We were all subject to a rather early start on the Tuesday morning; meeting time was 6.30am! We made our journey to St. Pancras where, once having gone through security procedures, we were able to board the Eurostar straight to Gare du Nord, Paris, via the Channel Tunnel. We were staying at Hotel Excelsior, which was less than a ten minute walk to the Notre Dame Cathedral, one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in Europe. Hence, once we had unpacked our belongings, this was our first venture to a Paris landmark. This visit was followed by a (rainy) boat trip down the River Seine, where we were able to spot several major landmarks, many that we were due to visit during our stay. Dinner, in a small French restaurant, was a three course meal- two of which were crepes, which are of course considered a national dish in France.
Day two: today we were befitting tourists and visited three major hotspots. However we, as English students, were equally astounded when a double-decker tube appeared from out of the Metro tunnel! That is, once having got through the deadly full body-length barriers, and making sure not to lose our miniscule metro tickets! Our first destination was the Pompidou Centre; a modern art gallery that houses many interesting yet absurd works of art. The building itself is a piece of high-tech architecture spread over seven levels. Second on our list was the famous Louvre Museum; one of the largest of its kind in the world. As well as being an art museum, it is a piece of historical brilliance that attracts more than eight million visitors every year. You will not be surprised then that the museum was very busy! Our prior interest was the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, which is arguably the most iconic painting in the world. However the painting itself, secure beneath dense bullet proof glass, was a lot smaller than most of us had first thought. Whilst on our way from the Louvre, we passed the Arc de Triomphe, which is a monument for those who fought for France in battles, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. Our final notable site of the day was the Eiffel Tower. Despite some students (and teachers) being nervous about the descent, all 29 of us made it right to the top, where we were able to witness the wonderful panoramic view of Paris.
Our third day was the hottest yet, which made it perfect weather for our trip to Disneyland Paris. Many were disappointed that Space Mountain was shut, but found other thrills throughout the day, including The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror based upon a plummeting elevator, and the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith. Some of us even got to meet Disney Characters; proof that you can never grow too old.
Our final day had come round too fast, and was spent browsing the Parisian shops for some last-minute purchases. We had to be out of our hotel rooms by 10am, so had the rest of the day to spend on the streets. The textiles girls visited a museum; meanwhile a particularly adventurous Graphics student requested a plate of snails for his lunch. Our journey home on the Eurostar was quick, and we were back in England just before dusk. I know that we all enjoyed ourselves tremendously and would like to thank each teacher (including Miss Way!) for their contributions, as well as giving us a great time away! I’m sure that many of us will visit Paris again some time in our futures, but it won’t ever be as special as our first experience. By Annabel Quinton 12RE
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