Château d’Ebblinghem is ideal for school groups being set in a rural location just 8km east of St Omer on the Opal Coast in northern France, and just 45 minutes from the Channel ports.
What’s special about Château d’Ebblinghem?
The centre has four buildings designed with school groups in mind all accommodating pupil and teacher rooms together alongside dedicated dining and teacher areas. Sole-occupancy options are available so your group can take over a whole building!
Explore Château d’Ebblinghem
Centre Facilities at Château d’Ebblinghem
Château d’Ebblinghem has everything you need for an action-packed trip. The perfect base to explore Northern France, with local excursions, learning opportunities nearby – plus plenty of on-site excitement including sports pitches, a games room and campfire.
On-site Shop
Meeting Rooms
Teacher Lounge
En-suite Bedrooms
Teacher Wi-Fi
Accessible Bedrooms
Campfire
Sports Pitches & Recreation
Games Room
Dedicated on-site support from a member of our team
You’ll be allocated a dedicated member of the team to ensure the smooth-running of your school trip and providing all-round support. During the course of your stay they will:
Meet you on arrival, and organise a welcome talk and centre tour.
Accompany you on excursions, assisting with supervision and destination knowledge.
Help supervise your group in the dining area.
Organise and supervise evening activities for your group.
Encourage your group to use their French skills throughout their stay.
Adventure is hungry work
What’s on the menu?
At Château d’Ebblinghem, we make sure everyone is well fed with three delicious meals a day, lovingly prepared by our brilliant catering team, including packed lunches for your excursions.
Allergies, intolerances or dietary needs? No problem – we’re fully set up to cater for special diets and other requirements.
Accommodation at Château d’Ebblinghem
There are four separate buildings at our château, each designed to accommodate pupil and teacher en-suite bedrooms together, with dedicated teacher and dining areas too.
L'Auberge
L’Auberge
Guests: 3 x 4 beds (2 bunk beds)
Leaders: 3 x 2 single beds (en-suite)
La Caserne
La Caserne
Guests: 18 x 4 beds (2 bunk beds)
Leaders: 6 x 2 single beds
All bedrooms are en-suite
La Gareyne
La Gareyne
Guests: 13 x 4 beds (2 bunk beds)
Leaders: 3 x 2 single beds
All bedrooms are en-suite
Le Manoir
Le Manoir
Guests: 1 x 6 single beds, 2 x 5 single beds, 9 x 4 beds (2 bunk beds)
Leaders: 3 x 2 single beds
All bedrooms are en-suite
The following programme is available at Château d’Ebbinghem
French Culture
Provide your group with a real taste of life in France. The Opal Coast is easily accessible and close to channel ports, whilst offering fantastic visits which will introduce your pupils to a new culture, and fascinate them with an environment so different to their own!
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Amazing activities at Château d’Ebblinghem
A varied mix of excursions and activities are available from this château.
Arques Crystal Glass
Tour the visitor centre and small museum of the Arques Crystal Glass factory. The works was founded by the Durand family in 1825 to make demijohns for Bordeaux winemakers. Today, it markets a full range of tableware products in more than 160 countries.
Bellewaerde Theme Park
Spend a day at this fantastic theme park, home to a wonderful mix of rollercoasters, shows, animals and water features.
Biscuiterie
Famous for their culinary credentials, see how these delicious biscuits are made.
Boulogne-sur-Mer
Take a guided tour and explore the Roman old town, spending time in its shops and cafés and practising language skills, and comparing French life past and present. Local market days are Wednesday and Saturday - pupils can interact with traders, build language confidence and pick up a bargain or two.
Calais Dragon
Ride aboard the Calais Dragon and discover a breath-taking view of Calais, the beach and the Côte d'Opale. The dragon awakens and a unique 45-minute journey begins.
Calais Lace Museum
Established in Calais, inside an authentic nineteenth century lace factory, the Museum of Lace and Fashion is a specialist museum for the famous lace woven on looms.
