Bertha & Giselle Take Paris

One thing they agree on is their love of Paris, and they’re now in the planning stages for yet another visit to the City of Light. They are just a joy to be around, and I thought I’d spread some of their sunshine through this conversation:  

Lizzie: It seems to me that the two of you are squeezing in as much travel time as you possibly can!  

Bertha: Giselle and I are bonded for life. We are both 71 and we’re trying to go wherever we can while we can. Although we don’t do many high-activity programs anymore — I don’t want to overdo it, especially on uneven terrain — we now look for slower-paced learning adventures. I also prefer the programs where we stay in one hotel for the length of the experience. I don’t like having to repack.   

Lizzie: How did you discover Road Scholar?  

Bertha: Giselle and I were having a conversation about traveling, and she asked me if I had heard of Road Scholar. When I said I hadn’t, she told me about your website!  

Lizzie: And what was so attractive to you about Independent Paris that you chose to participate in the same program more than once?  

Bertha: We appreciated an independent type of educational adventure because we got to be with a group yet do what we wanted to on our own.  

Lizzie: Tell me about your adventures in Paris.  

Bertha: Our first time on Road Scholar’s Independent Paris was in 2022. Giselle was going with another friend of hers and asked me if I’d like to join them. When I mentioned it to another one of our friends, she wanted to sign up, too. So, the four of us went together! Road Scholar booked our flights out of the same airport, so we met up in Atlanta. And once we arrived in Paris, I fell in love with it.  

Giselle: That was the first time we went with Road Scholar, and we learned so much about Paris from our Group Leader, Elsa, who encouraged us to get out there and explore. It was like she kicked us out of the nest so that we could fly. And that’s what really gave us the confidence go back again. This type of program gave us the freedom of choosing our own pace, rather than having all of our time planned by someone else. It was the best of both worlds. So, as we prepared to go back on that program again two years later, we really made it a point to plan an agenda for our free time.   

Bertha: On my first Road Scholar adventure in Paris, I went straight to the Eiffel Tower. After years of seeing it in pictures, magazines and movies, it was indescribable to go up top. I was like a kid in a candy store. There was so much I had read about it and so many movies I had seen that came to life during that adventure. Montmartre was also beautiful. And another great memory I have is going to the Parisian markets.  

Giselle: On our most recent visit in 2024 with Road Scholar, one of my favorite memories was getting to go to a concert at Sainte-Chapelle. And I finally got a chance to see the Eiffel Tower from the Trocadéro. It’s an iconic scene that I remember seeing in a View-Master that my parents bought me when I was a child. I always remembered that image and hoped to track down the location where that photo was taken. So, finding the exact spot was special. And our Group Leader, Jo, really helped us out. She encouraged us and gave us the confidence to do all the things we wanted to do. She was so supportive and did everything she could to make sure that we were able to be independent and successful. I absolutely would do this program again and again.  

Bertha: That 2024 visit to Paris was to celebrate Giselle’s birthday!  

Lizzie: It sounds to me like you’ve become bona fide Parisians.  

Bertha: I feel comfortable walking around Paris now. Thanks to Road Scholar, we consider ourselves experts. Road Scholar taught us how to use the Paris Metro, some of the language, the local culture, all the dos and don’ts. Road Scholar is very educational, yet fun.  

Lizzie: What are you looking forward to next time?  

Bertha: We haven’t yet explored the nightlife in the city.   

Giselle: For our next experience in Paris, now that it’s open, seeing inside Notre Dame is at the top of our to-do list. We also want to visit Montmartre in the evening to see the city light up. Oh, and we also want to have dinner at the Eiffel Tower and watch the sunset from there. Paris always was and will always be my favorite city.  

Bertha: I appreciate the pace of the city. It’s not frantic, like New York City. Paris is relaxed. Even if the locals are on a mission, they aren’t rushing around. They’re not running all over the place, ducking and dodging each other on the streets.  

Lizzie: Why do you think the Road Scholar Independent Paris program is so popular, and what would you say to those who are considering it?  

Bertha: We’ve loved meeting the other group members — we’ve had no issues whatsoever with any of the group members on our programs. Everyone’s together, yet independent. We’d meet up for meals, sit and talk about what we did, get to know each other.  We’d share what we discovered that day and whether we liked it or not, and we’d share recommendations on things to do during our independent exploration time.  

Giselle: I enjoy spending time with Road Scholars who have been on many, many learning adventures. They have given me such insight for my future travels.  

Lizzie: Along with Paris, do you have any other learning adventures coming up?  

Bertha: We have two lined up for this year — Yoga for Wellness and Daily Living: The 8 Limbs of Yoga at Montreat in North Carolina. And New York City at a Slower Pace: The Best of the Big Apple because Giselle wants to visit Ellis Island.  

Lizzie: Any advice for those who are considering an educational adventure with Road Scholar for the first time?  

Bertha: Whenever I talk about my travel experiences with Road Scholar, my friends always ask me what it’s like. So, I’ve told them to find out for themselves, and I’ve filled out cards to have the catalog sent to them. And now they have become very much interested in Road Scholar as well. I tell them they can check out all the programs on their must-see list! And I remind them that they can even call Road Scholar with their questions. I’ve had some of the most cooperative and interesting people answer my questions over the phone.  

Giselle: With Road Scholar, expect that you will be well taken care of.  

Bertha: I really enjoy Road Scholar and I’m looking forward to many more learning adventures.  

Lizzie: I enjoyed our time together in Paris and it’s been wonderful catching up with you both again for this chat. Bonne journée!