Gordes and the Monastery

"On Wednesday, we went to Gordes, which was one of the most incredible towns I have ever visited. It is perched on top of a mountain, jutting out perilously into the open air. The town itself is riddled with winding streets and quaint shops tucked in amongst the buildings, and I got the impression that it would take a very long time to truly explore all of it. Our journey took us deeper into the hills, where we came to Abbeye de Senanque, surrounded by fields of lavender. Here we witnessed the monks reciting the vespers, the Gregorian chants that are their evening prayers. With only a handful of voices, they were able to fill the whole space of the church with sound, which echoed around us with haunting beauty. We left the monastery in a reflective silence. Once we returned home, we had a new task in front of us: a giant, blank canvas and a beautiful view to transfer onto it. Using everything from lavender flowers, to sticks, to sponges as paintbrushes, we worked together to bring the painting to life, under the guidance of the lovely Athena. It was a day of adventure, art, and all-around beauty." -Gretchen Kessler, Barat Foundation intern

Beethoven's Ninth in Orange, France

"On Saturday, we went to an incredible Roman Amphitheater to hear Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, performed by the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse and the Chœur de l'Orfeon Donostiarra de San Sebastian. Seeing them perform in such harmony was one marvelous experience, but hearing them live in such an ancient space was unlike anything I could have imagined. Every one of the musicians proved that they had worked very hard to make this an extraordinary performance, and it was very unique how the theater was made in such a way that the performers needed no sound system to make themselves heard. The instruments and voices were all they needed to be heard throughout the entire area." -Nayyirah Sabir, Newark Collegiate Academy

Bastille Day in Avignon

" Today was Bastille day which is equivalent to the forth of July in America. In the morning we watched a documentary about the French revolution and I learned a ton. For instance I learned that Bastille day is named after the storming of Bastille where the revolutionaries were able to get gun powder which marked the official beginning of their revolution. Bastille Day in Avignon was an amazing breath taking experience. It was very crowded and you could tell that every single person there was happy and wanted to be there. When walking down the streets there was so much going on, from actors promoting their plays, to mimes, to break-dancers, to singers and many more. As night fell we headed over to the African craft market where you could find anything you could imagine, literally. There was a huge ferris wheel that some of us went on right as the sun was setting. Everytime we came around to the top the sky would be a different color. It was a great night. At first I was sad to miss the 4th of July back home but Bastille Day definitely made up for it. " -DeAndre Dymski Beaver Country Day School

Photography Lesson and Yoga

"Our brief yet active time with professional photographer, Mr. Vinaixa was a very special and enjoyable time that will not be soon forgotten. His lesson covered perspective in photography. He taught us that taking a photograph is not only to show an image, but also to convey a message. He spoke a great deal about perspective, including angles and how what is in the photograph can control what people take away from it." -Geoffrey Cook, 0f Brewster Academy

Iñaki Vinaixa, official website

Cassis

"Driving to Cassis was without a doubt the most beautiful drive we've had so far. Every corner we turned was accompanied by many "ooh's" and "ahh's" as we saw the landscape drastically change right before our eyes. Once we got to the beach, instead of splitting into groups like we usually do, we decided to all stick together. First, we swam in the water, which was surprisingly warm. This beach was unlike other beaches in that it had smooth pebbles as well as sand and they felt nice against our feet. After our swim, we all walked into town and ate crepes and pizza at a tiny restaurant. We then decided to search for an ice cream shop, so we walked further into the town and stopped at many shops along the way. One of these shops was a quaint little pastry shop with multiple types of cookies and chocolates. We walked a bit longer and turned a corner to find a large ice cream store with so many flavors we never heard of before such as Kinder and Lavender. We then met up with our teachers and again enjoyed the scenic ride back home." -Soreya Scilipote

Isle Sur La Sorgue

"Isle Sur La Sorgue is a fantastic town that prides itself on having the crystal clear Sorgue river running through it. The river's water was amazingly clear and pristine; it was alive with small fish and seaweed that floated through the water. We visited on Sunday, the day of the Antiques market, which took place in the crowded streets of the city. After wondering through the rues and plazas filled with customers looking for unique items, we found ourselves in the church of Isle Sur la Sorgue. On the outside, there was a rounded end that had amazing columns creating interesting shadows. We then proceeded to go into the interior of the grand church. We were astounded by the mix of colors, architecture, and nature light that flooded our eyes as we walked in through the side door. The alter was magnificent with its beautiful detail not just at ground level but also with the amazing gold painted statues in the background. To fully describe what this church is like on the inside would be somewhat impossible as the mixture of rococo and baroque architecture was nothing less than awe inspiring and incredibly ornate." -Geoffrey Cook, 0f Brewster Academy

Van Gogh threw his ear in the Sorgue River, so a ceramic monument of it was created to honor the artist and can still be seen beneath the waters.

