A group of 25 students from The Wallace High School last week returned from a short, but jam-packed, educational tour to Paris.
The annual trip was a great success, offering the opportunity for the Clonevin Park students to hone their linguistic talents and experience some of the cultural delights of the French capital.
Their first full day in the city involved a guided coach trip of the city, climbing the Eiffel Tower and window shopping on the glamorous Champs Élysées. Year 11 Journalism student Anna McNeill commented that “There were many ‘instagrammable’ opportunities at this iconic landmark – I enjoyed developing my photography skills!” whilst Lauren Topping added “The shops on the Champs Élysées were amazing –especially Sephora!”
The evening was spent relaxing on a river cruise on La Seine. Laura Murray relished the experience noting “Our river cruise gave us a chance to see lots of the city and we had fun at our meal in the French restaurant, practising our language skills.”
Day two saw the pupils say “Bonjour” to the iconic Mona Lisa in Le Louvre before admiring the Gothic architecture of Notre Dame. Rebecca Peacock reflected,
“I was surprised at how tiny the painting actually was – but I’m very glad I had the chance to see it in real life. Notre Dame was stunning – the atmosphere in the church was so calm and peaceful.”
For many though, the highlight of the trip was the day spent in Disney and Katie Rocks summed up the feelings of many:
“From fountains to castles, Main Street to princesses, every moment of our day in Disney was memorable!”
The group’s final day in the city saw the Lisburn teenagers soaking up the colourful atmosphere of Montmartre and visiting the stunning Sacré Coeur, prior to a tour of the Stade de France.
Emma Parkes was impressed by the diverse architectural style of the capital:
“From quaint cobbled courtyards to breath-taking modern buildings, Paris is truly stunning. It was also fascinating to observe the fashion and style of the French people – they really do have a certain ‘je ne sais quoi!’
Year 11 student Sarah O’Hare added:
“It was an amazing start to our Easter holidays and we all had great fun, honing our language skills, learning about French culture and spending time with our friends. We would all like to thank Miss Ferguson, Mrs Cherry and Mr Calvert for giving up their time to make this experience so special. We are all keen to visit again, so it’s definitely a case of A Bientôt rather than Au Revoir!”
Tour organiser Miss Kerrie Ferguson concluded:
“As always, the Wallace students were fantastic ambassadors for their city on our Parisian adventure. I know that they made many lasting memories and I hope they continue to flourish in their linguistic studies.”
Last modified: April 19, 2018
