MFL: bringing language to life

Disneyland Paris the next day was hugely popular. Despite being extremely chilly, we enjoyed exploring and finished the day watching the evening parade, which was a real highlight. The special effects and music were outstanding.

The following morning was spent at the Palace of Versailles, learning about the former royal residence built by King Louis XIV. The palace is beautiful, and the tour was really brought to life by the audio-guided tour. We were also able to wander around the immaculate gardens surrounding the palace.

Saturday was FlyView day, where we took part in the virtual reality experience which simulated a flight above the Eiffel Tower and other Paris monuments.

After an early morning start, our group of linguists arrived in Paris where we swiftly set our sights on the Christmas market next to the Louvre. Students had a fabulous time wandering around the stalls, drinking hot spiced apple juice and trying out some of the rides. The view from the top of the ferris wheel – la grande roue – was unbeatable!

In a race to catch the sunset, we made our way up the (many) steps to Montmartre just in time to see the fantastic views over the city. The Sacré Coeur was beautifully lit up, and we spent the evening wandering around the area and doing some souvenir shopping.

Our last day began with a trip to the top of Tour Montparnasse, a 210-metre skyscraper offering unbeatable views of the city, followed by a boat trip on the Seine. As luck would have it, our final day coincided with the World Cup Final in which France were playing and we enjoyed watching the game back at the hotel.

It was a thoroughly successful trip and was made all the more so for the confidence with which students practised their language skills.

Miss A Maclean I MFL