4 juillet

Just as the French helped the breakaway colonies during the American Revolution, our French friends wanted to help us celebrate our Independence Day.  Marie-Elisabeth, Agnes, Anne-Sophie, and Amelie took us to Puy de Pariou for a picnic.  Yes, another volcano, but this one has a crater that is not filled with water, which makes it a perfect picnic site.  So after hiking up the volcano, we climbed down into the crater.

Upper edge of the crater of Puy de Pariou, with Puy de Dome in the background

 

Our picnic in the crater in one of the lava rock circles

Because the lava rocks are light and easily moved, hikers often move them to make words or designs.  David suggested that we move the rocks to spell the names of our schools, but since it was almost lunchtime, we decided to just use the initials.  Université d'Auvergne and Florida Coastal School of Law - our schools rock!!

Our French hosts had prepared an amazing picnic spread for us, which provided nourishment after our hiking and rock-moving. After we returned to Clermont-Ferrand, David made ice cream sodas for all of us - a great refreshing American treat for the 4th of July.

The French students (our "SuperBrigade" hosts who have helped our students navigate Clermont-Ferrand and had a lot of fun) also invited us to celebrate the Fourth of July with them, so I was able to join them after the hike...at an Australian pub.  Close enough!

So no fireworks* or parades, just a great day spent with good friends - which is all you really need for a celebration!


*We did have fireworks of a sort ... Amelie had recorded some from another town earlier in the week, and replayed them for me on her phone so I could see them!