A Perfect Ending in Paris!
July 1, 2025
The last two days have been an AMAZING end to an AMAZING trip and we can’t believe it’s over! We have had the best time exploring Europe with these students and we’re already missing them.
After finishing our Tour du Mont Blanc hike, we had a relaxing travel day to Paris. Once we got into the city we checked into our new home (the Oops! hostel) and started to get to know the city. We walked to a nearby mall for some shopping then finished our short day with a delicious pizza and pasta dinner right next door to our hostel. McCall kept us laughing all dinner! And we can’t end a night without our favorite thing-gelato! After we finished our ice cream we returned to the Oops! for a Moonup and a good night’s sleep before our big day.
Our day in Paris was nothing short of magical. We started by having crepes for breakfast and grabbed coffee to jumpstart our morning. Everyone tried something different, and Lauren won the unofficial ordering competition with a strawberry Nutella crepe. We wandered our way around the city to the Notre Dame, our first sightseeing stop of the day. Glenn wowed us with a Latin translation at the site! We followed the river towards our next destination: the Louvre! A tradition of ours over the past three weeks has been to take a pyramid picture each night, and Lulu made sure we not forget to get a pyramid picture in front of an actual pyramid at the Louvre.
Our next stop was a sneaky favorite: the fair. We rode the high swings and got the best view of Paris-we could see the entire Eiffel Tower! Daredevil Mae Mae was excited to check out the other roller coasters, but we ended up deciding to keep walking towards another stop on our list. And Luke S. used his sharp shooting to win a prize. After lunch we did some shopping as we made our way towards our guiding light that was the Eiffel Tower.
Seeing the Eiffel Tower up close was something we have been imagining all trip and it absolutely blew our expectations out of the water. We sat in a park and looked at it as we reflected on our favorite moments of the trip and our thoughts on Paris. Max showed off his new sunglasses, Luke H. explored the park and shopped for souvenirs, Charlotte led the charge for capturing the moment with her digital camera, and Alden practiced his French skills one last time.
We returned to our hostel for a final banquet dinner, which was filled with laughter and smiles as we recalled all the memories we have made together. Once again, we celebrated with ice cream and returned for our final Moonup. Taite and Luke S. were our LODs and created a perfect Moonup to end a wonderful trip.
We also wanted to share some gratitude from the group for such an amazing experience!
McCall – Hiii to the best parents ever!!!! This was AWESOME!!!! Thank yall so much for letting me experience this trip!!!!
Mae Mae -hey mom and dad thank yall so much for sending me on this trip! I had the best time and can’t wait to tell yall all about it💗💗
Lulu – Thank you so much for sending me on this trip! I’ve loved everybody I’ve met, I love you and see you soon!
Lauren -Hey mom and dad thank yall so much for letting me come on this trip! I have had the best 3 weeks EVER. Can’t wait to see yall today!
Taite – madre and padre thank you SO SO much for this amazing opportunity. It was the coolest experience and I am forever grateful. Love you guys can’t wait to tell you all about itttttt!!!!!
Charlotte – Thank you Mom and Dad for sending me on this trip! I had the best time and made so many best friends all thanks to you! I love you and see you soon!
Alden – Thanks Mom and Dad for giving me the opportunity to do this trip! I’ll see you soon!
Max – Thanks Mom for sending me on this trip I really appreciate it!
Luke S. – Thank you so much for sending me on this trip! I had the best time and made a bunch of new friends all because of you guys. See you soon!
Luke H. – I love you Mom! I miss you and I’ll see you soon!
Glenn – Thanks Mom you’re the best!
We have had such a terrific time leading these students over the last three weeks. They have been kind, funny, dedicated, and wonderful friends to us and to each other. We are sad to see them leave France, but so excited for them to tell you all about it.
Au Revoir!
Sinclair and Jake
Bonjour from Paris!
June 30, 2025
We just finished up our final trek of the trip. As we circumnavigated Mont Blanc (the tallest peak in Europe) we were constantly in awe of the snow-capped mountains that reached towards the heavens.
After our travel day from Spain to the alps, we had a quick rest in Chamonix. The next morning, we took a shuttle through the mountains and started our trek in Italy! Happy to be back on our feet again, we skipped up the first hill to a mountainside cafe where we enjoyed rich Italian espresso and fluffy croissants. Yum! With a pep in our step we made our way to the mountain pass and back into Switzerland. At lunch, Charlotte kept the energy up by singing and dancing along to the best of Taylor Swift. From the top, we spotted the town we would spend the night in. On our way down, we found some real swiss cheese. The rest of the hike took us slowly down the mountain into a town called La Fouly. When we arrived, Lulu and Alden accompanied us on a grocery run for the next day. They had the brilliant idea to order fresh baguettes for meat and Swiss cheese sandwiches. Good eats! Everyone took time to check out the town and enjoy walking without our packs on. After a filling dinner and a sweet Moonup we spent some more time singing songs on the lawn and playing games. Max even found some legos to build.
