'Gate To France: Men's Basketball Travel Blog

8/6/2023 11:03:00 AM

The Colgate athletics communications team enjoyed the great opportunity to follow Colgate's 10-day journey through France. The Raiders came away with two wins overseas and more importantly bonded on and off the court. Each and every experience will last a long time, and many moments will be remembered forever. This trip will serve well for a team heading into the 2023-24 season as the three-time defending Patriot League champions. Until next time, go 'gate!

Sunday, Aug. 13 - Bordeaux

Our last day of the trip was a fun one. It began with breakfast in the hotel as usual. We then loaded the bus and headed to Arcachon, which is a beach town about an hour and 10 minutes from Bordeaux. We had the whole afternoon to explore Arcachon. Some of us sat and enjoyed the beach while others walked around. We all gathered to the bus and then headed to la Dune du Pilat, which are the tallest sand dunes in all of Europe. We hiked up the dunes then ran down them and raced back up. We ended the day with dinner at the hotel, wrapping up an awesome trip.

Saturday, Aug. 12 - Bordeaux

Wow. What a day! We kicked it off by visiting the gorgeous city of Saint Emilion where we were able to walk around town and see the historic sights. My favorite part was seeing the underground monuments and catacombs. I can’t believe they dug all of that out by just using rocks! The architecture truly was ahead of its time. We had a tasty lunch and headed over to Chateau Fleur de Lisse where we got a behind the scenes look of how the world famous French wine is made. At the end some of us got to taste the wine. Don’t tell coach! Haha. We then headed over to the gym and played a very competitive game against a talented and athletic French team and came out victorious. A great win to wrap up the trip led to a very good dinner. Overall it was an amazing day.

-Alex Capitano #34

Friday, Aug. 11 - Rennes

Today was our last day in Rennes. We woke up and enjoyed the complimentary breakfast at the hotel before taking a bus ride to Nantes, which is known for its trendy artwork displayed throughout the city. We enjoyed a tour of the town, including the remarkable Cathédrale Saint-Pierre, which took 500 years to build. After some free time in the city and a delicious lunch of ribs and french fries, we were back on the bus. Following a quick rest stop at a roadside Burger King, we arrived in Bordeaux. After a quick recharge in the hotel, we went out for a team dinner consisting of pizza and pasta. There was no better way to conclude the day than some gelato on the way back to the hotel before getting rest for the day tomorrow.

-Kyle Carlesimo #13

Thursday, Aug. 10 - Rennes

Our last day in Rennes was an impactful one. In the morning we drove to Mont Saint-Michel, one of the most famous sights in France. On a guided tour of the 1000-year monastery we learned about the location's history, its importance through the course of French history and the many different architectural styles used while building the monastery. Just below Mont Saint-Michel there is a small town which we had the opportunity to explore. We stopped for a quick lunch in a town right by the monastery before heading north to Normandy, to visit the landing beaches of D-Day. The team was able to have a guided tour through the American cemetery at Normandy, paying respects to all those who made the ultimate sacrifice. A stop at the museum located in the visitors center allowed everyone to learn more about the history of the landings and the personal stories of those who survived. After leaving Normandy, we headed back to Rennes. We look forward to the city of Nantes and arriving in Bordeaux tomorrow!

-Jeff Woodward #55

Wednesday, Aug. 9 - Rennes

Today was an eventful day! We left Paris and headed toward historic Rennes. After a three-hour train ride we arrived in Rennes. We unloaded our things at our hotel, then went to lunch at La Paix. After that we began our tour around Rennes and explored the history of the city. The main attraction was the cathedral, Saint Pierre de Rennes. The architecture of central Rennes was amazing. After the tour we had free time on our own to explore more of the city and take in its scenic features. Day 4 was a success! Tomorrow we look forward to exploring Mount St-Michel and remembering those who lost their lives in the D-Day invasion by visiting the American Cemetery at Normandy.

-Chandler Baker #10

Tuesday, Aug. 8 - Paris

Our third and last day in Paris was amazing! We started the morning with a delicious breakfast at our hotel, where they have a buffet each morning. After this we took a bus over to the Palace of Versailles which was about a 45-minute ride. We began our tour throughout the King's side of the palace. Interesting enough, the King and Queen have separate apartments on opposite sides of each other. While walking room to room, eventually making our ways to the Queen's side, we followed and listened to our enthusiastic tour guide through headphones. After about an hour and a half in the palace, we went outside and explored the scenic gardens. Following all of this, we walked to lunch where we had duck as the main entree. This pregame meal prepared us well for our game a few hours later. After getting the win we headed to dinner at Le Petit Chatelet. Now we’ll head back to the hotel and get some rest before we head to Rennes tomorrow morning.

-Brady Cummins #1

Monday, Aug. 7 - Paris

A great second day in Paris has come to an end. We started the day by having breakfast at the hotel. Following breakfast we headed to Point Neuf, in the heart of Paris. We then enjoyed some time to walk around the city and check out some local shops and food. After sightseeing we had team lunch and then headed to the arena. We were challenged by a tough, hard working, professional team. Following the game we headed to the Seine River for our dinner and boat cruise. The cruise was a great experience with amazing food. On the way back to the dock we got to see the light show that occurs on the Eiffel Tower as we were standing on top of the boat. Day 2 was a success! The team can’t wait for more great experiences and another opportunity to compete tomorrow.

-Keegan Records #14

Sunday, Aug. 6 - Paris

What a great start to the trip! After landing at the Paris Airport a little before 8 a.m, we arrived at our hotel at 10 a.m. and started the day with breakfast in the outdoor courtyard. After breakfast we took a guided bus tour of Paris. This lasted for about two hours, as we drove all around the city exploring sites such as the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. After the bus tour we went out to our first restaurant of the trip and had lunch. The last activity of the day will definitely be one of my favorite memories of the entire trip – getting a tour of the Eiffel Tower. We went to the second floor of the tower, and overlooked the entire city of Paris. This was an incredible experience to be able to see such a famous landmark and receive a tour of it. I'm excited to get some rest and I can't wait to see what tomorrow has in store!

-Ryan Moffatt #4

Be sure to follow the Raiders throughout France by visiting @ColgateMBB on Instagram and Twitter.