Y6 - Journey out to Normandy and the first day in Bayeux

So much was packed into our trip to Normandy that it's hard to fit in everything we did.
We had a fairly lengthy journey to Portsmouth through some impressive Dorset countryside (which Miss Spooncer knew like the back of her hand), with a short stop to stretch legs en route. Passport control at the ferry dock took a while, but the children were very patient.
We were arranged on 3 coaches, with around 150 children and 30 adults onboard. Bridestowe Y6s were on Coach A, Coach A teachers being the A Team, of course, along with Highhampton, Milton Abbot, Northlew and the Y7s from Okehampton College (including Felix J and Ben from last year).
The overnight ferry journey was a little like camping, ie find somewhere as comfortable as possible to sleep and get your head down. The children managed to sleep very well.
Early in the morning, we arrived in Caen, and then travelled to Pegasus Bridge, seeing where the first gliders from Britain that were part of the D Day landings arrived. It was sobering to see how brave those first men to fly in were, landing at great speed in enemy territory in fairly flimsy aircraft. These gliders were hugely important in bringing over up to 30 people in each, as well as large and heavy equipment, such as vehicles.
We had breakfast overlooking Pegasus Bridge, and looked around the informative museum, later travelling to Bayeux.
In Bayeux, we visited the impressive Bayeux Cathedral, meeting some French school children, and had lunch in a very French restaurant, with a typical Normandy pudding of tarte aux pommes. After that, we saw the Bayeux Tapestry, telling the story of William the Conqueror's invasion of Britain. There were all sorts of less overtly noticeable features on the tapestry to spot as we went along, some more appropriate than others.
We had a good drenching in Bayeux, so it was lovely to arrive at the Chateau at which we were staying with the sun out and a chance to relax on the grass before finding our rooms and getting settled.