MORE than 50 Year Nine students from the Dean Academy in Lydney enjoyed a taste of Paris during the half-term break and put their French speaking skills into practice.

Some of the highlights of the four night visit included a tour of the Stade de France, a trip to the top of the Montparnasse Tower in Europe’s fastest elevator, a game of football underneath the Eiffel Tower, a night time cruise on the River Seine and tasting French cuisine in a Paris restaurant.

Miss Jane Burns, assistant director of communications at the academy, added: “We all had a fantastic time. It was great to see the students trying out their French; they were a credit to the academy. For many it was their first visit to France and they would love to go back. I can’t wait to organise the next one.”

•A Forest school’s trip to Paris this weekend has been cancelled following the atrocity in the city.

A Year Seven group from Wyedean School in Sedbury was to have travelled to the French capital.

The announcement was made on the school’s Twitter which now features the French flag as a gesture of solidarity.