen a couple of sad faces today, since we are taking off tomorrow... but as they say, it's good to leave them wanting more! I hope the kids all bring you back to France to show you their favorite places one day (and share their favorite pastries; etc)
See you tomorrow eve in Seattle, still arriving 8 25 pm on United 917 from DC Please check for accurate arrival times and meet us at baggage claim.
A demain!
Mme L
Friday, April 2, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Bonjour! It s Thursday afternoon, we just got back from our tour of the Loire Valley and the chateaux.... Matt liked Azay -le-Rideau (surrounded by water) the most, "it looked the most like an actual castle" he said. TJ liked it too, but the first one was cool (the Sleeping Beauty castle). I liked the last one, Villandry, because of its fabulous Renaissance gardens, so elaborate!
We had fun checking out the beautiful white buildings (limestone) in the Loire Valley, along with the wine caves and the troglodyte dwellings. The Loire is known as the "gardens of France" where they speak the purest French. The gorgeous rolling hills, so green.... no wonder Francois I had so many chateaux built here!
On the way back into town, we watched part of the film "Marie Antoinette" to get ready for Versailles tomorrow.
The boys are playing pool and we are about to go outside with the football (soccer ball) and have a "kick-about". The girls are about to head into town before dinner for a little shopping. We are going to see Alice in Wonderland tonight, in French! "Alice aux pays des merveilles"
Its been a fun day, and since its April 1st, we ve been playing "poisson d'avril", where you put a paper fish on the back of an unsuspecting friend, until they discover it, then they put it on someone else. The kids have had fun tricking each other! TJ is going to get back at me since he had it on his back for over an hour!!
That s all for now!
Madame L.
We had fun checking out the beautiful white buildings (limestone) in the Loire Valley, along with the wine caves and the troglodyte dwellings. The Loire is known as the "gardens of France" where they speak the purest French. The gorgeous rolling hills, so green.... no wonder Francois I had so many chateaux built here!
On the way back into town, we watched part of the film "Marie Antoinette" to get ready for Versailles tomorrow.
The boys are playing pool and we are about to go outside with the football (soccer ball) and have a "kick-about". The girls are about to head into town before dinner for a little shopping. We are going to see Alice in Wonderland tonight, in French! "Alice aux pays des merveilles"
Its been a fun day, and since its April 1st, we ve been playing "poisson d'avril", where you put a paper fish on the back of an unsuspecting friend, until they discover it, then they put it on someone else. The kids have had fun tricking each other! TJ is going to get back at me since he had it on his back for over an hour!!
That s all for now!
Madame L.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Salut! We left St. Malo this am, the tide was up it was crazy getting out of the hotel to the bus!
Our ride to Mont St Michel was lovely. We arrived, walked up the 900 steps [the kids think there were more!] to the abbey which was beautiful [it kind of looked like a castle, and a little bit haunted] It was cold, sunny, raining, hailing.... a little bit of everything! The shops and creperies winding down the narrow cobblstone streets were so much fun.
We hopped on the bus and rode for about 4 hours, but no one complained, they were glad to have time to stretch out on our comfy warm bus. Our guide Kath [the kids love her British accent !] played the Disney movie Sleeping Beauty on the bus [the author was inspired to write the story about the chateau, Usse, which we visit tomorrow] but I bet half the kids were catching some zzz's!
We are off to dinner soon. Computer access is sketchy, I m doing the best I can to write regularly.
Everyone having a good time and doing well. They are great travellers and you should be proud of them! I am!
a la prochain ... until next time
Martha
Our ride to Mont St Michel was lovely. We arrived, walked up the 900 steps [the kids think there were more!] to the abbey which was beautiful [it kind of looked like a castle, and a little bit haunted] It was cold, sunny, raining, hailing.... a little bit of everything! The shops and creperies winding down the narrow cobblstone streets were so much fun.
We hopped on the bus and rode for about 4 hours, but no one complained, they were glad to have time to stretch out on our comfy warm bus. Our guide Kath [the kids love her British accent !] played the Disney movie Sleeping Beauty on the bus [the author was inspired to write the story about the chateau, Usse, which we visit tomorrow] but I bet half the kids were catching some zzz's!
We are off to dinner soon. Computer access is sketchy, I m doing the best I can to write regularly.
Everyone having a good time and doing well. They are great travellers and you should be proud of them! I am!
a la prochain ... until next time
Martha
Monday, March 29, 2010
Bonsoir! We've had another fun day! The kids are playing cards (quite noisily, actually!), watching European soccer on TV and/or upstairs reading and winding down. They're mixing wonderfully with the other groups of kids, it's so fun to see, everyone fitting in and being comfortable and accepted by one another.
We left Paris and drove to Rouen, walked along the cobble-stone streets filled with timber houses, so beautiful! We saw the square where Jeanne d'Arc was "martyred" and heard our British guide's version of English/French history!! The cathedral in Rouen was gorgeous, so fascinating with all of the different styles of towers dating from different centuries. It was fun imagining Monet painting this famous cathedral at different times of day.
