During the second week of half term, students studying French from Years 9-11 visited the Loire Valley in France. Known for its beautiful views, the Loire Valley is a thriving cultural hub, which was the perfect location for the girls to practise their language skills.

They stayed with host families in the city of Tours and took part in a broad range of outings such as a trip to the quirky theme park, Futuroscope, and a French cooking class. They also had the opportunity to visit two stunning castles, go bowling and partake in a little bit of shopping, as well as enjoying many other interesting activities!

Read the student reflections from the trip below:

Amelia Barrow Jones and Nicole Pitter (Year 9)

“We had such an amazing time in France. We learned so much and really enjoyed our days out. It was such a great experience to live with a French family, and our French improved a lot throughout the week. Our favourite adventure was definitely Futuroscope; we wish that the trip could have been longer!”

Nina Leech (Year 10)

“I had the most wonderful time in the Loire Valley this half term. I loved staying with a family in France; it was a great opportunity for us to communicate with them and learn more French. An amazing aspect of the trip was being able to visit two incredible castles. They were both very enjoyable, especially Château Ussé, which inspired the book Sleeping Beauty. Overall, the trip was very educational and interesting.”

Eloise Cacioppo, Alice Munn and Molly Woodman (Year 11)

“When we first met our host, Jocelyne, we were welcomed with open arms into a safe space to practise our French. We felt at home right from the beginning. The food she prepared was truly delicious; she even made cauliflower taste good - she must be magical! Half way through our stay we decided to play a game of French Scrabble; as you can imagine, it was very challenging but we learned a lot of random vocabulary and it turned out to be quite entertaining. Jocelyne really was an amazing host and we will truly miss her.”