TUESDAY 25 JUNE 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 40 students, accompanied by an array of family members, gathered at OR Tambo and early check-in certainly worked to our advantage. The students represent 3 different schools: Pretoria Boys’ High School, Pretoria High School for Girls and Somerset College. There are 4 chaperones assisting me – Ms Tanya Jones, Ms Lorraine Mabvadya, Ms Staci-Leigh Howard and Mrs Charlene Mentz and I am looking forward to travelling with them. After fond farewells to parents & friends, we all made our way through Emigration, where no problems were encountered…always a relief! Once safely on the ‘other side’, all were able to enjoy some free time before we gather at the departure gate at 17h30. 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. A reminder that I will post daily entries in the 2019 diary section of my website www.schooltours.co.za and photos will also be loaded on a Facebook page linked to the website. If you are a member of Facebook, then either search ‘Personal Touch Schooltours – July Independent 2019’ or follow the link below and click ‘LIKE’ to receive updates as they are posted. https://web.facebook.com/Personal-Touch-Schooltours-July-Independent-2019-324110335183292/Bon voyage … I will update the site as soon as I find connectivity in France tomorrow!
THURSDAY 26 JUNE SAFE ARRIVAL IN PARIS!
We all arrived bright and early and in high spirits, despite very little sleep and a great deal of turbulence en route. We learnt in the morning that we had to fly an additional 700 kms to avoid 2 very bad storms in north Africa, so we very felt blessed to have had such an experienced pilot! There were no problems at Emigration and all were delighted to be reunited with their luggage! We then had time to freshen up, using the airport ablutions and at 09h00 we loaded our luggage on to the coach and made our way to the hotel, Paris Louis Blanc. As anticipated, our rooms were not read y, so we headed off for our first metro experience to the Tuileries Gardens where all had their first sight of the Eiffel Tower, the Carrousel, the Obelisk on the Place de la Concorde and the Arc de Triomphe. Paris is experiencing a heatwave at the moment, so we were all were searching for some shade and drinking plenty of water. All regrouped punctually at 14h00 and we then made our way back to the hotel, where we decided to remain and explore locally in order to recharge our batteries for tomorrow and … we will visit Galéries Lafayette on Friday instead. Our dinner was in a delightful family owned restaurant and they could not have been more kind and welcoming – it was a very happy evening, with excellent food and plenty of laughter and banter! PS I HAVE A NEW SIM CARD AND MY NUMBER IS +33 6 85 18 34 96
THURSDAY 27 JUNE A FULL FIRST DAY IN PARIS!
Everyone was delighted to have a slower start this morning and at 10h00 we left for the Champs Elysées, where all 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 lies ahead … a cruise on the River Seine, followed by a 3 course dinner with drinks, then a coach tour of Paris by night and finally an ascent to the 2nd level of a sparkling Eiffel Tower at 23h00! We will only return to the hotel after midnight and all are delighted that we do not have any early reservations tomorrow morning!
FRIDAY 28 JUNE ANOTHER FULL (AND VERY HOT!) DAY IN PARIS!
All enjoyed a later start this morning after returning from the Eiffel Tower at 1AM! Our first visit was to Montmartre, where they marveled at the spectacular basilica of Sacré Coeur which dominates the skyline. After enjoying the vibrant street theatre, we made our way to the Place du Tertre, where some opted to have their portraits painted, whilst others preferred the more reasonably priced caricatures! Although time was not on our side, we made our best effort to include Galéries Lafayette and it’s amazing what one can purchase in an hour!! We then dashed to the Louvre for our guided tour, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Thereafter everyone had free time to explore the ‘galéries du Louvre’ which includes many name brand shops, including Starbucks …. and McDo’s! Dinner tonight was served in a really fancy restaurant on the Rue St Honoré and everyone returned to the hotel having had a wonderful day ….in spite of the incredible heat!
SATURDAY 29 JUNE A FUN-FILLED DAY AT DISNEYLAND PARIS!
