French Language & Cultural Trip to Normandy

About this trip

Your cultural tour to Normandy will provide students with numerous opportunities to extend their knowledge and experience of French culture. Our suggested itinerary offers inspiration but we will tailor make your tour to meet your specific curriculum needs.

Sample Itinerary

Day 1 Find out more

Arrival day
Honfleur

Day 2 Find out more

Local market
Bayeux Town Trail
Bayeux Tapestry

Day 3 Find out more

Les Caramels d’Isigny (Caramel Factory)
La Chevrerie du Mesnil (Goats Cheese Farm)
Les Vergers de Ducy (Cider Farm)

Day 4 Find out more

Les Chocolats de Beussent (Chocolaterie)
Travel home
Festyland

Day 5 Find out more

Day 6 Find out more

Day 7 Find out more

Day 8 Find out more

Excursion Ideas

Festyland Find out more

Festyland

Subject Range: Cultural, Language

What you’ll experience: Festyland is the biggest amusement park in Normandy and offers around thirty rides. A great fun day out for students and great for activity weeks.

Select Says: Located in Bretteville-sur-Odon near Caen.

Les Vergers de Ducy (Apple Juice/Cider Farm) Find out more

Les Vergers de Ducy (Apple Juice/Cider Farm)

Subject Range: Cultural, Food Technology, Language

What you’ll experience: During the tour, students are shown an introductory video followed by a tour of the orchards and an overview of the production process from washing and crushing the apples to the casks where the calvados is matured.

Select Says: This is a welcoming and informative tour and students have the opportunity to taste the apple juice and purchase in the shop.

Swimming – Aquanacre Find out more

Swimming – Aquanacre

Subject Range: MFL, Physical Education

What you’ll experience: Aquanacre is located in Douvres-la-Délivrande, just 10 minutes from the Château du Baffy. The swimming centre has 3 pools, one outside, and a pentagliss (parallel slides).

Select Says: Swimming is always a fun activity to choose for the students and great for unwinding as an evening activity.

Honfleur Find out more

Honfleur

Subject Range: MFL, Art & Design, Cultural, Geography, Food Technology

What you’ll experience: A town with a rich artistic and historical heritage, Honfleur has beautiful old houses, narrow paved streets, monuments, little shops, traditional restaurants, galleries, artists’ studios, a fishing harbour and a marina.

Select Says: The changing light on the Seine estuary inspired Monet, Boudin, Courbet, and many others. Great place to stop for lunch on route to your destination or on the way home to break up the journey.

Mont Saint-Michel and Abbey Find out more

Mont Saint-Michel and Abbey

Subject Range: MFL, Cultural, History, Geography, Religious Studies

What you’ll experience: Mont St-Michel is in the heart of a great bay that has the highest tides in Europe. After going through the Boulevard Gate and the King’s Gate fortified with its portcullis, you will find the main street with museums, shops and houses dating from the 15th and 16th centuries. After admiring the Abbey church, you can enjoy the beautiful view over the bay from the ramparts path.

Select Says: The Abbey was turned into a prison during the days of the French Revolution and Empire, and needed to be restored before the end of the 19th century. You must transfer to the local bus over the causeway as coaches and cars are now restricted. This is due to a regeneration project going on in the area currently – more information is available at the visitors centre near the car park before you go over the causeway.

Bayeux Tapestry Museum Find out more

Bayeux Tapestry Museum

Subject Range: MFL, Art & Design, Cultural, History, Religious Studies

What you’ll experience: The Bayeux Tapestry is a unique source on the 11th century beginning with Harold’s eventful journey to Normandy through to the Battle of Hastings. Visits are by audio-guide giving commentary on the scenes. *Please note this museum will be closed for renovation work from September 2025-Spring 2027.

Bayeux Cathedral Find out more

Bayeux Cathedral

Subject Range: MFL, Art & Design, Cultural, History, Religious Studies

What you’ll experience: The cathedral of Notre-Dame in Bayeux is an impressive building with a mix of Romanesque architecture in the 11th century crypt and Gothic in the 13th-century nave. The crypt contains some beautiful murals and the stained-glass windows in the chapel are stunning.

Select Says: Read the diagram on the stairs before you descend into the crypt, as it gives some information about the images below.

