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Year 7 Trip to France, November 2009

“The Château Blogs 2009”

(Year 7’s twelfth annual visit the Château de la Baudonnière)

Dimanche, premier novembre
“Allez, tout le monde...dites au revoir à vos parents et montez dans le bus!”
8 am., and one of Mr. Hewitt’s favourite moments is when he has the right number of children (16 girls and 19 boys, all with their lunches, luggage, passports and EHICs), colleagues (Mr. Walker, Mrs. Jolliffe and Miss Ronayne), school wallets and bits of paper...we can go!
By the time we reach Essex there’s horizontal rain (a sort of theme for the week), but fortunately it clears up for us to unload the cases at Portsmouth.  It’s a little breezy on the Channel today, so there’s a fair amount of “mal de mer” on board the Normandie bound for Caen.
“Are we nearly there yet, sir?”
“Not quite, that’s the Isle of Wight you’re looking at!”
A long journey and a late-night arrival...are those really stars up there?  Alas no, for just as we unload the cases...il pleut!

Lundi, 2 novembre
We are really impressed with our brand new accommodation; the dormitories and staff bedrooms are lovely, with plenty of storage space and excellent en suite facilities.  We are less happy with the new dining hall, which we find a little impersonal and chilly as well as acoustically challenging.  However, the famous Château breakfast soon has us in a good mood.  Guess what...il pleut!  The Château is not looking its glorious best today, but a damp tour goes ahead, followed by indoor games instead of outdoor sports, and we have our first taste of French communication Château-style.
A delicious lunch, with crêpes au jambon, the ubiquitous cheeseboards and fresh fruit, and we’re into afternoon activities.  Those with an indoor option are lucky; Group D is caught out on the assault course by the hailstorm of the year, and Mr. H can’t even take the camera out of his bag!  Nothing can dampen the enthusiasm of these children, however.  After the daily diary session, which goes really well, there’s chicken and chips for dinner, and team games to round off the day.

Mardi, 3 novembre
“Bonjour, les enfants...il pleut !”   Not quite as bad as yesterday, though.  Then Vicky, one of the Château managers, tells us that the aéroballe will have to be cancelled on safety grounds (the groans can probably be heard in Norwich!)  Still, we are able to try an unscheduled activity, le Cirque.  Some of the girls are so impressed with their new-found skills at plate-spinning that they decide to include it in Friday’s talent-show...not their wisest decision, as it turns out!  The activities are going really well, and the animateurs’ constant use of French is having its usual positive effect on everyone’s confidence, spoken French and listening-skills.
After lunch Gérard, the Château’s factotum, tells us all about cider-making, and we are privileged to have “une (très) petite dégustation”.  Archery, climbing and French lessons feature on the programme this afternoon, and there’s beautiful roast pork for dinner.  Unfortunately, the camp fire cannot take place (il pleut!), but indoor “Balloon Volleyball” proves to be a hit.  “Lights Out” is at 10 pm.  Sadly, the teachers are being rotten spoilsports all week, sitting on futon mattresses in the corridor and updating House cards...no fun at all!

Mercredi, 4 novembre
“Joyeux Anniversaire, Monsieur Walker!”  Actually, we have three birthdays this week and Rishika, Victoria and Jess have been busy over half term making designer cards on behalf of everyone.  Well worth the chocolate bribe, as the cards are beautiful...merci, les filles!
Good news!  Darren, the other manager, informs us that the new dining hall will be closed for the rest of the week to enable them to deal with the teething troubles, so we can have the old Château dining room (one benefit of only having two schools at the Château this week is that there’s plenty of space!)  We really love this room; it has exposed beams, chandeliers and a very cosy French ambience.
Even more good news!  It’s only going to be showery today, so activities will go ahead as planned.  This means that Group E can do aéroballe!  It’s a cross between trampoline and netball, played in pairs, and proves to be great fun.  Another group has been making French bread this morning, which goes down well with charcuterie, a hot quiche and some Camembert and Roquefort at lunchtime.
After lunch the “little jobs” involve feeding and playing with the tame animals at the Château farm...such a hard life!  It’s somehow very reassuring to see big tough boys cuddling baby rabbits.  We also discover that Jam the parrot’s favourite food (and word) is “cacahuètes”.  Fencing and orienteering are on offer this afternoon, and dinner features a very non-British idea: fish and rice!  We also have a delicious birthday cake, but are sad to learn that in doing so we have missed out on chocolate éclairs.  “Why can’t we have both, sir?”
It’s a dry evening, though apparently it’s still unsafe to use the outdoor sports area.  Still, a torchlight scavenger hunt proves an interesting way to pass the evening.

