• April in Paris

  
  LaSalle’s eighth grade French exchange students recently experienced one of the wonders of the world, a beautiful April day in Paris. In the distance rose the Eiffel Tower, which to our students always confirms, “We’re really in France!” Off the bus, we wandered under the immense Eiffel Tower and among the crêpe stands, fountain, and carousel on its grounds.
  
  Flowers of every hue bloomed in the surrounding parks, and we were part of a crowd of every hue enjoying this place, this day. We rode down the Champs Elysées, past the Arc de Triomphe, glimpsed the colossal, futuristic arch of La Défense in the distance, past the obelisk in the Place de la Concorde, site of the guillotines of the French revolution. We saw Notre Dame, walked the cobblestone courtyards of the Louvre, and down small streets that opened out to Sacré Coeur, the white church that crowns Montmartre, the highest hill in Paris. All around us was the sound of the French language, the beginning of the total immersion our students would experience as, later in the day, they met their correspondents’ families and began their long-anticipated stay in Montauban, near Toulouse, in southwestern France.
  
  Though I could write about many aspects of France that I like, I’ll focus on three: the nearness of nature, French cuisine, and French hospitality. France has an amazing variety of terrain, from the Alps, to the beaches of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, river valleys, forests, canyons and gorges, farmland, vineyards and more. But they are all compressed into a country that could fit inside the state of Texas. A beautiful natural destination is sometimes just a bike ride or a walk outside of town. A lovely aspect of the terrain of France are the Châteaux, shrines, and picturesque medieval villages such as those we visited at Rocamadour and St. Cyr-La Popie, that seem carved from the hills from which they ascend. Quelle beauté! especially in April!
  
  The French are justly proud of their cuisine, which is based on the freshness and depth of the local ingredients available at outdoor markets and at shops devoted to what to us are artisanal foods. I remember being stunned by the colorful variety of lettuces at a supermarket, many of which I’d never seen before. Just about all the produce there looked like it had been picked at its peak, ready to eat. Then, there are the local farms and enterprises that concentrate on one food, such as the Cabos pruneaux, a fifth-generation family-owned prune farm and shop that we visited. “Why are we going to a prune farm?” asked one. “I don’t like prunes!” said another. “I’m not eating any!” said the girl who had to be cautioned against eating too many. “Umm. These are good!” she said…
  
  The French take for granted a meal such as the lingering, sunny, outdoor lunch at the country home of one of the Institut Familial’s teachers. It was a simple one of appetizers, a large salad, charcuterie (cured meats and sausages), bread and cheeses, wines, teas and coffee, dessert, conversation, and more conversation. After lunch, a hike in the lush, rolling countryside followed by more conversation around an umbrella-ed table, drinking refreshing water, juices, sodas. I’ve experienced similar episodes of warm hospitality over and over in France.
  
  Near the end of our stay, as I relished one of the freshest, juiciest oranges I’ve ever tasted, I reflected on this gift from our bus driver Mme Lily. The fruits were from her garden. It represented for me the French desire to share and savor life at a profound, yet simple and personal level. I echo Mr. Altay’s advice about Italy. When it comes to travel to France, don’t think about it. GO!!!
  
  Ms.Knox
  LaSalle Music Teacher
  
  
  
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