Pictures From Days 5-10

Pictures From Day 1-4

Day #10: Saturday, March 18

Today was our travel day home with our last French breakfast, followed by a bus ride at 7:30 AM to the Charles se Gaulle Airport in Paris in order to depart by 11:27 AM for Canada. A good flight with time to sleep, read, watch movies, eat two meals and get excited about seeing our loved ones!

Day #9: Friday, March 17 (France)

Today we started with a three hour bus tour of the city! It was amazing to drive to all the major highlights and learn the historical details of this extraordinary metropolis.....Effie Tower, Arch de Triumph, Louvre, Pont Neuf, Champs Elysees, Jarden Luxemburg, Notre Dame. These were just a few of the major highlights that we could see and even step off the bus to take pictures. From our tour, we all went into Notre Dame and then had fresh crepes in the Latin District. Most students went to the Louvre which is free for those under 18! This was remarkable to see. Some students took a trek to Montmartre and Sacre Coeur to see the sights. We then ate dinner in Paris and headed to the Eiffel Tower!  Having this night to enjoy the city on foot and while being on the Eiffel Tower was amazing! An evening of fresh crepes , city walk, a final metro ride and back to the hotel to pack.

Day #8: Thursday, March 16 (France)

Our day started in Caen. It was a very foggy morning with the changing temperatures which made the first Canadian cemetery, Beny-Sur-Mer, that we visited quite solemn. We had the chance to locate a specific soldier from Hamilton, Ontario. Many were just 17 years old. Then we drove to Bernieres-Sur-Mer to visit the Canada House which was the first residence the Canadian soldiers liberated during the Normandy invasion, June 6, 1944. This was something to celebrate so we enjoyed a bit of time by the ocean and even collected some shells. From here we drove to Juno Beach to tour a German bunker and tunnel. We learned a lot about D day along the coast of France with the five beach landing attacks. Juno beach was a devastating attack but pivotal for the Allied forces. Even with the losses, the Canadian + other Allied forces were successful which assisted in the final outcome of the war. The museum was very informative and an important learning experience. From here we drove to the next village for lunch. We saw the floating roads, sunken bunkers and military equipment along the coast of this town. Plus enjoyed various treats from an amazing French patisserie! This was followed by 4 hour bus ride into Paris!! The metro ride to dinner was exciting and brought us closer to the restaurant where we had dinner; the basement was actually a medieval dungeon! This construction was remarkable and added quite the atmosphere for our meal. The acoustics were something else which enhanced the volume of our group! What an amazing place to have dinner. The French flams were amazing. We then walked to the River Seine to enjoy a boat cruise; this was beautiful at night! Tim's birthday was our main focus all day and was topped off with French cake, candles and birthday cheer at the hotel. Hip!

Day #7: Wednesday, March 15 (France)

Today we left Belgium and travelled to France by bus. It was a beautiful day that started at Vim Ridge where we toured the trenches and massive memorial for the 11, 280+ unknown soldiers who died in the region WWI. From here we travelled onto the medieval, quaint town of Arras for lunch. We explored the city square, market and city hall. This town is known for their family of giants centuries ago! It was a beautiful place to spend time in the market and cafes to get lunch. We then we drove onto Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial to learn about the battle of Somme which greatly affected our Newfoundland soldiers. Onto Caen, we had a traditional French meal and the chance to check into another unique hotel. An evening walking tour included an 11th century castle with moat that continued to be enhanced over the centuries to eventually house William the Conquer during his reign.

Day #6: Tuesday, March 14

Today we left Hartewijk before 8 AM to drive through the Netherlands en route to the beautiful country of Belgium! It was overwhelming to see so many war cemeteries throughout the countryside. We stopped at the cemetery where John McCrae worked as a physician in a hospital bunker built into the sloped side of the creek bank. From there went to Bruges which is a remarkable historical city which you can see from the photos. Fresh waffles, truffles, pastries and more chocolate!!! Delightful! Back on the bus we drove onto Ypres. This city has the Flanders Field Museum which included a lot of detailed information, artifacts and memoires of World War I. After dinner we went to the Mennen Gate for the Last Post, which was another unique experience! This ceremony takes place every night of the year at 8 PM with the opportunity to honour those who gave their lives. Two students laid a wreath on behalf of HDCH. After this ceremony we loaded our bus and drove into the village of Mennen to rest until tomorrow.