GAUTENG TOUR TO FRANCE ~ APRIL 2008

GAUTENG TOUR TO FRANCE ~ APRIL 2008

 

12 April 2008 D Day!

My first group returned to South Africa on Tuesday, after having enjoyed a wonderfully enriching tour to Paris and the south of France. I have had a few days to recharge my batteries and eagerly await the arrival of the Gauteng group tomorrow morning. My co-chaperone, Elizabeth Howard, will travel with the group from Johannesburg to Paris and I will meet everyone at Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport tomorrow morning. A reminder that you may contact me on any of the following: telephone +33 6 89 97 40 34 or sms +27 83 423 7013 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Bon voyage et a tres bientot!

Written by: Jenny Peddle

 

13 April 2008 Nous voila à Paris!

All arrived safe and sound and were in remarkably high spirits after a long but pleasant flight. The coach whisked us into Paris and there was great excitement at the sight of the Eiffel Tower and Sacré Coeur! We arrived at the designated meeting place in front of the school at 9.00am where private taxis assembled to escort the children to their host families. They will spend the morning relaxing & freshening up and we have arranged to regroup at 1:30pm for a stroll along the Champs Elysées. I will write a further update tonight... (Updated - 19h40) All had obviously listened carefully to the metro instructions and a re-energized & radiant group arrived punctually in front of the school for our afternoon tour. We made our way to the Arc de Triomphe, which is always a wonderful introduction to this magnificent city. We had arranged to meet at the Place de la Concorde at 4.00pm with the intention of wandering through the Tuileries Gardens, but a Spring shower/deluge put paid to this plan! Drenched, but in good humour nonetheless, we all made our separate ways home with strict instructions to have a HOT bath/shower and an early night in preparation for the full day tomorrow.

Written by: Jenny Peddle

 

14 April 2008 First day at school!

Everyone gathered at the school at 8.00am and well done to all the students for navigating their way so efficiently on a Monday morning in Paris! They were formally assessed on an oral & written basis and at 10.00am they were placed in multinational classes to suit their individual level of competency. There was a buzz at 1.00pm as everyone shared snippets of their lessons and I chatted to the few who found their classes either too hard or too easy. After lunch, we made our way to the Eiffel Tower where we ascended to the third floor, from where there was a spectacular view over Paris. In spite of the continued rain, all were in high spirits and miraculously the sun shone through as we boarded our Bateaux Parisiens for our cruise along the River Seine. Before we parted company, I reminded everyone of the code of conduct which has been signed and reiterated that the curfew is set at 10.00pm. They are a delightful group to chaperone and please rest assured that your children are very happy!

Written by: Jenny Peddle

 

15 April 2008 Palace and gardens at Versailles

We woke up to bright sunshine this morning and everyone arrived at school in a jovial mood. The lessons were stimulating & challenging and our children have been complimented on their enthusiasm! Our reservation for Versailles was changed to today, so after lunch we boarded the RER and with the aid of our audio-guides, we made our way through the palace & gardens. Everyone was enthralled by the magnificence of this experience. We arrived back in Paris just after 7.00pm and all made their way confidently back to their host families for dinner. Plans have been made to meet for coffee and hot chocolate this evening, but all are aware of the 10.00pm curfew. The group has bonded so well and everyone is very happy in Paris!

Writt en by: Jenny Peddle

 

16 April 2008 Musee du Louvre

Bon anniversaire a moi! What a wonderful reception I received at the school this morning, with birthday hugs and kisses! With yet another bright & sunny day, we have decided to enjoy a picnic lunch in the Jardins des Tuileries prior to our visit to the Musee du Louvre at 3.00pm. Everyone is really looking forward to this excursion and to seeing the Mona Lisa!

Written by: Jenny Peddle

 

17 April 2008 Un apres-midi a Montmartre!

It is amazing how quickly time flies and everyone has thoroughly enjoyed the experience of studying at an internationally acclaimed language school. After lunch, we all made our way to Montmartre, where we climbed the seemingly infinite number of stairs to the basilica of Sacre Coeur. We spent two hours enjoying the ambiance of one of the oldest districts in Paris and three of the group had their portraits painted in the Place du Tertre! After a 'photo shoot' in front of the Moulin Rouge, we all made our way back to the central point of Charles de Gaulle Etoile, where we parted company in high spirits. Quelle bonne journee!

Written by: Jenny Peddle

 

18 April 2008 Visit to L'Opera Garnier

Our week at Accord has passed and Natalie's comment aptly sums up their experience: "I've never known school to go so fast and to have enjoyed lessons so much!" It is obvious that everyone has grown in confidence to speak French and all feel better equipped to resume their studies in SA. At 2.30pm, we made our way to L'Opera Garnier and everyone was in awe of this splendid theatre, commenting that its beauty even rivalled that of Versailles. At 4.30pm, we dispersed to enjoy some shopping at Galeries Lafayette and Printemps, with our 'fashionistas' quickly spying Zara, GAP, Morgan and other famous name-brand stores! We will all meet once again at 8.00pm tonight, in front of the school, where we will board our coach for an evening tour of Paris. Having enjoyed 'Les Illuminations' two weeks ago with my previous group, I know full well what a magnificent evening awaits everyone!

