U3 and L4 pupil’s recently embarked upon an exciting adventure to Normandy to try out their French language skills, enjoy some outdoor activities and experience some of the history of the area.
During our time in France we stayed at the Chateau du Molay where we began our visit with some outdoor team games in the grounds of the Chateau before heading off to the seaside town of Arromanches, home to the D-Day museum. Here the students were able to learn about the D-Day landings; some of the weapons and equipment involved in the landings could still be seen in and around the town and this helped to really bring the events to life.
We also viewed the moving summary of the landings in the 360 degree cinema at Arromanches showing original footage of the fight to end World War II which took place in and around Normandy’s beaches, we followed this with a visit to the old German gun emplacements up on the cliffs nearby. The day ended with a visit to the American cemetery and Omaha beach, scene of some of the worst fighting and greatest casualties on D-Day.
We were equally busy on day two with a visit to the town of Bayeux on market day, this allowed our students to try out their French at some of the shops and market stalls and enjoy some French café culture. Then it was off to see the famous Bayeux Tapestry depicting the events of the Battle of Hastings and the Norman Conquest. After viewing this impressive piece of history, the students were able to tour a caramel factory and see how the famous Normandy caramels are produced, followed of course by some free samples and many purchases in the shop. We completed our day with a visit to the German military cemetery, a sombre place which was a powerful reminder of the terrible loss of life in this part of France in 1944.
After a hectic few days it was time to head home, the students made some fantastic memories and enjoyed the chance to visit so many interesting places, we also found time for an evening visit to the local bowling alley as well as a disco and crepes on our final night. The trip was a fantastic experience for all and the students returned home having really enjoyed themselves.
Keep up to date with the Highclare Language department and view more photo’s from this wonderful trip on the Highclare Languages Twitter account @Highclare_MFL
