34 Students form QE visited Paris during the February Half-term, Mme Whittaker organised the trip for Year 7, 10 and 11 Students. The group stayed at a beautiful chateau east of Paris, Le Chateau de Grande Romaine.

A 3am departure under a blanket of snow made the journey a little tricky, but the sleepy students were excited and were full of anticipation for the journey, for some it was their first ferry trip from Dover to Calais.

The journey to Paris was long but was made easier by Monsieur Addy's fascinating historical commentary (most slept!).

On day two, the group braved the freezing temperatures to visit Montmartre, famous for its arts scene at the turn of the century. The spectacular views from the Sacré-Coeur Basilica were worth the climb, students toured the beautiful church and saw the street artists in action. The day was not complete without seeing the streets of Paris and the famous Moulin-Rouge Cabaret.

Day two, saw the group visit Disneyland Paris where the freezing cold did not deter them from having fun. The group returned tired but hungry and after their French meal, they had a Crêpe making evening to look forward to.

Day three saw us brave the traffic in Paris which was worsened by the recent floods. Our first visit was to the former railway station, now an Art museum called Le Musée D'Orsay to see some of the most famous Impressionist paintings from artists such as Monet, Cezanne and Van Gogh. Following the visit, we made our way to the iconic Eiffel Tower and finally on to the Champs Elysées. After another French meal with snails on offer, the singers in the group including Miss Elson performed in a karaoke evening and had lots of fun.

Day four saw us pack our bags and load the coach. Students got the opportunity to spend their last Euros at the Centre Commercial with the vast range of French shops- a unique cultural experience.

Our return via the Channel Tunnel and successful navigation of the M25 allowed us to return to Crediton on time and pleased to see family again.

QE would like to thank the students for their excellent behaviour on this trip. We extend our utmost gratitude to Mme Whittaker for organising and seamlessly leading the trip and her daughter Tiegan who was so helpful as our fourth adult. Miss Elson was a huge asset as well and we thank them for giving up their holiday.