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Christmas markets school trips staying at le Hotel du Moulin aux Draps

Escorted Christmas markets tour at Hôtel du Moulin, Opal Coast

This Christmas markets trip to our hotel Moulin aux Draps includes your own French-native animateur making it the perfect short immersion trip for students wanting to practise their language.

  • Voyager owned
  • Key stage 2 – 16+
  • Nov-Jan
  • Evening entertainment

The perfect base for your festive Christmas market school trip

As winter draws in, Voyager's team deck the halls of our charming Moulin centre to create the perfect base for a sparkling Christmas market school trip!

Set within 22 acres of picturesque French countryside, our hotel offers trip organisers easy access to four stand-out Christmas markets that are sure to enchant students and teachers alike.

Choose from the winter wonders of Boulogne-sur-Mer, Le Touquet, Gravelines or Lille and build the Christmas market trip best suited to your group. Plus, our chef will offer up a hearty menu of winter warmers to celebrate the festive season.

Expect outdoor ice rinks, fairground rides, amusements, live music & performances, festive food & sweet treats galore! Aside from a stop at the North Pole, there's no better way to get in the Christmas spirit.

Contact us with your learning objectives and our local experts will create a bespoke Christmas Markets itinerary to suit

Itinerary

This is a suggested itinerary, contact the Moulin team to suggest a bespoke trip to suit your learning objectives

Day 1

  • Board the coach at school for your trip to France
  • Board the ferry at Dover for your crossing to Calais
  • First stop in France - soak up the festivities at Gravelines Christmas market 
  • Arrive at the festive and cosy Hotel du Moulin aux Drap, Voyager's specialist accommodation for schools
  • Enjoy a hearty dinner followed by evening entertainment in French with your animateur e.g. Grande Trouvaille

Day 2 

  • Enjoy a French breakfast of pastries, cereals and fruit, ready for a full day
  • Morning of onsite activities in French with your animateur e.g. breadmaking, archery, aeroball, drama workshop, orienteering, French workbooks or postcard writing
  • Lunch at the Moulin
  • Optional history stop at Etaples War Memorial
  • Time to head to Le Touquet's Christmas Market (ice skating can be booked on the day). Alternatively, visit the market at Boulogne-Sur-Mer, or spend the whole day at Arras Christmas market, visiting a bakery and the cathedral en route (further away but worth the visit!)
  • Enjoy a festive meal back at the Moulin
  • Evening entertainment with your animateur e.g. soirée française et quiz

Day 3 

  • Say goodbye after your breakfast, collect your packed lunches, then board the coach
  • Visit a local attraction such as Nausicaá Sea Life Centre
  • Time permitting, include a stop at the hypermarket for last-minute souvenirs
  • Head to Calais, where you will cross the channel back to England
  • Arrive back at school

 

Location

This charming 3* hotel, just a short journey from Calais makes it the perfect rural destination for your students to practice French, coupled with on-site staff giving you a relaxing experience to love. It is set in Hauts-de-France near the town of Devres and is one of our most modern and comfortable centres. Its within very easy reach of the stunning Opal Coastline, Boulogne-sur-Mer, Le Touquet and much more so is a great destination for schools looking for an affordable/short French language Christmas market school trip.

The centre is contained within 22 acres of green fields, attractively set by a river and pond, giving students plenty of space to run around and let off steam. The grounds are within view of the main building which makes it easy to supervise your group and during term time the centre is exclusively for the use of school groups meaning there are few other distractions for students.

Excursions
amiens christmas market4
Amiens
arras xmas market
Arras
Chafyn Grove Lille Christmas Market
Lille
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Boulogne-sur-Mer
Nausicaa tunnel
Nausicaá National Sea Centre
Boulangerie
Bakery workshop
Goats cheese farm
Goat's cheese farm
Etaples Cemetery
Étaples Military Cemetery
Thiepval Memorial to the missing
Thiepval Memorial
amiens christmas market4

Amiens

Amiens Christmas Market is one of the biggest and best Christmas markets in northern France. With over 135 stalls there is a wide variety of produce and gifts from lead crystal glassware to famous Amiens macaroons - definitely worth a try!. Other attractions include an open air ice rink, merry-go-rounds, singers and shows. Finally "Cathedral in Colour" (La Cathédrale en Couleurs) - is a free light show from 1st December to 1st January.

arras xmas market

Arras

Set in front of the magnificent Grand Place, the Arras Christmas Market is another substantial event easily accessible in Northern France. Around 90 stalls offer a smorgasbord of food, drink and gift ideas and are found in a dedicated market setting in the beautiful town square. other entertainment includes a skating rink, carousel, musical events and workshops.

Chafyn Grove Lille Christmas Market

Lille

During the festive season Lille is decked out in lights and colour and the town square is covered in a huge crown of garlards. Explore the market on Place Rihour with 90 wooden chalets selling regional arts and crafts such as traditional nativity scenes and decorations as well as gifts and festive food. Jump on the ferris wheel to take aerial photos of the festive lightshow and giant Christmas tree below. What makes Lille so popular with school groups is the town's proximity to Calais, making it an easy short break.

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Boulogne-sur-Mer

The historic town of Boulogne-sur-Mer has a Christmas market for only one weekend in December. Nevertheless it's a super event offering all the usual festive treats, plus local delicacies such as smoked herring and Christmas pudding. Ice sculptures, a jazz band, pottery demonstrations and local folklore all combine to make this something worth heading to.

Nausicaa tunnel

Nausicaá National Sea Centre

The largest marine life centre in Europe is home to 1,600 species and promotes sustainability and marine management. This is a fun and educational cross-curricular visit for groups.

Boulangerie

© Monica Arellano-Ongpin

Bakery workshop

At a local boulangerie, a baker will perform a baking demonstration for your group in French. Students will walk away with a croissant and a pain au chocolat each!

Goats cheese farm

Goat's cheese farm

Visit a local goat's cheese farm to meet the goats and find out how cheese is made. Students can even have a try at milking the goats, and trying some cheese for themselves!

Etaples Cemetery

Étaples Military Cemetery

Étaples Military Cemetery is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery in Étaples, near Boulogne on the north-west coast of France. The cemetery commemorates over 11,500 lives lost in WWI and WWII.

Thiepval Memorial to the missing

© David Nicholls

Thiepval Memorial

The largest British war memorial in the world is known as the "Memorial to the Missing". A moving tribute to the 72,000+ servicemen who died in the Battles of the Somme in WWI.

Included
  • Full board and lodging at Voyager's Moulin centre for school groups
  • Free teacher-to-student ratio approx 1:8 (coach trips)
  • Return coach travel, with ferry crossing, applicable tolls and taxes included
  • Coach to take your group off-site for visits
  • French language activities, workbook and evening entertainment with our French animateur
  • 24-hour emergency support and on-site duty manager
  • Teacher evening wind-down activities such as a cheese and wine tasting
  • Private teachers’ lounge area
  • Group travel insurance

Extras to budget for

  • Ice skating session to be paid locally in Euros (ask us for prices)  
  • Meals on journeys
  • EU visa charges (if applicable)
  • Supplements for small groups, single teacher rooms, and additional adults
Resources

Ready-made resources to get your trip off the ground

These ready-made trip resources are designed to reduce your admin and help speed up the process of planning, promoting and getting approval for your trip:

 

From

£362 pp
3 days/2 nights full board by coach  
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