Market Visits Find out more

Market Visits

Subject Range: MFL, Cultural, Food Technology

What you’ll experience: The markets in Normandy are fabulous places for students to see and sample the diversity of local produce and traditions, and to experience a colourful, lively and welcoming atmosphere. It’s also a great chance to try out their language skills. A full list of possibilities can be viewed a at the Normandy tourism website market page.

Select Says: Bear in mind that most markets take place in the morning or on specific days. Some accommodations allow you to take food back and make lunches for your group after the market visit. Some groups enjoy doing this as a French language use excersise.

Chateau de Falaise Find out more

Chateau de Falaise

Subject Range: History, Cultural , Primary

What you’ll experience: Remnants of a medieval castle, dating from the 12-13th Century and on the site of the birthplace of William the Conqueror. Using tablets, students are invited to recreate the interiors of parts of the castle and meet historical figures from the Anglo-Norman period.

Abbaye aux Hommes Find out more

Abbaye aux Hommes

Subject Range: History, Cultural, Religious Studies, Primary

What you’ll experience: The more ornate counterpart to the Abbaye aux Dames, this Abbey houses the tomb of William the Conquereror. Behind these buildings lies the story of William the Conqueror’s love affair with his cousin, whom he married in 1050 despite papal opposition. The couple obtained a pardon from Pope Nicholas II in 1059, but each had to build an abbey.

Les Escargots de l’Odon (Snail Farm) Find out more

Les Escargots de l’Odon (Snail Farm)

Subject Range: Food Technology, Cultural, Primary

What you’ll experience: Nestling in a small dale at the heart of the Odon valley, Les Escargots de l’Odon offers visitors the chance to discover the world of snail farming. From the egg to the plate, groups will see the reproduction workshop, nursery, snail parks as well as the laboratory, before ending the visit with a tasting.

Farm and Bread making Find out more

Farm and Bread making

Subject Range: History, Cultural, Food Technology

What you’ll experience: Groups will enjoy an afternoon learning about the active life of a farm. The children will make their own bread rolls and be told about the magic of baking by their host François. While the bread is cooking, the children can meet the animals on the farm before tucking into their bread. Groups have the option to add other activities at a supplement, such as farmer’s golf, milking a cow or making apple juice.

Normandy Victory Museum Find out more

Normandy Victory Museum

Subject Range: History, Cultural

What you’ll experience: A museum with a different angle, giving insight into life in the 100 days following the D-Day landings, known as the ‘Battle of the Hedges’. Journey through 27 hyper-realistic, sound-enhanced settings which groups walk through in chronological order. The visit ends with an exhibition on the importance of the role of women during the war.

Accommodation Options

Château du Baffy Find out more

Château du Baffy

Our Rating:

Capacity: 110

Location: Colombiers-sur-Seulles

What you’ll experience: The Château is only 6 kilometres from the picturesque seaside town of Courselles-sur-Mer with its yacht harbour and sandy beaches, and is also on the doorstep of Bayeux and the World War II landing beaches. It’s the perfect base for groups to enjoy the wealth of excursions and educational experiences on offer in this historical area. Rooms: Rooms: The Château sleeps up to 110 persons in 2-5 bedded rooms, all with en-suite bathrooms. Facilities: Facilities: There are two restaurants, a teachers’ lounge, a sun-terrace, and a meeting room. Outside there are lawned gardens and a tennis court, as well as a barbeque area, plus a new 100 metre squared sports hall! Select says: The Château du Baffy has a main building and the adjacent Villa Mathilde – both buildings accommodate a full coach capacity, so groups can enjoy sole-occupancy of their building. Our Château has been a highly popular choice for dozens of UK schools in the past fifteen years and will now be operated by our own team, including our renowned French chef Thierry! One of our teachers says, “Beautiful setting – a great place to take school groups. Plenty of outdoor space to run around and very French feeling dining room. Ideal location to explore this wonderful area.”

UNCMT Tailleville Find out more

UNCMT Tailleville

Our Rating:

Capacity: 50

Location: Tailleville

What you’ll experience: Tailleville is a traditional rural hamlet just 3km from Courseulles and 12km from Arromanches. The UNCMT is set in its own grounds and is a great accommodation for school groups, with classrooms available if required as well as plenty of enclosed outside space. Rooms: Rooms: Mostly en-suite rooms, some shared facilities. Facilities: Facilities: Restaurant, meeting rooms, table tennis, volleyball.

Accommodation 15 Find out more