ST MARY'S WAVERLEY TOUR TO FRANCE ~ APRIL 2009
16 April 2009 D Day!
Great excitement at OR Tambo tonight and I look forward to meeting the group upon arrival in Paris tomorrow! A reminder that I may be contacted on + 33 6 18 43 14 00 and Mrs Rowse on + 27 83 267 9381. A demain...!
Written by: Jenny Peddle
17 April 2009 Safe arrival and a lovely day!
Bienvenue en France! All arrived safe & sound this morning and after having placed their cases in a secure room, the girls made their way to the oldest district in Paris ~ Montmartre, where they visited Sacré Coeur and the Place du Tertre. They then made their way to the Arc de Triomphe, before enjoying a cruise on the River Seine and a visit to the Eiffel Tower in the afternoon. The weather has been beautiful and certainly enhanced the experiences of the day. The girls have just returned, weary but fulfilled and all have elected to eat dinner in the hotel restaurant tonight. A good night's sleep will no doubt be welcomed and breakfast is scheduled for 8.30am tomorrow. Should you wish to contact your daughter, the contact details for the hotel Kyriad La Villette are ~ Tel: + 33 1 44 72 46 46 Fax: + 33 1 44 72 46 47.
Written by: Jenny Peddle
18 April 2009 Another full day in Paris!
What another full day the group has had and it's not over yet...the coach tour of Paris by night still lies ahead and everyone is really looking forward to this! Unfortunately the weather was a bit miserable today, but this in no way marred their enjoyment as the girls whizzed around Paris! They set off around 9.30am for Galéries Lafayette (which they loved) and then they then made their way to the Champs Elysées for some serious window shopping! They then visited Notre Dame and at 4.00pm the girls joined the throngs of tourists at the Louvre, where they enjoyed a guided tour. The departure for the airport is scheduled for 10.15am tomorrow and everyone is really looking forward to the new experience which awaits them. Apologies for this hasty update, but I have much to do before our coach arrives at 7.45pm!
Written by: Jenny Peddle
19 April 2009 Bienvenue à Antibes
Everyone was ready and waiting in the hotel foyer at 9.30am and at 10.00am they loaded their luggage into the awaiting coach. Although a relatively short time had been spent in Paris, the girls had seen and done so much and all agreed that they would love to return some day soon! Efficient staff at Roissy Charles de Gaulle facilitated the check-in procedure and at lunchtime 70 South Africans boarded the flight to Nice, Côte d'Azur ... we even thought of re-naming the plane La Touche Personelle! Upon arrival in Nice we were greeted by the 'animateurs' from Le Centre International d'Antibes, who assisted the girls with their COPIOUS luggage! We then traveled to Antibes, where we left the suitcases before enjoying a relaxing stroll through the vieille ville. Everyone immediately fell in love with and felt à l'aise in this quaint town and all unanimously agreed that this was an exceptional part of the world. With an ice-cream in hand, the girls followed Karim (their dedicated animateur) to the beach, where they relaxed for half an hour. Then at 6.30pm everyone returned to the school – Le Château – where the host families were waiting to collect their new charges. This is the part I always love to observe and all seemed very happy as they embarked on this new experience! Although all the families have been fully screened & accredited, I reminded the girls that should they have any concerns, they were to contact me immediately. Bon séjour à tout le monde!
Written by: Jenny Peddle
20 April 2009 Lovely excursion to Cannes!
Everyone arrived at Le Château by 8.20 this morning and there was much excited chatter as they compared notes on their host families! The girls were placed in classes to suit their varying levels of ability and all seemed to enjoy their first 3 hours of interactive, communicative French! Lunch was served in the school restaurant and everyone was very impressed by the vast selection on offer – salads, roast beef, potatoes, fruit, crème caramel, cheese, rolls etc! After lunch, the girls + Karim made their way by train to Cannes and the outing was a huge success! After a visit to the Palais des Festivals and a photo-shoot on the famous steps (sadly no red carpet at this time of year!), the group was allowed 'du temps libre' - which equates to some serious shopping! A short time was spent looking at the designer boutiques along La Croisette, before they discovered the well known stores like Zara, Morgan, Galéries Lafayette etc. They were also delighted to discover the even more affordable back-street shops, with an abundance of bargains! Armed with parcels and packets, a happy band of St Mary's Waverley girls made their way back to Antibes at 6.00pm, unanimously declaring it to have been a superb excursion!
Written by: Jenny Peddle
21 April 2009 Excursion to St Paul de Vence
I was once again greeted by broad smiles as all gathered in preparation for lessons this morning. There are several other nationalities represented and the girls are enjoying making cultural comparisons! After lunch everyone boarded a luxury coach for their excursion to St Paul de Vence. This vibrant mediaeval village is an artists' haven and boasts numerous galleries, which display a wide range of sculptures, paintings and ceramic works of art. The 'Fondation Maeght' lies within close proximity and a visit here was included. Although not to everyone's taste, it is one of the most interesting modern art museums in the world, housing a prodigious collection of contemporary works. The journey home was great fun, as the girls sang French songs + Nkosi Sikelele & Shosholoza (spelling?!) with great gusto!
