Cover lesson · MFL · Year 8 · Beginner

Planning a French trip online: a free day in Nantes

DCF: Producing → Sourcing, searching and planning digital content

Name: Class: Date:

Cover teacher — you need no French

Print: this sheet, one per pupil, and the stimulus sheet nantes-trip-search-results.html (eight printed search results), one per pair. No computers are needed: the search has already been done and printed. Pupils may work in pairs but each fills in their own sheet.

Run: 5 min read "What you are doing" and the rules together · 5 min Step 1, search words · 10 min Step 2, trust check · 10 min Step 3, fact finder · 15 min Step 4, plan the day and add up the cost · 10 min Step 5, four sentences in French.

Collect: this sheet. The two things to check are in the last box of Step 4: is the total 30 € or less, and does every row have a source letter? The trap in the lesson is Result E, an old forum post; pupils who believe it will plan a museum visit on a day it is closed.

What you are doing

Your class is on an exchange visit to Nantes, Cardiff's twin city in the west of France. On Monday you have a free day from 10h00 to 17h00, starting and finishing at the station (Gare Nord). You are 13, and you have 30 € to spend on everything: visits, lunch and the tram.

Someone has searched online for you and printed eight results. Your job is to decide which results you can trust, pull out the facts you need, and plan a day that is open, affordable and possible — with a source for every fact.

The rules of the day

Visit at least two places, have lunch, and get back to Gare Nord by 17h00.
Spend 30 € or less in total. You may walk anywhere near the centre; the Machines de l'île need the tram.
Every fact you use must come from a result you have marked as trusted. Write its letter next to it.

Step 1 — search words in French

A French search engine works best with French key words, not whole English sentences. Use the word list on the stimulus sheet. The first one is done for you.

I want to find out…	My search words in French
whether the castle museum is open on Monday	horaires musée château Nantes lundi
how much the elephant ride costs for a 13-year-old
where to eat a cheap lunch near the castle
the price of a tram ticket in Nantes
free things to do in Nantes

Step 2 — can I trust it?

Look at each result on the stimulus sheet. Check who wrote it, when, and whether it is about the right place. Write ✓ or ✗ and one reason, using a code if it helps:

O = official site of the place itself · A = an advert (annonce) · D = out of date · W = wrong place

Result	Who wrote it?	✓ or ✗	Reason
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H

Results C and E disagree about the castle museum. Which one do you believe, and why?

Step 3 — fact finder

Use trusted results only. Answer oui or non for Monday, and give the price for you, aged 13.

Place or thing	Ouvert le lundi ?	Prix pour moi	Source (letter)
le Jardin des Plantes
le château — la cour et les remparts
le château — le musée
le Grand Éléphant
la Galerie des Machines
la crêperie de la Duchesse (cheapest lunch)
un ticket de tram 1 heure / 24 heures	—

Step 4 — plan your day

Write the activities in French (copy the names from the sheet). Put a price on every row, even if it is gratuit, and remember the tram each way to the Machines.

Heure	Activité (en français)	Prix	Source
10h00






17h00	Retour à la gare (Gare Nord)
Total (30 € or less?)

Is a 24-hour tram ticket or two 1-hour tickets better value for your plan? Show the sum.

Step 5 — tell your exchange partner in French

Write at least four sentences about your plan. Use je vais + an infinitive for the future, and give at least one price.

Useful French	Meaning
Lundi, d'abord, je vais visiter…	On Monday, first, I am going to visit…
Ensuite, je vais voir… / prendre le tram	Next, I am going to see… / take the tram
À midi, je vais manger…	At midday, I am going to eat…
… parce que c'est gratuit / intéressant	… because it is free / interesting
Le musée est fermé le lundi.	The museum is closed on Mondays.
Ça coûte… euros. / En tout, ça coûte…	It costs… euros. / Altogether it costs…

Step by step

5 min — Read "What you are doing" and the rules. Underline: Monday, 10h00–17h00, 30 €, aged 13.
5 min — Step 1: write four sets of French search words.
10 min — Step 2: check all eight results and decide which to trust.
10 min — Step 3: fill in the fact finder from trusted results only.
15 min — Step 4: plan the day, add up the total and check it is 30 € or less.
10 min — Step 5: write at least four French sentences about your day.

Success criteria

I can turn a question into short French search words, such as tarifs, horaires and gratuit.
I can spot an advert, an out-of-date post and a result about the wrong place, and say why I would not use them.
I can find opening days and the right price for my age in a French web page.
I can plan a day that is open on Monday, costs 30 € or less, and has a source letter for every fact.
I can write at least four sentences in French using je vais + an infinitive, with at least one price.

If you finish early

It rains all afternoon. Change your plan so that everything after lunch is indoors, and keep it under 30 €.
Write a two-line message in French to your exchange partner asking if they want to come with you, and at what time you should meet: Tu veux venir avec moi ? On se retrouve à… ?
Result A says "limited offer, buy now". Write down two other warning signs that tell you a search result is an advert rather than information.