Our morning bus ride to Normandy was much calmer than regular LA traffic. Outside the windows were the beauties of the French countryside: lush wildflowers and bright green fields galore. We also spotted some cows! We went to a dairy farm called La Ferme des Peupliers. We learned about farm life and the process of raising and milking cattle (in a humane, local, small-scale and green way) and creating yogurt and pudding, which we then got the lucky chance to taste!

We had an amazing yet speedy tour of Rouen - we admired the gorgeous Cathedral Notre-Dame de Rouen and had a mini history lesson on its 100 year construction! We also heard the story of Jeanne d’Arc, who was a woman-soldier in the 1400’s who protected Charles VII and was burned alive in Place de Vieux-Marche. Our free time there was much appreciated, as everyone was excited by the prospect of exploring the streets, shops and food offerings.

Once we got back to Paris, we visited the Arc de Triomphe! We went through an underground tunnel to get to the arch and started climbing the stairs inside one of its pillars. After a long ascent, we finally reached the top. The view was spectacular- the entirety of Paris spread as far as the eye could see. We had fun pinpointing locations of where we had already gone, and enjoyed the cool breeze as we continued sightseeing. Once everyone descended, we split into groups to explore the wonders of Les Champs-Elysées. Many sought the refreshing air conditioning inside, and we all took the opportunity to do a bit of shopping!

After walking on les Champs Elysées, we ducked inside for a nice dinner (caprese salad, breaded fish in a mushroom sauce with risotto and a cookie/mousse pie for dessert)! Our last Parisian metro was an adventure since it was rush hour. We had to push our way into the cramped subway and hang onto each other for our lives. Just kidding! Now we are metro pros. Tomorrow, we will take a very early train to Lille!

Although we were only able to see it for a brief amount of time the French countryside was quite a sight to behold, fields stretching as far as the eye can see filled to the brim with luscious foliage and unknown crops. Being able to ride on a train was a new experience for quite a few of us, and it was exciting experiencing this new mode of transportation. On the way to Lille we took note of the surplus of wind turbines in the countryside, further allowing us to witness the attempts to further create sustainability in France.

At a former coal mine, we were given a tour around CD2E, which is a company based in renewable building. There we learned about the efforts that are being made towards creating sustainable housing by utilizing natural/reusable materials to better insulate, creating lower energy costs. Along the tour we walked through a beautiful field in which were not only pretty flowers, but several different kinds of solar panels which CD2E are using to find more information on which type of solar panels are most efficient.

An exciting walk to the center of Lille! Surrounded by a surplus of architectural ingenuity and enchanting shops, we marveled at the wondrous sights presented to us, including the Opera house, Clock tower, Cathedral and main square. We broke off into our own separate groups we drank cold beverages in the shade, ran up and down the streets, shopping to our hearts content, and eventually all separately culminating in a shady garden near many of the more popular restaurants.