I can scarcely believe a week has passed since I published Week 37’s post. The residential trip to France has come and gone, meaning this week can be thought of a continental special. 

1.   After a smooth journey on Monday, Tuesday morning was spent at the boulangerie making croissants and pain au chocolat. We tried to explore the older part of Boulogne over lunchtime but got rained off. I’d like to return as there were some very pretty and historic buildings. 

  2.  The centre – Le Pre Catalan -is extremely well equipped and in a fabulous location. There are activities for children to enjoy whatever the weather, and back at the centre on Tuesday lunchtime we were afforded our first glimpse of le soleil.

 3.  That evening we put up our hoods and headed to the front to visit a cafe for crepes. It was a truly stormy night and we had to wait for the rain to stop blowing sideways before hurrying home. 

 4.  Wednesday is always the best day of the week. Children wear school uniform and we spend the day learning about WW1. After visiting Arras and Wellington Quarry, we head to Vimy Ridge. It’s the fourth time I’ve visited and the weather has been stunning every time. An extremely powerful and moving day. 

 5.  Thursday morning we visited the holiday town of Le Touquet. It’s an authentic French market with a great range of fresh produce. 

 6.  On Thursday night we finally managed our first trip to the beautiful beach, just 10 minutes walk from the centre. The sunset here never fails to take my breath away. 

 7.  The food provided by PGL is great – lots of choice and very fresh. The downside of this is that I ate way more than normal, but it’s impossible (for me) to resist so much cheese, bread, pastries…

 The journey home was long and drawn out, but it was great to talk to the children about which aspects of the visit they had most enjoyed. We try to plan a trip with something for everyone, and all of the visits this year enabled children to become immersed in the language and culture of France. It’s an amazing week for all the children and staff involved, and I’m grateful to have been a part of it.