INDEPENDENT TOUR TO FRANCE – AUGUST 2017
SATURDAY 5 AUGUST D DAY!
The day everyone has been looking forward to for so long has finally dawned and all are eager to embark on this great adventure to France with new friends! There was great excitement this afternoon as 30 students, accompanied by an array of family members, gathered at OR Tambo and early check-in certainly worked to our advantage. These students represent 3 different schools: Pecanwood College, St Mary’s DSG PTA and Bishop Bavin and the 3 designated chaperones for the tour are Mr Alain Tchouya & Ms Karin Meyer (Pecanwood College) as well as Ms Tanya Langley who represents St Mary’s DSG. After fond farewells to parents & friends, all made their way through Emigration, where no problems were encountered. Once safely on the ‘other side’, all were able to enjoy some free time before gathering at the departure gate and boarding will commence at 18h00. Please rest assured that all arrangements are firmly in place and that the safety & security of your precious children is of paramount importance. I have no doubt that a wonderful tour awaits, filled with special memories and abundant blessings - I will update the site as soon as I find connectivity in France tomorrow! A reminder that photos will be loaded on a face book page linked to my website – if you are a member of face book, then either search ‘Personal Touch Schooltours – August Independent 2017’ or follow the link below and click ‘LIKE’ to receive updates as they are posted:https://www.facebook.com/Personal-Touch-Schooltours-August-Independent-2017-317036755372711/ A demain…
SUNDAY 6 AUGUST HAPPY TO BE IN LA BELLE FRANCE!
The flight was smooth and very exciting for all, especially the first-time fliers and although we arrived at a bright and breezy 05h30 this morning, all were relatively perky, considering that they had only had a few hours sleep! With time in hand, we calmly made our way to terminal 2F where we passed through security & passport control, before freshening up and relaxing with a Starbucks coffee! Upon arrival in Nice, Cote d’Azur Airport, we collected our luggage and then met our animatrice, Philippine, who escorted our group to a waiting coach bound for the campus. All then enjoyed a delicious picnic lunch in the quad, before changing into beach wear and boarding the transfer bus to Antibes, where Philippine led them on a walking orientation tour through the fascinating streets of the 'vieille ville'. At 16h00 all were afforded ‘du temps libre’ (free time), with some choosing to relax on the beach and enjoy a first swim in the Mediterranean Sea, whilst others opted to explore, with an ice cream or two in hand! Upon return to the campus, everyone had time to relax before enjoying dinner in the restaurant, after which they were introduced to the 200 other international students on campus and an evening of social interaction has been arranged for tonight! All are so excited for the wonderful week that awaits…!
MONDAY 7 AUGUST LE TEST + EXCURSION TO CANNES!
Joyeux anniversaire Lefika … what a glorious part of the world to celebrate your special day!! All slept well and after breakfast they gathered in the auditorium for their oral & written assessment, after which they enjoyed ‘cours fermés’. Tomorrow, based on the results of the assessment, they will be placed in classes to suit their individual level of French, with other international students of similar ability. At lunchtime everyone enjoyed a delicious multi-course meal in the restaurant and at 14h00, armed with hats, sunscreen and beach towels, we all hopped on board the train to Cannes. Once we had seen the Palais des Festivals, home to the annual Cannes Film Festival, and been photographed on the red carpet, they were afforded ‘du temps libre’ (free time!)and the options were a) walking up to Le Suquet with Philippine for a magnificent view over the yacht-lined bay & the Estérel Mountains b) shopping in either the well-known brand stores such as Zara, Morgan and Sephora, as well as the more affordable shops on the Rue Meynadier or c) swimming in the azure blue waters and enjoying the glorious sunshine...or all three! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon and at 17h30pm, a very happy band of travelers returned to campus. This evening there is a ‘soiree barbecue’ (a fancy braai!), which is always great fun, with plenty of food, music and social interaction amongst all the students on campus!
TUESDAY 8 AUGUST COURS INTERNATIONAUX + EXCURSION TO MONACO!
