On Tuesday 18th April, the French Department were delighted to welcome back Marie-Claude Hawkes talking about life in Occupied France during the Second World War. Marie-Claude talks very lucidly about her family’s experiences and memories in rural Normandy during the war and particularly in the weeks following the D Day landings. The insight she gives is profoundly personal and rooted in historical fact. This period in history is now one of the set themes of the A level French course and a literary period at IB HL French, and so first-hand recollections are immensely useful and insightful. It was a thought-provoking talk with ample opportunities to ask questions at any point and pupils gained a great deal from the experience. Many thanks to Marie-Claude. We look forward to seeing her again next year.  

The pupils involved were Daisy W, Kitty R, Harrie W, Darcey L and Phoebe W.