We had an earlier breakfast this morning, as all were excited to start their day at Disneyland Paris! Their tickets allowed entrance to both the Disney Theme Park, as well as Walt Disney Studios and they had plans to visit both! Upon arrival at the gates, they rushed through security and then they were afforded 7 hours of adrenalin-bliss! We will meet at 18h00 for the return journey and dinner tonight will be at a restaurant close to the hotel. They will no doubt be exhausted, I am hoping that all will enjoy a relatively early night, before our departure tomorrow. Everyone has had such a wonderful time in Paris and we have covered so much in a relatively short space of time. We will fly from Orly Airport to Nice on the glorious Côte d’Azur, where we will be greeted by the team from Le Centre International d’Antibes and everyone is looking forward to part 2 of this wonderful adventure en France!
SUNDAY 30 JUNE HAPPY TO BE ON THE COTE D’AZUR!
We were all awake bright and early this morning for our scheduled departure at 07h00 to Orly Airport. The crowds were enormous and we were fortunate enough to secure a dedicated desk for our group check-in, which certainly reduced the stress levels! On the plane to Nice, many caught up on some much-needed rest, but all awoke in time to appreciate the glorious sun-kissed coastline, lined with azure blue waters and the run-way which extends right out into the sea. We were warmly welcomed by the team from Le Centre International d’Antibes and our designated animateurs are Paulin and Lucas, who are both young and dynamic university students who will be an integral part of our group this week. The coach dropped us off at the residence La Resideal, where all checked in to their rooms and donned beach wear, before heading off on an orientation tour of Antibes. At 15h30 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 the 'vieille ville', with an ice-cream in hand. At 18h00 all returned to the residence to freshen up, before making their way by transfer coach to Campus Horticole, where they enjoyed a delicious dinner in the on-site restaurant. Tonight they will be introduced to the other 200 international students on campus and an evening of social interaction has been arranged as an ice-breaker, which is guaranteed to be great fun!
MONDAY 1 JULY LE TEST + EXCURSION TO MONACO
Last night’s interaction and ice-breaker activities were great fun and all slept really well! After breakfast this morning in the campus restaurant, the group was divided into 3 for their oral & written assessment. After ‘la pause’, they stayed with their designated teacher and all thoroughly enjoyed ‘cours fermés’. Tomorrow, based on the results of the assessment, they will be placed in classes to suit their individual level of French and will be in ‘cours internationaux’ with students of a similar ability. After lunch we departed by coach for the Principality of Monaco and the views en route were magnificent. Upon arrival all hopped on board ‘le petit train’, a tourist train which weaves through the famous ‘Grand Prix’ streets of Monte Carlo, providing valuable commentary. All alighted at the Pink Palace and thereafter we had some free time to enjoy souvenir shopping, before walking past the Cathedral and the Princess Grace Exotic Gardens to the coach. This evening there is a ‘soirée barbecue’ (a fancy braai!), which is always great fun, with plenty of food, music and social interaction amongst all the students on campus!
TUESDAY 2 JULY COURS INTERNATIONAUX + VISIT TO CANNES
Another glorious day greeted us this morning and after breakfast there was a buzz as they gathered around the notice board to see their designated class & teacher. All are eager to start their lessons in ‘cours internationaux’, where the emphasis will be placed on improving communicative skills and gaining confidence to speak with fewer inhibitions. At lunchtime I I spoke to each and ever y student to get feedback and I relayed 5 concerns to the Director of Pedagogy, who has agreed to make the changes tomorrow. After lunch everyone gathered in the central courtyard and, armed with hats, sunscreen and beach towels, all joyfully hopped on our private coach to Cannes, a vibrant seaside resort and home to the annual Cannes Film Festival. All posed in fine style on the red carpet at the Palais des Festivals, before having fun identifying the hands of the various film stars embedded in the walkway in front of the Palais. Thereafter the glorious phrase, ‘du temps libre’ was uttered and the options for this free time included a) walking up to Le Suquet with Paulin 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 had such a wonderful afternoon and at 18h00, a very happy band of travelers (laden with packets!) returned to the residence. This evening the animateurs have organized a sunset beach outing and this promises to be great fun!