Written by: Jenny Peddle

 

19 April 2008 Final day in Paris

We had a wonderful tour of Paris last night and after our late return, all were delighted to hear that the meeting time this morning was only at 10.00am! We made our way to the prestigious Hotel de Ville, after which we visited the Georges Pompidou Centre and Notre Dame, followed by some shopping along the Rue de Rivoli. We then split into two groups, some preferring to re-visit Galeries Lafayette, whilst others opted to enjoy a second stroll along the Avenue des Champs Elysees. We regrouped at 5.00pm and made final arrangements for tomorrow's departure. The taxis will collect everyone from their host families between 8.00am & 8.30am and the coach will depart for Rouen at 9.00am. A sad farewell to my daughter, Michelle, who has been of invaluable assistance to the group. Your children have all had such a wondefully enriching time in Paris and we all look forward to our last few days on tour.

Written by: Jenny Peddle

 

20 April 2008 Onward to Normandy!

So much has happened today and it's difficut to know where to start! I was up at 5.30am and accompanied my daughter to the coach which whisked her off to CDG.... one very sad mother, as Michelle is always such a wonderful addition to my tours! I then met up with the group in front of the school and unfortunately our coach was over half an hour late in arriving, since there was a lot of congestion on the approach to Paris. However, the proximity of a Starbucks helped diffuse any anxiety and all were in high spirits! Our coach driver, Jean Paul, is a delight and I envisage a very pleasant 3 days in his company. Our first stop was Giverney, where we visited the house and gardens of Monet. It was absolutley wonderfuk and everyone was speechless at the beauty and tranquiility.... a truly unique experience! Then it was lunchtime and our nearest option was MacDonald's! At 3.00pm we arrived in Rouen and after a quick freshen-up, we enjoyed an orientation tour and relived some of the history of Jean d'Arc. It is a beautiful town and many are hoping that we don't have to leave too early tomorrow morning! We are meeting for dinner at 7.30pm and a 3 cousre meal is on offer at a restaurant on the main square of the Vieux Marche. What a wonderful day in Normandy!

Written by: Jenny Peddle

 

21 April 2008 Onward to Brittany!

Bon anniversaire à Natalie! Everyone made a real fuss of our birthday girl this morning at breakfast and we declared it 'spoil Natalie day'! Last night's dinner was unbelievable and the proprietor of the restaurant in the Vieux Marché was so accommodating. We were offered a delicious three course meal with free drinks and the ambiance was wonderful. We left the hotel this morning at 9.00am and arrived at Le Mont St Michel at lunchtime. Everyone was overawed by the vastness of this World Heritage sight and they were fascinated by the effects of the high and low tides. At 3.00pm we departed for St Malo and after having booked into our hotel, we all went on an orientation tour of the walled city ... too cold for a swim in La Manche! Tonight we have another dinner reservation at a local restaurant and if anything like last night, it should be great fun! Our coach driver is wonderful and he has organized a special cake for Natalie – with candles!

Written by: Jenny Peddle

 

22 April 2008 The Loire Valley

Last night's dinner was a truly memorable occasion! We enjoyed a delicious 3 course meal, which comprised a prawn & salmon starter, followed by roast beef and Far Breton... a dessert which we decorated with 18 candles and which Natalie had great difficulty in extinguishing! This morning we had a very early departure as we prepared for our journey to the Loire Valley. The countryside and scenery were indescribably beautiful and everyone really appreciated their visit to Chateau of Chenonceau. At 4.30pm we arrived at our quaint hotel in Amboise, which has a timbered façade and ressembles 'un vrai chateau'. Everyone had some free time to wander around the town before gathering for dinner in the restaurant adjacent to the hotel. The evening was wonderful and the chef had gone to great lengths to prepare a sumptuous 3 course meal for our last dinner together. We completed the evening with an informal gathering in the hotel foyer, where everyone shared snippets from the past two weeks. It was a perfect way to end such a happy & successful tour!

Written by: Jenny Peddle

 

23 April 2008 Our last day on tour

We all enjoyed an extra hour in bed this morning and after an excellent breakfast, we made our way to one of the most impressive chateaux in the Loire Valley, Chambord. We then continued to Chartres, where we visited the beautiful cathedral and marvelled at its impressive collection of stained glass windows. Here we said a fond farewell to Simone and thereafter we made our way to Paris, Charles de Gaulle, where 4 other members of the group left us. The mood was very sombre as everyone on tour has become such good friends and all have become so accustomed to the constant laughter and chatter. We are presently waiting to board our plane and enjoying reminiscing and relating anecdotes. Whilst everyone is really looking forward to returning to South Africa, all are left with a sense of sadness that the tour has come to an end. You have afforded your children the most wonderful opportunity and I know without a doubt, that they will all return incredibly enriched from this experience. My sincere thanks to my co-chaperone, Elizabeth Howard from Brescia College, who has been an enormous support to me - I admire & applaud her calm perspecitve, sense of humour and professionalism. It remains for me to thank each and every person on the tour for their contribution and I look forward to a reunion in the near future! We depart Paris at 23h15 on AF 990 and the flight is scheduled to arrive in Johannesburg at 09h35. A la prochaine ....!

Written by: Jenny Peddle