Exploring Outside of Rennes: Excursions with the Group

Living in Rennes has been full of new and exciting experiences. One of the aspects I’ve enjoyed since being here is how involved the CIEE program remains throughout the semester. At least once a month there is a special trip planned for a day trip or weekend away. I really enjoy this aspect because it gives students the opportunity to travel and see new parts of France, while staying with a group. It also means transportation is all figured out, so you can just get on the bus with friends and relax.

Last weekend we got to visit two wonderful places! The group traveled to Saint Coulomb and had a wonderful tour of a mansion (La Malouinière de la ville Bague).

The house was built in 1715 and has a rich naval history. It was very interesting to walk through the different rooms of the house, and learn about how the wealthy enjoyed their summer home. I personally was thrilled with the little dog that lived at the house. He walked with the group for most of the tour and enjoyed all the pats he could get.

After that we then traveled to Saint-Malo. This port city is an extraordinary naval history, and has a giant wall surrounding it. It was literally a step back in time as we made our way into the city. 

Another highlight was being able to walk around the city using the pathways on top of the wall. Not to mention it gave us a fantastic view of the city and ocean! Of course since it is still winter in Brittany, we got to experience a strange mix of weather. It went from bright blue skies, to angry storm clouds with rain, to then ending the day with sunshine again.

That didn’t stop us from exploring the city, or ending our day with some ice cream and shell hunting. This city has such a vibrant history and it has been remarkably maintained and restored.

I have been incredibly grateful for all of these wonderful experiences. Although getting around France proves to not be too challenging, it is always a fun weekend when we can go as a group. It also is a nice break from having to plan or spend money on travel. I am very grateful that these experiences are included in our program costs. They are fun trips that we will always remember, while introducing us to a new factor of French history and culture.

Heather Bagdoian, Clark University