Discover the Opal Coast with NST’s expert support
The Opal Coast is a brilliant choice for school groups - easy to get to and full of charm. Think beautiful countryside, medieval villages, moving wartime sites and plenty of great food. What’s not to love! From enquiry to arriving back home we the NST team are here to support you every step of the way.
What to expect on an NST school trip to the Opal Coast
The area is perfect for real‑world learning. Younger pupils can take their first steps into French culture, older students can dive deeper into language and daily life, history groups can explore key wartime sites, and music groups can take the stage in front of for friendly local audiences.
Whatever your focus, we’ll help you shape a trip that fits your students and your goals - and we’ll make planning feel easy.
What accommodation is recommended for a school trip to France?
We work with a number of hotels across the Opal Coast and can help you to find the perfect option for you. For extra reassurance and we also offer a dedicated school accommodation, exclusive to NST - Château d’Ebblinghem. Offering a safe, welcoming environment the Château is perfect for groups looking to add a French Language Enrichment Experience with structured language practise.
What are the highlights of a school trip tp the Opal Coast?
Whatever the subject or learning goals, NST can craft an itinerary that delivers real impact - the kind that lasts long after students arrive home. Popular experiences include:
- Traditional French markets
- Seaside towns
- Water and theme parks
- Dunkirk and Operation Dynamo sites
- Local performance opportunities
Wherever you want to explore, we’ll help make it happen.
Why book your Opal Coast trip with NST?
We love creating those light‑bulb moments - building experiences that boost confidence, spark curiosity and give students a genuine feel for life in Northern France.
Straightforward planning. A team who knows the Opal Coast inside out. An itinerary shaped around your curriculum and your students. Look no further.
Browse our most popular school trips to the Opal Coast
Why choose NST?
Here's why thousands of teachers choose NST each year...
- Unrivalled school trip knowledge
Your dedicated Tour Co-ordinator will use their trip planning knowledge and expertise to create a tailor-made, curriculum-linked itinerary to meet your group’s exact needs.
- Making it easier for you
Your own trip organiser, travel app, free classroom packs and trip promo resources.
- Free group leader inspection visits
Visit your chosen destination free of charge and plan with confidence.
- Value for money, always
We work hard to make every penny count.
- Over 55 years’ experience
With NST you can rest assured that your group is in safe hands.
- Aligned to your learning outcomes
Every trip can be built around your specific goals — from the latest GCSE and A level curriculum requirements to particular themes, interests or visits you want to focus on.
- Risk assessment guidance
Clear, practical support to help you manage group safety including our free guide.
- Offsetting carbon emissions
Through our partnership with Carbon Footprint, we're committed to offset one tonne of CO2 emissions, and plant a tree on school grounds in the UK, for every trip booked.
- Support from our History Subject Experts
Our history subject experts have a strong background in teaching. They are highly experienced and passionate former teachers who aim to deliver detailed background information on all key sites and study topics.
Discover Northern France and the Opal Coast with NST
Northern France trip highlights - our groups love...
French Language Enrichment Experience at NST’s Château d’Ebblinghem
French Language Enrichment Experience at NST’s Château d’Ebblinghem
Our French Language Enrichment Experience has been designed to develop conversational and comprehension skills through a range of exciting target language-focused excursions and activities with an emphasis on enrichment experiences.
Throughout your tour, pupils will have daily interactions with French speakers to help build their confidence when communicating in a variety of social situations. No matter what your group’s age or ability, your experience can be pitched at exactly the right level to enrich their learning and enable your pupils to engage with the target language.
With the support of your own French-speaking Groupie at NST’s Château d’Ebblinghem, your pupils will be encouraged to use their language skills at all times, for example, during morning language briefings, mealtimes and evening activities.
Your Groupie will liaise with you on arrival to confirm your group’s language requirements, to support differentiated learning styles and to ensure that your trip is meeting your needs. Then put your learning into practice by interacting with native French speakers on a series of local visits!
Find out more about our French Language Enrichment Experience.
Language Workshops at Lille & Boulogne Universities
Language Workshops at Lille & Boulogne Universities
Lessons at the universities of Lille and Boulogne can be tailored to the ability of your group as well as your choice of topic. Your group will be split into classes of up to 15 pupils to ensure the maximum individual participation of each pupil, who will then go on to use their enhanced abilities and confidence in speaking the language for the remainder of the visit. These lessons are available year-round from Monday through to Saturday (excluding August).
Nausicaá Sea Centre
Nausicaá Sea Centre
This fascinating sea centre promotes learning through interactive exhibits. Their range of educational workshops is now available for all age groups in French or English, covering marine-based topics such as climate change, plankton or marine life. Groups can also choose from one of the following experiences as part of their visit: 'Shores and People' and the brand new 'High Seas' experience. Coastal boat trips are also available from Nausicaá too.
Local Boulangerie Visit
Local Boulangerie Visit
There are a number of boulangeries in the region where your pupils will watch and listen to the baker describe, in French, the process of making traditional French bread and croissants, before getting the chance to produce and eat their own.
Local Goat Farm
Local Goat Farm
Gain an insight into French farming and cheese making. There are also opportunities for cheese tasting and, at certain times of the year, to help milk the goats.
P&J Chocolates
P&J Chocolates
This shop in Calais makes delicious chocolates daily, and also offers demonstrations and workshops on the chocolate-making process and its history.
Becasuc Sweet Factory
Becasuc Sweet Factory
Take a tour of the sweet factory located in Boulogne-sur-Mer, where pupils will learn from the French commentary, demonstrations and be able to taste the delicious sweets produced.
Les Escargotières
Les Escargotières
Get a real taste of France! At a working snail farm, your group will learn how one of France’s most famous foods is reared. Then sit back and see which of your pupils will be first to sample one for themselves.
La Coupole
La Coupole
This fascinating museum was once the Nazi’s planned V2 rocket base. It now showcases the story of Hitler’s secret weapon and also of French life during WWII.
The bomb damaged remains of this V2 assembly and launching site house a museum covering the themes of the 1940s occupation of Northern France, the German secret weapons, the Cold War and the conquest of space.
For music groups
Two popular performance venues for music groups:
Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate, Ypres
Choirs and bands can perform two hymns alongside the British and Belgian national anthems at this daily ceremony commemorating the fallen of WWI. Participating in this ceremony is an incredibly moving experience for groups who are often able to lay a wreath on request.
St Bavo’s Cathedral, Ghent
Sacred choirs and orchestras are welcome to perform in this beautiful cathedral. Use of the organ can be arranged in advance.
NST’s Château d’Ebblinghem - NST’s exclusive school group accommodation
Just 8km east of St Omer on the Opal Coast in northern France, and just 45 minutes from the Channel ports, NST's Château d’Ebblinghem is ideally positioned for a range of subject trips including French Language Enrichment, primary school residential visits & history trips.
Groups can also choose from an extenstive programme of free evening activities to easily enhance their itinerary.
The complex is only open to NST groups, providing reassurance to teachers and parents and can accommodate year groups of up to 250 students.
A dedicated on-centre Group Co-ordinator will ensure the smooth-running of each educational tour, providing all-round support.
