Art and language students enjoyed a wonderful trip to Paris at the end of June. Read Grace's review of the trip.
By Grace Harvey, Year 11 student
“Paris is always a good idea.”- Audrey Hepburn
It is safe to say that the recent trip to Paris organised by the school was a great success for Art and French students alike, capturing both the vast history and culture of the city as well as its swiftness. Only an hour and a half flight from Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Paris was a breath of fresh air.
The itinerary of the trip was exciting in itself. It began with a walking tour of Paris, and despite my comical (but I like to hope endearing) 5 year-long struggle with French, I was placed in the group whose tour guide was persistent in speaking it only. Packed with wistful tidbits of Paris’ long and streaming history, I half translated our tour guide’s fluency into something English and admired the beauty that was seemingly everywhere in the city, simultaneously inescapable and liberating.
This was a common theme whilst in Paris, the subconscious and involuntary notion to stop all other thought but that of admiration for the city in which you stand. It is no coincidence that not one person that I know dislikes it. Despite the pickpocketing and crime, it is a city loved by all, the poor, the achingly rich, the somewhere in between. I believe it has a type of magic accessible only to those who visit.
If you do, it would be foolish to not go to the myriad of galleries found in the city centre. I found that visiting the art galleries in Paris was one of my favourite parts of the trip, partially because of the art but also because of the refuge found in their air conditioned shade compared with the intensity of the 37 degree weather outside. It was interesting seeing famous works such as the Mona Lisa in the Louvre and Monet’s Water Lilies in the Musée d’Orangerie in real life. It is strange seeing a painting in its detail compared with an image of it online. I believe it tells a different, personal story in more depth, with far more eloquence.
By taking the metro, we were able to see the true nature of Paris. There is something about being amongst strangers in a large city that offers an experience superior to that of scheduled tourism. I feel this is what I enjoyed most about the trip, being amongst people going about their daily lives, daydreaming of what life would be like living in Paris, scheming and plotting a future inspired by the nonchalant pulchritude of my surroundings.
In retrospect, I believe it was a trip beloved by all. There was something for everyone, a trip not confined to one genre of interest, a great homage to Paris, short yet inevitably sweet.