Sussex choral singers who travelled to Paris to perform were dealt a blow when the supporting orchestra went on strike.
Instead, the 90 members of the Brighton Festival Chorus entertained themselves sightseeing, attending the opera and eating out instead of appearing at the Salle Pleyel.
The group was due to perform on two nights with the Orchestre National d'Ile de France.
The first night went off smoothly but the second performance was cancelled when the orchestra decided to strike.
A spokesman for the chorus, which practises at Sussex University, said: "It was not the French orchestra's fault this strike happened. They could not have looked after us better. We all had a terrific weekend and enjoyed our extra time in Paris."
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