WEDNESDAY 3 JULY FRENCH LESSONS + EXCURSION TO NICE
In spite of the heat, everyone is really enjoying the French course and all have made new friends on campus. Our afternoon excursion was to Nice, which is dubbed the ‘Queen of the Riviera’ and in order to catch the earlier train, our PT students were given packed lunches. Everyone was very excited for this visit and upon arrival we walked down to the spectacular Fontaine du Soleil, on the Place Masséna. They were all very keen to find Fenocchios – a world famous ice cream parlour - and they followed Paulin and Lucas through the narrow streets of the quaint Vieux NIce to find it! There are 104 different flavours, ranging from Nutella; Rocher; Nougat; Noisette; Cactus; Rhubarb; Menthe Fraiche; Violette; Coca Cola; Pinacolada; Menthe Chocolat, Beer etc and, with such a vast choice, it was hard to make a decision! 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 later returned to Antibes in exceptionally high spirits, all agreeing that Nice was VERY NICE!! They were all given options for tonight’s activity, but all unanimously opted to stay in the residence, in order to relax and recharge batteries alongside one of the hotel’s 2 beautiful swimming pools.
THURSDAY 4 JULY LESSONS + SUN, SEA & SAILING!
All are thoroughly enjoying their classes and they have made many new friends on campus. After lunch everyone excitedly hopped on board the coach to the Yacht Club in Antibes, where they donned life jackets and listened attentively to the monitor who gave instructions for sailing on a catamaran! This was such an incredible experience and there were screeches of delight as they were towed out to sea and all were stunned by the indescribable beauty of the calm azure blue waters, with the vieille ville in close proximity and Italy in the distance! Thereafter we made our way to the public beach, where all relaxed, frolicked in the waters and ate ice-creams until our departure at 17h00. It was such a special afternoon in an idyllic part of the world and tonight is the traditional soirée cabaret and I have no doubt that our ebullient group will readily showcase their many & varied talents!
FRIDAY 5 JULY DELF CERTIFICATES + FRAGONARD + FLORIAN
Last night our South African children really did us proud at the cabaret, with their singing and dancing gaining much praise and applause from the audience! So much effort had gone into the preparation and we had almost 100% participation – bravo tout le monde, I was very impressed! This morning marked the end of formal lessons at Le Centre International d'Antibes and all our students were proud recipients of a DELF accredited certificate which attests to the 15 hours of tuition + the level attained + a comment from the teachers, who once again expressed their delight with the South Africans, praising their positive, enthusiastic and serious approach. After lunch all hopped on board the coach bound for Grasse, which is dubbed the ‘balcony of Provence’ for its magnificent, panoramic views and at the Fragonard Parfumerie, all enjoyed a fascinating & most informative tour, with the on-site boutique proving to be a great hit! 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 and in excellent spirits, all happily returned to La Resideal and everyone is very excited about tonight’s visit 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 6 JULY HOMEWARD BOUND!
Last night in Juan les Pins was really lovely and everyone is very sad to say farewell to this idyllic part of the world! All were able to have a slower start to the day and to enjoy one last swim in the glorious pool, before transferring the luggage to Campus Horticole for storage. The group will then go into Antibes, where they will have time to relax and stroll through the vibrant marché provençal, with some perhaps even enjoying a last swim in the Med! We will gather on Campus for a picnic lunch, where will shower Paulin and Lucas with gifts – they have both been superb animateurs and such an asset to our group for the week - merci beaucoup! We will then travel by coach to the airport in Nice, where we will check in for our flight to Paris. Once at Roissy Charles de Gaulle, our group will remain in transit, where all will no doubt enjoy browsing in the duty-free shops…not that much money left to buy anything! Flight AF 990 is expected to depart at 23h20 and I am sure that there is no need to remind all excited parents & family members that we are scheduled to arrive at OR Tambo tomorrow, Sunday 7 July at 09h55. To act ‘in loco parentis’ is no mean task and I would sincerely like to thank Tanya Jones, Staci-Leigh Howard, Lorraine Mabvadya and Charlene Mentz for their amazing support and dedication to the role. They have been superb companions and we share very fond memories of our tour with your children. Merci beaucoup mes chères amies ~ I value your professionalism and thank you for flying the banner high for ‘Personal Touch’! Everyone has had a wonderfully happy experience and we have managed to pack so much into a relatively short space of time. As parents, you have given your children the most incredible gift 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. The precious memories & firm bonds of friendships will last a lifetime and it remains for me to wish all a happy home-coming - ‘merci beaucoup, bon retour et à la prochaine…!