Group of Deer Lakes French students gets first-hand look at culture on overseas trip

Years spent learning French in the Deer Lakes School District came to life last month for some students and their families.

The group visited Europe and soaked up knowledge in France, Monaco and London, said Deer Lakes French teacher Desiree Rotondo. She said the trip was planned for July 2021 but was postponed until this year because of the covid-19 pandemic.

“The students learned so much on this trip,” Rotondo said. “We have spent years in class learning the amazing French history of the cities that we were able to visit and tour. The students were able to use and practice their French language in real-life situations.”

Rotondo said one of her favorite experiences was at the Chateau de Chenonceau, where she explained to students the history of Catherine de Medici, Diane de Poitiers and Henry II. The group was able to tour the chateau to look for special, symbolized tiles that reinforced and represented its history.

“The students were able to explore the lifesize labyrinth here and tour the gardens of Catherine and Diane,” Rotondo said.

They also toured the Troglodyte village caves and learned how the French grow Paris mushrooms, known as Champignons de Paris. Students ate at a cave restaurant, where they tried escargot and a regional cuisine called fouee — hollow bread with pork plate.

In London, students visited the National Gallery, where they saw a French Impressionist art display and viewed works from artists that students studied in class, Rotondo said.

“We toured Versailles in Paris, visited the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo in the Louvre, climbed to the top of the Eiffel Tower and took a cruise on the Seine,” Rotondo said. “We also were able to see the progress of the rebuilding of Notre Dame.”

Stops in Southern France included a tour of the Fragonard perfumery and a climb to the rocky top of the city of Eze’s cactus garden, giving “a breathtaking view of the Mediterranean,” she said. Students also were able to swim in Nice.

The trip also featured a tour of the Arenes de Nimes, where bullfighting used to take place. The group visited the walled medieval city of Carcassonne and the abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel. They climbed the Dune du Pilat and stopped by the port cities of Arcachon and Saint-Malo.

A tour of the American Cemetery, Omaha Beach and the D-Day Museum in Arromanches was especially memorable for student Wesley Reagle.

Reagle’s great uncle, Andrew Barraco, served in the Air Force during World War II, and his plane was shot down on the second day of the D-Day invasion. Reagle found Barraco’s name on a wall at the cemetery and was presented with an American and French flag to honor Barraco and his service.

“I felt like I got to honor his sacrifice and be there for my family,” said Reagle, 15.

Reagle, an incoming sophomore at Deer Lakes, enjoyed the trip.

“It was amazing, and we went everywhere I wanted to,” he said.

Recent Deer Lakes graduate and incoming Duquesne University freshman Braden Bogacz said he began taking French in eighth grade because he wanted to learn more about the culture.

“I’ve never been out of the country before this, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to explore and experience a new culture,” he said.

His favorite part of the trip was experiencing Paris’ beauty. He also enjoyed learning about other cultures, he said.

Although he has spent the past couple of years learning about France, the trip exceeded Bogacz’s expectations.

“It’s a lot different to hear about it than actually experience it,” he said.