吃瓜现场

Over Half Term, a group of French students travelled to Paris to finish off their French exchange. Three of the students wrote about their experience.

Writes Avi A. (4ths)

The recent French Exchange was a cool and fun way to improve my French listening and speaking skills, and it helped build up my vocabulary for normal daily conversations. Exploring the busy streets of Paris with my exchange partner made me realise the city is so much more interesting and beautiful than what you see as a regular tourist. I got a glimpse into their everyday life, hung out in some of the city’s great local cafes, and even went to a real French school lesson, which was an awesome experience and completely different to our usual classes back home at 吃瓜现场’.

Our school group also went out into the nice area of Montmartre to see the amazing Basilica, where I decided to use the new words I had picked up over the last few days to order myself an almond chocolate pain au chocolate and a good, authentic French cr锚pe with ice cream. By the end of the week, my exchange partner took me to visit places most tourists totally miss, like the Bourdelle Museum, and I could tell I was feeling way more confident and speaking much more clearly than when I first arrived. Overall, the French exchange was great because it helped me learn a lot and improved my fluency, but it also just felt like having a fun holiday at the same time.

Writes Alexander BT. (4ths)

On 22nd May, nineteen members of the Fourths and Divisions travelled to Paris on the Eurostar for the second leg of the French exchange with the 脡cole Alsacienne. The first leg was exceptionally successful, and we were looking forward to the upcoming week of activities and excursions.

The trip started off with a bank holiday weekend with our exchange partner and their family. We were incredibly lucky to have such unusually good weather. On Tuesday we experienced lessons in school with our exchange partner and in the afternoon, we had an excursion to Montmartre, where we climbed to the top of Sacr茅 Coeur, the Basilica at the top of the hill. We went on a 鈥淏ateaux Mouches,鈥� a boat trip down the River Seine where we saw all the major attractions including the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame on Wednesday.

Finally, on Thursday, after a morning of lessons, we climbed to the top of the Arc de Triomphe and visited the museum within it. Before heading back to school, we did some shopping on the Champs-脡lys茅es. On Friday, we said goodbye to our exchange partners and travelled back to London.

Writes Rohan N. (Divs)

Our French exchange began with an early Eurostar journey into Paris, arriving at the elegant 脡cole Alsacienne, where I was warmly welcomed by my exchange partner before meeting my host family and sharing a home-cooked meal which immediately introduced me to Parisian family life.

The first days were spent settling in and exploring the city, including the Marais, a district of winding streets, independent fashion stores, and hidden courtyards. With my exchange partner Colombe and friends, the experience unfolded at a relaxed pace, finishing with an evening walk along the Seine as the city lights reflected across the water.

A highlight was a visit to Parc Ast茅rix, full of adrenaline, fast rides, and water attractions that left us completely soaked but laughing throughout. Another day brought a change of pace with a visit to an Alexander Calder exhibition, whose 鈥渕obiles鈥� appeared to float effortlessly blending movement, balance and abstract design.

School life at 脡cole Alsacienne was initially challenging due to the language barrier, but it soon became rewarding as understanding grew and similarities with schooling back home became clear. Excursions to Montmartre, a Seine cruise past iconic landmarks like Notre-Dame and the Eiffel Tower, and a picnic at Jardin du Luxembourg followed by a final visit to the Arc de Triomphe, along with external visits with the family to the fascinating medieval Mus茅e de Cluny and Le Bon March茅, completed the week.

Throughout the stay, my host family was incredibly warm, welcoming, and hospitable, making the experience feel like a true home away from home. The trip ended with a memorable Eurostar journey back, full of cultural discovery and lasting memories.