Begin your French journey at Château d’Ebblingham, our very own centre on the Opal Coast – just a short hop across the Channel and the perfect place to introduce pupils to overseas travel. With its charming towns, artisan producers and vibrant markets, this region offers a rich cultural experience that feels worlds away from home, whilst still being easily accessible from the UK.
French Culture trip overview
- 4-5 day immersive experiences
- Full itinerary of excursions and activities
- Support from a Tour Leader who accompanies you to most excursions
- Full board accommodation at Château d’Ebblinghem
- Evening activity programme led by Animateurs
- Return travel, 24hr support line & insurance
- Shared coach packages available for smaller non-education groups
- The perfect trip for Primary Schools to experience the best of France.
Select your group type
Learning Outcomes
Our French Culture programme is the ideal first overseas school trip for Primary students. Our carefully selected excursions and activities will help them grow in confidence, understanding and character.
A Typical Day at PGL
Excursions & activities
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
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.
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.
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!
Fabrication de tarte au sucre
Enjoy a tarte au sucre demonstration in the target language at the château, then make your own during this fun activity. Tarts will be cooked by staff members. This activity must be pre-booked through your PGL contact.
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
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.
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.
French Culture programme available at
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.
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Why book with PGL?
#1 in outdoor educational trips
Industry experts in care & safety
Options for all budgets
All activities & instruction included
Age-relevant Programmes
Dedicated PGL ‘Groupie’ to support you
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French school trip FAQs
What does a French school trip package include?
Our French trip packages include accommodation, meals, a carefully curated itinerary of cultural excursions, educational activities, and on-centre adventures. We take care of all the logistics, providing a stress-free experience.
What safety measures are in place during trips to France?
Safety is our top priority. All excursions and activities are fully risk-assessed, led by qualified instructors, and conducted under strict safety guidelines. Our staff are on hand 24/7 to ensure the well-being and security of your group throughout the trip.
What is the accommodation like?
The accommodation is at the stunning Château d’Ebblinghem, our exclusive French château set in scenic countryside. Located 8km east of St Omer, the centre provides a comfortable and safe environment for your group.
It features well-equipped rooms and fantastic facilities such as sports courts, activities and games room. With its perfect location and range of amenities, Château d’Ebblinghem offers an ideal base for school trips to France.
How do I book a French trip at PGL?
Booking a French trip with PGL is easy! Simply visit our website to explore the available packages, or contact our team directly for advice and support.
Once you’ve chosen the package that suits your group, we’ll guide you through the booking process, from confirming your dates to finalising details like accommodation and activities.
