Give your students the opportunity to live the language through a genuine cultural exchange with French pupils — without the challenges and safeguarding complexities of a traditional homestay.
We’re excited to introduce a brand-new facilitated French exchange programme at La Grand’Ferme, bringing together UK and French school groups for a truly immersive cultural experience.
As well as hosting French language residentials, La Grand’Ferme is also used by French schools learning English. This unique setup allows us to pair UK and French students of a similar age, creating authentic opportunities for communication, friendship and cultural exchange throughout the stay.
As part of your own programme of cultural excursions, pupils will spend two full days participating in structured joint activities with their French partner school. Through team challenges, games, sports, workshops and shared mealtimes, pupils naturally interact, communicate and build confidence using both languages in real-life situations.
This programme offers all the benefits of a cultural exchange without the organisational and safeguarding challenges of a homestay.
Places are limited and early booking is recommended to allow time to match schools. Contact our Normandy experts today to get started.
French exchange residentials are available throughout October 2027
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La Grand'Ferme The centre itself plays a huge role in the success of the programme. La Grand’Ferme is a safe, rural site designed specifically for school groups, with extensive outdoor spaces, sports courts, an outdoor pool (seasonal) and large indoor activity area. Because La Grand’Ferme has two separate accommodation buildings, it offers the ideal environment for a safe, well-organised exchange experience. |
© EmilyStAubert
If you'd like to factor in some time for your group on the beach, your animateur will be happy to organise a picnic or beach games on one of Normandy's many sandy beaches. Your animateur can also lead a coastal walk where students learn about the local wildlife.
A chance for students to be immersed in local culture and produce and to pick up some souvenirs, a visit to the market is a great opportunity for learners to interact in French with the welcoming stall owners.
Meet the goats and learn how goat cheese is made with the chance to some too! Some lucky students might even be invited to have a go at milking.
This island and its surrounding bay are a UNESCO World Heritage site. Scale the cobblestoned streets to reach the churches and the famous gothic-style abbey. Groups with an Animateur will experience a guided barefoot walk across the bay, which is a highlight for students.
Sand yachting offers a gentle and accessible approach to all, accompanied by state-qualified instructors, set off to discover the natural gems of the Baie de Somme.
© Anibas
Explore the quaint traditional town in Normandy also known as City of Manuscripts, which faces the bay of Mont Saint Michel, visit the botanical garden and interact with the locals
There are many cemeteries in France which serve as poignant memorials to the fallen of WWII. Visits to these sites complement History tours and allow students to gain a greater understanding of the loss of life and the human effects of the war.
Experience the 360° cinema in Arromanches displaying brilliantly captured and informative footage from the war across multiple screens.
The seaside resort of Granville is a historic fishing port with views towards Jersey and Guernsey. Students of fashion and design will be particularly interested in visiting Musée Christian Dior to tour the exhibition housed in the fashion designer's childhood home.
Visiting Dinan is like taking your students back in time. This medieval walled town is full of charm thanks to its 13th-century castle, river, narrow streets and magnificently preserved timber clad buildings.
Just 15 minutes from Château de la Baudonnière, groups can visit the town's Bell Foundry, Copper Workshop and Pewter Museum. It is rich in history and has a bustling morning market every Tuesday.
Saint-Malo is a historic walled city with a surrounding beach. Central to the cobblestoned old town is the Roman Catholic Saint-Malo Cathedral. Popular visits also include the town museum and the Great Aquarium, home to 11,000 marine animals.
With the mission of promoting peace, this emphasizes the importance of learning from the atrocities of the Second World War and, in particular, the D-Day landings to prevent future conflicts. Expect an immersive experience featuring artefacts, films and interactive displays investigating the causes and consequences of WWII.
Arromanches is at the heart of the D-Day Landings. There are museums with vivid and emotive displays, including the famous 360° cinema with unreleased footage from war correspondents, filmed on D-Day. There is also the Musée du Débarquement in Arromanches Les Bains, built on the site of the Mulberry Harbour, with working models and film to explain this incredible technical feat.
Famous as the home of the 70 metre-long Bayeux Tapestry, the medieval town is also home to the largest British military cemetery in France, making it a key destination for groups studying WWII history. Also, don't miss the Cathedral, located in the centre of town. Note the Bayeux Tapestry is closed until Summer 2027.
Suitable for all ages bread making is not just a case of making bread, it’s also a golden opportunity to practise your singing talents, as we sing French songs. Students will be guided from the very beginning with simple French instructions. From the measuring of the flour to the kneading of the bread, this activity will keep their enthusiasm going throughout. They will even get to taste the fruits of their hard work as their bread will be baked in time for the evening meal.
Aeroball is a fun, totally unique sport! The trampoline-basketball-volleyball game is suitable for all ages and is played by two teams of 2. Simple instructions are given in French and the students will have the chance to learn/practise the vocabulary for the body parts. It’s also a great opportunity to practise the numbers (scoring and counting down the end of the match). Aeroball is quickly becoming a favourite activity for students and teachers alike!
Good old fun (and SUPER competitive!), the French game of pétanque takes place on our traditional boule pitch where players are challenged to throw the boule as close to the jack as possible to win.
Students get the chance to be a Robin Hood. After the obligatory safety talk and explanation of the equipment, the students shoot the arrows onto targets, an excellent opportunity to practise numbers and directions in the target language.
Enables pupils to discover the art of circus on an artistic as well as technical level. Students are introduced to juggling, diabolo and other circus equipment in a fun and educational manner. The French spoken during this activity is very varied and is based on using the names of the equipment (stick, balls, diabolo...), action verbs (to walk, to move...), directions (left, right, up, down...), colours (orange, red, green...), numbers (one, two, three...).
Our French exchange programme includes:
Extras to budget for:
French exchange residentials are available throughout October 2027. The long lead time allows us to carefully match your school with a suitable French partner group.
We do. Using our extensive network of French schools and educational travel partners, we will pair your group with a suitable French school of a similar age range.
In the unlikely event that we cannot find a suitable partner school for your chosen dates, you can either continue with the trip as a standard language residential or cancel and receive your deposit back.
No problem. If you already have a partner school in France, we can accommodate both groups at La Grand’Ferme and facilitate the exchange activities as part of your stay.
Most visiting French groups are aged between 9 and 14 years old, with an average age of around 12. We will always aim to match schools with an appropriate age group.
If you’re interested in partnering with a French school at La Grand’Ferme, get in touch with the Voyager team and we’ll start the matching process.
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Enquire hereThe French children were a lot of fun - it showed you don't have to be fluent in the same language to get along - it was we had been friends for years.Year 6 pupil, Haberdashers' Monmouth School
