An Educational Excursion to Amiens in France

Apr 1
11:08

2015

Lisa Jeeves

Lisa Jeeves

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For educational visits to France, hostels for groups are a good accommodation option. Visit Amiens, where famous First World War battles took place.

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If you're looking for an educational excursion with meaning,An Educational Excursion to Amiens in France Articles why not take your pupils to France and bring history alive? Allow your students to see for themselves where the Battle of the Somme took place and where so many young men lost their lives in the Great War.

Amiens is an excellent choice for a school trip as it is just a ten-minute drive from the Somme. It also has great amenities and excellent public transport. There is not only a good selection of shops and restaurants but Amiens is full of history and beautiful buildings. There are also plenty of other things to see and do for your pupils, aside from visiting the battlefields. Booking in to one of the hostels for groups makes this type of trip easy, affordable and educational on so many different levels.

Historical Amiens

Amiens is in the region of Picardy north of Paris. There is an excellent train service that will get you to Paris in an hour and this could easily be incorporated into your school trip as part of the itinerary. While Paris itself has some great hostels for groups to stay in, for finding out about World War One, staying near Amiens is an ideal choice. It is a fascinating city in its own right with a wealth of interesting places to visit.

Perhaps one of the best-known features of Amiens is its wonderful Gothic Cathédrale Notre-Dame d’Amiens. This imposing building is over 42 metres high and it is, in fact, the tallest example of a Gothic cathedral in Western Europe. It is certainly very impressive and the three entrances have beautifully painted saints and angels in wonderful blues and gold on the walls and ceilings - reminiscent of illuminated medieval manuscripts.

Deeper understanding

The Somme is a rural area and once there, young people invariably find it a very moving experience. It is not possible to really comprehend the actual loss of life just by reading about it, but for students to see it with their own eyes as they gaze upon the rows of headstones makes it more tangible. The site is always busy, with visitors coming from all over the world – many of whom lost relatives in the terrible conflict. It is a sobering thought to consider the impact of this war on so many people around the globe.

Choosing accommodation in one of the excellent hostels for groups has the added attraction of your students experiencing another language on a more personal level. There are many other educational advantages and this type of experience will really broaden their horizons, along with their understanding of a different culture.

Lastly, by staying in a hostel for groups, students can experience a very affordable and accessible way to travel, which will stand them in good stead for their future travelling endeavours.