French Language & Culture Trip To Opal Coast: 5 days, 4 nights
Your cultural tour to the Opal Coast will provide wonderful opportunities for students to experience French culture, such as in the French bakery or at the snail farm, alongside extending their knowledge and experience of the French language. The 5 day tour gives you the opportunity for a day out at Bagatelle Theme Park.
Excursion Ideas
Educational Treasure Hunt
Subject range: Cultural, History, Language
What you’ll experience: You will get instructions, clues, tasks, a map to allow your group to explore the town with a mission in mind!
More Information: More suited to independent groups who can manage some complicated challenges. Available in Le Touquet, Boulogne sur Mer and St Omer.
Snail Farm - Les Escargots du Bocage
Subject range: MFL, Cultural
What you’ll experience: What you’ll see: From mid-April to October, Fabienne and Sylvain welcome you to share their passion and make you discover the life of the snail from birth to plate. The visit includes: a tour of the farm park, snails, a slideshow and tasting.
Select says: A great way for students to be adventurous in trying the delicacies of another culture. The farm visits take place by appointment from 20 to 45 people.
Bagatelle Theme Park
Subject range: MFL, Cultural
What you’ll experience: Amusement and animal park set in 30 hectares of beautiful parkland between Berck and Le Touquet. The 43 attractions at this well-established traditional family park (first opened 1955) includes many white knuckle rides and breath-taking experiences, with new additions each year.
Select says: The park suits an age range of 9 – 14 perfectly.
Chocolaterie Artisanale de Beussent
Subject range: MFL, Cultural
What you’ll experience: Down the stairs by the side of the garage, tempting smells welcome you to a world of chocolate. You walk through a small chocolate shop into a basement chocolate factory. After the demonstration and tasting, you go back through the shop so that students can buy some more to take home if they choose.
Select says: This is one of the only chocolate factories in France that makes its chocolate directly from cocoa beans.
Nausicaa Centre National De La Mer
Subject range: Cultural, MFL, Science
What you’ll experience: Visit the spectacular national sea centre, one of the largest aquariums in the world. Different tours introduce groups to the wonders of the underwater world and highlights the importance of conservation of this marine biodiversity.
Select says: Don’t miss the ‘In the Eye of the Climate’ tour that explains the impact of climate change on our oceans
Biscuit Factory
Subject range: Food Technology
What you’ll experience: Learn about the process of biscuit making at a local family business. A great opportunity to buy some delicious take home presents.
Calais Dragon
Subject range: Subject range: Cultural, Languages
What you’ll experience: Enjoy views of the newly renovated seafront on the back of a 12 metre high moving dragon made of steel and sculpted wood. Students will love being part of the local legend of the dragon protecting Calais! The tour takes about 20 minutes and the dragon can take 48 people maximum.
More Information: Suitable for all ages
French Language & Culture Trip To Opal Coast: 5 days, 4 nights Accommodation
Riva Bella Le Touquet
Location: Le Touquet
Capacity: 50
Situated in an excellent location in Le Touquet on a quiet road and close to the town centre. Approximately 100m from the beach and Aqualud centre.
Rooms: Mostly en-suite rooms, some shared facilities.
Facilities: Dining room, meeting room, teachers' lounge, large courtyard.
Hippotel
Location: Le Touquet
Capacity: 180
The recently renovated Hippotel in Le Touquet is set in the forest near the estuary of the Canche, and offers easy access to the beach and town centre.
Rooms: All rooms have en-suite facilities.
Facilities: Restaurant, games room, pool table, table football.
Les Sables d'Or
Location: Stella Plage
Capacity: 92
Les Sables d'Or is well located in Stella Plage, a short drive from Le Touquet and close to the beach! This is a popular accommodation with our groups.
Rooms: Mostly en-suite rooms, some shared facilities.
Facilities: Free Wi-Fi, garden terrace.
Links to Learning
Learning areas:
Learning areas:
Why not link your cultural tour to your school PSHE planning? Areas covered could include: gaining self-confidence and independence; working together and making new friends; trying new activities; enjoy healthy, safe, responsible and fulfilled lives; recognising and managing risks; take increasing responsibility for themselves.
For KS3/4 how about linking a cultural tour to the Citizenship curriculum: to enable them to manage their money on a day-to-day basis.
For KS2 – how about linking to the Foreign Language curriculum: listen attentively to spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding; engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; develop accurate pronunciation and intonation; broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words.
KS3 Modern foreign language: develop and use a wide-ranging and deepening vocabulary that goes beyond their immediate needs and interests; listen to a variety of forms of spoken language to obtain information and respond appropriately; initiate and develop conversations, coping with unfamiliar language and unexpected responses, making use of important social conventions such as formal modes of address; speak coherently and confidently, with increasingly accurate pronunciation and intonation.
Select Extras:
For KS2 students to practise their language skills pre-tour try these resources:
BBC Primary French – language lab
BBC Primary French – all about me (also includes French sounds video and songs)
For KS3/KS4 there are some fantastic video clips available here including situations such as a visit to the market:
KS3 BBC Bitesize – a visit to the market
KS4 BBC Bitesize GCSE resources
Have you thought of selecting a relevant movie for the coach journey? We recommend Ratatouille!
