An amazing MFL and Art trip to see the sights and galleries of Paris...
After what seemed like months of hype and anticipation, the time had come to head to Paris. On Tuesday 19th of March, thirty pupils and four members of staff climbed aboard the Berry’s coach and headed for Dover. Our coach driver, Steve, was to be the life source of our trip with his excellent skills and in-depth knowledge of Paris. We couldn't have asked for a better companion to safely get us from destination to destination. The pupils were excited to board the ferry and take in the sea air, albeit briefly and in no time, we had docked at Calais and were heading south to the city of light. On arrival at our hotel, after we had settled in, we headed for the dining room. To our wonderful surprise, we were treated with the finest French cuisine which was an ongoing positive feature to the whole week.
Day One
The next morning, eager to get siteseeing, we headed to the Musée De l’Orangerie to see Monet’s water lilies. They were housed in the most incredible gallery on an oval shaped interior, designed by Monet himself. The decadent building also housed influential French artists from the post-impressionist and modernist era. Late morning we headed to the Musée D’Art Moderne, which was a sublime gallery, housing the most beautiful art overlooking the Seine. Pupils enjoyed some shopping in the afternoon and managed to work on speaking French in the cafés and shops.
To end the day, we visited the Centre Pompidou, which houses some of France’s most amazing contemporary art. The building overlooks the whole of Paris and has incredible views. Lastly that day, we headed to Notre Dame and took in the atmosphere of the place. It is still being renovated, but there were large groups of people outside enjoying this incredible building by the river. Each day we held a Photo of the Day theme and today’s theme was Pattern. It was always a highlight to receive the wonderful submissions. Well done to Coco for winning. In the evening, the pupils returned to their rooms to work on their French writing and add to their sketch books.
Day 2
We headed to the Arc De Triomphe and the crazy roundabout which Steve (our bus driver) made fun. It was a white-knuckle ride and not one that you would attempt in a car let alone a 50-seater coach! First stop was Le Louvre - home to Gericault’s Raft of the Medusa and the unsurpassable, Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Two hours was barely enough to touch the surface, but in here, there was something for everyone. The pupils seemed to love the experience of wandering around the old royal palace taking in everything from the classical to the modern.
For our last gallery of the day, we went to the Musée Rodin - it was incredible to learn his techniques and to watch videos of him in the garden and at work. The Kiss, The Thinker and The Gates of Hell were all highlights and amazing to see in the flesh. After an Alsace meal, in what seemed like an old forgotten dungeon in the centre of the city, we went for a cruise on the Seine and watched the Eiffel Tower light up. There was a great atmosphere on the boat, mainly provided by a visiting Irish group, who made the whole experience a memorable one. The incredible weather and skyline of the city will last long in the memory. Well done to Willoughby for winning the daily photography challenge.
Day 3
We headed to the old artist commune of Montmartre, the village on the hill that is famous for the Moulin Rouge. First stop was the Sacré Coeur, a beautiful basilica built at the end of the 19th Century that overlooks the city. It was a special place and a chance for pupils and staff to take a moment for themselves in this humbling building. We had a chance to shop for souvenirs, grab some lunch and then headed downtown to the Musée du Carnavalet - which is a museum of Paris. Here we learnt all about the French Revolution, the storming of the Bastille and the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. It houses some wonderful artefacts from bygone Parisian years, and it gave us a real flavour of Paris and how it has changed. Later that afternoon, we headed to Le Petit Palais - which is an unbelievable building that houses some breathtaking art. We took in some more academic art in the grandest of settings, a real highlight though was the Modernism exhibition which illuminated the role of Paris as the main centre of art in the early 20th century. On display were Picasso’s, Matisse’s and Modigliani’s plus all the futurist and Dada artists.
That night we went to Theatre Bo to a comedy evening - to learn how to be Parisian. It was an entertaining evening, and the pupils were left in no doubt that Parisians are a breed apart! Well done to Hannah for her winning photo. Once back in the hotel the pupils were keen to eat and then get to their rooms to work on their French and art.
Day 4
Versailles was an incredible experience. There was so much to see and so much opulence. There were many highlights to the morning, such as the King’s private chambers, the gardens and the hall of mirrors. A personal favourite though was the Hall of Battles. The pupils engaged wonderfully with the experience and have taken away some real personal highlights. In the afternoon, we went swimming at the Aquaboulevard, a vast pool which hosted 9 different slides, plus a variety of warm and cooler pools and even a Tarzan swing. Then, we went to the Heart of Paris for a bit of shopping. It was the perfect way to end the tour. Well done to Gwen for her winning photo of the day outside the Palace of Versailles.
Huge thanks must go to Madame Webb for her faultless planning and good humour throughout. She was incredible and made everyone feel that they were getting the best, authentic experience. The pupils were extremely well behaved and great company too. They made sure that their French benefitted and the artists filled their sketchbook with a plethora of inspiration. All in all, it was a highly successful and enjoyable trip. Merci Paris and au revoir!
Seamus Harkness - Head of Art
I really enjoyed the trip to Paris. It was the perfect balance of culture, sightseeing and free time, which allowed both the artists and linguists to develop their skills while having fun and exploring the city. Madame Webb spoke to us all in French as much as possible, and I found this, as well as ordering our own lunches in boulangeries every day, helped improve my confidence in speaking French and feeling immersed in the language. The highlight of the trip for me was the beautiful museum gardens and the bateaux-mouches boat trip to see the Eiffel Tower at night. Overall it was an amazing experience and I would love to go back! - Izzy - 4th Form Arion House
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