Gites in Normandy - Gites in Normandy - Destinations Group & School Travel

Choice of Guided Visits

• Le Mont St. Michel (spectacular sight)
• Traversée de la Baie du Mont St Michel with a French guide - a fabulous walk across the bay of Mont St Michel (highly recommended!)
• Copper foundry
• Aquarium
• St. Malô (walled coastal town)
• Honey farm
• Cider Farm
• Goat farm
• Old-fashioned bakery (bread making)
• Souterroscope - underground caves
• Mémorial Museum, Caen
• Bayeux Tapestry
• D-Day Landing Beaches & Museums
• Pegasus Bridge & Museum
• Medieval Normandy towns

Accommodation

“Home from home comfort” is how we would like to describe these Gîtes. Located in the La Manche and Calvados areas of Normandy, these Gîtes have been carefully selected for their safety, security and comfort, together with their ease of access for all local visits and their wonderful locations. Each property has ample dining and living areas, doubling up as classrooms when required. Nearly all bedrooms have en-suite shower & toilet facilities, accommodating between 2 - 4 children in each room, with twin and single rooms provided for teachers. Groups of between 30 to 45 people can have exclusive use of their gîte.

Amenities

Each gîte sits in acres ofits own private secure grounds, with grassed areas where a variety of ball games (football, volleyball, rounders, racket games ... ), can be enjoyed. One Gîte in particular, has its own football pitch and volleyball court. You will need to bring any sporting equipment with you (posts, nets, bats, rackets, balls etc...) which can be easily stored and carried in the luggage compartment of the coach.

Meals

Half-board (dinner and breakfast) is generally provided, which would normally begin with dinner on the fi rst night and end with breakfast on the last day. All meals are prepared with a French flavour (sorry, no chips!), and we can normally cater for any special dietary requirements – vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free … Groups will be able to buy lunch at suitably arranged stops during their daily visits.

Experienced Staff

All staff members in Normandy have broad experience and professional qualifications in working with children, both in the UK and abroad. During lesson time, they will take on all of the teaching and much of the supervisory role. They will guide all your daily visits and help where necessary, leaving you to organise and supervise your group.

French Lessons

Qualified French national teachers are brought in to work with ability groups, from beginners up to A Level. If you would like to include some lessons in your programme, you can decide on both the teaching content and the amount of time spent in the classroom. The French teachers are experienced in working with school groups, and the children will enjoy their vibrant and stimulating approach to the language. Emphasis will be on strengthening their oral and listening skills, to enable a more confi dent approach in using the language.

Sample Itinerary

Day 1:
Coach travel to Normandy, arriving at your gÎte during the late afternoon or early evening.

Day 2:
French lesson covering vocabulary and phrases to use during your visits. Visit a goat farm to learn about goats and see how cheese is made.

Day 3:
Visit a local market where the children can be a little independent and use the opportunity to practise their French. Visit the spectacular Mont St. Michel, a medieval town built on an island that sits alone in the estuary at high tide. Walk up to the monastery that sits majestically on top of the Mount, and take in the stunning views.

Day 4:
Visit the famous Bayeux Tapestry. Spend the afternoon exploring the Landing Beaches, war cemeteries, Pegasus Bridge and Museum.

Day 5:
Coach travel back to school with optional hypermarket visit.

• Gîtes