Ever wondered about Erasmus+?
These are European funded education programmes which support students of any age to study, train and gain experience abroad.
Six of our design BFEI students and two teachers participated in a two day project in May 2025 in Vincennes, a Parisie
nne suburb. We collaborated with Lycee Claude- Nicolas Ledoux on a design project with a twist.
We worked alongside the French students on their Murs-a-peche projects. Murs-a-peche walls were once vast throughout Vincennes and restoration and design thinking were evident as some great ideas were on display when we visited their Lycee on our first day. Then we went to visit the Murs-a-Peche walls in nearby Montreuil The walls are seven metres apart, and 2.7m high, creating a microclimate to grow espalier peach trees in an otherwise unsuitable climate. Apparently 365 hectares covered this suburb of Paris in the late 19th Century.
We helped build a kiln, burnt the original stones to make a suitable mortar to rebuild some walls. We visited a restored garden with beautiful espalier trees – more like artwork really! We learnt loads and got to practice our French as Brigitte and her students were welcoming and friendly- shout out to Lola!
We had lovely picnics with them in the sunshine and made our own pizzas in their self-built cob pizza oven. We then visited the sights of Paris as it was a first time in Paris for some of our group. We checked out Notre Dame, the banks of the Seine, Montmartre and Vincennes castle were highlights. We had a blast- short but sweet. Thanks to Emer, Nicki, and Breda at BFEI, to Brigitte and the French students, and to Leargas for funding support.
