Vive la Semaine Française
A French Celebration
Languages Week came to life with a celebration of all things French. The courtyard transformed into a Parisian lunch scene as our accordion player filled the air with warm, joyful music, drawing students and staff to listen, sing along and even dance. Classics and upbeat tunes brought smiles all round, while French Week swept through the school like a gust of Parisian charm – complete with delicious food, friendly competition, and enough accordion music to make even the most stoic Year 12 tap their foot. For a little while, it felt as though Montmartre had come to Guildford.
Food, glorious French food
The week began (and ended… and continued every day in between) with the unmistakable aroma of délicieuse French food drifting from the tuck shop and the crêpe van, where students quickly learned that “just one more” Nutella crêpe is never really “just one more.”
Even the catering team joined in, adding a little taste of France to every day, minus the Eiffel Tower queues. Among the highlights was the Course des garçons de café, where students raced the clock while balancing trays through a winding course. It took speed, skill and concentration to keep every item in place, and plenty of laughter when they didn’t. The photo booth added to the fun, giving students and staff a chance to capture the moment with themed props and backdrops, while the crepe van kept drawing a steady crowd, serving up treats that disappeared as fast as they were made.
Mentor groups battled it out in a French quiz, some confidently answering questions… others learning for the first time that “Tour de France” is a cycling race. Over in the library, students could either flex their brains in another quiz or channel their inner Monet with a French landmark drawing competition; this year, the mighty Arc de Triomphe took centre stage, inspiring a mix of impressive detail and charmingly abstract interpretations.
Lunchtime extravaganzas
Monday: The Course des garçons de café (Waiter’s race) saw students running with trays of drinks; very few survived upright, but all competitors showed impressive commitment.
Tuesday: The French photo booth turned students into beret-wearing, baguette-holding Parisians in seconds; proof that you can be fashionable and ridiculous at the same time.
Wednesday: The crêpe van arrived, and the queue could have rivalled the Louvre on a free-entry day. The Assembly also featured a heartwarming video message from teachers and students, capped off by Liz Moss’s stunning rendition of Voilà by Barbara Pravi; a performance so moving it could have earned a standing ovation at Eurovision.
Thursday: Our very own accordion man filled the courtyard with the sound of Paris, making everyone feel just a little bit dépaysé and our Prep School students were getting crafty building Eiffel Towers.
Language showdowns and exams
The 5-day Language Perfect competition had students racking up points faster than they could say “Je parle français.” The winning language class from each year were crowned with eternal glory (and prizes) at the beginning of this week. Meanwhile, Year 11s, 10s, and 12s bravely faced the Alliance Française exams, bringing their A-game, and a lot of conjugations.
Merci beaucoup!
A massive thank you to everyone who participated, helped, or simply enjoyed a crêpe (or three). French Week was not just a celebration of language and culture; it was proof that our community knows how to mix fun, food, and learning in true joie de vivre style.
Until next year… à bientôt!
