We began by travelling to London, passing through St Pancras International where Tracey Emin’s neon installation I Want My Time With You glowed above the concourse, as though quietly seeing us off. (For those interested, Emin currently has a major retrospective at the Tate Modern, which would make a rather good Easter holiday cultural outing.) Soon afterwards we boarded the Eurostar, slipped under the Channel and emerged into the bright efficiency of Gare du Nord. From there we travelled out to Maisons-Laffitte, a leafy suburb just outside Paris that became our base for the next few days. A wonderful first dinner of freshly prepared salmon provided a reassuringly civilised end to a day spent largely in transit.

The following morning we set off into the city. Standing beneath the Arc de Triomphe certainly provides a dramatic introduction to Paris, and students photographed the monument and its radiating avenues before we wandered down the Champs-Élysées. At one point Ila and Luise could be seen skipping hand in hand ahead of the group, adding a cheerful note to what might otherwise have looked like a slightly awestruck procession of  students navigating one of the world’s most famous boulevards.

Later we visited the Musée Dior, whose beautifully staged exhibitions offered a fascinating glimpse into the world of haute couture. That evening we enjoyed a boat trip along the Seine as the city glowed in the soft golden sunset light that Paris seems able to produce on cue. Dinner afterwards included excellent French onion soup and hanger steak, which also marked the beginning of my rather unintentional habit of eating steak every evening of the trip.

Friday brought decidedly authentic Parisian weather. The heavens opened and we moved through the city, glasses fogging and umbrellas held firmly overhead, making our way between galleries and museums in the sort of determined fashion that rainy cultural days tend to require. A highlight was a Martin Parr photography retrospective, whose vivid and often humorous observations of everyday life prompted plenty of discussion among the students.

We also spent time at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, which proved to be particularly rewarding. A beautifully staged exhibition on the Orient Express offered a glimpse into the glamour and mythology of early twentieth-century travel, while the Art Deco galleries were much enjoyed by Miss Bartoli, especially the elegant geometric designs. At one point Pila, Bianca and staff found ourselves attempting to decipher the narrative of an old religious painting, a small but entertaining exercise in art historical detective work. For me, however, the real highlight was seeing furniture by the French modernists Jean Prouvé and Le Corbusier, whose elegant combination of engineering and design remains remarkably contemporary even today.

After such a rainy day we headed to the historic Bouillon Chartier, where the group sampled classic French dishes including steak, escargots, foie gras and slices of snout. My steak streak continued, while Miss Bartoli enjoyed an excellent confit duck.

Saturday was a slightly more leisurely affair, filled with cafés, baguettes and vintage kilo shops where clothes are sold by weight. We also spent time in the beautifully restored La Samaritaine department store, where Mrs Charlton quite sensibly purchased some Chanel lipstick, explaining that such things are essentially a necessity in Paris.

Later Miss Bartoli took her students to visit the Grande Arche at La Défense, the striking modern arch aligned perfectly with the Arc de Triomphe across Paris’s historic axis. That evening we returned to Maisons-Laffitte for a relaxed dinner of burgers and, inevitably, more steak. Students compared photographs from the day, including Tunde’s excellent long exposures capturing the movement and energy of the city.

Our final morning began gently with breakfast before we returned to Gare du Nord and walked across the city to Montmartre. Climbing the steps to the Sacré-Cœur is not for the faint-hearted, but the reward is one of the most beautiful views across Paris. There we paused and enjoyed éclairs that Mrs Charlton had thoughtfully bought the day before.

Trips like this are always a mixture of culture, curiosity and the occasional logistical improvisation. But what stays with you are the small moments, the conversations, the discoveries, and the quiet satisfaction of experiencing a remarkable city together.

And, of course, the rather surprising amount of steak.