Caves at Naours
Take a guided tour of the underground refuges at Naours. Hollowed out of the limestone by local people as a refuge during invasions, pupils will love wandering around this maze of 28 tunnels and 300 chambers.
Dairy Farm
Visit this dairy farm and see how the animals are reared and how their milk is used to make the delicious cheese.
Journey to the Trenches
An interactive activity taking the group from enlistment through to life in the trenches. Within this session, the group will discover more about life as a WWI soldier, create their own propaganda posters, consider a soldier’s personal items taken to war in addition to seeing WWI artefacts and tasting army biscuits with camp coffee! Must be pre-booked.
Le Touquet
Le Touquet sits at the estuary of the River Canche and is the perfect location for Tourism Studies. Observe and describe key sites and locations, and gather information to produce a sightseeing guide. Le Parc de l’Estuaire also offers the opportunity to study the natural sand dune and woodland ecosystems of this area.
Les Chocolats de Beussant
Learn about the industry of chocolate making and combine the demonstrations of melting, moulding and coating with worksheets, a guided tour of the workshop (in English or French), and the chance to enjoy tasting samples!
Les Escargotières
Get a real taste of France! At a working snail farm, your group will learn how one of France’s most famous foods is reared. Then sit back and see which of your pupils will be first to sample one for themselves.
Lille Zoo
Spend a fun couple of hours wandering around this zoo and enjoy the antics of the wildlife.
Local Boulangerie Visit
There are a number of boulangeries in the region where your pupils will watch and listen to the baker describe, in French, the process of making traditional French bakery products, before getting the chance to produce and eat their own.
Local Goat Farm
Gain an insight into French farming and cheese making. There are also opportunities for cheese tasting and, at certain times of the year, to help milk the goats.
Louvre-Lens Museum
See 5000 years of art history at the Louvre-Lens museum. Explore the museum’s exhibitions and discover masterpieces and sculptures in this beautiful art museum.
Natur’Pom Cider Farm
Visit the organic orchards at this cider farm and learn about the ecosystem of the farm, the cycle of the plant and organic production. Visits can be adapted to the age of pupils and there is an on-site shop for tasty souvenirs!
Nausicaá Sea Centre
Nausicaá promises you an unforgettable voyage to the heart of the Ocean! Discover the 1,600 species who call the Aquarium home. A visit here will convince you that the Ocean is not only a wondrous and rich resource; it is also the future of Mankind. This fascinating sea centre promotes learning through interactive exhibits. Groups can explore three amazing worlds: "Journey on the High Seas," "Mankind and Shores" and "Ocean and Climate."
Pottery Museum and Workshop
Famous for pottery, visit the Ceramics Museum in Desvres and take part in a pottery workshop.
St Joseph’s Village
Give your pupils an insight into 19th & 20th century French Life in this re-created French Village. They’ll develop their French vocabulary as they enter the specially constructed windmill, school, bakers shop, garage, and the chapel, all complete with the equipment of a bygone age.
Sweet Factory
Learn about the history of the sweet shop and see how the sweets and lollipops are made. Pupils will learn from the French commentary, demonstrations and be able to taste the delicious sweets produced.
Town Trails
Follow trail instructions and answer questions in French in this informative way to explore the town. NST’s exclusive trails are an excellent method of getting pupils to read, repeat and understand French words and phrases. Town trails are available in Aire-sur-la-Lys, Boulogne-sur-Mer and St Omer
WWI Biscuit Making
In this hands-on biscuit baking activity, students prepare traditional ‘army biscuits’ which soldiers would have eaten during WWI. Take part in a quiz, then taste the results with camp coffee! This activity must be pre-booked, small charge applies.
