French immersion works
Developed over 20 years, our approach to French teaching creates a truly immersive experience that is shown to improve learning and confidence.
Our residential French immersion programmes at the Château are suitable for all learners and year groups, from beginners to A-Level students. Our approach immerses your students in the language so that they only hear, see and use French throughout their trip to create a truly authentic and realistic setting. To achieve this, our experienced French-native animateurs will deliver a full programme of adventure activities, language lessons, excursions, mealtimes and evening entertainment, all conducted in French.
Our robust French immersion programme, which is shown to improve pupils' language confidence and understanding, has been running for over 20 years, and continues to develop alongside the curriculum. This school trip is designed to be fun, create memories, foster new friendships & improve students' confidence.
The majority of the programme is conducted on-site, utilising the Château’s varied facilities which include a climbing wall, assault course, lake & more. Your itinerary can also include a guided day trip (or 2–3 half-day trips) with an animateur to give your group cultural exposure to Normandy and its many historical sites.
Our experienced team has developed French games, exercises and activities suitable for students of all ages and French levels. Each activity is conducted in French and concentrates on a specific area of vocabulary. For example, climbing uses body parts and movements & bread making uses numbers and actions. Each activity is complemented by a journalling session using a bespoke French workbook to reinforce the language learning.
Our animateurs will also deliver a fun-packed evening programme to keep your group entertained and immersed in the language. Favourites include the Château's campfire sing-along & marshmallow toast. Indoor options include a French quiz night and French movie night. Guests agree the pièce de résistance is our famous French soirée, a French-themed fancy dress evening with plenty of laughs for students, teachers and animateurs alike.
All meals are eaten French-style, to encourage children to try something new, with menus and instructions in French.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | |
| 08:15am | Breakfast | Breakfast | Breakfast | Breakfast | |
| 09:15am–12:00pm | Aeroball |
D-day landing beaches Arromanches 360 cinema |
Bread making | ||
| 12:30pm | Lunch | Packed lunch | Lunch | Packed lunch | |
| 14:15–17:00pm | Arrive | Assault course | British Normandy Memorial | Climbing | Transfer to port for ferry crossing |
| 17:00-18:00pm | Journalling | Journalling | Journalling | ||
| 18:00pm | Dinner | Dinner | Dinner | Dinner | |
| 19:30–21:00pm | Tour | Scavenger hunt | Quiz night | French fancy dress soirée |
Our sixth form programme is designed to prepare your students for exams through an interesting mix of cultural visits, French language activities and French soirées—we can even include mock oral exams. The aim is to give your students maximum opportunity to practise their French with native speakers, creating a truly immersive and authentic French language experience. There is a focus on oral French and in order to ensure students speak and think in French, we enforce a no-English-speaking rule. As a result, our programme has become a popular and integral part of many schools’ A level French course.
The programme will challenge your students to debate current affairs, social and environmental topics and students are encouraged to ask questions, exchange ideas, converse, and even think, in French. We have taken our groups to local lycées, les mairies, regional hospitals, the law courts, the university of Caen, radio stations and even a homeless centre to give students exposure to a wide-range of people and topics. On these visits students have the opportunity to conduct questionnaires or ask specific questions applicable to their presentation work. Students can use their phones to record interviews, which they can then study later in more detail.
We’ve found that intensity is the key to success, particularly for Sixth form students, which is why activities are instructed in small groups to ensure each student receives individual attention. During the day our French animateurs will lead onsite activities in French and if you wish, we will even invite a local figure, from farmers to politicians, to speak at dinner.
Popular onsite group activities include archery, assault course, canoeing, fencing, climbing, bread making, orienteering and initiative exercises.
Oh, and the students have a great time too! In the evening, we have a number of popular options to suit your sixth form group, such as a cheese & wine soirée on the first evening to meet and mix with the animateurs, bowling and pizza evening, cinema and creperie, French fancy dress disco and sports tournament.
The most cost-effective option for sixth form groups is to travel with other year groups from their school. However, we are able to accommodate sixth form-only groups of 10 or more on a self-drive basis. Alternatively, contact us about other transport options for small groups.
"When we return after each successive trip I am constantly surprised how every aspect of my students’ understanding has improved – their confidence in oral work, their projects, their exam results. It is this level of proficiency in extending students’ performance which brings me back year after year.”
—Conn Anson-O’Connell, Head of MFL at King Henry VIII School
French immersion works
Developed over 20 years, our approach to French teaching creates a truly immersive experience that is shown to improve learning and confidence.
We’re here for you
Our local managers are on hand 24/7 to look after the individual needs of your group and deliver the best experience every time you visit.
Schools return to us year after year
Our French language residentials offer the highest quality instruction and care which is why 8 out of 10 school groups return each year.
Animateurs are “like having another teacher on the trip”
All school group activities are led by our own French-native animateurs who are skilled at encouraging even the most reticent learner to use their French.
Authentic French experiences
As part of the local community, with ties across the region, we offer an authentic French cultural experience during your group's stay.
A French programme to suit your learning objectives
Looking for onsite adventure activities? The chance to experience authentic local culture? Or an escorted tour of Normandy's rich history and landmarks? We have a French trip to suit.
