Music Tour

Our Paris 2024 trip was an amazing experience for all of us. We set off from school at 7.00am on Thursday morning and arrived at our hotel in the afternoon. Thankfully, our evening meal was just a few minutes’ walk away from our hotel at the Restaurant Hippopotamus Steakhouse, we really enjoyed a delicious meal there.

On our first full day, after breakfast, we left our hotel rather early for the busy day planned.  Our first stop was a morning performance at Maison de Retraite et de Gériatrie, Fondation de Rothschild, a beautiful home for the elderly, where everyone was so appreciative and kind.

After that, we spent some time shopping at a French Westfields. Later, we had the chance to perform at L'église Sainte-Marie-Madeleine, which we absolutely adored, and we explored the surroundings. Then we headed to a restaurant in central Paris before heading back to our hotel.

On the Saturday, we spent the day sightseeing and shopping (our favourite pastime!). We started with a boat trip along the River Seine; then visited iconic landmarks including Le Louvre and the Eiffel Tower, which we climbed on foot - some even managed to reach the second tier.

We also had the incredible opportunity to see Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat, the foundress of our school. It was extraordinary to witness her in real life. She was laid in a clear casket, at the Église Saint-François-Xavier and her face and hands were preserved in wax. It felt strange to be in her presence, especially knowing we were standing at the heart of where she spent many years, and quite near to her home town, in Joigny. It was a very special moment for many of us as it made us feel connected to something much larger than ourselves.

Finally, it was Disney Day, though sadly our last full day. We were so excited for the day that Ms. Neckles’ warning - that if we didn’t behave throughout the trip, we’d have to sit on a bench in the park while everyone else had fun - really worked! We even went to bed early, kept out of trouble, and made sure to tidy up after breakfast. We set off bright and early and hopped on the coach. Disneyland was an incredible day! We got to see the amazing pink Disney castle and went on several exciting and thrilling rides. Many of us also ended up buying most of our souvenirs in the Disney shops, for our friends, family, and of course, ourselves!!

Overall, our trip was truly magical - an enchanting experience that we are all never going to forget. It gave us the chance to bond as a choir and musicians, and we can honestly say, that we made lasting memories and friendships. The trip was so much fun, and even the time spent on the coach, which was quite a lot, provided lots of laughs.

We are extremely grateful for this opportunity and fantastic music tour, as we enjoyed every moment of it.

We wish to extend a massive thank you to all the teachers who gave up part of their half-term break to make this trip possible, because without their dedication and willingness to do so, this trip would not have happened. So, we want to extend a massive THANK YOU to Ms. Neckles, Ms. Key, Ms. Mallon, Ms. Kennedy, and Mr. Granger. We are so grateful!