Nous souhaitons un bon voyage à nos élèves français et nous espérons que leur expérience sera riche de rencontres et de découvertes!

Les élèves norvégiennes ont rédigé l'article suivant, dans lequel elles racontent leur séjour en France.

Bonne lecture!

We, seven Norwegian girls, visited Lycée Marlioz for 4 weeks as part of an exchange program between Norway and France. In this article, we want to share our experiences and what we learned here while we were staying with our host families. 

I felt welcome in the family from the first moment. I was greeted with smiles and hugs, and a bedroom that was ready for me. I realized early that I had ended up with a lovely family, and a large and cozy house. The dinners consisted of good food and discussions, usually in French. I am very grateful that the family speaks mostly French, but also pays attention to me, and explains afterwards in English or speaks very slowly so that I can catch up a little. My family has taken me on many great experiences. Among other things, we have been on a mountain trip and seen glaciers and taken a day trip to Geneva in Switzerland. Words cannot describe how grateful I am for all the experiences and love this family has given me, they will be one of the things I miss the most.

The food here in France is quite different from the food in Norway. Our families tried to make as many traditional dishes as possible so that we could get to know the French food culture. Compared to food back home in Norway, French people use more cheese and wine when making food.  For those of us that like cheese, the fondue au fromage was a favorite. The others really enjoyed the French crêpes. Pastries such as croissants and éclair are possible to buy in Norway, but they do not taste nearly as good as those we have tried here in France. We have also noticed that your relationship with food is different from back home. Dinners here in France is more a time to spend quality time with your family and make good conversation, in comparison with Norway where you might not even eat dinner together with the rest of the family in the weekdays. We see French food as a big part of the French culture, and we are very thankful that we got to experience it.

On our visit in Aix-les-Bains we have seen that the city has a lot of beautiful and unique places to visit. The big turquoise lake has been a huge favorite for many of us, where we have spent afternoons swimming in the warm water, or at least we find it warm. Surrounding the lake, you have so many spectacular mountains which are perfect for a hike, where you get a perfect view both over the city and the lake. A short train ride or drive away from the city we also have known cities like Annecy, Chambéry, Lyon and Grenoble.

We visited lovely bakeries with delicious pastries and unique vintage stores which we all really loved. We are truly grateful for all the beautiful memories that our host families and this town has given us, and we will take it all with us further on in life.

Norwegian school and French school are different in their own way. One of our favorite things in the school was the long and social lunchbreaks in the canteen, which served us a good lunch every day. We were also able to try some new subjects that we enjoyed a lot, I was able to have art classes which I loved, and I made new friends in the class. I got to join a project where the whole class had to make sculptures and it was educational and fun, especially because I don't take any art classes home in Norway. I gained a lot of interesting newknowledge from different courses I had here in Lycée Marlioz. Learning new things here in different courses is a journey of discovery. Each course was like a door to a new experience, offering the chance to acquire fresh knowledge, skills, and perspectives. So, for this I am very grateful for. 

The weather in Aix-les-Bains, located in the beautiful Savoie region of France, was amazing during my stay. With its stunning location along the shores of Lake Bourget and surrounded by the Alps. Autumn here is a true delight, characterized by warm, sunny days and comfortably cool evenings. The gentle breezes from Lake Bourget create a refreshing atmosphere, making it the perfect time to explore the town's charming streets, go swimming, or relax on the lakeside promenade. In Aix-les-Bains, good weather is not just a seasonal occurrence; it's a way of life, allowing residents and visitors like me, to experience the natural beauty this charming French town has to offer throughout my stay.

Right from the first day, when we got a lovely breakfast and a tour of the school, Lycée Marlioz was always friendly and welcoming towards us. They helped us with our timetables and with internet connection, which we needed for our Norwegian homework and therefore are very thankful for. The French lessons were hard to understand at first, but our correspondents and classmates were always there to help us. The teachers were also nice to us and sometimes even made extra tasks just for us. We are happy that Lycée Marlioz made it possible for us to come to France, as it has been a really exciting and educational experience. 

Line, Inger, Lina, Live, Eira, Ane Elfrida, Dina