Escape Game – Escape from the Bastille

Our virtual escape games were a great success last year and are back this year with even more surprises! With total immersion in our fictional adventure, participants advance by winning challenges, solving riddles and using teamwork to reach the end of the adventure. The game is carefully crafted to stimulate thinking while allowing participants to create bonds with their teammates in a friendly atmosphere! On Sunday, April 28, 2024, let’s travel back to the year 1755 in the famous Parisian prison of the Bastille…

Event Overview

Lucie Tillerot, a devoted historian of science, is recruiting young detectives for a covert mission: to journey back to Paris in the year 1755 using her time machine. Their objective? To aid her ancestor, Jean Tillerot, in escaping the infamous Bastille prison. Jean finds himself unjustly imprisoned, falsely accused of treason against King Louis XV. Unable to prove his innocence alone, he urgently needs the assistance of our young detectives. 

These sleuths will be tasked with solving puzzles, discovering hidden clues, and unlocking secrets to liberate Jean before the prison guard makes his rounds. The clock is ticking- there’s only an hour left before the guard arrives! Can they untangle the mysteries of the past and help an innocent man reclaim his freedom? Grab your detective gear and join us on this thrilling adventure!

Teaching Objectives

Through this event, participants will:

– Learn to locate Paris on a map 

– Discover the Bastille prison and its significance in the history of France 

– Acquire knowledge about the King of France, Louis XV

– Develop their team spirit and ability to cooperate

– Sharpen their logical minds

Cultural focus

The Bastille: A Historical Testament in the Heart of Paris

The Bastille, an iconic symbol of French history, stands proudly in the heart of Paris and conjures images of centuries filled with turmoil, revolutions, and political transformations. Let’s delve into this monument rich in history that played a pivotal role in the nation’s destiny.

Originally constructed to safeguard the Saint-Antoine gate, the Bastille gained notoriety as a state prison. It became the backdrop for numerous significant events in French history, embodying both royal tyranny and the people’s quest for freedom.

The construction of the Bastille commenced in 1370 during the reign of Charles V. Over the centuries, the fortress underwent various modifications, eventually transforming into a state prison in the 17th century. The Bastille housed a considerable number of political prisoners who were detained without trial and often subjected to inhumane conditions.

On July 14, 1789, the storming of the Bastille marked the onset of the French Revolution. Fueled by a profound sense of rebellion, Parisians attacked the prison, symbolizing their rejection of royal oppression. The fall of the Bastille became an emblem of the struggle for freedom, significantly shaping French history.

Beyond its revolutionary role, the Bastille also bore witness to numerous significant historical events and figures. Notable prisoners, such as the Marquis de Sade, were incarcerated within its walls. Although the prison was demolished in 1789, its location remains infused with historical significance.

Today, the Place de la Bastille serves as a gathering spot for political and social demonstrations. The colonne de Juillet, or July Column, erected at the square’s center, commemorates the events of the 1830 Revolution. While the physical structure of the Bastille is no more, its traces persist in France’s collective memory, serving as a reminder of the enduring fight for freedom and justice.

DETAILS

When: Sunday, April 28, 2024, 10:00 to 11:30 am PST

Schedule of the event

10:00 am to 10:15 am: Introduction

10:15 am to 11:30 am: Escape game

Who: Children ages 7-12 with prior knowledge of French (2 years minimum). Assessment required for students not enrolled in a 2023-2024 EFBA program. To join us, participants should be able to:

  • Express themselves clearly and comfortably in French
  • Easily understand the main ideas in a conversation on a range of topics

Questions about your child’s level? Email admissions@efba.us before registration.

Led by: Louis and Julia from EFBA Summer Camps

Only 9 spots are available, so register today!

Prices & registration: 

  • Current EFBA Students: $24/participant
  • Regular Price: $29/participant

During the visit, participants will need:

    • A computer (or tablet) with both webcam (video) and microphone (audio) capabilities
  • A good Internet connection
  • …that’s it!

PRICES & REGISTRATION

Regular Price

$29per child

Current EFBA Students

$24per child

PAST ADVENTURES

DATE DESCRIPTION
Saturday, October 14th, 2023, 10:00 to 11:30 am PST Strange rumors run rampant about the Louvre Museum, beckoning inquisitive souls from around the world. According to the museum guard, a haunting presence lingers within its hallowed halls. As this enigmatic phenomenon seizes the spotlight in the media, the museum’s curator makes a daring choice — to call upon a hapless ghost hunter for help. With the enthusiastic support of our young detectives, this fearless team will embark on a quest to collect the elusive clues, striving to unveil the secrets concealed within the museum and, ultimately, to banish the evil entity known as… Belphegor!
Sunday, November 6, 2022, 10:00 to 11:30 am PST One day in 1822, the famous French Egyptologist Jean-François Champollion, comfortably installed in his workshop, was about to unravel the mystery of hieroglyphs. After many negotiations, he had managed, to the great astonishment of all, to get an object of inestimable value lent by the British Museum in London: the Rosetta Stone. This one held the key to deciphering the famous ancient writing; he thus kept it preciously in his personal house located in France. This loan was not to the liking of his main competitor, the Englishman Thomas Young, who hoped to be ahead of him in his research.
When Champollion unlocked the safe containing the invaluable stone, he recoiled in terror: it had disappeared! Could Thomas Young have stolen it? The clock is ticking, it must be found quickly before it is too late..
Sunday, May 23, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm PST A world-renowned French scientist living in Nice, has created a time machine called the VRT-3000. At 8 am on May 23, the time machine was stolen by a thief, who has left several clues behind. The worst has come when the thief activates the machine, and the entire world population will be transported 550 million years back in time if it is not deactivated within an hour.
The countdown is on!! The commissioner and scientist are in a hurry to find the time machine! With the help of our adventurers, they will search through the city of Nice, France. Get ready for puzzles and twists!
Sunday, January 24, 9:30 am- 11:30 am PST Louis is a young French painter who dreams of becoming famous. Today, his biggest wish may well come true! At 11:30 am, he has an interview with an art gallery director to present his artwork. But nothing is happening as planned! His rival Maxime is also meeting the gallery director at the same time. If Louis doesn’t show up, Maxime will have a better chance of exhibiting his paintings in the gallery!
It’s 10:30 am. Louis is about to leave home but realizes that Maxime has locked him inside his house. Participants will have one hour to help Louis escape and get to his interview on time! Beware, Maxime might have set a few traps
Sunday, September 17th, 2023, 10:00 to 11:00 am PST In conjunction with the 40th European Heritage Days (French: Journées du patrimoine), which will take place on September 16 and 17, 2023, our Escape Game program  teams are pleased to offer families and their children a free online activity that will virtually lead them to Ghent, capital city of the Western Flanders province of Belgium. They will follow the trail of the Van Eyck brothers’ 1432 Ghent Altarpiece painting. This masterpiece, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, survived numerous twists and turns, worthy of the greatest detective stories, including looting, theft and damage.

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