Lunch is always a highlight, the kids are using their French with more confidence every day, ordering les sandwichs au jambon et fromage, les crepes, les croque monsieurs, etc. ...and shopping (a favorite pasttime!)
Late this afternoon we drove on into Normandie, our guide Kath played a great game with the kids on the bus about France (geography, history, lots of good trivia, including the METRO!, you would be impressed with their knowedge). We arrived at our hotel overlooking the beautiful port in Honfleur. Dinner was quiche, crepes and more crepes (savory and sweet!)
Then we walked around town, such a picturesque little town.
We're all learning British from our guide, Kath. Such as "brilliant", "lovely", and "don't forget your dry biscuits and crisps!" (translation: cookies and chips)
Kaitlin is here and said her favorite part of the day was seeing all of the "thatched houses we saw in Rouen and here in Honfleur".
TJ says "the entire day was awesome"!
We're off for the night. Will write more tomorrow. Au revoir.
Mme Legier
Bonjour! It s Monday am and we are about to depart for Normandie ! It s been a fabulous trip to Paris. The kids have been marvelous, we have been on the go the whole time! Yesterday we got up and went on the bus for a grand tour of Paris then on to Notr Dame (Palm Sunday) and had lunch -fast food stlye- crepes and sandwiches ......
Karla is standing here right now...I asked her her favorite part of yesterday, she said it was the Eiffel Tour, and then said "but that s so cliché!" But it s true, they LOVED it!
Ok, back to yesterday.... we are masters of the metro; you would be so proud of your kids, the are truly experts and will be able to guide you around the world on any subway! We probably took 15 trains in just a couple of days! Well; we headed over to the Louvre, and saw everything and then some.... Roman and Greek sculpture (venus de milo) of course the Mona Lisa (la Joconde) and yes she s small...we also saw 3 other da Vinci paintings near Mona, including Virgin on the Rocks... we saw French paintings as well. A couple of us scurried up through the Tuilerie gardens to the Orangerie to see Monet s murals....fantastique! Home to freshen up and back out to dinner, in a lovely restaurant with ggreat food and atmosphere, chicken brochettes and little pots de chocolat for dessert ( with Madeleine cookies) and tiny cafes...miam miam! And then on to the Tour Eiffel which was sparkly and amazing!
ok, the technology is crazy and the keyboard all mixed up... I ll do my best to keep up the blog.
Everybody is happy and we on our way to Normandie!
Martha
Karla is standing here right now...I asked her her favorite part of yesterday, she said it was the Eiffel Tour, and then said "but that s so cliché!" But it s true, they LOVED it!
Ok, back to yesterday.... we are masters of the metro; you would be so proud of your kids, the are truly experts and will be able to guide you around the world on any subway! We probably took 15 trains in just a couple of days! Well; we headed over to the Louvre, and saw everything and then some.... Roman and Greek sculpture (venus de milo) of course the Mona Lisa (la Joconde) and yes she s small...we also saw 3 other da Vinci paintings near Mona, including Virgin on the Rocks... we saw French paintings as well. A couple of us scurried up through the Tuilerie gardens to the Orangerie to see Monet s murals....fantastique! Home to freshen up and back out to dinner, in a lovely restaurant with ggreat food and atmosphere, chicken brochettes and little pots de chocolat for dessert ( with Madeleine cookies) and tiny cafes...miam miam! And then on to the Tour Eiffel which was sparkly and amazing!
ok, the technology is crazy and the keyboard all mixed up... I ll do my best to keep up the blog.
Everybody is happy and we on our way to Normandie!
Martha
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Bonsoir! We arrived this a.m. without too much hassle... I'm the only one who didn't get my bag! They'll deliver it tomorrow (plane was full so they grabbed some of our carry on bags).
We had an action packed day, our guide Katherine met us and took us to the Champs Elysees where there was some shopping and eating MAYBE there was a visit to a Mc Do (pronounced Mc dough) for some chicken and fries...
We walked up the Arc de Triomphe and had an incredible view of the city. All the streets radiating from the "etoile" (star) was quite a sight. We also became quite expert at using the metro (subway) along the way. We had a fabulous dinner of Boeuf Bourginon.
and went out after dinner to climb the steps of Sacre Coeur and see Montmartre. It was "incroyable!"
The kids (and adults) are tuckered out and will sleep well tonight! I'll write more tomorrow.
Mme L
We had an action packed day, our guide Katherine met us and took us to the Champs Elysees where there was some shopping and eating MAYBE there was a visit to a Mc Do (pronounced Mc dough) for some chicken and fries...
We walked up the Arc de Triomphe and had an incredible view of the city. All the streets radiating from the "etoile" (star) was quite a sight. We also became quite expert at using the metro (subway) along the way. We had a fabulous dinner of Boeuf Bourginon.
and went out after dinner to climb the steps of Sacre Coeur and see Montmartre. It was "incroyable!"
The kids (and adults) are tuckered out and will sleep well tonight! I'll write more tomorrow.
Mme L
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