First excursion

Friday was quite an adventure for us. We took public transportation from Brest to the city of Roscof on the English Channel, in French La Manche (the sleeve). France has this amazing bus system that links big cities to small towns, even to villages.

Old people, school kids, moms going to the market, lots of people use this system. A group of 26 Americans was a bit of a shock to the system, but it worked out. In two hours, we were boarding a boat at the port of Roscoff that took us to the Île de Batz (pronounced “ba”).

The city of Roscof, from the water.

Zoe, Shivani and Tara - always happy

Jack, Maria and Erica inbound for Île de Batz

Madeleine and Olivia soaking up some sun on the boat ride

Alisa, Sophia, Vivian and Chloe

Natalie, Aaron and Maria

The dudes: Nathan, Duncan and Mason

Is Chase upstaging Miranda, Zoe, Shivani and Tara?

This island has a permanent population of just 500, but vacation homes double that in the summer months. We disembarked and headed up a steep hill and onward toward the Jardin Georges Delaselle, a garden of exotic plants.

Delaselle was an insurance executive in Paris who came upon the island in 1897. He purchased land on Île de Batz and created a garden of plants from around the world from 1897 until 1918, when he fell ill from tuberculosis. From 1918 until his death in 1944, he worked to maintain his garden in spite of ill health. Today, it is maintained by the group, Friends of Georges Delaselle.

Our students wandered the gardens and had their picnic lunches there.

Jack is kind of enthusiastic.

An Arabian horse, in the middle of a field: the kids went crazy. I thought it
was bad when they saw dogs and babies.

Don't know if Georges Delaselle ever imagined this group!

Who's up for a picture? Evidently Chloe and Vivian.

And who's up for lunch? Emily!

Picnicking in a field overlooking a field of poppies and the English Channel.
It's tough, but someone has to do it.

Next, it was off to the other side of the island, a 45 minute walk to the lighthouse. Just 198 steps up a spiral staircase, and we were at the top. The views are incredible. On a clear day, like we had, you can see 50 miles in any direction. The students tried to see England or Ireland, but they are just a bit too far away.

Guadelupe takes it all in.

Muntaha enjoying the view

BFFs on top of the world, I think so.

Killer profile Sophia!

Always happy, Noëmie

Natalie scared of heights? No way! Yes way! Lots of courage, just to get to the top. We're proud of you Natalie!

Nathan, Tara and Olivia on top of the world.

How cool! Miranda, Erica, Chloe and Sophia

Who meditates on top of a lighthouse? Emily, that's who!

The Martin-tucky pair!

Maria

"You know, the graphics here might be better than in my favorite video game,"
said Alisa.

Another 20 minute walk brought us back to the port and our boat ride back to the mainland. The amazing bus system delivered us back to central Brest where families awaited us.

According to my Fitbit, we recorded just over 22,000 steps on Friday. That’s nearly ten miles!

Light filtering through the stained glass windows of
Notre Dame de Bon Sécours.

Maria contemplates the sea.

And back in Brest, sometimes you need your friends to help keep you warm.