REDHILL TOUR TO FRANCE ~ AUGUST 2008
9 August 2008 D Day!
After months of preparation and anticipation, D Day has eventually arrived! I hope that all goes well with check-in this evening and that the flight is pleasant. I will see you all on Campus Horticole tomorrow - bon voyage et a demain!
Written by: Jenny Peddle
10 August 2008 Safe arrival in Antibes!
Bienvenue en France! My apologies for the late update, but I have spent the day on the TGV from Paris to Antibes and this is the first opportunity I have had to gain access to the internet. The St Stithians group arrived at approximately the same time at the airport in Nice and they traveled together with the Redhill group to Campus Horticole, where they left their suitcases. After a brief orientation tour of Antibes, some enjoyed a swim in the warm water s of the Medit erranean, before returning to campus to meet with their 'familles d'accueil'. Mrs Davis and I introduced ourselves to the host families and they all have my direct cell phone number, should there be any concerns. I have no doubt that a warm bath and a comfortable bed will be very welcome tonight!
Written by: Jenny Peddle
11 August 2008 All so very happy!
I have received this lovely report from Wendy Davis: "The children are so happy with their host families and herewith some of the comments I was greeted with this morning: "Wonderful - there is a boy our age and we chat & listen to music with him (Fran & Kathy); Amazing/cool/everything lovely about our family (Julia & Jess van Wyk); She is so motherly (Jess F & Lauren M/ Alli A) Such a nice family (Josie/Dani); We have already learnt so much (Marina & Laura); Such fun – even Kels is managing to communicate somehow! (Dani T & Kelsey); The family is so kind – they feed us so much!(Theresa & Gamu); Great – such fun and there are two German girls withus too - how wonderful! (Raff, Zia & Phillip); It's super! (Simon &Tuso) And our piece de resistance from Pali & Tumi "Eish Madame, this French thing all the time, it is so tiring!" Everyone did so well in class today and they all felt that the morning passed by very quickly. Everyone said that they learnt a great deal. The food on campus is excellent and in the afternoon we had a wonderful excursion to Cannes. They were so impressed and many were overheard saying: "Gee, this is where we want to live!" In the evening they participated in the organized activites on campus, which were great fun! Their animatrice has summed up our children so well: "This is an excellent group - so animated, but so polite and well brought up – bravo les parents!"
Written by: Jenny Peddle
12 August 2008 Flying the banner high!
Everyone arrived bright and breezy at the school this morning and all thoroughly enjoyed their lessons. The teachers are so very impressed with our South African students and my chest is constantly puffed as I accept all the compliments on behalf of the group! Herewith some reports form the children: "Our morning classes keep on getting better and our confidence is growing rapidly. It is so great to be putting everything we have learnt to practical use. C'est incroyable et magnifique! Today we went to Monaco via Nice and la promenade des Anglais was spectacular –we were surrounded by so much luxury and the views were to die for! Le petit train at Monaco was adorable and the commentary was so informative. We feel so privileged to be in this beautiful part of the world. (Lauren Midgley) Jenny Peddle spoke only French to me and I got such a good feeling as I understood it all! (Julia Ruttell) "Our reaction to understanding what is being said is lessening!" (Fran Wilson) Mme Davis and Mme Theron are so very proud of the way their students have adapted and are delighted that everyone is taking advantage of all the opportunities on offer.
Written by: Jenny Peddle
13 August 2008 Nice + Juan les Pins
Everyone gathered on campus at 8.30am and once again all happily made their way to their designated classes. From the laughter behind closed doors, it would appear that the lessons are not only seriously educational, but great fun too! The chaperones have commented that their children are "so happy to be perfecting their French. They love the games they play, the worksheets they do, and all are eager to show off what they have learnt --- which is a lot! " After lunch, the group was transferred to the station, where they caught the train to Nice, 'the Queen of the Riviera'. They walked down Boulevard Jean Medecin, which boasts a wealth of name-brand boutiques, towards the Place Massena, which has recently been revamped. They then meandered through the narrow streets of 'la vieille ville', where they noted the strong Italian influence. Then it was time to cool off in the warm waters of the Mediterranean, so they made their way along the palm tree-lined 'Promenade des Anglais' to the rather uncomfortable pebble beach... a new experience for many! The group returned home rather late, with just enough time to eat dinner and freshen up, before leaving by coach for the evening excursion to Juan les Pins. In summer this little town adjacent to Antibes becomes a wonderful attraction for tourists. The beachfront is strewn with colourful stalls and the sight of diners enjoying a meal on the beach in the moonlight with the waves lapping at their feet, is so romantic! Everyone loved the outing and all returned to campus in a very jovial mood!
