2026 BCH in Lyon

Today was a really interesting day.  We had classes with our French exchange students from 8-12, and I think I can speak for everyone when I say it was a very unique experience. My first class was Spanish, where we spent our time watching Encanto.  Then I had biology, where we dissected rocks and learned about erosion. Finally, it was English class, where the French students who had went to Spain shared a vlog that they made in English.  Once back with the group in the afternoon, we did a tour on the river Saône. We hopped on a boat and saw Lyon from the river. We learned a lot about the history of Lyon and its culture. Then, we spent some time at the Confluence, a new neighborhood that had been fully constructed on former swamp land. It was very modern while also having immense greenery. 

Today we explored a little bit of the outside of Lyon, and had many great experiences. We went to the small town of Pérouges. It is a restored medieval town, with a very interesting history. We learned all about the wars it was in with France, and an interesting story about how after the French tried to take over, they broke down the doors, only to be met with a wall that led to their defeat. During the tour, we ate some of their Galette traditionelle, which is made from pizza dough, sugar, butter, and orange zest. After the tour, we sat down at a green area in the town center. After lunch, we had some time to explore, shop, and do other things. After exploring Pérouges, we headed off towards the caves. Even before entering, the cave entrance was huge and ominous. Inside it was cool, which was a nice change from the 90 degree heat. For the cave, we also had a guided tour, and he explained about how the cave was formed, explored, and the animals in the cave. The cave was huge, and had p...

Today was our first day attending class with our students at Lycée Saint-Marc. Jules (my exchange student) didn’t have a class for first period so we got to arrive a little bit later, which was very nice after a long day like yesterday. We started with science for our first class of the day, and I was able to meet some of his classmates and one of his teachers.  At 9:30 we left for one of the most popular markets in France —  Les Halles de Lyon — where we were able to taste some sausage and cheese which was very tasty. After the tasting we were able to spend some time exploring the market and buying the many things that were available. I bought some mustard and salt for my parents when I return. Afterwards we met back up with our students to have lunch before leaving as a group for a bit of laser tag. We played two games of Americans versus the French where the French won the first game but the Americans won the second game. Everyone had a great time despite the crazy heat an...

With my alarm ringing in my ears and the sunshine already beating down on my face, I woke up and got out of bed at 6:00 in the morning despite my reluctance to do so. Afterwards, I prepared for a long and tiring day. Even though May 22nd was our last day of school at BCHigh, today, May 26th, 2026, marked our first day of “school” at Lycée Saint-Marc. So, after having fixed my backpack, my host student and I headed out the door and started walking to the métro station. Thankfully, it hadn’t become too hot yet, so the walk was not as horrible, yet it still took some time until we eventually arrived at the Sans Souci subway station. After having stood in the métro for a while, we eventually arrived at Bellecour station, the closest one to the Lycée. My host student and I ran into another pair of exchange students, so the four of us walked to school together. Upon arrival, a staff member at the Lycée asked the two host students to fill out a form for the two of us who were not students a...

Today was the first day that the jet lag was almost entirely gone. It was nice to be on one time zone again. I went for a run in the morning to see the city and a park that was nearby called Parc de la Murière. After we went to a French supermarket called Auchan, it was not what I expected but it was still very cool. We got some things for the BBQ that we went to next. The BBQ was fun but very different from American BBQ, specifically concerning the food.  After the BBQ, most of the people went bowling but those who lived farther away (Paul and DJ, Jean and Inigo, Arthur and I) went swimming. After a long day, it was good to rest for a while and play some video games. At dinner, it was hard to catch all of the French my host family was speaking, but I can definitely feel myself being able to understand and speak more than before. For dessert we had one of the most famous Lyonnais desserts there is  —  Brioche à la Praline. I think we are all excited to see the school and ...

Today was our first full day in Lyon. I woke up at 8:30 am and ate breakfast with my host family shortly afterward. In the morning, my host family took me to Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon) — the oldest part of Lyon. There are many shops for food and shopping there, sitting right next to the Saône River. Eventually, we made our way to Hôtel de Ville de Lyon — Lyon’s city hall. The building is just to the North-East of Vieux Lyon. Then, we crossed the Saône River to find a place to eat. We found a restaurant that serves traditional French food. I tried some Gratin de Ravioles and escargots (snails). Snails are considered to be a traditional French dish. After lunch, we went back home and relaxed in the pool. A few other classmates and their exchange students joined us. A few hours later, we had dinner, which consisted of pasta bolognese along with some cheese. After dinner, I became tired, marking the end of the first full day in Lyon.

Our first official day in Lyon was today, the 23rd of May! We got off the plane at around 2:30pm and after collecting our bags, we went out to meet our host families. I met Jean and his dad, and we drove back to their house in Sainte-Foy for about 30 minutes. After giving me some time to rest and unpack, Jean invited me out to explore Sainte-Foy and meet some of his friends. Outside the house we met two of his friends, Thomas and Jermaine. We walked around and  talked for a long time, stopping by the supermarket to grab drinks on the way to the park. At the park, we talked a little more and they asked me about what living in Boston was like. I  was surprised at how much I was able to understand! Afterwards, we returned to the house and Jean’s mom invited me for an apéro. An apéro is  where we have light drinks and small appetizers to share before eating dinner. They asked me a  lot of questions about BC High, living in the States, and my family. It was...