Last day in France

We started our morning with a study in contrasts, as we visited a German cemetery and a French one back to back.

After the cemeteries we headed to Vimy Ridge, where we learned of the Canadian offensive at Vimy. We trekked through the park to the Memorial and climbed the slippery steps in the morning mist.

The Canadian park at Vimy also features preserved trenches, at a spot where the front lines were within shouting distance of one another. As a final activity at the battlefields, the students walked through the trenches and peered out over the firing step towards enemy lines.

The journey home was uneventful, with a brief stop at Cité Europe before heading on the EuroTunnel back to England. As we neared Oakham, thick flakes of snow began falling to welcome us back to School.