It will soon be time to say “bonjour” to France for French students as teacher Melody Mozley is taking students on two trips to France; one over spring break, the other this summer.

“I’m going on the summer trip and I’m so excited,” junior Al Kaylor said. “I love Europe in general and it’s going to be fun going with my friends from my French class. I’m graduating early so I’m moving out and getting my own apartment right after we get back from the trip. I think it’s a perfect way to end the summer before my life changes because of college.”

On the spring trip they will be traveling all around France, with a stop in Paris, then along the Atlantic coast, spending a day in Spain to do a bit of sightseeing, a medieval village in Provence, and another stop in Nice.

“An obvious difference is the weather. The kids going on the spring trip are bringing boots and coats and scarves,” Mozley said. “The kids going on the summer trip are bring beachwear and summer clothes. The trip in the spring will be very busy with lots of time on the bus and high pace, high energy, but the entire summer trip is surrounded with education.”

On the summer trip, students will be spending time in Paris and Nice, balancing out sightseeing, fun, and educational learning in an International Language School. Students take classes every day and then apply what they learn later in the day when they go out and explore the city.

“I’ve been to Europe before and any chance I get to go back is an opportunity that I just couldn’t pass up,” junior Lydia Fennell said. “I’m excited to get to spend more time in France and it’s cool that we’re not only learning, but doing a lot of cultural activities.”

The summer trip is ten days but some kids are doing a stay behind where they will stay an extra week living with a French host family and take classes at a new school in a town called Saint Raphaël.

“The stay behind has more independence,” Mozley said. “The classes are over at twelve and depending on the curfew their host family gives them, they can go out and explore and meet new people and I’m hoping that they make some lifelong connections and friendships.”

Mozley has been to France with previous classes eight times and used this particular French school three times.

“I love French language and culture and I hope to go back even after this trip,” Fennell said. “It’ll be intimidating staying with a host family for a week, but it’ll definitely be interesting.”