Oh là là – Heywood students make memories in France
The Heywood CS group at the Nîmes Arènes/Colosseum
A SUPERB week in the south of France has left Heywood CS students with wonderful memories to last a lifetime.
Third years studying French at the Ballinakill school enjoyed staying with families in Lattes near Montpellier, as part of an exchange programme that began 25 years ago.
Initiated in 2000 by Mary Fitzgerald and Mary Kelly, the annual exchange gives Heywood CS students a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience French culture in an authentic family and school setting.
The excited 2025 group arrived in Nîmes on 6 October, when they met their French counterparts attending Collège George Brassens in Lattes.
They were accompanied by Heywood CS teachers Claire Bourdais, Olive Guest and Aiden Mullaly, while everything was impeccably organised on the French side by Sophie Roblin, Nathalie Peaucellier and Audrey Routhe.
The following day, students travelled by tram to Montpellier in the morning and went on to enjoy ice skating with their new French friends.
During an action-packed week, they attended school in Collège George Brassens and visited the historic Nîmes Arènes/Colosseum. They also cycled 8km from the school along a picturesque canal and pink flamingo-lined wetlands, before arriving at the beach in Palavas les Flots.
After a relaxing weekend, they finally said to the French families and thanked them for their warm hospitality, before spending a few hours in the medieval walled city of Carcassonne and boarding the flight home.
In a media statement, a spokesperson for Heywood CS said: ‘The week was blessed with a sun-drenched south of France reaching temperatures of 26 degrees. !’
Students and teachers from France will pay a return visit to Laois in March, when they will stay with Heywood students’ families and attend school in Ballinakill.
School principal Eamon Jackman said the exchange was ‘an outstanding success and a deeply enriching experience’ for students.
He said: ‘It was a joy to see them embrace new cultures, build friendships and represent Heywood CS with such maturity and enthusiasm.
‘I want to extend my sincere thanks to the dedicated teachers who made this opportunity possible. Their commitment, planning and care ensured a safe and memorable journey for all involved.’
