Twenty four Sociology students visited Paris for three days in October and it was such a resounding success that we are already planning for 2016! We kicked off our visit with an evening jaunt to the tower at Montparnasse, which gave incredible views of the whole city. Students spotted the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral and many other classic Parisian landmarks. After embracing French culture and dining at a Parisian brasserie the students were well and truly ready for bed!

Our second day in Paris was spent largely in Disneyland. As well as embracing hyper-reality, Americanisation and the global power of Disney, students thoroughly enjoyed the Halloween parade and the many rides on offer. The evening was spent admiring the Arc de Triomphe up close, and exploring the delights of the Champs Elysees.

On our final day in Paris we were privileged to be granted access to the British Embassy, specifically the permanent residence of the British Ambassador. Following a tour of this stunning building, the students were able to hold a Q&A session with the current British Ambassador, Sir Peter Ricketts. The students were both mature and impressive, discussing issues regarding immigration, culture, terrorism and EU membership with him, over coffee and cake.

Students were enthusiastic about the trip:

‘The Paris trip was such a fun experience and it was nice seeing how different their culture is compared to the UK’s culture.’ Sarah Warburton

 ‘It was such a good experience. I really enjoyed meeting the ambassador and it opened my eyes to real world issues.’ Shannon Kenny

‘The Paris trip allowed me to experience a different culture and gain a new understanding.’ Emily Dixon

We look forward to being able to offer our lower sixth students a repeat of this exciting opportunity to visit the fabulous city next year.