During October 2019 the History department took 28 students to Paris as preparation for their coursework study on ‘The Cause of the French Revolution’.   Whilst there, students explored the older side of Paris and Versailles to gain insight into the opulence and extravagance of the Ancién Regime.  Students explored everything from the rolling suburbs of Paris’ Third Estate to the Palaces and homes of the Second Estates’ Nobles;  all giving them a grasp of the disparity of life within 18th century France. Notable places of visits were La Conciergerie, an old palace of the French kings; and the Palace of Versailles, the largest palace of its type in Europe with her sprawling gardens and famous Hall of Mirrors.  

Outside the history side of the trip, students got to enjoy the modern sights of Paris. We travelled up the Montparnasse Tower, a rooftop observation deck on top of a skyscraper and a night-time trip to the Eiffel Tower to see the light show.  Students also had time to shop along Paris’ famous Champs-Élysées, a street similar to Regent Street/Oxford Street in London, that leads up the Arc de Triomphe. 

Here are what two students had to say about the trip: 

 

‘The Paris trip was absolutely amazing! Visiting the Palace of Versailles was definitely my favourite part- we were given an insight into Louis XIV’s luxurious lifestyle, and how he had transformed Versailles into a beautiful palace, symbolising his dominance and wealth before the revolution. We also had the chance to shop at the Champs-Élysées and visit the Eiffel Tower. During our free time, my friends and I also explored the area and visited a local café. The trip was such a great experience!’ 

Reem Ibrahim  

‘The trip was really good. While not only being able to experience Paris as a city, I was able to get an insight into key figures in the revolution and their lifestyles which were very extravagant. Also, the walking tour of Paris that we had, was very informative and gave a storyline as to what happened in the revolution and helped me start to understand the chain of events. The trip allowed me not only start to learn about the revolution but spend time with friends exploring Paris during the free time we had.’ 

Rebecca Conlon