Exams over! We can travel again ✈️
Looking forward to a weekend in France and my thoughts on GCSEs... #55
Mademoiselle now finished her GCSEs! For those of you not in the UK, this is the exam that they do at the end of year 11 (la Seconde pour les Français), when they are around 16. GCSE stand for General Certificate of Secondary Education.
As a French person, I was not familiar with those and did not realize the amount of work they require. In fact, you revise the program of the previous two years and the exams themselves take place over about 4 to 5 weeks, with one or two per day.
I was very impressed by our daughter, who remained very focused on this. There were some afternoons when there was a decrease in motivation, but there was mostly a lot of work, concentration, and discipline to revise all these subjects.
How fast does childhood go! One day they are constantly perched on your hip, another they are asking you to pretend play, or to help them navigate friendship in early teenage years and next thing you know they are doing big exams.
It also leaves me wondering if exams like these are the best way to prepare them for life. There are so many different variables now in the world of work, and above all a big need for adaptability, emotional intelligence, and creativity. I don’t think those kind of exams test that or help them develop those capabilities. They certainly teach them the importance of work and focus and maybe it is a rite of passage that they - and us parents - have to go through.
As she needed to stay home to revise, we didn’t wander much those past few months. Which is why I’m quite happy to go back to France next weekend for another one of our property hunting explorations. This time it’s Cap Ferret and Ile de Ré as we shifted our search from the countryside to the holidays hotspots. Our budget won’t go as far but one can dream…
I’ll report back here on the places we will test.
I hope that you do get to enjoy the lovely weather now all over Europe. As always a few ideas below for this year or next.
Extra finds
PinkHouse, Azores
From 1600 euros per week - Check latest prices and availability
Pink House is a stunning pink three bedroom barn conversion in the Azores. It has been remodeled in 2017 and transformed into two contemporary guest houses. Expect contemporary, minimalist décor and furniture. The houses are 15 minutes drive away from the airport and the nearest beach is only 10 minutes away.
La Fonda, Marbella
From 250 euros - Check latest prices and availability
In the historic centre of Marbella, on the Santo Cristo square, the three buildings that constitute La Fonda date back to the early 16th century and encompass internal courtyards, patios and gardens. 20 rooms and suites, restaurants and bars. The North Tower rooftop terrace is kitted out with a private bar where you can eat light bites. No pool
Ora Hotel Priorat, Spain
From €145 - Check latest prices and availability
Opened in August 2022. Located in the old abbey of Torroja del Priorat, in Spain, this 18th-century building is now an attractive boutique hotel, and a member of Design Hotels. It has a charming location in the old Abbey of the picturesque village of Torroja del Priorat. It offers stylish designed rooms with free WiFi. No pool.
Tenuta Borgia - Dammusi Pantelleria
From €400 - Check latest prices and availability
In Pantellaria, one of the yet undiscovered islands in Italy, seven ancient dammusi, wisely restored to preserve the charm of these houses built according to the traditional technique of drywall, are nestled in a Mediterranean park of twelve hectares. The gardens, the pools, the pinewoods, and the palm grove offer the ideal conditions for a holiday.
Domaine de Montlaur, France
From 130 Euro - Check latest prices and availability
In the heart of the Corbières, a few kilometers from City of Carcassonne and Lagrasse abbey, the Domaine de Montlaur offers three charming and prestigious guest houses with swimming pools
Knotting Hill Farmhouse, Norfolk
From £152 per person in high season - Check latest prices and availability
Knotting Hill Farmhouse is the ultimate exclusive private rental on the North Norfolk coast. Nestling in the Glaven Valley close to the village of Cley next Sea, a short walk from the sea, the farmhouse provides luxury accommodation for up to eighteen people in curated luxury designed by leading interior designers Russell Sage Studios. Set in private grounds extending to over three acres the property offers absolute privacy and security. A good place for a family celebration or several families coming together.