French guests from Aurillac visit the Euregio-Gymnasium Bocholt

A group of 19 students from the Lycée Émile Duclaux in the French twin town of Aurillac is currently visiting the Euregio-Gymnasium Bocholt. The pupils and their two teachers Florence Fort and Fabrice Lallemand have now been welcomed to Bocholt's town hall by Deputy Mayor Michael Wiesmann.

At the official reception in the presence of the German hosts from the Euregio-Gymnasium, Wiesmann warmly welcomed the young people and presented the city of Bocholt as a modern industrial city, a bicycle-friendly municipality and a school city with all types of schools.

In his speech, the deputy mayor emphasised in particular the importance of intercultural learning, which is made possible above all by living with host families. Such encounters not only promote language skills, but also mutual understanding, openness and lasting friendships.

Wiesmann also emphasised the importance of networking for future exchange and cooperation opportunities. He expressly thanked the organisers of the exchange, the accompanying teachers Michael Reitmeyer, Frank Gassen and Alke Schuling, as well as the dedicated host families who gave the French pupils and teachers an insight into everyday life in Bocholt.

The current visit is already the fourth exchange since the school partnership was revived in 2023 - with two encounters each in Aurillac and Bocholt so far. In addition to joint lessons, the varied programme includes a day in Bocholt with a guided tour of the city, a trip to Winterswijk in the Netherlands, a trip to Düsseldorf with a visit to the memorial site and a visit to the Bocholt Textile Museum.

On the French side, teacher Florence Fort expressed her thanks for the opportunity to organise the exchange. She emphasised that the school management of the Lycée Émile Duclaux attaches great importance to such international encounters, especially in the current times. The student exchange thus once again emphasises the lively and future-oriented partnership between Bocholt and Aurillac. The next visit of the Euregio-Gymnasium to the French twin town is already planned for June 2026.