Written by: Jenny Peddle
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22 April 2009 Une journée magnifique à Nice!
Another warm greeting from all the girls as they eagerly headed off to class this morning! The educators at Le Centre International d'Antibes have once again commented on the wonderful positive attitude of our South African children ~ something which they find quite rare with teenagers in this day and age. After another unbelievably delicious lunch, 69 'sud-afs' made their way to the train station for an excursion to Nice. A train ride is such a novelty for our girls and we were indeed fortunate to have a pristine clean TGV for both legs of the journey. Upon arrival we made our way down the Boulevard Jean Medecin, which boasts a wealth of name-brand boutiques, to the newly revamped Place Massena. Karim then guided the group through the narrow streets of 'la vieille ville' , pointing out the strong Italian influence. Thereafter, the girls were allowed 'du temps libre' and whilst some headed directly back to the boutiques, some chose to look for bargains in 'la vieille ville'. A few decided to relax for a while and enjoy the ambience along the Promenade des Anglais, which is lined with its legendary palm trees. We only left Nice at 6.45pm and then made our way directly to the school residence in Juan les Pins, where a multitude of international students had gathered for 'une soirée barbecue'. Even by South African standards, this was really delicious and the evening was great fun ~ quelle journée magnifique!
Written by: Jenny Peddle
23 April 2009 Excursion to the Principality of Monaco
Once again, everyone arrived bright & breezy at the school this morning and all thoroughly enjoyed their lessons. My chest is constantly puffed up as Ann Rowse and I accept the many compliments on behalf of the St Mary's Waverley girls! The weather continues to be wonderful and after lunch the group boarded a luxury coach to Monaco. They travelled along the spectacular 'route du littoral' (the coastal route) and everyone was astounded by the breathtaking view s of stunning villas, white yachts, pebble beaches, coves & mountains which descend dramatically into the azure blue seas. Upon arrival and amidst disbelief at the obvious wealth of this principality, all hopped on board 'le petit train' and thoroughly enjoyed a tour through the streets of Monte Carlo. Thereafter, they visited the Cathedral, where Prince Rainier and Princess Grace are laid to rest and also the Palace ~ unfortunately the royal family was not in residence and the girls were disappointed not to catch a glimpse of Princess Caroline's 'hot' son! All enjoyed some Grand Prix souvenir shopping, before boarding the coach at 5.15pm. It was a wonderful excursion!
Written by: Jenny Peddle
24 April 2009 Final day in Antibes
The week in Antibes has gone by so very quickly and after class today, the girls were proud recipients of a DELF accredited certificate. The CIA teachers were unanimous in their praise of the South Africans and all commented on their level of commitment, the effort which they made in class and their genuine desire to progress ~ they wished that their classes were filled with 'Sud-Afs' throughout the year! During the lunch break, the girls gathered on the lawn and showered praises & presents on Karim, who has been a wonderful addition to the group. At 2.00pm they made their way to the cinema to see 'Coco avant Chanel' , after which they were at liberty to re-visit their favourite spots in Antibes. The girls then enjoyed the final dinner with their host family, before packing in preparation for tomorrow's departure, which is scheduled at 9.00am.
Written by: Jenny Peddle
25 April 2009 Onward to Marseilles!
Everyone will gather at the school this morning and say a fond farewell to their host families. The girls have thoroughly enjoyed this total immersion into the French language & culture and all have grown in confidence to speak. Our coach departs at 9.15 am and we are scheduled to arrive in Aix-en-Provence around 11.00am today. Saturday is the day of 'le grand marché' and the girls are really looking forward to this! In the afternoon we will enjoy a guided tour of this fascinating city, which includes a visit to the Paul Cezanne Gallery. In the early evening we will arrive in Marseilles, where we will be accommodated in 2 neighbouring hotels: 1) Hotel HM – Tel: + 33 4 96 17 09 72 and 2) Hotel Saint Louis Tel: + 33 4 91 54 02 74. I am not sure what internet connectivity I will have during the next few days, so if there is a silence, please forgive me and know that no news is good news! A reminder to all that you may contact me at any time on my cell which is + 33 6 18 43 14 00. Bonne continuation à notre groupe!