Archery Tag
Let the battle commence! Archery with a twist - you are aiming for each other! In this game of skill and teamwork you are equipped with foam-tipped arrows to battle it out in action packed games. You will do some basic skills training before entering the arena to see who comes out victorious! Available March to September
Balloon Splash
Each team completes a series of challenges or games to earn coins that will allow them to purchase items from a mystery box! Teams will then work closely together to create the best contraption to protect their water balloon from destruction.
Campfire
The ultimate way to enjoy the great outdoors as a group! Enjoy a campfire tailored to your requirements. Get hands-on constructing your campfire during the day, and it will be lit ready for you to enjoy in the evening. If your group loves to sing or simply relax with some games around the campfire, our team can cater for all ages in the idyllic settings of our campfires.
Crêpe Making
A relaxing evening of board games and music while guests take it in turn to create their very own pancake. Mix and cook your own pancakes and choose from a selection of tasty toppings available to build your own topping tower!
Dégustation de Fromage
Sample a range of French cheeses and discuss the varying tastes, your likes and dislikes in the target language. A fantastic after-dinner activity at Château d'Ebblinghem. This activity must be pre-booked through your PGL contact. Small charge applies.
Disc Golf
Your group will love trying their hand at this exciting, fast-paced sport in the great outdoors! A flying disc sport, players will take it in turns to throw a frisbee disc at a target as they make their way across a 9-holed disc course! The perfect introduction to both frisbee and golf, Disc Golf is the ideal way to incite a little healthy competition amongst groups!
Disco
A popular last night choice, guests learn the moves to popular hits with “follow-the-leader” sessions, plus lots of unique PGL dances! A fun and sociable evening.
Passport to the World
Hop aboard PGL airlines to take a trip around the world! Here, groups are given a map with a mixture of country flags located around the site. Each country has a plaque located on the point on the map. The plaques have questions to answer related to that country, which must all be answered correctly before returning to base. It might be dark when this activity takes place, so torches are advised.
Quiz
In teams, guests are set a Q & A style challenges to engage their brains & increase their general knowledge.
Silent Disco
Party the night away without the noise of a disco. Every guest has their own set of headphones, where guests can select music from a number of channels to find the tunes they enjoy. Then spend the evening dancing away with friends or trying to guess what song your friends are listening to.
WWI Artifacts
Take a close look at a range of WWI artefacts at the château to help evoke the atmosphere of the war and aid pupils in their understanding of trench life.
Explore nearby locations
Ardèche – Domaine de Segries
Set your sights on an adventure of a lifetime at our activity centre in the Ardèche Gorge, Southern France.
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Buckinghamshire – Green Park
Dorset – Osmington Bay
Located on the spectacular Jurassic Coast, enjoying views across to Weymouth, Osmington Bay is an incredibly special place to visit. It boasts all the land-based activities that you would expect to find at a PGL centre, along with thrilling water sports at the nearby Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy.
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Isle of Wight – Little Canada
Nestled between 56 acres of woodlands and the inlet waters of Wootton Creek, this unique centre on the Isle of Wight is bursting with challenging activities on land and water, and is instantly recognisable by its charming log cabins on the riverbank.
Explore Little Canada
Kent – Grosvenor Hall
From the moment our visitors enter the gates, they are immersed in the high-adrenaline excitement of the centre as they pass the activity bases and breathtaking lake! As they explore the centre our guests continue to discover everything Grosvenor Hall has to offer including a sports hall that caters for a wide range of indoor activities.
Explore Grosvenor Hall
Lancashire – Winmarleigh Hall
Winmarleigh Hall is a 19th Century country house set in 50 acres of gardens, parkland and woodland with a large, purpose-built lake. Close to the historic city of Lancaster and the Forest of Bowland, this centre is crammed with activites and things to do.
Explore Winmarleigh Hall
Lincolnshire – Caythorpe Court
This jewel of the East Midlands has over 45 acres of glorious Lincolnshire countryside to explore, bursting with thrilling activites designed to challenge, inspire and bond.
