Grammar Gazette_Issue1_2025

MR DAVID RAWSON HEAD OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT (ENGLISH)

City of highlights From iconic Parisian landmarks to unforgettable friendships

and gilded interiors, even spying the reserved seat for the notorious Phantom rumoured to call the opera house home. Beyond sightseeing and shopping, the tour inspired moments of wonder too. A visit to the Sainte-Chapelle on Île de la Cité left students moved by the scale and beauty of its stained glass windows, while the adjacent Conciergerie deepened their understanding of the French Revolution as they traced Marie Antoinette’s final days in her prison cell. The sombre history was balanced with festive experiences, including Christmas market visits near La Cathédrale de Notre Dame and a hands-on chocolate making workshop.

On Friday 29 November 2024, French students from Years 10 and 11 embarked on the highly anticipated France Study Tour. Accompanied by Tour Coordinator, Madame Natalie Holden, and teachers, Madame Corrinne Scruby and me, the group arrived in Paris on a sunny Saturday afternoon, eager to practise our French and experience the city's iconic landmarks so often seen only in postcards or on screen. With five days in Paris, we were able to experience a great deal of the city that has captured hearts and minds for centuries. Students explored the vast Musée du Louvre, wandered the Tuileries gardens, and posed by the entrancing glass pyramid. At the Opéra Garnier, we admired intricate frescoes

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Some of the most memorable moments included climbing the Eiffel Tower, strolling along the Avenue des Champs-Élysées in the tradition of the flaneur —a classic French pastime of wandering and people-watching—and an enchanting evening river cruise on the Seine. Montmartre, with its steep streets and rich history as a former artists’ village, proved particularly special as students wondered at the grand Basilica of Sacré-Coeur. After a shower of rain on our night-time visit, the streets of Montmartre became a watercolour painting, making for a picturesque evening.

‘I really enjoyed attending French classes and this quickly became the highlight of my trip. At school, I pushed myself to engage and interact with the students of St Paul, and through this, I made friendships that will last a lifetime. I'm forever grateful for the opportunity to pick up new French words and to really immerse myself in French culture.’ Olivia Basile (11B)

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22 | GAZETTE • ISSUE 1, 2025

Brisbane Girls Grammar School