The Year 12 French students had a fantastic time in Fontainebleau and Paris at the start of the Easter break. In Fontainebleau they stayed with their French exchange partners from the Lycée Couperin and had the opportunity to attend lessons. They also had the chance to explore the town and its beautiful château, which is one of the largest French royal châteaux, dating from medieval times and subsequently serving as a residence for the French monarchs from Louis VII to Napoleon III. It is now a national museum and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After a busy couple of days in Fontainebleau, they travelled back to Paris by train, arriving at the Gare de Lyon. Students stayed in a hostel which was perfectly located for exploring the area known as Le Marais. Visits over the next two days included the Centre Pompidou and its Modern Art collection, a boat trip on the Seine, a meal at a Crêperie and, of course, some time for shopping and sampling the Parisian café culture. On the return trip to London by Eurostar, everyone was full of conversation about how much they had enjoyed the trip and wanted to return to Paris again very soon.