Ten pupils from the Lower Sixth have recently returned from an exciting French exchange visit to one of the College's partner schools in St Jean de Braye on the outskirts of Orléans. Following an extended half-term with their host families, they began school in surroundings very different to those at Marlborough, at the Lycée Jacques Monod.

Marlborough College looks forward to welcoming the French exchange pupils from the Lycée Jacques Monod, in January 2008.

A Taste of French Living
Pupils' Diary Extracts

A Taste of French Living

In a ten-day stay, they followed in the footsteps of Leonardo to the chateau of Amboise, enjoyed a reception in their honour at the magnificent Hôtel Groslot (an occasion reported in the local press) and embarked on a variety of excursions with their correspondants.

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Lycée Jacques Monod

The welcome from the families, the school and the town was exceptionally warm and generous. Marlborough pupils were treated to a fantastic slice of authentic French life – including an authentic train strike, boldly defied in the return to a gleaming, new St.Pancras station in London.

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Diary Extracts

Monday 4th November (by Patrick McGown)

At home, we try to speak as much French as possible, although my food knowledge is limited, which means that sometimes dinner produces surprises (whether pleasant or not). We feast on chocolate for breakfast (a bit of an oddity) and have five courses for every meal, at least three of which are cheese-based, which ensures that I am permanently stuffed and unable to partake in anything more vigorous than the French version of ‘Countdown’ with my host family in the evening!

Thursday 7th November (by Grace Jackson)

On Thursday morning, we caught the school bus ridiculously early. Lessons started at 8:00am, and the courtyard was soon crowded with students waiting for their classes.

Amid this confusion, we were told that we would be attending terminale classes – the equivalent of the Upper Sixth. Led by my partner through a maze of grey corridors, I was eventually deposited in a Maths lesson already underway. Luckily, thanks to a sympathetic teacher and the boy assigned to look after me, I was able to keep up.

Saturday 9th November (by Joshua Edwards)

We set out on the autoroute to see that great wonder, Versailles, of which I had heard so much and were quickly overwhelmed by the sheer size of the place. A large courtyard separated the two wings of the chateau; the interior housed a great marble staircase and, everywhere, the extravagance and elegance of the place were in evidence. Great artwork and the colour gold exuded from every surface.

Sunday 10th November (by Silas brown)

On Sunday, we ventured into the big city, to see a gallery of primitive art. Commercial buildings towered overhead and I realised that the Eiffel Tower, once so prominent, has now been dwarfed by the modern Goliaths.

The museum itself, commissioned by Jacques Chirac, was vast. My host claimed that this was the only good thing that the ex-president had done! Inside, we saw a variety of ancient artefacts and material from different cultures. Ther was no question, here, of quantity outdoing the quality.

Monday 11th November (by Lily Konsta)

Yesterday, I went to the huge chateau at Chambord set in the middle of a vast park. It had been built as a hunting lodge for the king. In one room there was a wall panel that had “Monkeys in contemporary costume improvising an al fresco concert”! The visit taught me a lot about French castles and royalty.

Tuesday 12th November

Today, we explored the Orleans' "young persons’ scene" centred on the patinoire which is frequented by a large number of local teenagers. Even beyond what one would expect at an ice rink, there was something special about this place. Our struggles on the ice proved a good bonding experience and, nearby, stood the Astrolabe, a renowned bar boasting entertainment such as The Rakes and The Dead 60s.

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