ST ANNE’S DIOCESAN COLLEGE CULTURAL TOUR TO FRANCE & ITALY – JUNE/JULY 2013
25 JUNE D DAY!
The day everyone has been looking forward to for so long has eventually dawned and such an exciting & inspirational tour awaits the girls! For the KZN contingent, the journey started at King Shaka International this morning and at 15h30 the entire group met up in the departure hall at O R Tambo. Many had been able to check in on line last night, so the process of registering baggage and acquiring boarding passes went very smoothly & rapidly. The girls will have time to enjoy the duty free shops and contemplate all that lies ahead, before boarding the splendid A380, which is a veritable hotel in the sky! They are scheduled to arrive in Paris CDG at 06h00 tomorrow morning and I will update the site once I have heard from the chaperones. Mrs Crampton, Mrs Darroch and Mrs Davel are all acutely aware that the safety and security of your precious children is of paramount importance and I have no doubt that your daughters are in excellent hands. Bon voyage à tout le monde et à demain…!
26 JUNE SAFE, BUT EVENTFUL ARRIVAL!
Bienvenue a Paris - all are safe, but what an arrival! I woke up to the news that one of the girls had ‘lost’ her passport and therefore could not pass through immigration, but after a great deal of searching & praying, it was found, much to the joy of all! So although a little delayed, they are all now safely at their 3 * hotel, LE GRAND HOTEL NOUVEL OPERA and the contact details are: Tel: 00 33 1 43 79 98 76. After lunch they will make their way by metro to Montmartre, the highest natural point in Paris, where they will visit the beautiful basilica of Sacré Coeur. Thereafter they will stroll to the Place du Tertre, which is always buzzing with activity and here they will enjoy a delicious 3 course dinner at La Cremaillère, one of the most famous restaurants on the square. Please to note that I am travelling with a group to France tonight, so my communication with the St Anne’s chaperones will now be minimal until tomorrow but, once I have found connectivity, I will update the site! In the meantime, please rest assured that the girls are all well and are in very safe hands!
27 JUNE SUNNY IN PARIS!
I arrived with my group early this morning and have not stopped running! Although I have not heard directly from the St Anne's chaperones, I can confirm that the weather in Paris was lovely today and would have been ideal for their walk along the Champs Elysees and for their tour of Paris by night - Les Illuminations! I will try to make a plan to see the girls tomorrow and then update the website more fully....
28 JUNE J'ADORE PARIS!
I have been in touch with the chaperones and all the girls are well & loving Paris! Their ‘Illuminations’ coach tour has in fact been arranged for tonight and my group is also going to be enjoying the same excursion, but with a different coach & guide. I am trying to arrange that when we alight at the Trocadero to marvel at the sparkling Eiffel Tower, we may well be able to meet up! Will let you have more details of their tour tomorrow…
29 JUNE LAST DAY IN PARIS
It was lovely to see your girls last night posing in front of the sparkling Eiffel Tower at 22h00 – all looked so happy and everyone sends love! This morning, accompanied by a local guide, they travelled by coach to Giverney, where they visited the splendid house & gardens of Claude Monet and upon their return to Paris they enjoyed a relaxing & informative cruise on the River Seine. The evening was spent in the Quartier Latin, where they dined in a local restaurant, which was a wonderful end to their time in Paris!
30 JUNE ONWARD TO THE FRENCH RIVIERA!
Farewell to Paris, as the group was transferred to Orly airport, where they met up with my French touring party and a total of 75 'Personal Touch’ passengers were on board the flight! On the approach to Nice, everyone was delighted to see yachts bobbing on the azure blue waters and the sun shining was a real bonus! The girls had time to settle into their rooms and then I met with them at the station to take them on an orientation tour of the ‘vieille ville’. They were then given free time and many opted for a quick swim, before meeting up for dinner at a restaurant on the central square, la Place de Gaulle. Everyone is very excited for the next three days in this idyllic part of the world...