Jeudi, 5 novembre
At breakfast, a cheery Colette informs us that the weather at the Château will be good today, but that heavy rain is forecast for the Côtes d’Armor in Brittany...and guess where we’re going!
Right on cue, the heavens open as we step onto the market square in Dinan.  The friendly crêpe and sweet salesmen are rubbing their hands as hordes of children take refuge under their awnings.  Haggling (“marchander”) is now officially on the Year 7 French syllabus, so the novelty salesmen don’t stand a chance!  The children have shown great interest in Peruvian hats and bongo drums this year, and the boys are threatening to entertain us with the latter tomorrow night.  Off to the supermarket for a shopping spree...even the automatic checkouts speak French!   Miss Ronayne has been taking fines for speaking English at mealtimes all week, and goes off to buy goodies for the return journey.  We stop for our picnic lunch and...il pleut!  Great dexterity is shown by the animatrice and staff as they hand out sandwiches, crisps and drinks on the coach, and the children are fortunately very tidy.
After a short history lecture on the coach (don’t worry, Mr. Kendrick, you’re safe!) we arrive at the windy Mont Saint Michel...time for a little awe and wonder!  This place is truly magnificent, even to a teacher making his umpteenth visit...what must it be like through the eyes of a child?  We explore the ramparts, the abbey church and the cloisters, the refectory and the nobles’ hall, the huge winding-wheel and the scriptorium, and just about have time to visit the shops on the way down.
If it’s Thursday night, it must be French fancy-dress (super effort, everyone, but the winners are Will A, Will H, Rosy May and Emma)...and then escargots!  Sacha has talked of little else for weeks, and finds plenty of friends who share her taste for the wee beasties...and a few who decidedly do not!  Lovely roast lamb, a team quiz in French, and sleep!

Vendredi, 6 novembre
Our last day at the Château, and moderately better weather.  It’s Will G’s birthday, so we have another excuse to sing at breakfast.  We also celebrate again with Max, poor chap, who had to spend his entire birthday travelling on Sunday!  Both boys receive tee-shirts bought at the Mont Saint Michel.  The final activities take place today, and the Château staff wave their magic wands yet again.  They have managed to fit in aéroballe for the groups that missed it, so everyone is happy apart from Cameron, who is ecstatic!  After lunch (lasagne!) we have yet another difficult “little job” visiting the horses, Brad and Pitt, and the llamas, Belle and Dalai...French humour!
The day seems to flash past, and after a wonderful bœuf bourguignon and more birthday cake, it’s time for packing and then the talent show.  We have the promised drumming from the boys, dancing and brief plate-spinning from the girls and a delightful French song complete with visual aids!  After a farewell disco with our friends from St. Aubyn’s it’s time for bed, for tomorrow is a long day.

Samedi, 7 novembre
We are sad to leave the Château, but it’s hard to feel too much emotion at 5 am.  The return crossing aboard the Mont Saint Michel is less rough than last week’s sailing, though a few still suffer.  Mrs. Jolliffe is as always very compassionate, and she is glad to have had a relatively incident-free week on the first aid and medical fronts.  There’s shopping (of course), movies and a tasty lunch in the ship’s restaurant.  As we approach Portsmouth the sun is shining brightly...what a surprise!  After a very smooth coach journey we arrive back at Town Close at 6.15, parents are waiting and suddenly it’s all over...time for exams and projects!

Despite the appalling weather, it has been a superb week.  The children have been great company and wonderful ambassadors for the School, and they have made tremendous progress.  Very well done, everyone!

Dear Mr Hewitt

(emails from the children, who were asked to provide their thoughts about the Château)

I liked the fencing because it was just great and a lot of fun.  I liked the Mont Saint Michel because I thought it was really interesting and amazing how it was built on a small island; it was a fantastic experience to be there.  I liked the food because it was very French and well cooked, and I really liked the snails.  I thought that they tasted just like chicken.  I loved the aéroballe because it was great fun bouncing up and down trying to shoot a basket.  I had never done it before so it was a great experience.  I thought that the Château altogether was fantastic, a big challenge and very educational.
Maria Andrews        

Our trip to France was fantastic.  My favourite activities were l'escalade and la fabrication du pain. I liked them because they were really fun and I got to extend my French vocabulary. The animateurs made the activities more fun because they ended with a competition.  It has definitely been my favourite week of the year!
Nicola Ward

I really liked the food; it was delicious. The activities were brilliant and really well organised and I also thought the animateurs were great fun and really good.
Sam Carding
I really enjoyed it, especially the food and the parcours de santé.  I liked the parcours de santé because it was very muddy. I also liked fabrication de pain because it was great fun and the end result was delicious.
Will Garson

My favourite activity was definitely aéroballe!  I enjoyed everything about the Château.  My favourite animateur was Fifi and I also liked Lena!
Jess Price

I really enjoyed the activities at the Château in France.  The activity I enjoyed best was the assault course, even though it was raining and hailing.  I still found it fun when we got ourselves all muddy.  I also enjoyed making the bread and especially tasting it.   It was great.  I really enjoyed the visit to Mont Saint Michel.  I also liked the visit to the market.  I am glad I went on the French trip.
Rishika Kaushal

I really enjoyed the French trip. All the animateurs (instructors) were really fun!  My favourite activity was escalade because it was challenging, but when you rang the bell at the top it felt like you had achieved something worth waiting for!  Everything was a really great experience and it definitely improved my French.
Esther Anderson
 
There were three things I really really liked about the French Trip.  The first thing I liked was the quality of the instructors.  I also enjoyed the activities because they were all hands on, and I liked the style of French food.
Will Hunt