Vernissage and Arles

"The Vernissage was one of the most empowering events of the trip. It was an opportunity to view my classmates' artwork, all of which was magnificent. It took place the night before our painting teacher, Ms Julia von Metzsch left for the U.S.; she made a great impact on me. She was a teacher who believed in all of us, which has inspired me to continue my watercolors and constantly improve on my art." -Larissa Heron, from School of the Future

"Our exploration of Arles and its annual photography festival, Les Rencontres Arles, was led by Bill Messer, a renowned international curator. He led us through the tiny winding rues of Van Gogh's former village to visit each exhibition. We truly learned not to learn to judge things by their covers, as an old run-down villa house could be hiding ancient Roman architecture or a collection of fascinating photographs. We stopped at a plethora of galleries including l'Eglise des Trinitaires, that featured a 42-meter long panoramic installation by artist Wang Qingsong titled "The History of Monuments." We also visited the Musee Départemental de l'Arles Antique where artists Robert Capa, David Seymour, and Gerda Taro's exhibition "Mexican Suitcase" displayed negatives from the Spanish Civil War. Our tour ended at a restaurant, La Boheme, hidden on a side street where we met a photographer named Pascal Baetens. His personal collection was displayed throughout the restaurant and he and Bill gave us an art history lecture of each artist featured in his collection. It was really amazing to be able to appreciate other people's opinions of beauty as shown in the photographs at all the different galleries." -by Emma, Hopkins School '13

Horseback-Riding on the Beach

"On Tuesday, July 5, we traveled to the Camargue nature preserve. It is a unique natural environment, an estuary, where the Rhone River meets the Mediterranean Sea, and as such has fresh water fauna and flora on one side, with salt water animals and vegetation on the other. The area is populated by flocks of wild pink flamingos and a special breed of "Camargaise" horses, stocky white spotted horses unique to this area.

After riding horses on the beach and watching wild flamingos and herons fly by, we went into the town of Les Saintes Maries de la Mer, a small quaint sea-side village made historic by St. Sara and the three "Marys of the Sea", including Mary Magdelene. According to legend and local history, some 40 years after the crucifixion of Christ, the three Marys escaped from Palestine and landed here with St. Sara - one of the famous Black Madonnas. It is from this tiny quaint village by the sea that Christianity spread throughout Europe. St. Sara la Noire is the patron saint of the Gypsies, and each year a pilgrimmage of gypsies from all over the world gather here to celebrate her." Chandri Barat

note by Nayyirah Sabir, student at Newark Collegiate Academy, Newark, NJ:

"Today we went horseback riding, and it was a remarkable adventure. I rode a horse once before in my life, but it could not compare to this experience in France. The horses were free spirited and all had unique names, such as Lulu and Oakland. The horse I rode was called Ahamise and had dark spots all over. Later we went to the beach and there were many shops to browse through. We then went to a church in Les-Saintes-De-La-Mer and the architecture was extraordinary in that it looked like a Medieval building because it was made hundreds of years ago. No day at the beach is complete without ice cream, which is why my friend and I chose two alternative flavors including Lavender and Nutella. As we expected, both were delicious. We then walked along the beach and found many beautiful seashells which I've never seen in America. The feeling of the cool blue water of the Mediterranean Sea was refreshing after a day in the sun."

A Day In Marseilles

My day in Marseille was amazing. I experienced so much of the French culture in one day. When walking along the boardwalk with all the salesmen from different ethnicities , there where so many people, restaurants, and boats amidst the breath taking view of the sea. I saw so many different things. Walking through the streets of Marseilles was an exciting experience and going into the church, Notre Dame de la Garde was astonishing. The interior detail with gold mosaics, coupled with the church's Neo Byzantine architecture left me in awe. I loved the gift shop as well.

-Nasir F. King