An unforgettable trip to the Opal Coast in France

Year 5 recently returned from a fun-packed three-day trip to the stunning northern coast of France, where they immersed themselves in French culture and language. 

The excitement began with the early morning coach trip to Dover and continued with the short ferry ride across to Calais. Our first stop was the Boulangerie d’Escoeuilles where the group was enthusiastic to see how bread was made and were given dough to make their very own bread. The girls even had the opportunity to try freshly baked pain au chocolat, almost the same size as their heads, which was clearly a highlight of the day for many! 

After the early departure that morning, meeting our excellent animateurs, an early evening meal and some team building at the hotel rounded off day one.  

Nicknamed the Garden of the English Channel and the Pearl of the Opal Coast, the girls ventured to Le Touquet the following morning. A charming and popular seaside resort town, we did a French eye-spy and used the time to do some sightseeing and shopping. Some girls even bought a crepe! 

Later that day, we travelled to the Nausicaa Sealife Centre – one of the largest and most impressive aquariums in Europe. The girls were fascinated by the marine life, conservation and its importance for the planet. They loved seeing the stunning range of sea life, such as bioluminesent fish, sharks, seals and penguins. Mrs. Gollop’s personal highlight was seeing the enormous stingray! 

The evening meal back at the hotel brought squeals of excitement when snails were brought round at the dinner table with many girls gamely trying them for the first time. Our animateur explained the menu (en français, bien sûr!), and pupils tried out their speaking skills, asking for more water/bread in French should their table run out. 

We were so impressed with how the pupils listened carefully, translated what they heard and were keen to use their vocabulary from lessons in school, as well as new words learned during the visit. 

We rounded off the trip with a much-awaited trip to Les Chocolats de Beussent, a chocolate factory. The group delighted in seeing the process of melting, moulding, and coating the delicious treats, almost as much as they enjoyed sampling some freshly made chocolate! 

Trip leader Mrs. Gollop said, “It was a joy to accompany the girls to France. Everyone complimented them on their manners and their enthusiasm to speak French. They all have such wonderful memories together.” Anna in Year 5 said, “My favourite thing was probably the aquarium because there were so many sea creatures. I loved the sea lions. It was also really fun being with friends and trying lots of French food!”