Merlieux & the Aisne with your class
Children rotate between the farm, woodland, wetland, garden, and creative workshops — caring for animals as "budding farmers," investigating the freshwater life of the ponds, building ephemeral land art from found materials, making recycled paper, and creating music from plants. Sustainability is not a topic here so much as a way of living for the week: the eco-certified building runs on solar panels and a wood-fired boiler, meals are cooked from seasonal local produce, dinners are vegetarian, and children take part in sorting waste every day. A half-day excursion to a nearby medieval hilltop city and a guided night walk complete the experience.
On the Move holds ABELIO safety certification and operates to L'Office quality assurance standards — every trip is managed by a dedicated project manager with 24/7 emergency support.
Trip highlights
Feeding and caring for the centre's farm animals across the week, with real responsibility and real relationships — not a one-off visit but a growing bond
Meeting fish, amphibians, and microfauna up close in the ponds and wetlands with identification tools and nets — real ecological fieldwork at primary level
A half-day excursion combining geography, history, and French language in a real-world setting — a living lesson in a beautifully preserved medieval city
Curriculum links
Practical information
- Full board throughout; home-cooked seasonal meals using local and largely organic produce; vegetarian dinners; buffet breakfast
- Activities led by qualified environmental educators; staff present throughout; night warden on site
- The building is eco-certified, running on solar panels and a wood-fired boiler — sustainability is modelled, not just taught
- Local currency is Euro (€); spending money recommended for the medieval city excursion
A day by day
✏️ This is an example timetable — we can adapt the destination, programme, duration and budget to suit your group.
Students come home with…
- A deeper connection to the natural world
- Practical knowledge of ecology and sustainability absorbed through daily habits rather than lectures
- New confidence outdoors
- Land-art photos and music made from plants
- The small everyday habits of an eco-citizen that stay long after the trip ends
In pictures
Green Classes - your questions
We have programmes from P1 (age 6) upwards. Bokrijk (1 night) suits P1–P2 first residentials; Massembre and Lichtaart suit P3–P5; Malmedy and Bouillon are best for P5 upwards and secondary groups.
Yes. We use vetted countryside centres and residential schools with full board, warm shared rooms and indoor spaces for evening activities and poor weather.
A nurse consultation is available on every residential trip; for shorter stays we have 24/7 emergency medical support.
Return travel, full-board accommodation, all guided activities, specialist guides, insurance and your On the Move coordinator.