Lower School French Trip June 2019

In June pupils studying French in Years 7 & 8 ventured to France on a cultural and linguistic trip.  Visits took in Château Beaumont in Normandy in record temperatures; the medieval castle of Fougères, and, one of the highlights for many, Mont Saint-Michel, a magical island topped by a medieval monastery, which was the filming location in Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley. There were chances to practice speaking French as pupils bought and tasted local foods – in a traditional French Marché; at a hypermarket; at the Lactopôle museum showcasing the dairy industry and cheese tastings; in restaurants where pupils were expanded their taste buds with crepes, frogs’ legs and snails.  A cultural visit to the art museum in Laval included a Cluedo game to find out who had committed the murder in the museum.

Throughout the week many on-site activities expended energy and stretched boundaries. Archery, swimming, wall climbing. The most fun was had on the nightline activity – teams were blindfolded and had to work together to manoeuvre around an assault course while being sprayed with water – a job the teachers relished!  Coming together every evening was truly special, with creative flair coming to the fore in dress worn on the French-themed evening. The pupil’s comments sum up the spirit of the week;

• “I loved being able to buy cheese, sausage and baguette and eat it for my lunch.”
• “…eating frogs’ legs and snails for dinner, which were delicious, and the beef bourguignonne”
• “Mont Saint Michel was cool and sort of weird and fun, the layout was crazy as it just went up in mazes and paths and built on itself.”
• “swimming because we had a woggle war!”
• “I enjoyed going to the dairy factory – it was interesting to see how cheese and butter is made”.
• “Climbing because the staff made it more interesting with games and challenges. I enjoyed the feeling of slowly jumping down from the top.”
• “I liked the supermarket and market trip because it was the first time, I have had total control over my money.”