Written by: Jenny Peddle
14 August 2008 Fun in the sun!
After 4 days at Le Centre International d'Antibes, the Redhillians have created a new word - 'edu-tainment', which denotes the perfect balance between education and fun! All the students were so proud to receive their certificates, which formally indicated their level of achievement in addition to a detailed course assessment. The students were as reluctant as the teachers to say farewell and the gifts which the children gave were immensely appreciated. After yet another delicious lunch ('the food just keeps getting better and better', according to Julia!) all made their way to the beach for an afternoon of sailing on a catamaran! This excursion is run by a professional sailing school and upon arrival all were asked to don life jackets and given formal instructions. Jess van Wyk echoed the sentiments of many when she said, "Sailing is the best thing we have done so far!" Tusso also loved the experience, but complained that Zia made him do all the work! Alex Appelbaum is to be commended on her nautical & navigational skills .... even the boys were in awe of her! The weather was superb and the sight of the colourful boats bobbing up and down on the calm, azure blue waters of the Mediterranean, with the Alps and the vieille ville of Antibes as a backdrop will be indelibly printed on everyone's mind forever! The children were then given the choice of remaining on the beach or visiting the Picasso Museum and six students chose the latter. Kelsey Smith is to be commended on her amazingly knowledgeable commentary in the museum – bravo! After a wonderfully relaxing afternoon, all returned to the campus at 6.00pm, where the boys managed to fit in a game of soccer before racing back to eat dinner with their host family. A pool party has been organized on campus this evening and it promises to be great fun!
Written by: Jenny Peddle
15 August 2008 St Paul de Vence + Florian + Fragonard!
Since today was a public holiday in France, there were no classes. A full day's excursion was scheduled and armed with generous picnic packs from their host families, the group departed from the Campus at 9.30am. The first stop was St Paul de Vence, which is a vibrant medieval village and an artists' haven, with numerous galleries displaying a wide range of sculptures, paintings and ceramic works of art. The 'Fondation Maeght' lies within close proximity and it is one of the most interesting modern art museums in the world, housing a prodigious collection of contemporary works. Thereafter, the group continued on to the Gorges du Loup, where they visited the Florian confisserie, which is world renowned for its sweets, chocolates & jams. The free tastings were greatly appreciated and judging by the packets, many purchases were made! Onward then through magnificent scenery to Grasse, where they enjoyed a guided visit to the Fragonard 'parfumerie', home to French perfume. Raff said that he learnt a lot of 'stuff' about perfume that he didn't know before! Mme Davis and Mme Theron commented that they were delighted with the day in Provence and thought that the organization was superb. Jess Fendick has apparently decided that she is in fact not going to buy a house in old Antibes but rather in St Paul! Upon their return, all were given instructions to sort out and pack their luggage, prior to eating their last dinner with their host families. Due to popular demand, I have agreed to schedule an additional excursion to Juan les Pins tonight... rumour has it that there may well be a fireworks display over the ocean...!
Written by: Jenny Peddle
16 August 2008 Farewell to Antibes
The week has gone by so very quickly and all were sad to say goodbye to their host families, to the Campus and to all the new friends that have been made. Everyone has been so happy and all have taken full advantage of this total immersion into the French language & culture. The students have all grown in confidence to express themselves and I know that the chaperones will encourage them to continue conversing in French for the second part of the tour. We all met on campus at 8.30am and the chaperones thanked each family individually for their hospitality. Their coach is brand new and their chauffeur, Denis, seemed most pleasant and warmly welcomed them on board. Amidst sad farewells and armed with packed lunches, everyone found a seat, settled in and made themselves comfortable for the long journey through France and Italy to Chamonix. This gave everyone time to catch up on some much needed sleep and to write their journals! As they arrived, I received this sms from Mme Davis: "The scenery is breath-taking, with the snow-capped mountains peeping above chalets – just like a picture postcard! Everyone is delighted!" A reminder that the group will be staying in the Hotel Pointe Isabelle for two nights. Tel: 00 33 4 50 53 12 87 Fax: 033 4 50 53 20 76.
Written by: Jenny Peddle
17 August 2008 Delight in the snow!
I have just chatted to Wendy Davis and she was bubbling over about the day's activities! Owing to bad weather conditions, their cable car ride to the Aiguille du Midi was re-scheduled for the afternoon and in the morning an optional extra excursion was offered to 'Mer de Glace'. This is located on the northern slope of the Mont Blanc massif and is the largest glacier in France - 7kms long and 200m deep. 16 of the group opted to visit this grotto and all were truly amazed. At 2.00pm everyone jumped on board the téléphérique and ascended to 3 800 metres above sea level, where all were astonished by the spectacular view of the French, Swiss and Italian Alps. Our South African children shrieked with delight at the sight of snow - quite a contrast from the Cote d' Azur, where the girls were bikini-clad in temperatures reaching 38 degrees and now all were wrapped in every conceivable warm item of clothing to withstand the -3 degrees! Julia and Katherine said that it was without doubt the best day of their entire lives! Philip commented that the tour was so amazing and he had taken so many pictures that he would need to buy a photo album for EVERY DAY! With all the fun of playing in the snow, it was difficult to get the children to leave, but eventually hunger pangs enticed them down! After a hot shower and a change of clothing, they were given their dinner allocation and all had some free time to explore the quaint town of Chamonix! Quelle journée magnifique!
