Our School Trip to Strasbourg

First Day: The European Parliament

Two weeks ago, with the class of 1ère ES 2 of Le Lycée du Granier we went to Strasbourg. Mr Watts, our English teacher and Mrs Pouliquen, an economics teacher and the social worker were our three accompanying teachers for the length of the stay. We left the school very early and we took the direction of Geneva. We traveled by bus across Switzerland and we crossed the border again.

When we arrived in Strasbourg at 11 o'clock am we went straight to a traditional and famous restaurant called « Chez Yvonne » where we ate a Munster pasty, a knuckle of pork served with potatoes and an ice cream for dessert.

In the afternoon, we were invited to take a cruise on the Ill River which flows through the city.

Afterwards it was time to move towards the European Parliament to attend a session during which Euro-MPs debated the issues first of immigration and then technologies for civilian and military use. To close our visit in the parliament we met our MEP Malika Benarab-Attou who answered questions about the functioning of European institutions.

We were then taken to the youth hostel where we had dinner and we spent the night.

Second day: What about Strasbourg?

The next day began with the visit of the old town. A nice guide was in charge of our group and she showed us from the outside the cathedral Our Lady of Strasbourg, the Statue of Gutemberg where she reminded us that he lived here because there were a lot of goldsmiths. She explained the history of the town very well. How it became once French, then German after the outbreak of the Second World War. The special features of the dialect which has been built around the two languages. After we walked in an area called « La Petite France » which was the old district of the tanners and pariahs. Nowadays, the price for one square meter is very expensive. We came again in the Cathedral Square. This time we went into the imposing building. Inside the astronomic clock gives the position of the planets of the solar system. After two hours of free time during which we took lunch, we went back to the bus and we left the center to go to the town of Kronembourg to visit the very famous Kronembourg brewery museum. In conclusion this short stay in Strasbourg with the class was wonderful. Everything was interesting both the first and the second day.

We had a very good time and I was (probably like everybody) so sad when we had to come back home at the end. I've just one criticism to make, the trip was too short!

Guillaume FRANCOIS 1ère ES 2