On Fri., Nov. 13, Paris joined the long list of cities affected by acts of terrorism. Despite the attacks, the WHS France trip will continue as planned with a few changes to the itinerary.

Thirteen French language students are planning on going to France this April.

“I have been taking French for years now and have been looking forward to the France trip ever since freshman year,” junior Sharmila Mysore said. “Everyone who has gone before me always talked about how awesome and fun it was.”

French teacher Sara Langelier is excited to bring her students once again to France. According to Langelier, connecting with her students on a personal level is one of her favorite parts of the trip.

“I’m excited to watch my students become more confident in their French and to see them form friendships with their French host brothers and sisters,” Langelier said.

However, due to the attacks in Paris, the itinerary has been altered. Instead of going to Paris for three days at the end of the trip, the students will be spending time in southern France.

“We will not be able to go to Paris which is a pretty important part of the trip to France and honestly what everyone looks forward to the most,” Mysore said.

Students will now visit Aix-en-Provence instead of Paris. Langelier is excited that students will be immersed in a French culture in this town on the southern edge of France.

“Aix-en-Provence is a beautiful town, full of fountains. It’s a student town, very walkable and people are so welcoming,” Langelier said. “I think WHS students will have more of a chance to experience authentic France in Aix and to use their French.”

Langelier made the decision to cancel the stop to Paris with the assistance of the trip coordinator at Putney Student Travel.

“The original itinerary included three days in Paris at the end of the trip. After the attacks, the trip coordinator [at Putney Student Travel] and I decided it was more prudent to stay in the South for the entirety of the trip,” Langelier said.

Although the students will not stop in Paris, Mysore said she is still happy to go to France.

“We are all just grateful that we get to go to France in general, so it’s a good compromise,” Mysore said.

The attacks in Paris do not make students feel like their safety will be compromised during the trip.

“I think if it were really super risky the teachers would’ve canceled the whole trip,” senior Emily Pineault said.

According to Pineault and Langelier, their safety abroad in France is no less than their safety back home in the US.

“With any terrorist attack you’re always left worrying, but I don’t think I would feel any less safe in France than I do here,” Pineault said.

“Unfortunately, we are just as likely to be targeted in this country. Still, it’s important to keep perspective. We take a risk every day when we get behind the wheel of a car,” Langelier said.

Mysore said that it originally had been alarming to think of how in a few months they would be in a place that had been shaken by terrorist attacks.

“It was scary to think about the fact that we were going to be there in a couple months. It did scare me, but not enough to make me not want to go,” Mysore said. “I think the attacks don’t mar my view on Paris, and I still think it’s a very lively and culturally beautiful city.”