Written by: Jenny Peddle
18 August 2008 Annecy to Lyon
After breakfast, the group departed for Annecy and all fell in love with this quaint town. Mme Davis sent a short sms to say: "Annecy is very beautiful and the children have so enjoyed paddling in boats on the lake". They then continued on to Lyon, where all were really impressed by the Basilica Fourvière. In 1643, Lyon chose the Virgin Mary as its patron saint and honoured her by building this massive basilca. Its silhouette, with four octagonal towers, dominates the city and has earned the nickname of "the upside-down elephant"! They enjoyed exploring the vieille ville and all were amazed by the 'trompe l'oeil' which is an art technique involving extremely realistic imagery in order to create an optical illusion. The students ate independently tonight and all were happy to retire early and catch up on some much needed sleep.
Written by: Jenny Peddle
19 August 2008 Chateau de Chenonceau + Amboise
An early start this morning as the group departed for the Loire Valley, which is renowned for its châteaux and vineyards. During the journey, the chaperones briefed all on the history of Chenonceau, which they visited en route to their hotel. The children fell in love with this fairytale castle of Catherine De Medici and some even paddled in the Cher river. They then continued on to the small town of Amboise, which all found 'so very quaint' – Fran Wilson has decided that she will live there one day! In the evening they wandered around a little night market before eating a delicious 3 course dinner in a restaurant. Yet another lovely day!
Written by: Jenny Peddle
20 August 2008 Onward to Paris!
At 8.00am all were packed and ready to depart for their final leg to Paris. Their reservation at Vaux-le-Vicomte was scheduled for 11.30am, which gave the chaperones time to brief the group on the history of this 17th century French masterpiece. Once in Paris, all said a fond farewell to their coach driver, Denis, who has been very professional and helpful, adding great value to the tour. After checking in to their hotel, they set off by metro to the Champs Elysées, where all were amazed at the size & beauty of the Arc de Triomphe... not to mention the shops! They then travelled by metro to the oldest district and highest natural point in Paris, Montmartre, where they climbed the 300 steps to Sacré Coeur! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed ambience of the Place du Tertre, but I'm not sure if any had their portraits painted! In the evening they found a wonderful restaurant with music and dancing too, so all were in their element! A reminder that the group will be staying at Campanile Maine Montparnasse for the next 4 nights and their contact details are: Tel: + 33 1 53 74 60 00 Fax: + 33 1 40 47 01 49
Written by: Jenny Peddle
21 August 2008 Quelle journée a Paris!
I have just received a report from Mme Davis: "Phew, we have certainly gone the extra mile today! This morning we made our way to l'Ile de la Cité, where we saw la Conciergerie and la Sainte Chapelle, before visiting the magnificent Cathedral of Notre Dame. We then bought food for a picnic lunch, which we all enjoyed in the Jardins du Luxembourg. In the afternoon we all thoroughly enjoyed our cruise on the River Seine with the commentary, before ascending to the 3rd level of the Eiffel Tower. We ate dinner together and we are now perched at the Trocadero, waiting for the Eiffel Tower to be illuminated at 10.00pm. Everyone loves Paris!"
Written by: Jenny Peddle
22 August 2008 Musée d'Orsay + Giverny
They woke up to a rainy Paris today, but this in no way dampened the spirit of the group as they headed off to visit the Musée d'Orsay, which houses the world's finest collection of Impressionist paintings. Here they were delighted to meet a past pupil, Marko Uskokovic, who willingly gave the group a guided tour! After a picnic lunch in the hotel, they hopped on board their private coach and made their way to the charming village of Giverny, where they visited the splendid house and gardens of Claude Monet. It was a very special day which concluded with a dinner in the quartier near the Georges Pompidou Centre.
Written by: Jenny Peddle
23 August 2008 Final words
This will be my final diary entry, since I will be flying and 'out of range' until Sunday lunchtime! The group will spend their last day in la belle France exploring sites they have not yet seen and re-visiting those they loved ... no doubt the Champs Elysées will be on that list! I know that the chaperones plan to organize a special dinner, which undoubtedly will be great fun, providing the perfect ending to a very successful tour. Their return flight has been confirmed and I remind you that the group will depart on AF 994 @ 10h15 on Sunday 24 August, arriving at 20h40 the same day. It has been my privilege and pleasure to orchestrate this tour for Redhill School and having spent time with the students, I would like to compliment the parents on the children's impeccable behaviour and sense of adventure. All have fully embraced every opportunity and have been wonderful ambassadors for South Africa. The ultimate success of any tour depends largely on the chaperones and both Mme Wendy Davis and Mme Karin Theron deserve the highest praise. Not only have they been exceptionally well organized, but they have managed to find the perfect balance between firm discipline and a sense of fun. Your children have certainly been very privileged to have travelled with them and to have participated in this tour. The superb memories and firm bonds of friendships which have been made over the past few weeks will last a lifetime. It remains for me to say 'merci beaucoup, bon retour et a la prochaine'!
Written by: Jenny Peddle