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- Joint concerts with local ensembles
- Unique venues in beautiful locations
- Stay in a 16th century chateau
Musical friendships, unique venues and spectacular scenery
Develop musical friendships and share performing experiences with another young ensemble in this truly beautiful part of Normandy.
Local ensembles are keen to collaborate with our UK groups, whether this means sharing the stage, enjoying a joint social event or combining multiple ensembles for a mass concert.
An area of outstanding beauty, our school music tour to Pays d’Auge is set amid rolling hills, pretty valleys and dramatic castles. There are a myriad of wonderful performing venues, music festivals and fun activities to choose from.
Concerts
Collaborate with another ensemble
Youth orchestras, choirs, and wind bands from local schools as well as the nearby Conservatoire are just waiting to welcome our UK ensembles. Venues in this music-rich region include an historic 12th century castle, a memorial site alongside the Normandy Landing Beaches, a converted ancient salt storage building, a beautiful historic crypt and many historic churches.
Several wonderful music festivals take place in this region every year. Your ensemble could either feature in one of the concerts (perhaps in partnership with one of the local music schools), or perform in a more informal ‘pre-concert’ event linked to one of the main festival concerts then stay on to watch the main concert, which often involves some superb visiting artistes.
Sample itinerary
(All ensembles)
If you are a different ensemble type, please ask us for a sample itinerary.
Day One
Arrive at your accommodation centre. Free time to explore the grounds and the facilities.
Day Two
Spend the morning visiting and performing at the Basilica Saint-Thérèse in Lisieux, one of the most renowned religious sites in all of Europe. After a guided tour, perform a lunchtime concert in the crypt, which has excellent acoustics. In the afternoon go on safari at Cerza, one of the largest zoos in France.
Day Three
A morning visit to Val des Cimes in the pine forest of Saint-Gatien-des-Bois to enjoy a morning of adventure. Specially devised for large groups, there are four different aerial circuits of different heights and difficulty levels to enjoy. Afternoon visit to the picturesque town of Honfleur, time for rehearsal before performing in a magnificent concert hall with a stunning vaulted ceiling in the traditional style of an inverted ship’s hull.
Day Four
Visit the Chateau de Saint-Germain-de-Livet, the jewel in the Pays d’Auge crown and perform an informal afternoon concert for visitors in the grounds.
Day Five
Check out of your centre and depart for home.
Extra activities and excursions
Browse a selection of our favourite activities and excursions.
- Day trip to Paris
- Château Guillaume-le-Conquérant, Falaise
- D-Day Landing beaches
- Val des Cimes
- Honfleur
- Lisieux
- Cerza
- The Chateau de Saint-Germain-de-Livet
- Pont d’Ouilly Loisirs
- Deauville
- Les Franciscaines
The centre of Paris is a 2hr30min drive from this area of Normandy. So, get up early and you could be at the Eiffel Tower by mid-morning! If you have time, enjoy an afternoon concert at the spectacular new Philharmonie concert hall.
Explore the dramatic castle of William The Conqueror, the famous king’s birthplace, and the capital of the Duchy of Normandy. Enjoy a fully immersive tour that uses ‘augmented-reality’ via hand-held tablets
A coach trip of just 1h15mins will bring your students to the Normandy Landing Beaches. Spend the morning learning about one of the largest and most significant military operations of all time in one of the museums here. Then enjoy a pack lunch on the beach.
Enjoy some ‘aerial trekking’ at the Val des Cimes adventure course in the pine forest of Saint-Gatien-des-Bois. There are four different aerial circuits of different heights and difficulty levels, so your whole group can participate together.
Visit the beautiful port of Honfleur and the town of Erik Satie, the cradle of Impressionism. Explore its cobbled streets and art galleries. Visit the Maisons Satie, an inventive exhibition that showcases the work of the famous, eccentric French composer Erik Satie. Go to the Eugène Boudin art museum with its range of Impressionist paintings. Or arrange a visit to the modern converted Médiathèque where you could watch a documentary on Erik Satie or Impressionism.
Enjoy a guided tour of the Basilica Saint-Thérèse in Lisieux, one of the most renowned religious sites in all of Europe, and the second most visited pilgrimage site in France (after Lourdes). The interior is breath-taking with its brightly coloured mosaics and a 95m high dome. You can climb the 300 stairs to admire the incredible views.
One of the largest zoos in France and home to an extraordinary range of animals including polar bears, white tigers, giraffes, rhinos and hundreds more.
Reputed to be the jewel in the Pays d’Auge crown. Take a guided tour of this magical 15th Century castle.
Located in the stunning Suisse Normande part of Normandy, this activity centre offers a range of different activities from kayaking and paddle boarding to archery, climbing, and ‘geocaching’.
Spend time on the expansive beachfront at Deauville. The town centre is full of art galleries, shops, and cafés, and sometimes has a large funfair in situe.
A former place of worship built in the 19th century, this is now a truly innovative cultural facility, with a museum, art exhibition, state-of-the-art media library and café. After exploring the museum (the media library section is particularly hands-on with lots of digital media stations), you could see one of the exhibitions, and attend a concert in the converted chapel. There are also several beautiful church venues nearby who could host a musical performance from your ensemble.
Where to stay
Popular places to stay.
Choose from three student-friendly accommodation centres, all set in lovely locations: a 16th century chateau with large rehearsal rooms, a theatre and chapel, a purpose-built centre in the grounds of a spectacular 18th century chateau; or a budget-friendly centre in the town of Orbec.
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FAQs
Find the answers to some of our most frequently asked questions.
We understand that school music tours are considered as a reward or holiday for many groups and that where you stay is really important. All hotels and hostels we use are suitable for young music ensembles with many offering rehearsal space and instrument storage. Rooms are normally multi-bedded for students and twins, sometimes singles, for adults. Generally, rooms are en-suite.
As there is sometimes a significant time difference between us and you, email may be the best way to keep in touch with us. Alternatively, our office opening hours are 0800-1730 (GMT) should you wish to talk to us. Our phone number is +44 20 8772 6446.
The most pleasant times of year to come to Europe are May to September, therefore you may wish to consider this when planning your tour. Summer temperatures across Europe range from 18-35 degrees Celsius. European cities in winter can also offer many interesting cultural experiences that you may enjoy.