Year 8 Students Embrace French Culture And History During Normandy Visit

Chris Prince / 10 July 2018 / Categories: News

Our Year 8s had the opportunity to visit new places and try new experiences as they spent several days away from home on our annual visit to France.

The group set off by coach on Friday night, before arriving at their destination on Saturday afternoon, stopping off at Honfleur on the way to sample the local crepes and stretch their legs. They were staying at a beautiful chateau and spent the remainder of their first day playing games in the grounds before getting an early night so they were ready for the action-packed days ahead.

On Sunday, students visited the world-famous Bayeux Tapestry and Cathedral, with one student amazingly managing to locate the grave of her great uncle in the cemetery. The day was capped off with a visit to Arromanches-les-Bains for more tasting of local treats.

Monday’s activities included a very interesting visit to a castle and its dungeon and an impromptu bagpipe lesson with the coach driver! Students then enjoyed their lunch in a park before a visit to a chocolate factory in the afternoon.

On the final full day of adventure on the continent, the Year 8s learned about the D-Day landings with a visit to Les Batteries-sur-Mer, including a trip to an American cemetery. They enjoyed a brief paddle in the sea at Omaha Beach, before retiring back to the chateau for a game of bowling and to watch England’s match against Colombia at the World Cup. They even had a go at eating some traditional French cuisine, including frog’s legs and snails, which received mixed reviews!

Head of MFL Ms Hindley said: “The group was brilliantly behaved and we had an amazing few days exploring Normandy, while learning about the region’s history and culture. It is so important when learning a foreign language to be able to have that context and it is fantastic that we could offer our students this opportunity.”