Explore Caythorpe Court
Norfolk – Overstrand Hall
This impressive mansion house is located on the Deben Estuary and has panoramic views across the Suffolk Heritage Coast. The centre has over 140 acres of beautiful grounds, packed with a huge range of adventure activities to inspire and motivate your group.
Explore Overstrand Hall
North Yorkshire – Newby Wiske Hall
Newby by name, Newby by nature! Previously a police training centre, this historic 17th century country house opened its doors as a PGL activity centre in 2023 after a huge transformation. The centre is surrounded by beautiful North Yorkshire countryside, known for its rolling hills, lush green landscapes and scenic beauty.
Explore Newby Wiske Hall
Northumberland – Ford Castle
A breathtaking castle in the rolling Northumberland countryside where old meets new... historical fortifications bursting with modern facilities and exclusive activities!
Explore Ford Castle
Opal Coast – Château d’Ebblinghem
Château d’Ebblinghem is ideal for school groups being set in a rural location just 8km east of St Omer on the Opal Coast in northern France, and just 45 minutes from the Channel ports.
Find Out More
Paris – Château de Grande Romaine
This pretty French château is perfectly placed to explore the delights of Paris and Northern France. Nestled in scenic countryside and woodland, this centre boasts an outdoor heated swimming pool and fantastic facilities.
Find Out More
Perthshire – Dalguise
Dalguise activity centre is set in the breathtaking Scottish Highlands. Nestled in a beautiful wooded valley, just five miles north of Dunkeld.
Explore Dalguise
Shropshire – Boreatton Park
With 250 acres of countryside, woodland and multiple lakes, our biggest centre is one of our most popular destinations for the adventure of a lifetime.
Explore Boreatton Park
South Devon – Barton Hall
At the heart of the English Riviera with views over Torquay and blue flag beaches, it's easy to see why this beautiful centre in Devon is so popular with schools and groups.
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South Yorkshire – Dearne Valley
With fantastic indoor and outdoor activity facilities surrounded by the beautiful countryside of South Yorkshire, a purpose-built water sports lake and access to the adjacent River Don, Dearne Valley offers something for everyone.
Explore Dearne Valley
Suffolk – Bawdsey Manor
This impressive mansion house is located on the Deben Estuary and has panoramic views across the Suffolk Heritage Coast. The centre has over 140 acres of beautiful grounds, packed with a huge range of adventure activities to inspire and motivate your group.
Explore Bawdsey Manor
Surrey – Marchants Hill
With over 45 acres of beautiful grounds, Marchants Hill is a vibrant and bustling centre nestled in the ‘Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’, within walking distance of the Devil’s Punchbowl. This centre offers the best of both worlds – green spaces and fantastic transport links!
Explore Marchants Hill
Sussex – Windmill Hill
Welcome to Windmill Hill, an impressive Grade II listed mansion house on the beautiful Sussex Downs… where big adventures, new discoveries and unforgettable experiences can be found around every corner!
Explore Windmill Hill
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Adventure is never far away! Our amazing activity centres span across England, Scotland and even France.
View all locations
Wiltshire – Liddington
As one of PGL’s largest centres, Liddington is bursting with outdoor activities and sports facilities. Buzzing with activity and packed with challenges to conquer with your group. Situated on the ancient Ridgeway track bordering the North Wessex Downs, yet conveniently located just minutes from the M4
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We go above and beyond to protect the safety and wellbeing of everyone in our care.
Our long-standing dedication to safety has led to us holding over 15 governing and safety accreditations, and we voluntarily apply for Ofsted inspections to be on the Childcare Register.
Everything we do is built on five protective pillars:
Safe People
Safe People People are at the heart of all we do. From our ‘safer recruitment’ process (including enhanced DBS for all centre colleagues) to our in-depth training programmes, continuous development and supervision, we go the extra mile to ensure our guests are in the safest of hands.
