“After a long day of traveling, by Eurostar, metro, and train, we finally arrived in Enghien les Bains and met our French families for the week. All 17 Catmose students left the train station by bus, train, or car to visit their exchange partner’s home. On the first full day in France, we regrouped and set off to Paris on the metro, which was only a few stops away. Our first stop was the Eiffel Tower, viewed from the Trocadero platform. After a short walk and a small queue, we entered the Eiffel Tower grounds. We split into groups and had the freedom to explore from the base to the top viewing platform. After descending, we took a boat tour on the Seine, enjoying sights such as The Louvre and Notre-Dame. Next, we visited the Sacre Coeur, where we walked around the historical structure and shopped in small groups. The following day, we experienced French school life, where the lengthy lunch breaks of 1 hour and 45 minutes surprised us. While the French students attended afternoon classes, we explored Enghien les Bains, shopping and touring the town and beautiful lake. In the evening, the school organized a fun party with food and dancing until the French parents picked us up. Over the weekend, we participated in various activities like playing sports, touring towns, watching magic shows, visiting the Palace of Versailles and the Arc de Triomphe, doing tree parkour, and taking night tours of Paris. On Monday, excitement was high as we headed to Parc Asterix with our French exchange partners. The day was filled with rides, sweets, and fun. Our final half day in France included a picnic and a game of dodgeball, where the French students consistently outplayed us. Exhausted from our phenomenal trip, we returned to England with day sacks and suitcases filled with memories.”