Luge and other such outdoorsy activities!

*Sorry for the delay with this post. Here’s what ought to have been published yesterday:

Dear families,

After our usual morning routine, the group undertook a very different kind of excursion, one to an outdoor recreation center in a region called Swiss Normandy. Activities on offer included summer luge, zip-lining, treetop ropes course, and a special garden that one had to walk through barefoot. It was an impressive facility. After a group lunch, we made our way to the activities…

For most, the zip-lining was the highlight of the afternoon. A total of 35 suspended lines on a course of almost 1.5 miles was a thrill for all. After some initial nerves, the group really got into it.

And the view was spectacular up there!

The luge was almost as popular. In small carts for two, students were pulled up the hill by a cable before the sled slid back down the tracks. It was up to you to break!

The barefoot garden was a different kind of experience entirely. A path of a multitude of textures to be walked through: various kinds of rocks, shells, sands, smoothed glass, tennis balls, bamboo, wine corks, and so on. Your feet were pretty smooth afterwards.

And while there were plenty of obstacles in the treetops course, it was also just a great place to hang out:

Gracey Abernethy is a rising sixth former from Asheville. Here are her thoughts at the end of today:

“Today was a fun-filled spectacle of activities. It has been nice to have breaks away from French life and reunite with our American community. However, today had its ups and downs. Our American squad faced a few injuries today, including shoulders, shins, and bee attacks. I think the most exciting and complicated part of my day was explaining to my host family about my bee attack in French! Lots of charades. As the trip comes to an end, I have become fond of my new French family and don’t want to leave. Zoé, the daughter my age, is the only person I’ve met as passionate about chocolate as I am. The rest of the family, too, has exposed their love for dancing and good humor. My favorite part are their dogs, Cookie and Oprah. They both have outlandish personalities and are not afraid to show it when jumping on couches, lurking behind walls, and begging for my leftovers.”

Tomorrow is our last day in Caen!

All the best,

Konrad, Alfred & Janine