1 JULY DIVERSE ACTIVITIES!
This morning I met with the French & Consumer Studies girls who were transferred by coach to Campus Horticole, where they were placed in their relevant classes and educators from the internationally renowned French Language school, Le Centre International d’Antibes, created a morning of inspirational activities. The French students focused on perfecting their communicative skills, whilst the Consumer Studies’ girls were introduced to a range of culinary terms & cooking methods, highlighting la cuisine française! The 3rd component, the Geography girls, made their way into Antibes where, in the company of a local guide they enjoyed a ‘port study’ in this famous, yacht-lined harbour. After lunch in the school restaurant, everyone travelled by coach to Grasse for a guided tour of the Fragonard perfumery, followed by a taste extravaganza at the Florian confisserie, which is renowned for its sweets, chocolates & jams. Both of these visits have on-site boutiques, where the girls were able to purchase some reasonably priced authentic gifts! Everyone enjoyed a very special day!
2 JULY AN AMAZING DAY FOR ALL THREE GROUPS!
After months of planning, I am delighted to report that the intricate programme for the day was a resounding success! The geography girls left at 8am in the company of a local guide and they hopped on board the train for Monaco, where they visited the Musée Océanographique. This museum boasts one of the finest marine collections in the world and this monumental work of architecture has an impressive façade towering over a sheer cliff face. The Consumer studies girls left their hotel at 8:30 with me as a guide and we made our way to Villeneuve Loubet, a quaint city steeped in history and lined with beautiful hanging baskets! We started with a visit to l'Auberge Fleuri, where we met with our chef Philippe & his sous-chef who demonstrated the art of pastry making – it was so interesting & wonderfully interactive! Whilst the pastries were in the oven, we went for a tour of Le Musée de l’Art Culinaire, Fondation Escoffier – it was a lovely tour and our guide was so passionate & animated! Thereafter we returned to the restaurant where the chefs had assembled a delicious 3-tiered pastry and custard ensemble – vraiment delicieux! The French girls spent the morning in Antibes with their teacher and they were given tasks to interview locals and shop owners – it was really a good communicative experience, which they thoroughly enjoyed! After lunch the three groups met and enjoyed an afternoon of sun, sea, sand & sailing on a catamaran – what an incredible experience for all!
3 JULY ALL THE GIRLS IN NICE!
This morning the French girls travelled by bus to Campus Horticole to complete their language course with Lydie, their educator. They have really enjoyed the tuition over the past 3 days and all now feel more confident to communicate in French. During this time the Consumer Studies & Geography students travelled by train to Nice, which is known as the ‘Queen of theRiviera’. In the company of a local guide, the Consumer Studies girls visited the Marché Cours Saleya, which is one of the largest and most well-known open markets in France and here they were introduced to some of the specialities of the region. The Geography girls embarked on an urban study and their local guide highlighted the difference between Vieux Nice and the vibrant, modern city, with its newly revamped square & tramway system. Upon completion of the morning lessons, I accompanied the French component by train to Nice and all the girls then met up to enjoy some retail therapy along the Avenue Jean Médecin, which boasts several famous designer boutiques! It was a wonderful last day on this glorious Côte d’Azur and tomorrow they depart for Italy ....
4 JULY ONWARD TO ITALY!
Au revoir ã la belle France, as they set off for Italy this morning! The scenery en route was spectacular and in Monaco they walked in the Princess Grace Gardens and viewed the Cathedral & Palace. In the late afternoon they arrived at their hotel in Portovenere, which is stunning and all were delighted to relax on the beach or lounge by the pool. A reminder that the group is staying at the hotel ROYAL SPORTING for the next 2 nights. Tel: 00 39 0187 790 326.