Safe Places
Our centres are continuously monitored, maintained and risk-assessed by dedicated teams to ensure our places are safe and secure, always. What’s more, ongoing investment in our locations is powering breakthroughs in guest comfort and satisfaction.
Safe Spaces
We believe adventure is for everyone. We’ve developed our spaces with SEND, accessibility and inclusivity in mind, and can make further adjustments for guests’ individual needs wherever possible – our goal is to deliver enriching experiences for all.
Safeguarding
As the leader in our industry, we are committed to ensuring the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults in our care. Our teams are trained to recognise and report safeguarding concerns and aware of their responsibilities to safeguard guests.
Safe Travels
Our travel partners are carefully vetted to ensure they meet our high standards and are able to demonstrate effective safety management systems – providing transport that is safe, reliable, suitable for children and adaptable to the needs of our guests.
PGL Château d’Ebblinghem Residential Trips FAQs
What excursions are available?
- Caves at Naours
- Lille Zoo
- St Joseph’s Village
- Boulogne-sur-Mer
- Nausicaa Sea Centre
- Local Goat Farm
- Les Chocolats de Beussent
- Les Escargotieres
- Local Boulangerie Visit
- Town Trails
- Bellewearde Theme Park
- Sweet Factory
- Biscuiterie
- Pottery Museum and Workshop
- Dairy Farm
- Natur’Pom Cider Farm
- Arques Crystal Glass
- Calais Lace Museum
What's included in the cost of the trip?
Everything your school or group needs is included in the cost of the trip to Château d’Ebblinghem, with accommodation, evening activities, equipment, food and drinks all covered in the price per person. Additional day time activities* can be added to fit with your daytime excursions
*supplementary cost
What happens in the evenings?
The fun doesn’t stop after the day’s activities! After dinner, our evening entertainment programme will keep your class or group amused until it’s time for bed. We’ve got discos, campfires, quizzes and loads more! We want to create a schedule perfect for your group, so if you have anything in particular then just let us know and we’ll do our best to plan it into your group’s itinerary!
What should pupils pack for their trip?
For a full list of what to pack, see our packing guide. Some essential packing items include:
- Tops/t-shirts (for daily adventure activities)
- Trousers/leggings (for daily adventure activities)
- Sports kit (for sports teams and sports activities)
- Evening clothes (for discos, quizzes, evening games and more)
- Towels
- Toiletries
Does my child need waterproofs for their residential trip?
We recommend that your child bring some waterproofs just in case it starts raining, even in France! We’ll be outside all day, no matter the weather, so bringing a waterproof can keep your child dry during the activities if they need it.
Do you cater for special dietary requirements?
We’re able to cater for a variety of dietary requirements at all of our locations, please visit our Menus and Mealtimes page for further information.
Testimonials
Explore nearby locations
Ardèche – Domaine de Segries
Set your sights on an adventure of a lifetime at our activity centre in the Ardèche Gorge, Southern France.
Explore Domaine de Segries
Buckinghamshire – Green Park
Dorset – Osmington Bay
Located on the spectacular Jurassic Coast, enjoying views across to Weymouth, Osmington Bay is an incredibly special place to visit. It boasts all the land-based activities that you would expect to find at a PGL centre, along with thrilling water sports at the nearby Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy.
Explore Osmington Bay
Isle of Wight – Little Canada
Nestled between 56 acres of woodlands and the inlet waters of Wootton Creek, this unique centre on the Isle of Wight is bursting with challenging activities on land and water, and is instantly recognisable by its charming log cabins on the riverbank.
Explore Little Canada
Kent – Grosvenor Hall
From the moment our visitors enter the gates, they are immersed in the high-adrenaline excitement of the centre as they pass the activity bases and breathtaking lake! As they explore the centre our guests continue to discover everything Grosvenor Hall has to offer including a sports hall that caters for a wide range of indoor activities.