The next morning we got on our way, but before long came across a playground. You are never too old to play on a playground. Alden scaled the rock wall and Luke H. hit high speeds on the zip line. We continued on our merry way with Max and Glenn singing songs to soundtrack our journey. Their repertoire included everything from musicals to the back street boys. The rest of the hike followed a beautiful blue river. The hike ended with a quick ascent to a big beautiful alpine lake in Champax Lac. McCall and Charlotte were the first in the lake and Luke S. used his duck calls to nearly wrangle a wild French mallard.
Our third day on the trail was a rainy one, but we didn’t let that get us down. We laughed and sang on the trail in our raincoats and colorful pack covers all the way to our hostel that night. Lauren kept us talking throughout the trek with questions, her pop culture knowledge, and brainstorming some superlatives for the group. Our guide, Christophe, surprised us with matching Tour du Mont Blanc shirts, so of course we all wore them and matched together! When we reached our lunch spot we were wowed with another amazing view and a group of cows to eat beside. We ended our lunch with delicious apple and peach pies then continued onto Trient, our next town.
Day 4! With our last full day ahead of us we were excited to get going. Before starting the trek we hit a good stretch and danced to some music to warm up. We then powered our way straight up the mountain. The night before we reflected on how our attitude and conversation can dramatically change trekking. These insights were taken to heart as we climbed up the mountain, making the climb seem less daunting. Upon reaching the top, we were granted a breathtaking view of Mont Blanc. We ate a big lunch, enjoyed some music, and recharged at the most scenic afternoon nap spot. After a healthy siesta we descended through the valley. The town of Chamonix, like a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, sat at the end of the valley. This was enough to motivate us down the hill to the hostel for the night. Unique in flavor- this hostel was a small wooden structure set into the ground. It was surrounded by colorful flowers and rolling green hills with farm animals. We played cards, read books, and played music to the sound of French conversation and a bubbling stream. We stayed too long at the dinner table, enjoying a recap of all the good memories and a game of French trivia (translated by our guide, Christophe). Off to bed before our last push to the finish!
Our last (half) day of hiking was exciting, but bittersweet. We were so amped to finish out our Tour du Mont Blanc section, but a little bit sad that this means the trip is almost over. We had a nice hike straight into Chamonix, where we ended our final trek together. As we crossed into Chamonix, we ran right into the finish line of another marathon. After seeing these marathoners, Mae Mae and Taite decided that they want to come back and run this marathon when they’re older. With much to celebrate, we hit the town and explored. We started our celebration with burgers from Poco Loco, a fan favorite. As we chowed down on our delicious lunch Christophe presented us with certificates marking our completion of the trek-we are so proud of each and every one of these students! We washed down our burgers with some delicious gelato then walked around Chamonix and shopped, rested, and relished in the feeling of walking without a backpack on.
With both of our trekking sections and our sea kayaking finished there’s only one thing left on our bucket list. Next stop-Paris!
Sinclair + Jake
Hola from L'Escala!
June 23, 2025
Our last four days have felt like a much-deserved relaxing beach vacation after our challenging trek. We arrived in Costa Brava excited to swim, catch some rays, and sea kayak around the coast!
We spent our first day in L’Escala with a total beach day. We picked up some beach games, swam in the clearest water we’ve ever seen, and played on the beach together all day.
After our relaxing day on the beach, we were ready for our first day of sea kayaking. Charlotte felt right at home in the water, always the first to jump in. We met our guides at the beach and kayaked along the coast and into caves on the way to our lunch spot. McCall got there first and welcomed the rest of the group to our private beach. At lunch, we snorkeled and swam before heading back in our kayaks for another afternoon of hanging out with each other at the campsite.
By the second day of kayaking all the students were pros! Max and Luke H. even tried rolling their kayaks in the water. We kayaked through what Lauren called an ocean obstacle course to another amazing lunch spot where we soaked up the sun and snorkeled some more. Mae Mae even saw a starfish!
Following our amazing day of sea kayaking we got to take a cooking class at a local restaurant. Taite and Alden made salmon tartare, Lulu made some delicious homemade pesto, Glenn worked on the traditional tomato bread, and Luke H. helped with seafood risotto for dinner. It was delicious!
One of our favorite things to do together over the past three days has been cooking dinner. Our resident chefs Luke S. and Max have cooked up some amazing meals for us-smash burgers, tacos, and more!
Though we’re sad to leave the beach, we can’t wait to be back trekking together on the Tour du Mont Blanc. Time is flying, and we’re having a blast!
Sinclair and Jake
Bonjour!
June 19, 2025
We have had a wild, crazy, and (most importantly) really fun ride this past week and can’t wait to tell you all about it. Our first day began early with our group meeting up in the Paris airport in the early morning. The energy was high as our group came together and became fast friends. We traveled to Luz together for our first night as a group, and by the end of the day we had literally taken planes, trains, and automobiles to get there! It didn’t take long for Luz to feel like home for us-the small town streets and beautiful landscape amazed us the second we stepped into it. Alden helped cross the language barrier between us and our waitress at dinner, we are amazed at his ability to speak fluent French! The next day we explored Luz and got to know each other better before our big trek. We played soccer, shopped around town, and even went to a castle for Moonup! Lauren impressed us with her thoughtful questions at Moonup as one of our first Leaders of the Day.
