3rd Payment Instalment and Travel Insurance

Just a reminder to our travellers that the third payment instalment was due in November and is now overdue.
Travel insurance is required for all our travellers and has been requested in previous emailed communications. For DEC approval we need policy numbers and photocopied documents before the close of school this term - by 3pm Friday 20 December. Please check your documents to ensure you are up-to-date.

Christmas Market Day Success

It was a breezy summer's day at Gordon's Christmas market for our stall that was well attended by all travellers - students, parents and staff.  Thanks to our early starters who set up the stall at 7am on a Sunday morning, and to the parents and students who manned the stall throughout the day.  Special thanks to Bronwyn, who not only help set up the stall in the early hours of the morning but remained all day, encouraging prospective buyers, right up to pack up time.  

We sold cards, tea towels, jewellery, books, toys, plants and Christmas decorations, to a quiet, yet constant light stream of customers. With our remaining stock, we will have a mini Christmas market at school for students and staff.

Early in the new year we will have a parent and student meeting to discuss spending money, travel sims and what to pack in their suitcase.

Merry Christmas to everyone and happy holidays!

Joyeux Noël et bonne année!

New 2014 exhibition at Les Baux's Carrières de Lumières

Starting on the 7 March next year, Les Baux's magnificent Carrières de Lumières will begin a new exhibition called 'Klimt and the Viennese Artists: A Century of Gold and Colours'.
The show will take you on a journey through 100 years of Viennese painting including the wonderfully bright colourful works by Gustav Klimt and Hundertwasser as well as the distinctive art of Egon Schiele. This new illuminated exhibition offers an original perspective on Klimt and his contemporaries through portraits, landscapes, nudes, colours and gilding that revolutionised Viennese painting in the 20th Century.
Here is an example of what you may see! Wow!

Medieval Carcassonne

We've made a change to our itinerary in Southern France, now visiting the medieval fortified city of Carcassonne on Easter Sunday. Rather than stopping at Montpellier, we will make a detour and visit this amazingly picturesque city in the Languedoc region. Made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997, Carcassonne looks like something from a fairy tale. In fact, Walt Disney got his idea for the castle in Sleeping Beauty from the fortified city. 

The 1991 Warner Bros film, 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves' used the exterior views of the walled city of Carcassonne as Nottingham in the film.

It is also the location for the 2012 'Labyrinth' miniseries based on the 2005 best-selling book by Kate Mosse.

See a preview of the miniseries and Carcassonne in all its splendour:

http://youtu.be/TSeKCTtEnBI

In Carcassonne, the turreted rampart surrounding the city is made up of two walls, dating between 400AD and 1300AD. Within the fortified walls, Carcassonne was impregnable and the La Cite with 52 towers, a moat, drawbridge, Chateau Comptal and the St Nazare Basilica have remained relatively intact throughout the centuries. The city has experienced many battles including the crusades and the Inquisition. 

Carcassonne will be a fantastic addition to our itinerary!

Successful fundraising at Art Exhibition

Thanks to our wonderful helpers at the recent art exhibition. We held a successful stall with handmade cards, student designed tea candles, lemonade making kits, specially printed linen tea towels, fabulous cookbooks and our French inspired hamper raffle that was drawn on the night. Lots more opportunities to come, so keep posted.

Fundraising tea towel design

Have a look at our specially designed linen tea towel, printed for our fundraising stall at the art exhibition and for Gordon markets. Thanks to Hammerprint in Brookvale for their expert service!

Upcoming Fundraising Opportunities

After another successful sausage sizzle on a beautiful balmy winter's day, we have a number of fundraising activities in action over the next few weeks:

• Don't forget to sell your raffle tickets for a chance to win the French themed hamper - its full of scrumptious goodies!
• We will be having an art tour fundraising stall and a sausage sizzle on the opening night of our annual Visual Arts Exhibition - Wednesday, 28 August. Lots of fantastic goodies will be on sale including gift cards, design tea light candle holders, and specially printed linen tea towels. Our wonderful student travelers have assisted in creating these products. Many helpers are needed to man the barbeque and the art tour stall.
• On Election Day, 7 September, we will be having a sausage sizzle and fundraising stall. Keep posted for more details.
• We have booked a Christmas market stall at Gordon markets in December to sell more of our designed products. More details to come.