This morning all were placed in classes to suit their individual level and everyone seems to be very comfortable in their designated class. During these‘cours internationaux’ with other international studentsthe emphasis is placed on improving communicative skills and confidence to speak. After lunch we departed by coach for the Principality of Monaco and the winding ‘route du littoral’ offered such magnificent views en route. Upon arrival we hopped on board the ‘petit train’, a tourist train which weaves through the famous ‘Grand Prix’ streets of Monte Carlo, providing valuable commentary. After a photo shoot in front of Le Palais, all had some free time to enjoy souvenir shopping, before walking past the Cathedral and through the Princess Grace Exotic Gardens to their coach. Quelle journée magnifique!
WEDNESDAY 9 AUGUST LESSONS + EXCURION TO NICE!
All are thoroughly enjoying their classes and they have made so many new friends. Our afternoon excursion was to Nice, a beautiful city which is dubbed the ‘Queen of the Riviera’ and in order to catch the 13h00 train our students were given packed lunches. Upon arrival in Nice we walked down to the spectacular Fontaine du Soleil, on the Place Masséna and it was here that we arranged to meet again at 17h00. Fenocchios is a famous ice cream parlour, which boasts 107 different flavours, ranging from Nutella; Rocher; Nougat; Noisette; Cactus; Rhubarb; Menthe Fraiche; Violette; Coca Cola; Pinacolada; Menthe Chocolat and Lisa (our animatrice for the day) led the group through the narrow streets of Vieux Nice to find this veritable ‘gem’. All were then afforded some glorious ‘temps libre’, to either enjoy the shops along Boulevard Jean Medicin or to appreciate the ambience of the Promenade des Anglais, lined with its palm trees and the azure blue waters flanked by pebbled beaches. A very happy group returned to Antibes at 18h00 and all agreed that it had been a wonderful outing!
THURSDAY 10 AUGUST LESSONS + FRAGONARD & FLORIAN
After breakfast this morning all happily made their way to class and everyone is so much more confident to communicate in French! At 13h30 all hopped on board the coach bound for Grasse, which is dubbed the ‘balcony of Provence’ for its magnificent, panoramic views. It is also the home of French perfume and at the Fragonard Parfumerie, they enjoyed a fascinating & most informative tour, with the on-site boutique proving to be a great hit and many purchases were made! The tour then continued on to the Gorges du Loup, where we visited the Florian Confisserie, which is world renowned for its sweets, chocolates & jams and their on-site boutique was equally as popular. Laden with packets, all happily returned to campus, with many looking forward to participating in the planned soirée cabaret – I hope that our SA students are ready to showcase their many & varied talents!
FRIDAY 11 AUGUST SUN, SEA & SAILING!
Today marked the end of the formal lessons with Le Centre International d'Antibes and all our students were proud recipients of a DELF accredited certificate which attests to the 12 hours of tuition + the level attained + a comment from the teachers. After lunch everyone excitedly boarded the coach to the Yacht Club in Antibes, where they donned life jackets, before selecting a kayak or a paddle board. The group had originally been assigned catamarans but, with the wind presenting problems, this was not possible for reasons of safety & security. It was such a wonderful experience and all were stunned by the incredible beauty of the calm azure blue waters, with the vieille ville in close proximity and Italy in the distance and they all returned an hour later wanting more! We then made our way to the public beach, where we relaxed, frolicked in the waters, sang and ate ice-creams until our departure for campus at 16h30. All will eat dinner and pack before our scheduled outing to the vibrant summer resort of Juan les Pins, which is bound to be a perfect ending to our incredible week on the French Riviera!
SATURDAY 12 AUGUST FAREWELL TO CAMPUS & BIENVENUE A PARIS!
Everyone enjoyed their evening in Juan les Pins last night and it was a perfect way to end our time on the Côte d’Azur! All were given the opportunity to have another quick visit to Antibes this morning, before returning to Campus for a picnic lunch and farewell to our beloved animatrice, Philippine - has been such a superb addition to our group and they all showered her with gifts & adoration! At midday we left for the airport and after a relaxing flight, we arrived refreshed at Orly, all very excited to be in Paris! Our coach was waiting for us and at 18h00 we arrived at hotel Campanile Paris La Villette, where we were warmly welcomed by the hotel staff whom I have come to know personally over the years – should you wish to contact your children, the telephone number is + 33 6 34 48 50 95. Once at the hotel, we had time to settle in and freshen up, before enjoying a delicious 3 course dinner with drinks in the hotel restaurant. Everyone is looking forward to a relaxing evening and recharging batteries for all that lies ahead!
