June 10: Exploring Cassis and the Calanques

Landscapes! The Mediterranean! Ice cream! A boat ride! Quite a day on the Côte d’Azur!

Today, our group reconvened at Lycée Georges Duby (our French students’ school), where we boarded the bus for the coastal town of Cassis. The weather was warm and sunny, a perfect day to be on the water and take a swim. Cassis is a lovely town full of brightly painted buildings, granite streets, and cafes on every corner. It is surrounded by dramatic cliffs, complete with a medieval castle and a coastline noted for its particular geological formations, called Calanques, which are made of limestone and jut in and up, resembling fjords. After some free time to explore shops or get a croissant, we took a boat ride to visit five of the Calanques. The water was bright blue and vibrant against the white cliffs. This area is also a national park, and we could see many hikers taking in the views. 

After our hour-and-a-half boat trip, students enjoyed a picnic on the beach followed by swimming in the Mediterranean. It was a perfect day. Everyone enjoyed an ice cream on our way back to our bus.

Next up will be our trip on Thursday to the hilltop town of Les Baux and the immersive art experience at the Carrières des Lumières.