We were all so excited about going to France.  Flying in to Nîmes on Saturday we met our host families that evening. and spent Sunday with them, exploring the beautiful region of Provence and the various experiences it had to offer.

On Monday we met again as a group and went to Avignon, a town renowned for its rich culture and history. A tour guide led us, so we could explore many of the picturesque places around the town. We firstly saw the 'Palais des Papes'. This is a hugely prestigious landmark as it is one of the largest Gothic buildings in Europe. It's a very lavish building that was once home to the Pope. We later walked upon the 'Pont Saint Bénézet. This was followed by plenty of free time for us to shop and look around and take in more of the culture.  We were lucky to have amazing weather from our first day together and Avignon was a beautiful place to visit.

 
The day after, we visited Aigues-Mortes, a fortified town with wonderful historical features to see. Our first stop was the Tower of Constance. This name symbolised how despite being built close to a 1000 years ago, it was never attacked and remained forever constant. After the tower, we boarded a small train and looked at the well-preserved ramparts surrounding some of the town. We then visited the coastal place named 'Le Grau du roi'. It had a pretty harbour and the beach there was much enjoyed by everyone!

On Wednesday, we walked in the sun to the Pont du Gard; the highly iconic bridge. It was an aqueduct designed by the Ancient Romans who once lived there. Whilst there, we took many photos of the beautiful landscape and also visited a museum which offered much of the historical background to the bridge and the surrounding areas.

Our exchange partners were lucky to finish school at 12pm this day, and as their school is in Remoulins; very close to the Pont du Gard, we returned early and spent the rest of the day with them.
 
Our final day of sightseeing took us to Nîmes. We climbed lots of steps to reach the top of the Tour Magne and were able to experience the amazing view from the tower. We then looked around the Bull Ring found in the town. This is the best preserved amphitheatre in Europe. With a very detailed and informative audio tour we learnt a lot about gladiator fights that took place in this Roman piece of architecture.  It was fascinating.

We enjoyed the rest of the day with some free time and then went back with our families to make the most of our last night.  After a very early start on Friday morning, and a long time spent travelling, we finally arrived home.  What an unforgettable week!