SUNDAY 13 AUGUST TUILERIES GARDENS + NOTRE DAME + MONTMARTRE!
Everyone thoroughly enjoyed a good night’s sleep and all were thrilled with the vast choice on offer for breakfast! At 10h00 we set off for our first metro experience as we made our way to the Tuileries Gardens from where all had their first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre. We took advantage of the glorious weather to enjoy a stroll along the banks of the River Seine and at the beautiful Cathedral of Notre Dame all were given some free time to explore and eat lunch. At 14h30 we returned to our hotel for a quick rest & recharge, before heading off for Montmartre, the highest natural point in Paris, where the beautiful basilica of Sacré Coeur dominates the sky-line. At the Place du Tertre many chose to have their portraits painted, after which we enjoyed a delicious dinner in the famous restaurant La Cremaillère. We joined with the Kingsmead group and altogether we had 80 ‘Personal Touchers” in the restaurant – what fun we all had, with the resident singer attesting to the fact that the South Africans really know how to get a party started…bravo!!
MONDAY 14 AUGUST CHAMPS ELYSEES, CRUISE, DINNER, PARIS BY NIGHT + EIFFEL TOWER!
Everyone was delighted to have a slower start this morning and at 10h00 we left for the Champs Elysées, where they were afforded a few glorious hours to discover the magic of this world famous boulevard. We returned to the hotel after lunch to rest & recharge batteries for all that lay ahead … a cruise on the River Seine, followed by a 3 course dinner with drinks, followed by a coach tour of Paris by night and finally an ascent to the 2nd level of a sparkling Eiffel Tower at 23h00! We only returned to the hotel after midnight, but all were happy to forfeit sleep for a relatively early start to Disneyland Paris tomorrow!
TUESDAY 15 AUGUST A WONDERFUL DAY AT DISNEYLAND PARIS!
Our late return last night did not deter them from rising early this morning and after another delicious breakfast all set off for the much anticipated visit to Disneyland Paris! Upon arrival at the gates, they bounded in, so excited to bring out their inner-child and here they were afforded 7 hours to enjoy the rides! At 19h00 a VERY happy, albeit weary band of travelers returned to the hotel, with just enough time to freshen up for dinner. They will then pack and check all documents required for our departure tomorrow, before enjoying a good night’s rest.
WEDNESDAY 16 AUGUST HOMEWARD BOUND!
Today marks the final day of our tour and everyone has had such wonderful & varied experiences. This morning we had time to sleep in before enjoying a leisurely breakfast and now we are heading off to the Musée du Louvre for a guided tour. After this we will have some time to re-visit the Champs Elysées (by popular request!) and then we will return to the hotel around 15h30 for our airport transfer. Flight AF990 is scheduled to depart at 23h25 and I am sure there is no need to remind excited parents that our expected time of arrival at O R Tambo tomorrow, Thursday 17 August is at 09h55! To act ‘in loco parentis’ is no mean task and I would sincerely like to thank Mr Alain Tchouya, Mrs Tanya Langley and Mrs Karin Meyer who have been superb co-chaperones - we share very fond memories of this tour to France - mer ci beaucoup mes chers amis for your dedication & commitment to the task and for flying the banner high for Personal Touch! The students have done so much in a relatively short space of time and all are bound to be exhausted after such a full programme so, whilst the many wonderful anecdotes may not be immediately forthcoming, they will I know reveal themselves in the days, months and even years to come. It has been a most successful tour and as parents you can rest assured that you have afforded your children the most wonderful opportunity and the precious memories will last a lifetime. It remains for me to wish all a happy home-coming ~ ‘merci beaucoup, bon retour et a la prochaine’!