Explore Grosvenor Hall
Lancashire – Winmarleigh Hall
Winmarleigh Hall is a 19th Century country house set in 50 acres of gardens, parkland and woodland with a large, purpose-built lake. Close to the historic city of Lancaster and the Forest of Bowland, this centre is crammed with activites and things to do.
Explore Winmarleigh Hall
Lincolnshire – Caythorpe Court
This jewel of the East Midlands has over 45 acres of glorious Lincolnshire countryside to explore, bursting with thrilling activites designed to challenge, inspire and bond.
Explore Caythorpe Court
Norfolk – Overstrand Hall
This impressive mansion house is located on the Deben Estuary and has panoramic views across the Suffolk Heritage Coast. The centre has over 140 acres of beautiful grounds, packed with a huge range of adventure activities to inspire and motivate your group.
Explore Overstrand Hall
North Yorkshire – Newby Wiske Hall
Newby by name, Newby by nature! Previously a police training centre, this historic 17th century country house opened its doors as a PGL activity centre in 2023 after a huge transformation. The centre is surrounded by beautiful North Yorkshire countryside, known for its rolling hills, lush green landscapes and scenic beauty.
Explore Newby Wiske Hall
Northumberland – Ford Castle
A breathtaking castle in the rolling Northumberland countryside where old meets new... historical fortifications bursting with modern facilities and exclusive activities!
Explore Ford Castle
Opal Coast – Château d’Ebblinghem
Château d’Ebblinghem is ideal for school groups being set in a rural location just 8km east of St Omer on the Opal Coast in northern France, and just 45 minutes from the Channel ports.
Find Out More
Paris – Château de Grande Romaine
This pretty French château is perfectly placed to explore the delights of Paris and Northern France. Nestled in scenic countryside and woodland, this centre boasts an outdoor heated swimming pool and fantastic facilities.
Find Out More
Perthshire – Dalguise
Dalguise activity centre is set in the breathtaking Scottish Highlands. Nestled in a beautiful wooded valley, just five miles north of Dunkeld.
Explore Dalguise
Shropshire – Boreatton Park
With 250 acres of countryside, woodland and multiple lakes, our biggest centre is one of our most popular destinations for the adventure of a lifetime.
Explore Boreatton Park
South Devon – Barton Hall
At the heart of the English Riviera with views over Torquay and blue flag beaches, it's easy to see why this beautiful centre in Devon is so popular with schools and groups.
Explore Barton Hall
South Yorkshire – Dearne Valley
With fantastic indoor and outdoor activity facilities surrounded by the beautiful countryside of South Yorkshire, a purpose-built water sports lake and access to the adjacent River Don, Dearne Valley offers something for everyone.
Explore Dearne Valley
Suffolk – Bawdsey Manor
This impressive mansion house is located on the Deben Estuary and has panoramic views across the Suffolk Heritage Coast. The centre has over 140 acres of beautiful grounds, packed with a huge range of adventure activities to inspire and motivate your group.
Explore Bawdsey Manor
Surrey – Marchants Hill
With over 45 acres of beautiful grounds, Marchants Hill is a vibrant and bustling centre nestled in the ‘Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’, within walking distance of the Devil’s Punchbowl. This centre offers the best of both worlds – green spaces and fantastic transport links!
Explore Marchants Hill
Sussex – Windmill Hill
Welcome to Windmill Hill, an impressive Grade II listed mansion house on the beautiful Sussex Downs… where big adventures, new discoveries and unforgettable experiences can be found around every corner!
Explore Windmill Hill
View all locations
Adventure is never far away! Our amazing activity centres span across England, Scotland and even France.
View all locations
Wiltshire – Liddington
As one of PGL’s largest centres, Liddington is bursting with outdoor activities and sports facilities. Buzzing with activity and packed with challenges to conquer with your group. Situated on the ancient Ridgeway track bordering the North Wessex Downs, yet conveniently located just minutes from the M4
Explore Liddington