Written by: Jenny Peddle
26 April 2009 Update from Marseilles!
Bonjour de Marseilles! We are always on the run, so just a brief overview of what we've been up to... Yesterday, in the competent hands of Thierry, our chauffeur, we made our way to Aix-en-Provence and as we entered this beautiful city, Stephanie Cowper from Roedean took the microphone and provided us with an interesting commentary. We then all enjoyed some free time to wander around 'le grand marché' and to stroll down the Cours Mirabeau ~ the Champs Elysées of Aix! After lunch we visited the studio of Cézanne, before having a guided walking tour of the 'vieille ville'. Everyone was delighted to see a wedding procession at the Cathedral and to observe the different traditions. In the early evening we made our way to Marseilles, where we settled in to our centrally placed, if somewhat 'quaint' hotels. The girls really enjoyed the dinner at the restaurant Le Femina and the ambiance was amazing. This morning we woke up to rain, which did hamper our walking tour, but Thierry kindly drove us by coach to Notre Dame de la Garde Basilica, which was very impressive. We were fortunate enough to arrive towards the end of a service and to receive a blessing, which was wonderful. After lunch we travelled by boat to the islands of Frioul , passing the Château d'If en route. We have so many funny stories and amusing pictures of a rather drenched Jenny Peddle & Lise Gordon (one of the Roedean chapeones)up on the deck! We have had an hour or two to relax and the girls are all looking forward to another dinner at Le Femina! We are all in very good spirits and the tour continues to be great fun ~ we're off to Arles and Avignon tomorrow........!
Written by: Jenny Peddle
27 April 2009 A wonderful day in the Camargue!
So much happens in one day on tour and it is really hard to condense the information! We all had breakfast relatively early this morning and by 8.30am we were on our way to the Camargue area. The girls were all in high spirits and looking forward to this last leg of their tour. At 10.00 am we arrived at the Manade Jacques Bon, where we hopped on board a typical 'charette' ~ the metro of the Camargue according to Mme Lise Gordon! We giggled our way through rough roads & swamp lands and became acquainted with the wild white horses & the vicious 'taureaux' which came within metres of us! In the cold and windy conditions, all 44 'Sud-Afs' kept their spirits up with songs sung with full gusto ~ the photos will bear witness to this amazing bonding experience! We then made our way to Arles, where we had a guided walking tour in the footsteps of Van Gogh and this was very special! In the early evening we arrived at our hotel, which lies within the ancient wall of the city of Avignon and everyone seemed to be very happy! Should you wish to contact your daughters, the telephone number is + 33 4 90 86 36 51 and the fax number is + 33 4 90 85 48 90. The girls really appreciated the free time they had to explore until dinner, which was served in a typical restaurant of the region called 'Le Pili' ~ the service and the ambiance were wonderful! All are now safely tucked up in bed and looking forward to our full day tomorrow!
Written by: Jenny Peddle
28 April 2009 Bon retour!
Today marks our final full day in France and the girls unanimously agree that the tour has been amazing! After a very good breakfast in the hotel this morning, Thierry drove us to the Palais des Papes, where we enjoyed a guided tour of this impressive UNESCO world heritage site. After singing Sur le Pont d'Avignon on the banks of the Rhone, the girls were given a map of the vieille ville end were allowed some free time. At 1.30pm we are due to depart for Nimes and dinner tonight is scheduled for 7.30pm. The teachers plan to make this a special evening and we have a double celebration as it is Luke Gordon's 18th birthday! Tomorrow we depart for Marseilles, visiting the Cathédrale d'Images en route and if time permits, a picnic lunch with the Barrell's who are staying very close to Les Baux-de-Provence. Thierry will then drive us to the airport in Marseilles, where we will board our late afternoon flight to Paris. The girls are looking forward to a few hours in the duty free shops, before departing Paris at 23h15 on AF 990. There is no need I am sure to remind you that the group is scheduled to arrive OR Tambo @ 09h40 on Thursday 30 April. The girls are all obviously looking forward to seeing family and friends back home, but everyone will be left with a sense of sadness at having to say farewell to people they have grown so accustomed to seeing on a daily basis. As parents, you have certainly afforded your children the most wonderful opportunity and I have no doubt that each and every child will return not only academically enriched, but enriched as a person, having matured and grown in confidence. After such a long tour, they are bound to be exhausted and the many wonderful anecdotes may not be immediately forthcoming ~ they will however reveal themselves in the days, months and years to come! To act 'in loco parentis' for 3 weeks is no mean task and I sincerely hope that the love and care of the 3 chaperones will not have gone unnoticed. Mrs Una Rowlands, Mrs Lise Gordon and Mrs Ann Rowse formed a formidable team and they went far beyond the call of duty to ensure that your girls were well cared for and happy. They have been a pleasure to work with and their dedication, energy and enthusiasm have been inspirational. It has been a joy and privilege to work once again with Roedean and St Mary's Waverley and it remains for me to say 'merci beaucoup, bon retour et à la prochaine!
Written by: Jenny Peddle