Day 5

We had intended to go to the supermarket this morning but we went on the way back from Paris on Thursday so we decided to make an early start and try to get on an earlier ferry. What we fortunately didn't realise when we set out at 9am was that a series of events would mean that we were setting out on a 17 hour journey.

When we arrived in Calais we were told that we could not get on an earlier ferry so we had to wait until our booked time at 12:20 (local time). The ferry crossing was very calm with no-one feeling sea sick.

Back in England we were only just into our journey (on the M20, 5.5 miles from the M25) when the coach lost power and the driver had to stop on the hard shoulder. The driver could not re-start it. We called for the Highways Agency to bring a car to protect the coach while we waited for a replacement. The children were transferred to a brand new coach and we continued our journey but we had already lost about 3 hours at this point. We stopped at the next services (Thurrock) for a toilet stop and to buy a DVD. At 7pm we stopped for tea at South Mimms services. Once back on the road, the traffic was crawling around Luton, at one point, with 133 miles still to go we did covered just 1 mile in half an hour. Eventually the traffic started moving again and we were estimating arriving back at school at 11pm. Then the motorway signs told us the M6 was closed between junction 10 and 11. Just two junctions away we had no alernative but to come off the motorway and use the A roads through Wolverhampton. It was at this point that the driver told us he was only 30 minutes away from needing to take his 45 minute break (a legal requirement for safety reason), we had not alternative but to stop in a layby and let the driver rest. We then continued around Wolverhampton taking the M54 back onto the M6 at junction 12, arriving back at school at 2am, 17 hours after leaving the chateau.

We are extremely grateful to the replacement coach driver who agreed to bring us home at a moments notice (and who then had to drive back!) and to the children who all behaved brilliantly on the long journey, and during the whole trip.

Day 4

6.15 start to get to Paris for 11.30am. Light snow everywhere. The lifts were packed but were only going to the first stage because of the weather. Kids were still very impressed. After a packed lunch on the coach we went on a river trip. On the way home, the coach driver took up up the Champs Elysees and around the Arc de Triomphe. We stopped at a hypermarket on the way back then a late dinner before packing for the home trip.

Day 3

We visited a small chocolate factory in Beussant in the morning where we watched all the stages of chocolate production and tasted the end product. We had hoped to go to a goat farm after the chocolate factory but snow made it impossible to reach the farm. In the afternoon, we did the same activities as yesterday with the groups swapping around so everyone had chance to do each of the four activities. After dinner we had a disco and the chef made a huge chocolate cake for Henry's birthday. Early start tomorrow, setting out for Paris at 8am means getting up at 6.30.

Day 2

In the morning we walked into to local town, Rue, in four groups. We learned how the chateau was occupied by the Germans during the second world war and heard the sad story of an elephant who was killed by the locals and buried by the chateu entrance. Each group had two staff from the centre, who gave us a very interesting tour with a welcome drink of hot chocolate half way round - it was very cold. The tour ended with a quiz/trail. After lunch, the children did 2 of 4 activities (they will do the other 2 tomorrow). Depending on the group they were in they did zip wire, abseiling, archery and obstacle course. The zip wire and abseil were really high and took a lot of courage for some of the children to do them. In the evening, the children enjoyed a quiz.

Day 1

A long day. Breakfast at Toddington services took a long time with 40 children to serve and only 2 toasters. Snow for most of the trip but luckily none sticking on the road. Arrived in Dover early so we got an early ferry. Calm crossing but freezing on deck. Only an hour's journey through France, arrived at the Chateu just before 5pm local time (4 GMT). After a tour of the chateau and our evening meal the kids enjoyed a scavenger hunt in the dark 7pm-8.30pm

Not long to go now!