Writes Helena Maxfield, Assistant Head of Lower School
At the start of half term, 39 Third Form students set off from 吃瓜现场鈥� School for an unforgettable French adventure to the Opal Coast. We stayed at the Ch芒teau in Ebblinghem for three nights and four days, fully immersing ourselves in French culture. From speaking with staff to listening to menus and taking part in evening games in French, the boys had countless opportunities to practise their language skills.
On the first day, we visited the renowned Nausica谩 Aquarium, the largest in Europe, where students were captivated by the incredible marine life. Afterwards, we spent time enjoying the beach at Boulogne-sur-Mer before heading to one of the oldest bakeries in the region. There, Bruno showed us how to make artisan bread, and the boys learnt new vocabulary while sampling freshly made pain au chocolat.
The following day brought even more adventure. We visited a snail farm, where students learned all about escargots. Did you know that they have over 13,000 teeth?! Boys had the chance to hold the snails before bravely sampling them in the farm鈥檚 restaurant. The most popular recipe was, unsurprisingly, beurre 脿 l’ail! After lunch in the farm gardens, we visited Chocolaterie Beussent Lachelle, a local chocolate factory, where everyone enjoyed tasting praline chocolates while cooling off from the heatwave that had followed us. Not yet finished, we ventured into the centre of Saint-Omer for a town trail, discovering the highlights of this beautiful French town and cooling off in the impressive cathedral. The day ended on a high note with a well-earned treat from Mrs White; an enormous ice cream the best artisan glacier in town.
On our final evening, we gathered around a campfire to reflect on the trip. Some memorable student comments included:
路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 have got to know people I hadn鈥檛 met before.鈥�
路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚f you are good, you get an ice cream!鈥�
路聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e got to do things I never thought I could.鈥�
On the journey home, Gwilym H. wrestled the microphone from Mrs White to sum up the trip: fun, trying new foods, making new friends, and improving his French.
Overall, it was a truly memorable trip; friendships were strengthened, confidence grew, and, of course, many baguettes were enjoyed!
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