During the Easter holidays, a group of 34 Fourth Year linguists travelled to Paris for the return leg of their exchange, having hosted their French partner earlier in the spring term. The week offered invaluable language practice and the opportunity for the pupils to immerse themselves in the culture of the vibrant city.
Hampton’s French department has been running the French Exchange trip, partnering with Collège et Lycée Notre Dame de Sion near the Jardin du Luxembourg since 2009, and this year saw a record number of Hamptonians take part in the trip.
For the first weekend, Hamptonians were reunited with their exchange partners, and were treated to a range of activities with their host families. From trips out to Versailles, Notre Dame and the Louvre, to visiting restaurants in the Eiffel Tower and stadium tours of Stade de France and Parc des Princes, it was a fantastic opportunity for linguists to explore the vibrant city while honing their language skills.
For the rest of the week, pupils enjoyed various guided tours around iconic areas of Paris including le Marais and Montmartre, as well as an exciting day out at Disneyland. All the Hamptonians enjoyed a very positive rapport with their exchange partners and host families, and once the French partners finished their school day, many of the pupils socialised in groups in the neighbouring Jardin du Luxembourg, went bowling together, recreated France-England football matches, with some even daring to try escargots!
The week was a huge success, and provided the linguists with a valuable opportunity to improve their oral fluency, listening skills and overall language confidence.
Back to All Articles
