Methacton High School

 

 

 

 

Fourteen Methacton students studying French III and French IV  and their two chaperones, Mme Phelps and Mlle Kimport, left Philadelphia International Airport on Friday, February 5th, headed for Paris, France. After a very comfortable flight, they took the TGV to Lyon, France. The typical 5 hour drive took about two hours in this very fast train. Students and teachers were met by their French host families and quickly whisked away to their new homes - where they would be staying for the next two weeks. 

 

Week #1 - Methacton students practiced their French with their host families, as well as with students at Lycee Saint Pierre - our host high school in Bourg en Bresse, located about 1 hour from Lyon. Students were greeted the first day of school with a wonderful welcome breakfast, and later in the day made crepes for an afternoon crepe party. Field trips during the week included a visit to Izieu, the refuge farmhouse for Jewish children during World War II, the medieval village of Perouge, a guided tour of  Lyon, as well as a guided tour of the monastery of Brou and a demonstration at a boulangerie.

 

Week #2 - Methacton students spent the first half of the week practicing their French with the families - some students took day trips to nearby cultural sites  while others took overnight trips to the mountains or further destinations. Host parents and students gave a fabulous pot-luck dinner and everyone was appreciative for the friendships that had been forged. Goodbyes were said at the Bourg en Bresse train station on Thursday morning and the Methacton students and teachers headed back to Paris on the TGV. Thursday and Friday were spent sightseeing and shopping. Despite many rainy days on the trip, everyone was awe-struck by the beauty and splendor of France, and by the friendliness of the French people.  Happily, the sun shone brightly on Friday, the last day in this beautiful country matched the happy spirits of the Methacton travelers.