Normandie a la Carte trip School name Trip dates

WHO ARE WE?? Normandy à la Carte was formed in 1997 by Andrew Caverhill, a French language teacher, Ian Wood, an ex-marine who specialised in outdoor pursuits, who is normally called Woody and a School travel expert, Sarah Jane Wood (Sas!). We specialise in providing safe and fun french language learning and culture for UK school groups in a friendly, family atmosphere. So if you are a teacher who wants the very best learning and fun experience for your group then we will work in partnership with you to provide a tailor made programme specifically for you and your group.

HEALTH & SAFETY SECURITY It’s hard to cover all the points of health & safety at the La Grand Ferme in 5 minutes. That’s why we have a dedicated section on our website, covering risk assessments and more. Please visit All our staff are carefully trained in ALL our activities and only allowed to run their own sessions once they have completed their full training. Upon arrival, the staff run a tour of the property in order to inform students of the boundaries and rules at the La Grand Ferme and finish with a full fire drill.

DEPARTURE The group will leave school on (date) TIME: Meet at school at (pick-up location) TIME : Depart school by coach and transfer to the port TIME-TIME: Portsmouth-Caen crossing TIME: Arrive at the La Grand Ferme

THE ACCOMMODATION Specifically designed for school groups, all the accommodation consist of comfortably furnished rooms with a teacher’s room close-by for supervision. Each school has their own space, with boys and girls on separate floors when possible. All buildings have either en-suite rooms or communal bathrooms.

THE FOOD The food at the La Grand Ferme is a full part of the French experience. With years of experience, the staff has developed a menu which, as well as being adapted to children’s tastes, is also a real French culinary discovery. We also cater for a wide variety of special diets including vegetarian, vegan, no nuts, no dairy etc…

OUR ACTIVITIES Activities are a great way for the students to have pure and simple fun. But they also provide a perfect situation for students to feel at ease using the French language. Whatever the age, ability or needs of your group, Normandie à la Carte takes time to liaise with teachers and talk to parents, so that the visit to France can be carefully linked to school preparation and follow-up. This will ensure that all pupils will come home with a sense of real achievement, a knowledge of France, its language and culture, and a treasure trove of project and other work to stimulate further study. The students enjoy the activities so much they do not realise just how much they are learning! Have a look at the following activities!

Kayak de Mer (Sea Kayak) Kayaking on our own small lake, gives pupils the opportunity to learn various new skills in a safe, but fun environment. The lake is big enough for your students to have fun, but small enough for our animateurs to maintain our high safety standards After kayaking, pupils work in teams to build rafts using ropes, barrels and… plenty of patience! As usual, French is the order of the day. Students should be confident in water, but they do not need to be excellent swimmers.

Fabrication du Pain (Bread Making) Everyone loves making things they can enjoy and eat later, and even more so at the château because we combine bread baking with singing French songs! Primary school pupils love getting covered in flour, kneading their dough and enjoying their tasty treats later with their evening meal. A hands-down favourite.

Brilliant for learning a whole variety of French vocabulary and phrases, from the names of circus tools to the actions themselves, as well as more basic things such as colours, numbers and prepositions. Your animatuer will teach the technique alongside the art of circus skills. Initiation au Cirque (Circus Skills)

Our mountain biking routes take you around the edge of the bay of Mont St Michel, using the paths trodden for generations by the pilgrims and fishermen heading out onto the sands. The views are great, and the hills few and far between! Vélo tout Terrain (Mountain Biking)

How better to appreciate the beauty of an ancient forest than to follow the 2300m of this stunning high ropes course in Northern Brittany. Different circuits for all levels, moving from tree to tree, amongst ancient oaks, with all the necessary safety equipment adapted to the size and age of participants,and guided by experienced and supportive staff. Parcours d'Accrobranches (High Ropes)

Char à Voile (Sand Yachting) Everyone can discover the joys of this activity, with wind in the sails and a magnificent view of Mont St Michel - weather permitting! Previous experience is not needed as the circuit put in place by the instructors allows all participants to acquire the necessary basic skills for sand yachting, in a safe and secure environment.

Chasse au Trésor (Treasure Hunt) Staying on-site at la Grand' Ferme you have to find as many objects as possible in a set time - starting with a list of 30 items you will need to communicate lots of French with your team mates in order to find the treasure before anyone else!

Course d’Orientation (Orienteering) Students will be taught map reading in French using orienteering games and courses in the grounds. As well as using French language for features, directions and map symbols the team orienteering challenges will involve other French language quizzes as well as finding the control markers.

OUR LOCAL VISITS Local excursions are the perfect opportunity for pupils to put their new language skills and confidence into practice in a real French environment. Although the cultural aspect is the main asset of this day, the animateur never forgets to input and encourage the use of French in a fun way throughout the day. After breakfast, the group will collect their packed lunches, meet their animateur and board their coach for their day excursion(s). Here is a range of the local visits on offer!

The French Market More than a spot of shopping, the pupils have to take part in a questionnaire whilst discovering the lovely colours, smells and tastes of the quintessential French market. The pupils will see all kinds of stalls, including fruits and vegetables of the season, fresh fish and sea food, and French livestock such as chickens and rabbits.

Le Mont St Michel Probably the most impressive sight in Normandy, the Mont St Michel is a feat of medieval architecture. The village consists of a blend of cobbled lanes, medieval houses, shops and cafés where the students can practise their skills and buy souvenirs. It is also possible to approach the Mont by crossing on the tidal causeway with one of our expert French native guides

St Malo Our region is rich in towns where every stone is steeped in history, with medieval ramparts perched over picturesque valleys. One of the finest is St Malo, with its magnificent cathedral, Wax Museum and the Old Market Hall, shops with local crafts and open markets. This the perfect opportunity for a town trail or even free time for shopping.

Bayeux Town and Tapisserie Start your visit with a quick tour of the town centre of Bayeux, including the magnificent medieval cathedral. This visit can be combined with the weekly market. You can also visit the Bayeux Tapestry, a unique 70m long document, made in the 11th century of woollen embroidery on linen cloth. The tapestry tells the epic story leading up to the Battle of Hastings and the defeat of King Harold by William the Conqueror.

Arromanches and the Landing beaches For a real historic account of WW2, the town of Arromanches is the perfect place to start. The group can visit the D-Day landing museum, which relates the importance of Arromanches and its man-made ‘mulberries’ resulting in the Allies’ success during WW2. The group can then visit the famous 360° cinema, a must-see which shows unreleased footage from war correspondents, filmed on D-Day. After lunch, the group can then travel through the different landing beaches and learn about the stories and events on D-Day.

The Goat’s Cheese Farm Based in a quintessential Normandy farmhouse, come and meet our goat’s cheese expert, who will be delighted to teach you all about his work. In a visit specifically designed for school groups, the children will learn all about the different steps of goat’s cheese-making as well as get the chance to stroke the goats, feed them, milk them and even try their milk! This is definitely a visit not to miss!!

EVENING ENTERTAINMENT This is the perfect opportunity for the pupils to let their hair down, but the animateurs still run each event with French in mind. Evening entertainment includes French Night (French quiz, fancy dress and snail tasting!), film night, initiative exercises, it’s a knockout, treasure hun…

RETURN The group will return to school on (date) TIME: Leave the La Grand Ferme TIME-TIME: Caen-Portsmouth crossing TIME: Arrive at school

ANY QUESTIONS?