July 28th 2022

After spending semester in France, I was excited about going on vacation. However, I failed one exam and was required to retake it. Therefore, I decided to postpone the start of the vacation and prepare for the retest. On the day of the test, there were five or six students including myself. The professor in charge of the exam comforted us by confessing that she too wanted to be in the swimming pool. I studied all literary trends, from romanticism to symbolism, and thankfully only one trend was in the exam. I took the retest at the end of June and got the results in mid-July. My hard work had paid off! I had passed the exam; finally my vacation could begin.

My trip in France was divided into a south and north tour. The first destination was Bordeaux, the city where I lived for a year and the city I am most familiar with. Bordeaux is located in the south of France and is famous for its fine wines. La Garonne flows through the middle of the city, where, citizens enjoy picnicking, jogging and cycling beside the riverside. If you really want to enjoy Bordeaux, I recommend riding a bike along the riverside.

My next destination was Dune du Pilat, the highest sand dune in Europe. It is located about an hour's drive from Bordeaux. The biggest feature of this monumental sand dune is the Atlantic Ocean on one side and a dense forest on the other. If you step on the fine-grained sand that engulfs your feet, you will be greeted with a magnificent spectacle. I prefer the sea to the mountains, so I sat on the sea-facing side for a long while.

My next destination was the North, which has different characteristics from the South. First, I visited Étretat which is located in the Normandie region of northwestern France. Here you can see the coastal cliffs (Les Falaises) called Elephant Rock. There are steep cliffs on either side with a beach in the middle. The cliff that resembles an elephant can be seen from the other side. Both cliffs offer great views, but I prefer the cliff opposite Elephant Rock. Afternoon sunlight breaking over the sea and green grass completes the beautiful scenery.

My final destination was the island of Le Mont Saint-Michel. It is located on the coast of Normandie in northern France. It was sunset while I arrived and the island was bathed in a sea of a red light. When I got off the shuttle, the only means of accessing the island, it was dark all around, there were no people, and there were many stars shining in the night sky. I had never before seen stars so numerous or so near in my life. Even at night, the island was open, and I could see the monastery at the top of the island. It was late, and the neighborhood was quiet, with only red lights illuminating the streets and shops. The island I saw the next morning was completely different from the night before. There were a lot of tourists and all the shops were lively. The island during the day is also attractive, but I personally recommend a visit late at night.

France is a country where the characteristics of each region and city are so diverse and well preserved. Paris, where I live now, and the southern and northern regions all have very different atmospheres from one another. If you're visiting France, it's easy to explore the surrounding countries, but you will never regret visiting the many regions of France.

| Hyemin AN