School Christmas Markets Trip to Lille

Your school trip to the French Christmas markets in Lille will leave your students feeling excited about all things French!

Lille is the perfect place for your students to experience the authentic and magical atmosphere of a traditional French Christmas market.

There are many enchanting Christmas markets taking place throughout France, each offering a unique variety of festive music, tasty treats and lights. But the city of Lille hosts one of the most famous, with over 50 stalls selling traditional and regional crafts, cuisine and gifts.

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1

Morning

Morning departure from school Ferry/Eurotunnel crossing

Afternoon

Arrive in Calais Head to Lille and explore the Christmas market

Evening

Evening meal at accommodation Return to the Christmas market or go bowling

Day 2

Morning

Enjoy a guided tour of Lille or have more time at the Christmas market

Afternoon

Visit a traditional waffle factory Head back to Calais

Evening

Ferry/Eurotunnel crossing Evening arrival back at school

1 night's half-board accommodation
Comprehensive travel and medical insurance
Detailed information pack
Free staff place ratio 1:8
Itinerary planning service
Motorway tolls and taxes
Return Channel crossings
Return executive coach travel
Vamoos travel app - giving you access to all your trip documents on your phone or tablet
VAT at current rates to tour operators

Curriculum

A Level

Festivals and traditions
Aspects of French-speaking society
Cultural heritage
Individual research project opportunities

GCSE

Food, drink and eating out
Customs, celebrations and festivals
Travel and tourism
Understanding French culture and identity

Key Stage 3

Exploring the town
Food and drink
Cultural traditions

Primary

Exploring the town
Food and drink
Traditional crafts
Festivals and celebrations

Accommodation

FUAJ Lille

Representing a heptahedron, the HI Lille Stéphane Hessel youth hostel is an eco-friendly building with an eye on the future. The hostel is only a few minutes from the Old Lille district, the Palais des Beaux-Arts, the Vauban garden, and the Museum of Natural History and Geology. The 55 rooms available at the hostel can accommodate between one and six beds.

Eklo Lille

Your group will love the Eklo hotel in Lille! Just 15 minutes from the city centre, this budget hotel is both trendy and affordable. The all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast will set your students up for the day and the hotel's restaurant also offers pizzas, a salad bar and a seasonal menu. There is a large lounge with plenty of seating and free WiFi too. All guestrooms feature a private bathroom and heating. Please note that the rooms are all accessed by external walkways and stairs.

Educational Activities

Charles de Gaulle's Birthplace and Museum

Charles de Gaulle was born in Lille on November 22nd 1890, in the house of his maternal grandparents at 9

The Resistance Museum

The Resistance Museum is located in an ancient fortified castle, built between 1878 and 1882, that was part of the

Cultural Activities

Euralille

Lille may be Capital of Culture, but it's long been a capital of shopping! Indulge in some retail therapy at

Guided Tour of Lille

From Grand'Place to the Palais Rihour, discover the architectural heritage of Europe's Capital of Culture (2004) with guides from Lille

La Gaufre du Pays Flamand

An old fashioned waffle-maker where each visitor leaves with a packet of brown sugar or violet waffles. The visit also

Lille Christmas Market

Lille is the perfect place to experience the authentic and magical atmosphere of a traditional Christmas market. The city hosts

Shopping in Lille

From its rich merchant past Lille has retained a real commercial tradition. Here, shopping is a reflection of the northern

Supporting you every step of the way

Creating your perfect trip

Your quote will be put together by an experienced Tour Adviser who’ll be an expert in the subject area and will know the destination really well too. They’ll work with you to create a trip to suit your group’s needs and meet your learning objectives.

Launching your trip to parents and students

The next step is to get your trip approved and then get students signed up to it. Our ‘Trip Launch Pack’ will help you with this step. This is full of resources (all free to download) designed to make your life easier at this crucial point in the trip planning process.

After you’ve booked

Once you’ve booked, your dedicated Itinerary Coordinator will start work on the finer details. They’ll make sure your itinerary makes the most of your time and they’ll take on most of the admin tasks for your trip (freeing you up to do what you do best – teach).

Support while you’re away

From lost property to properly lost, we’ll always be on the end of the phone while you’re out on the trip. You’ll get a final info pack before you go, as well as access to all your trip documents via the Vamoos app.

After your trip

We’ll ask you for feedback, so we can improve our service. Let’s start planning your next trip too, so parents have plenty of time to pay (and so it’s less stressful for you). And don’t forget to head to our resources hub to continue the learning back in the classroom.