Due to the retirement of the owner of the previous French Trip in Year 7, we booked to visit Chateau Beaumont in Basse-Normandie this year. What a success! What a wonderful time we all had!

This trip has, as its raison-d’etre, the belief that visiting France should be both a cultural and a social experience, thus the Reportage package was chosen, with activities adapted by our staff to fit in with the needs and linguistic capabilities of our pupils. The main aim was to make the language learning relevant and enjoyable.

After a very long journey, leaving in the early hours of Monday morning, we arrived at Chateau Beaumont, and were ushered straight into dinner, before finding our accommodation and settling in.  Whilst the staff had their meeting, the pupils were taken by the animateurs to do a French Treasure Hunt (la chasse aux lettres) around the grounds of the chateau.

On Tuesday, we began with a visit to Laval market. The 5 groups of 8 pupils had been given the task of buying a picnic which was suitable for all tastes in their group, and were given a set amount of money to spend. This was an excellent place to begin a task. The market was small enough for stallholders to be prepared to talk to the pupils in French, and the pupils were encouraged to try out their French. Many of them were brave enough to spend some of their own money on a crepe. Instant gratification! They could eat the results of their efforts - and with others successful and eating before them, all plucked up courage to try. After a whirlwind visit to the hypermarket, we moved on to the Refuge de l’Arche, where we set up picnic tables, and ate the food bought that morning. All groups were successful, all were well fed – and some were very adventurous, with the first taste of langoustines!

Then into the Refuge – with an amazing number and range of animals on show. The pupils had a quiz to complete, with alphabetical animal names, and the first of the additional prizes was won. On the way home, we visited the chocolate factory, where many of us bought small presents to take home.

After dinner, we played a version of Blind Date, alongside the other schools at the centre – including a teachers’ round!

Wednesday saw us prepared and ready for the big day – we were to visit the castle at Fougeres, eat lunch at the creperie, before visiting the wonderful Mont St Michel. What a fantastic day! The chateau was impressive and our Chateau guides inventive with their explanations and activities. Then we moved on to experience crepes – ordered personally – in a creperie which cheerfully welcomed all  47 of us for lunch/a snack.

Mont-St-Michel was impressive for all of us. The linking of the streets to Diagon Alley in J K Rowling’s works made some people take notice. Others enjoyed shopping for souvenirs – and more food.

After the journey home, we dressed quickly for the soiree francaise, and went into dinner where the starter gave some of us our first chance to taste escargots et des cuisses de grenouille. Mmmh – delicieux! Then followed the quiz and a good evening was had by all.

On Thursday we had a quieter morning, doing archery, initiative games and ICT, creating our own newspapers, which were to become the basis of the display back in school. Then off to the goat farm, where we tasted goats’ cheese of 3 different strengths and made friends with the goats. A disco and talent show in the evening, and our stay was almost over.

Our journey home took us via Bayeux to see the Bayeux Tapestry, which we had learnt about in our History lessons.

A fantastic trip! Thank you Year 7 from all the staff. Well done – you were a delight to take away!