5 JULY A WONDERFUL DAY IN CINQUE TERRE!
What an incredible day in the charming Cinque Terre! Listed as a UNESCO World heritage site, this region comprises 5 small medieval villages on the Ligurian coast which boast some of the finest views on the Italian Riviera. This area is characterized by terraced vineyards, beautiful coves and houses clinging precariously to rock promontories, with colourful boats bobbing in the harbour below. They left the hotel at 9:30 and headed to the harbour to board their boat which took them to the different fishing villages and all enjoyed the quaintness of the area and the spectacular views. Unfortunately they could not walk along the via dell'Amore (lovers walk) as it was closed for reconstruction after the floods - the pictures of the devastation are horrifying. After a long day they returned to their very welcome & luxurious hotel to relax by the pool until it was supper time! With all the amenities afforded to them in such a luxurious hotel, they will no doubt be rather sad to leave tomorrow….!
6 JULY ONWARD TO FLORENCE
This morning they embarked on their last leg of the tour as they traveled through the beautiful Tuscan Hills to Pisa and here they visited the Square of Miracles - many chose to climb the 294 steps to reach the summit of the famous Leaning Tower (Torre di Pisa) which was an amazing experience! After lunch they continued on to their hotel in Florence, the ‘Jewel of the Renaissance’, where they settled into their hotel and enjoyed some informal exploring before enjoying a dinner in a local restaurant. A reminder that they will be staying for the last 3 nights in Hotel de Lanzi – Tel:00 39 055 288 043.
7 JULY A HEAT-WAVE IN FLORENCE!
This morning the group visited the Galleria dell’Accademia, where they saw Michelangelo’s famous statue of David and Boticelli’s masterpiece, Madonna and Child. Much of Europe seems to be experiencing a heat-wave and the girls really appreciated enjoyed some free time before their walking tour with a local guide, who introduced them to the famous sights in this wonderful city. Dinner was again delicious and all are very excited for their cooking experience in the hills of Tuscany tomorrow….
8 JULY COOKING IN TUSCANY - WHAT A LOVELY DAY!
By all accounts, the girls had the most amazing day at the Villa & Cooking Studio La Quercia, which is situated just outside the tiny village of Impruneta in the Tuscan Hills. Veronica Clemente is a warm & lovely, quintessential Italian lady and both she & her daughter, Margherita, were so excited to meet the St Anne’s girls today! As a welcome snack, she prepared 2 delicious apple cakes with raisins & pine nuts and this she served with a cool drink, which was so welcome in the heat. She then demonstrated how to make Pizza Margherita and pasta by hand, which she served with a pesto sauce, made from fresh basil from her vegetable garden. As a dessert they all made a chocolate cake with wild berry sauce, which was apparently truly delicious! With so much planning & refining having gone into this day, I am delighted that it was such a resounding success!
9 JULY FOND FAREWELL!
Today marks the final day of their tour and after breakfast the girls had a few hours to stroll through the Mercato Nuovo for some last minute souvenirs, before their transfer to Peretola Airport. All flights have been confirmed and they are scheduled to depart Florence at 16h50 on AF 1667 for their flight to Paris. Once at Roissy Charles de Gaulle the group will remain in transit, where they will undoubtedly enjoy the duty free shops and at 23h20 flight AF 990 will depart for Afrique du Sud. They are scheduled to arrive at OR Tambo on Wednesday 10 July @ 09h50 and those who have a connecting flight to Durban will walk with the chaperones to domestic departures. So much has been packed into the last 14 days and as parents you can rest assured that you have afforded your children the most wonderful opportunity. Chaperones are crucial to the success of any tour and to act ‘in loco parentis’ is no mean task ~ a big thank you therefore to Catherine Crampton, Sunette Davel and Caroline Darroch for all the love & care they have shown your children over the past 2 weeks. Whilst everyone is really looking forward to returning to South Africa to see family and friends, all 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. All will undoubtedly be exhausted upon arrival and whilst the many wonderful anecdotes may not immediately be forthcoming, they will I know reveal themselves in the days, months and even years to come! 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 and the precious memories & firm bonds of friendships will last a lifetime. It remains for me to say 'merci beaucoup, bon retour et a la prochaine'!