1 Jul 2025, 10:27
by Kate Moore
This year marks a major milestone for Voyager School Travel – it’s 10 years since we opened the gates to our much-loved Moulin aux Draps centre in northern France.
In the decade since 2015, when Voyager took over the former 3-star hotel near Desvres, the Moulin has become a trusted favourite among teachers and students. And this year, with the launch of our brand-new facilities, the centre is looking better than ever.
So join us as we take a trip down memory lane and celebrate 10 years of language learning, laughter and adventures at the Moulin.
Set in 18 acres of peaceful countryside near the Opal Coast, just under an hour from Calais, the accommodation began life as a Best Western hotel. When our CEO Nigel English first visited the site in 2015, he knew he had the perfect location for our unique immersive French programmes.
His vision was simple – to create a safe, welcoming space where students could experience real French culture, practise the language with locals and animateurs, and build confidence away from the classroom.
Today, the Moulin is still doing exactly that – but on a much bigger scale.
Since welcoming our very first school group in March 2016, the Moulin aux Draps has hosted more than 45,000 guests — and counting! Here are some of the key milestones from our first 10 years:
2015 – Voyager purchases the 3-star Best Western hotel to transform into a dedicated school residential centre
2016 – Doors open to our first UK school group
2018 – The old stable block is converted to create additional student accommodation
2022 – We welcome our first French school group for a parallel English immersion programme
2024 – We acquire neighbouring land to expand our grounds and facilities
2025 – Our biggest transformation yet: a brand-new student accommodation annexe, activity space & dining room
This final phase of development — completed in summer 2025 — means school groups now enjoy more space, better facilities, and a wider variety of language-led activities, all within the centre’s private grounds.
Highlights of the new additions include:
Whether you’re organising your first overseas school trip or planning a return visit, the Moulin offers peace of mind. All programmes are led by our own trained animateurs, who deliver activities in French and support teachers throughout their stay.
That’s one of the reasons schools give the Moulin such glowing feedback and keep coming back:
90% of groups intend to return
9.4 out of 10 recommendation score from visiting teachers
5-star feedback from 41% of groups, and a further 51% awarding their stay 4-stars
To celebrate 10 years of the Moulin aux Draps, we're giving away six sets of limited-edition travel posters featuring the Moulin and our other French centres in beautiful, vintage-inspired designs.
These A2 prints are perfect for brightening up your classroom or office — and they're not available anywhere else!
Enter our prize draw now for your chance to win a set.
Entries close Friday 18 July 2025. Six winners will be drawn at random. You must have a UK school email address to enter.
From breadmaking to goat-feeding, WW1 battlefield visits to Christmas markets, and thousands of children practising their first “bonjour” – the Moulin aux Draps has been the setting for countless unforgettable school trips over the last 10 years.
To everyone who’s stayed with us, thank you. Here’s to the next decade of adventures at the Moulin!
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