After the recent break in school exchanges, it was wonderful to have 94 year 9 and 10 French and English students participating enthusiastically in our 34th French exchange with Le Collège Denecourt in Bois le Roi. The success of the exchange is a tribute to the entente cordiale nurtured over the years by so many current and former students, parents and teachers of our two schools. We are very proud of our exchanges.

This month, KLB students made the return trip to Bois Le Roi, a small town nestled between the River Seine and the Forest of Fontainebleau, to the south of Paris. Travelling by Eurostar was an exciting ‘first’ for us. On arrival, any apprehension the KLB students might have felt, was dispelled by the friendly faces which greeted us.

On Wednesday, after a delicious French breakfast in the brand new canteen and a tour of the recently beautifully renovated school, the French and English students together enjoyed interesting lessons kindly organised by the teachers from Collège Denecourt.

In pairs or teams of English and French, they collaborated for a few hours on bilingual history games and computer quizzes, had fun saying tongue twisters in both languages, followed instructions in French to make bracelets and participated in sports lessons.

On Thursday, we experienced a visit into Paris by train and metro. We appreciated the clear skies and sunny weather as we took a ride on a bateau-mouche on the River Seine to the Eiffel Tower, identifying well-known Parisian landmarks en route. After a short souvenir-shopping time, we enjoyed a walk to the Louvre and time to appreciate the glass pyramids. In the afternoon, we took in interesting views of the Champs-Elysées from the top of the Arc de Triomphe. Later, we showed respect to the memorial of the unknown soldier beneath the Arc de Triomphe. A visit to La Défense provided a sharp contrast to the historical buildings in the style of its ultra-modern architecture.

A short bus ride from the school lies the attractive town of Fontainebleau where, on Friday, we enjoyed a visit to the busy market. It was lovely to see our students gaining confidence in their spoken French and sampling local products at the market. Afterwards, the gardens, with the stunning backdrop of the Chateau, provided a beautiful spot for a picnic and some relaxation before a fascinating tour of the magnificent Chateau provided a wonderful lesson in history.

We set off home on Saturday, our students having established firm friendships and an invaluable immersion in another culture.

Our thanks to everyone involved in the exchange on both sides of the channel, whether organising, hosting or accompanying the students. We could not run the exchange without your contribution.