Last Saturday morning, eighteen candidates for the Bronze Level of the International Award for Young People took part in an orienteering exercise at the Base de Loisirs in Cergy.
Within sight of the Twelve Columns of the Axe Majeur, our candidates completed three different orienteering courses, each one increasing in difficulty.
The purpose of the exercise was to strengthen their map-reading and compass skills and to build confidence in preparation for their final venture to the Morvan in May 2026.
Meanwhile, seven participants working towards their Silver and Gold Levels completed a 20km hike from Cergy to the château in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Their route took them past the Hautil Forest, through Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, and the full length of the Saint-Germain Forest before reaching the château – all while carrying a full load in their backpacks.
They, too, focused on map reading, route finding, confidence building, and improving fitness.
The Silver group will undertake their final venture in Swiss Normandy in March, while the Gold group will complete theirs in June in the Vosges Mountains in eastern France.
