FRENCH STUDENTS SCHOOL VISIT 

Bienvenue à Lilydale 👋 🏫

On the 8th of February, we were lucky enough to welcome 20 French students from our sister school, Lycée Fernand Darchicourt. The students were hosted for two weeks by Lilydale High School families, who had the opportunity to learn some new French phrases and share their favourite things to do around Melbourne.

During what was truly the trip of a lifetime, they explored the city and visited some of Melbourne’s most well-known landmarks and museums, including Flinders Street Station, Chinatown, the Old Melbourne Gaol, the State Library Victoria, and the Melbourne Museum. Of course, they also spent time at the beaches around St Kilda—because what’s the point of coming to Australia if you don’t experience our amazing beaches?

The French students also enjoyed spending a few days at school, whether that meant attending classes with their host students, making biscuits in cooking classes, creating artwork, or playing footy with our EIS students. To wrap up their visit, there was a little unexpected chaos: a farewell ceremony was held on Tuesday, the 24th of February, the day before their planned departure, only for us to find out shortly afterwards that their flight had been cancelled and rescheduled for the 27th. Although this was initially stressful for our French guests, it gave them two extra days in Melbourne, which they made the most of.

A big thank you as well to the accompanying French teachers, Karine Fontaine and Arnaud Duprez, for all their support and organisation during the visit, as well as Madame Pradier for hosting the lovely teachers and Mr Wilkinson for helping to organise the whole trip.

The trip was a fantastic experience not only for our French visitors but also for the host families, who embraced the opportunity to practice a new language and form lifelong overseas friendships. We can’t wait to see them all again when we travel to France at the end of the month!

Steph Fletcher – Languages Captain