Organising a day trip to France
1. Applying for a group passport
 Can be easily done on line by visiting
http://www.passport.gov.uk/passport_collective.asp which offers a step
by step guide to applying.
 Note: only valid for British nationals. If you have children of other
nationalities, they will need their own passport.
 The attached checklist will lead you every step of the way.
2. European Health Insurance Card
 This replaced a year ago the E111.
 You can apply for a EHIC on line, by phone or by post (forms available at
postoffices.) Quickest and easiest is on line.
http://www.ehic.ie/onlineapp.htm
 Every child will need their own individual EHIC. They need to apply at
least 10 working days prior to travel.
3. Choosing the right means of transport: ferry or channel tunnel?
 A channel tunnel crossing might be more expensive. Coach tours tend to
add £3 or thereabouts per person for using the shuttle.
 A channel tunnel crossing is faster and children are safer as they don’t
roam around on a boat.
 Seasickness can be unpleasant and children might take time to recover
from it.
 Ask your coach company to quote both. The slight difference of price
might be worth it.
4. Choosing a coach company. Here are a few numbers but if you have your regular,
faithful company, please do use them! Make sure they have some experience of
driving on the continent!
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Basildon Travel: 01268-727374 (used satisfactorily by Fairways)
Cooks : 01702-344702
Stephensons : 01702-541511
Amber: 01268-786550
BJS : 01702-219403
5. What destination? Boulogne and the Northern coast of France. Allows you to leave
and come back at reasonable times.
Activities in Boulogne and the area:
 The Cathedral in the old town [easy parking for coaches]
 A few yards from the cathedral, a small pedestrian shopping street, safe for
children to try out their French: sweet shop, boulangerie, souvenir shop,
newsagent, etc. Warn them against buying from street vendors.
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Nausicaa: a large sealife centre overlooking the sea. Exciting variety of sealife
on display, children need to be guided by teachers as there are no translations
in English. www.nausicaa.fr
The beach: free! Weather permitting, games can be organised on the beach.
Why not one or two French ones they can learn before going? Sometimes
icecream kiosks allow children to try out some more French. As a theme
study, children could compare the seafront in Southend and the seafront in
Boulogne: beach, sea, housing, shops, etc, cleanliness,…
Option of giving the children an activity sheet with things to look out for in
the cathedral, names of shops, what car number plates look like, shop and
house fronts, etc. Ask us to help you on this.
Chocolaterie Beussent: http://www.choco-france.com/visites.htm around
€2.50 per person in group. Traditional chocolate makers.
Traditional sweet makers CONFISERIE ARTISANALE - 1, rue Henri-Fabre.
Tel: 0033 321 91 10 11; also Le Succès Berckois, where you can shape your
own lollipop. http://www.succesberckois.com Around €3 per person.
Go to a boulangerie and make your own croissant! La boulangerie Romain
Magnier, route de Conteville à Wierre-Effroy (about 20 km de Boulogne). Tel:
0033 321 83 92 14.
Visit a Goat cheese Farm
Choose a day for your trip when the local market is functioning. One activity
would be to ask the children to buy some fruit and bread and filling on their
own. Give them a small sum of money, suggest they buy as a team, etc…all
about managing finances. In Boulogne, markets are held from 7.30am to
12.30pm place Dalton on a Wednesday and Saturday, and on a Sunday at the
same time place Vignon.
If you decide to visit a chocolate or sweet maker, you will have to do a Health and
Safety assessment prior to the visit.
Alternately, you might want to use a company who covers all aspects of such a day:
Schools into Europe for example produce a brochure for day trips in the North of
France. www.schoolsintoeurope.com
Another company, who organises day trips for around £29 per head, including
chocolate factory visit: Rondo School Travel. http://www.rondoschooltravel.co.uk
6. Money converter.
Give the children a credit card size money converter for sums they might be spending.
Good numeracy exercise as well!
Template attached.
Whatever you decide to organise, bon voyage and enjoy!
Nicole Valencia
January, 2007