An Erasmus+ Journey To France

As part of a project funded by Erasmus+, our 12th-grade French class from the Vocational Sixth Form (Berufliches Gymnasium) undertook a one-week trip to Paris. The journey began on Sunday evening with a train ride from Hamburg to France. After our arrival on Monday morning, we traveled on to Gennevilliers, where we stayed in a boarding school until Thursday. At the neighboring high school (Gymnasium), we spent a morning getting to know the French school system.

On the first day, we met with the representative of the Mayor of Gennevilliers, who introduced us to the city, gave a presentation on climate change, explained the city’s measures in the event of flooding (Gennevilliers is a city with a large inland port), and answered our questions. This gave us our first insights into local life and culture.

A special highlight was the bike tour through Paris on Tuesday. During the tour, we discovered many famous sights while learning more about the history and culture of the city. The tour offered a great opportunity to get to know Paris from a completely different perspective.

On Wednesday, we had breakfast together in a café and experienced a typical French breakfast. Afterwards, we explored more places in the city, including the Galeries Lafayette.

On Thursday, we moved to a youth hostel in Paris for the last night and also took a boat cruise on the Seine. From the water, we could view many famous landmarks and experience the special atmosphere of the city. Throughout the week, our visits included the Eiffel Tower and the Champs-Élysées, both of which left a lasting impression on many of us.

Before our return journey, we visited the PSG Stadium as well as the Louvre on Friday morning, before heading home in the evening.

Thanks to the funding from Erasmus+, we were able to gather many new impressions and spend a varied and eventful week in Paris. Many thanks to our teachers, Ms. de Vogel and Ms. Sieger, who accompanied us on our trip.

Written by Falak