French Exchange
8 April – 18 April 2009

This year witnessed the revival of the French exchange and our chosen partner school is Le college de Sevres, which is located in Sevres, a beautiful suburb bordering Paris.

Twenty JAGS girls were hosted by French exchange students and their family during Easter holidays and their return visit is currently taking place. Twenty days together within a month!

We arrived on Wednesday 8 April at the Gare du Nord where the French students and their parents gave us a great welcome. Our students were then taken to their home for the 10-day stay with eight days organised by the French family, one day in school and one day in Paris with Mlle Boulanger and Mlle Dunoyer.

On Thursday the English students came along to school and sampled a typical day in a French school. They had the opportunity to take part in some English, German, French lessons and even joined in the running dictation done by the French teacher, although some girls thought their task was to translate what the teacher was saying!

On a beautiful Friday all British students went to Paris. We first visited the Eiffel Tower, using the lift to go to the second floor and using the steps on our way down. It was a very long way down and our heads were spinning because of the spiral staircases.  It was a clear day so we could admire Paris in all its splendour.

Afterwards we went along the river Seine on the famous Batobus, having stopped for a crepe beforehand and we could admire the Louvres, the Musee d’Orsay, Notre-Dame and so many other beautiful buildings bordering the Seine. It was then time for a bit of free-time and shopping on the Champs-Elysées and it did not take long for our girls to buy themselves some clothes and accessories or to enjoy an ice cream in the gigantic Haagen Dazs shop.

Back in the college de Sevres, it was time for our students to say goodbye to their teachers and embark on a whole week of full immersion. The host families kindly took them to Asterix theme park, Versailles, le musèe du Quai Branly and of course, for more shopping excursions!

The weather was beautiful for the whole duration of our stay and the JAGS girls left Paris with lots of souvenirs, saucissons, chocolates, photos and memories from a very enjoyable stay. They are now welcoming back their French exchange partners from the 30 April to the 9 May.