Western Europe Study Tour

A group of fourteen students and three staff from our school recently returned from a trip of a lifetime, touring Western Europe for fourteen days, visiting the UK, Belgium and France.

We commenced our tour in London where we visited the British Museum, watched the ‘Changing of the Guard’ at Buckingham Palace, and saw famous monuments such as Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower of London and Tower Bridge. We finished our tour of London with a cruise along the River Thames and a ride on the London Eye to catch the spectacular views across the city.

Next on the itinerary was a day trip out to the mysterious Stonehenge, one of Britain’s greatest national icons. We then continued on to the city of Oxford, where we toured a number of the elegant honey-coloured buildings that make up the colleges of the famous University of Oxford. Our guide also pointed out several places where scenes from the Harry Potter movies were filmed, much to the excitement of some of the students in the group!

Leaving Britain, we made our way under the English Channel in the Eurostar train to Brussels and then on to the Belgian town of Bruges. Bruges is a fairy tale medieval town with picturesque cobbled lanes and white washed almshouses set along canals. We climbed all 366 steps to the top of the Bell Tower in the main square for a breathtaking bird’s eye view, and then spent many hours leisurely exploring the town. For many of us, the time spent in this town was the highlight of our trip, particularly with all the Belgian chocolate!

Moving further south, we visited the sites of some of the important battlefields along the Western Front, focusing on those areas where Australian troops fought in the First World War. Our tour included numerous war cemeteries, memorials and fascinating war museums. While on the Western Front, we had the great honour of laying a wreath at the Menin Gate ceremony, which commemorates those who fought in the First World War and has been held in the town of Ypres almost every night since the end of the war.

Our final destination was Paris, where we eagerly ascended both the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, enjoying their excellent views over the city, before strolling the Champs-Élysées with its beautiful upmarket stores, patisseries and cafes. Also in Paris, we admired some of the artworks on display at the Louvre, the largest museum in the world, and later marvelled at the gothic architecture of the Notre Dame Cathedral, which was completed in 1345AD. We then saw some of the most beautiful monuments of Paris in a different light by taking a cruise along the Seine River, the heart and soul of Paris.

Our final day in France was spent at Versailles with a visit to the famous Palace and the expansive gardens that extend beyond it. The students loved getting lost in the labyrinth of rooms and dining by the lake in the magnificent spring sunshine!

We returned home tired, but with so many amazing memories and wonderful stories to share with our families and friends!

Mr Lee Macey

Head of HSIE