De La Salle College, Vittoriosa, is involved in a student exchange programme with a Lasallian school in Avignon, France, which recently hosted a week-long visit by a group of 14 students of French accompanied by teachers Christine Muscat and Etienne Micallef.

During their stay, the Maltese group visited the magnificent Papal palace and the historical Pont St Bénézet, immortalised in the famous song Sur le Pont d'Avignon. Another highlight was a day spent at the pretty town of Uzès and the impressive Pont du Gard, built by the Romans some 2,000 years ago.

The students went on educational outings to many other places such as the Haribo sweet museum, the Olivades textiles factory, Villeneuve-lez-Avignon, les Baux-de-Provence and St Rémy. Here they saw Vincent Van Gogh's room at the Mausole de St Paul and also visited an original attraction called La Cathédrale d'Images, featuring projections of Van Gogh's paintings onto the gigantic walls of a converted quarry.

Throughout their stay, the Maltese students were accommodated with French families where they were able to practise their French and sample the local cuisine. The exchange was a great success and both the Maltese and French schools hope to repeat the experience next scholastic year.