A new attraction for the Year 8 annual trip to Le Chateau d’Ebblinghem in North Eastern France was a lesson in paper making.
Added to the previous year’s itinerary was a former paper factory – one of a number in the area – which now offers demonstrations in paper making and houses a museum.
Connor Hotson and Josh Latimer were two of the Year 8s on the trip and both found the visit interesting.
“We saw the traditional way of making paper and got a sheet each to take home,” Connor said. “They make very good quality paper like you would use for invitation cards.”
Students watched a film in English about paper-making, then saw the factory’s water wheel turning and learned how paper of different densities is made.
However, as with students in previous years, the best part of the trip for Josh and Connor was the aquarium, closely followed by the war museum.
“There was a tunnel that led into the museum that had rockets and films showing,” Josh recalled. “It was really good.”
At the chateau there was plenty of opportunity to practice their French as they had to order their food in that language. Both said they also managed to understand quite a bit of what French people said to them.
The group also visited the same farm as in previous years where they had a meal but this year, for the first time, they got the chance to see the cheese cellar and had an in-depth look at how cheese is made and matured.
A chocolate factory was also on the itinerary and on the last night students enjoyed a disco at the chateau.
On the way back they made their final call, to a boulangerie where they stocked up with bread and pastries to enjoy back home.
“It was a really good trip,” said Tollbar French teacher Dani Parker, who organised the visit. “The students all ate well and were willing to try new foods and they were really well behaved. The bus driver said they were the best school trip he had ever taken and were a credit to Tollbar.”