Sunday

It was dark and excited francophone hopefuls were gathering! Miss Swire, Mrs. C and Mr. B were looking sharp

Colin – driver was there having spent the night in Ringwood at the Travel Inn to be fresh, but it was dark and there was a chill. We were loaded and off to Pompey to collect Ben  and find Rory our Scottish Guide. It was a very big Classic coach, 2.5 metres longer than most with 59 seats! So lots of room for our 34 students and five staff. At Portsmouth, Ben  appeared to be missing his rendez-vous, but pitched up in time.

Customs selected five bags, catching Mr. B., Chas, and three boys for summary inspection.

We boarded the Mont St. Michel of Brittany Ferries on foot and made our way to Rivains 4, the schools lobby and dispensed the yoghurts and pains au chocolat and then wandered off. The crossing would take
about six hours to Ouistreham, the port of Caen, mighty William le Batard’s home town.

Monday

The day started bright and early with a typical French breakfast of fresh bread and hot chocolate, yum!  The children enjoyed a fabulous demonstration by our Chef Pascal.  We learnt (in French) how to make
the most wonderful Crepe Aumonieres aux Pommes. We all had a go at flipping the crepes and only a few went on the floor!  The crepes tasted all the sweeter for having made them ourselves, though the caramel sauce certainly helped too!

We admired the agricultural landscape (complete with piles of turnips and potatoes) as we travelled by coach to Arromanches.  Chas gave a gripping commentary describing (vividly) the role this tiny town played in WW2, and the children were thrilled to see the Mulberry harbour for themselves.  They also found time to sample the local crepes (yes, their second crepe of the day!).  We worked off a few calories by puffing up the hill to take in the view and lunch (fresh baguettes with brie or ham) before visiting the 360 degree cinema.

The film was an emotional and moving portrayal of the D-Day Landings which certainly gave us all something to think about. The afternoon was spent at a dairy farm, and the children weren’t too perturbed to
be hearing a talk (in French of course) while standing in a field full of cows!  Magically, we all had the chance to make our own butter by whisking the milk briskly and blending the lumpy mush with water until it came good.  More sampling of the farm’s produce followed (well, it is a gastro-tour!).

By the time we had arrived back at base, it was time for supper, followed by journal writing.

Tuesday

There were alarums and excursions in the night! And 0745 came far too soon, but the tempting smell of hot chocolate and French baguette was enough and then we were walking along the very beach where Guillaume le Batard (one of the very precocious Normandy Batards) launched his invasion.

Soon we were at the Drakkar Chocolatier, outside Bayeux and their symbol was the very Norman longboat that Guillaume used to ferry his men, horses and hopes to Bexhill.

We were treated to the origins of the Mayan love of the cacao bean mixed with chillies and how they mistook Cortes for the returning Coxcacetl, the Great Plumed Serpente; presenting him with their most valuable possession, cacao beans in a very distracting gold bowl. In typical ffrench fashion there was also a confusing tale of how cacao butter was only used to coat ‘les suppositoire” and a chemist who was locked in his shop over the week-end, and starving… Now everyone enjoys white chocolate!

The aromas of chocolate were still in our minds as we loaded the bus and climbed high into the Auge to the farm of the charismatic Eric where we learned about apples from the Pays D’Auge, and then gathere them, crushed them and squeezed them to make the Mout de Pommes (very fresh testing unpasteurised apple juice) and then followed the process through Cidre, Pommeau and finally Calvados. There were pigs, chickens, goats, donkeys and of course very fine cows, some of which provided a short rodeo show!

Back at the CPCV, Chef Pascal and Poulet Pays d’Auge with cidre, onions, crème fraiche, on brochettes with more apple and mushrooms.  Very tasty indeed.

The evening was taken up with local cheeses: Livaro (very mild) Camenbert and Pont l’Eveque and then perchance to sleep and perhaps to dream.

Wednesday

Today was sadly our last day in Normandy but the pace didn’t let up. Our first port of call literally was Ouistreham for the early morning fish market. We formed a special team: F.R.O.G. (Front for the Reorganisation of Grenouilles!) Our aim? Free Larry the Lobster! We arrived as the traders were piling up their stalls, with lobster, dogfish,  scallops, squid et al.

The pupils made a mental note of the vocabulary ready for the afternoon fish cooking demonstration.

We moved along to Bayeux for the weekly street market, and the pupils were let loose among the traders to practise their French bargaining down for the best deal. The ‘chapeau’ stall must have been popular as we departed with a new group of Rastafarians, Nepalese tribesmen and Peter, aka ‘Inspecteur Maigret!’

The Bayeux tapestry was our next visit, which lived up to expectations with a fascinating tour around the tapestry and video on the symbolism of the tapestry. A quick stop at hypermarché Leclerc was followed by our final cookery demonstration, a wonderful seafood cocktail of scallops, whelks, prawns and oysters, served in a delicious ‘houlgaitaise’ sauce of cidre, crème fraiche and butter. Pascal then presented all the pupils with a certificate to authenticate their Normandy experience, not forgetting a home made honey sucette. A final run around the beach to burn off energy at sunset let to the grand finale of the ‘moules frites’ supper. Rory, our guide, led the way with 158 moules! Quelle visite! A bientot la Normandie.

(Ed and Mrs. Karsh stayed at the C.P.C.V., a Presbyterian run hostel in Houlgate, travelled with 34 childrn, and Classic Coaches on Brittany Ferries).