Ancient catacombs, beautiful basilicas and cobblestone walkways. Complete with wonderful weather, spring break could not have been spent in a better place than in Paris, France for a group of Clarksburg High School students.

Eight students, including French teacher Keila Oropeza, spent eight days (March 17-24) indulging in the French culture during spring break. The trip was organized through the tour group EF Tours by Oropeza, who teaches French levels 1 through 3.

 “The trip was fun and educational,” said Oropeza.  The girls who participated in the French trip had activities planned for each of their days in Paris. The EF Tour program included seeing the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, the Palace of Versailles, and the Eiffel Tower.

Junior Jaqui Young said that she especially enjoyed the midnight boat ride through Paris, adding that it was “a truly magical night... the Eiffel Tower was right in front of us and began to sparkle.”

Senior Sydney Montgomery said that going to Paris "allowed [her] a new perspective on culture and values, [and she now has] a greater appreciation for things.”Aside from indulging in culture and sightseeing, Oropeza added that “there was lots of shopping.”

Even Junior Nancy Malmquist said she most enjoyed “seeing the Eiffel Tower and doing some shopping,” too.Malmquist explained that although the trip was expensive, students who signed up early received lower prices, and that the prices were divided by the amount of months in advance you signed up.

The trip was open to all students at Clarksburg High School, so long as they had or are taking a French class. Sophomore Paula Alustia added "shopping, food, sights, it was all fun.”