The next morning we started our first trek of the trip in the Pyrenees! We jumped right in with an uphill climb and all of the students crushed it. From the beginning until the end of our trekking portion Luke H. fearlessly led the group, never backing down from a challenge. We finished the hike at our first hostel and celebrated our first day with a delicious family-style meal, complete with dessert of course!
Day two of our trek was a special challenge but (as usual) everyone absolutely conquered it. We hiked uphill through the woods for what felt like forever, and at the top the trees opened up and unveiled one of the most beautiful views we had ever seen. We stopped there for lunch, taking in the magic of the mountains and talking about how thankful we were to experience something amazing as this. Before hiking again McCall showed us her new cartwheel skills, which inspired many of the others to join in. Our hostel had the steepest climb but one of the most astounding views; not only could we see mountains surrounding the hostel on all sides, but we could also see cows, sheep, donkeys, and horses!
We quickly became acquainted with the routine of waking up, packing up, and moving to a new accommodation every day. Each stop had something new for us to experience, and we had some fun conversations comparing the differences between each day, hike, and hostel. Our trek to Gavarnie started with a short hike to an outrageous waterfall and ended with delicious (and well-deserved) ice cream next to a gorgeous stream. Our trek out of Gavarnie brought us over the border into Spain where Taite wowed us with her Spanish fluency. The next day we trekked up again to another remote refugio with a panoramic view, making all of the hard work to get there totally worth it and more. During our breaks on the hike we have enjoyed snacks and sandwiches packed for us by our accommodations, but most of all we’ve enjoyed the game that Luke S found and packed for our trek. After another big challenge day we had a long, meandering hike down to a small town called Torla. Charlotte led the pack all thirteen miles of the way there! Max kept everyone motivated with his positive attitude and witty jokes. We once again rewarded ourselves with some ice cream and explored the town before a late dinner. Our LOD Lulu led us to the town playground for Moonup. The setting ironically juxtaposed her searching question about the uncertainties of growing up.
Our last day in the Pyrenees was our most challenging day yet but one of the most fun. Glenn’s relentless optimism seemed to level the steep slope we faced, and Mae Mae’s encouraging words helped get everyone to the top. We had lunch by a lake, swam a little, and laughed a lot. We celebrated each other, the obstacles we overcame, and the relationships we’ve built over the past week together before heading back home (and by home, we mean Luz). We leave for L’Escala tomorrow for our “beach vacation” as we’ve been calling it, and we could not be more excited!
– Jake + Sinclair
PARENT SHOUTOUTS
Hey guys this trip is so much fun but also very difficult. Love yall and will see you soon -Lulu
Hey besties!! This is the coolest but definitely most challenging thing I’ve ever done. The views are unreal and the group is really close. Shoutout to all my favs- Miss yall and love yall!! -Xoxo McCall
Hi! This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done but I’m so glad I’m doing it. I’m so grateful to be here and have made 12 new best friends. I miss yall and love yall but never want to leave!! Love, Lauren
Hey everyone, I’m having the best time here and have met amazing people! The trekking in the Pyrenees was hard but so worth it, and sims we had the same guide as you and he remembered you. Love yall!💕🦩 – Mae Mae
Waddup fam, having an awesome time here and I’m so grateful to be here. The trekking is very hard but very rewarding in the end. Miss yall and love you guys so much. -Luke
Hey mom and dad missing yall. Say hi to Bayyle and Ruby for me, tell Lyla I miss her as well. Same w max, c ya soon luv yall. -Luke
Hi mom and dad hope your doing well I’ve been having a great time and we’re one our way to Spain. Gigi I hope you’re having a great time at work. See you in a bit – Alden
Hi mom and dad I’m having a great time and loving the outdoors, tell Rachel, Ivan, George, and coco that I miss them, and hope that they are having a good summer. Love you guys. -Max
Hi family I’m having a great time thank you mom , love you -Glenn
Hi mom and dad! I’m having the bestest time ever and I love everyone so much. I literally have 12 new best friends and I couldn’t be happier! The trekking is really hard tho but super rewarding! Say hi to pepper for me and I hope AW had a great time at big wild!! Thanks and love yall! – Charlotte
Hi madre, padre, and Fraser (have SO much fun on Moondance, I think you leave tomorrow??) I miss you all very much but am having so much fun and rlly enjoying the break from reality and school esp (: the trekking is quite tricky…. But so worth it and it is also so beautiful here- can’t wait to show you all pictures!! Say hi to feather, Nellie, and popcorn for me I love you all and can’t wait to be reunited 💗💗 – Taite
Safe Arrival in Paris!
June 10, 2025
Hello Chamonix Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely in Paris! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from their adventure as they prepare to begin their trekking section!
Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next week! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
