Lake Geneva Teens Adventures Camp - Leysin, Vaud. Switzerland
INTRODUCTION
For over 40 years, the delightful alpine village of Leysin perched high above Lake Geneva, has been at the heart of the Summer Camp programme that has welcomed thousands of youngsters from all over the world. The camp accommodate up to 30-35 different nationalities at its centre every session.
Accommodation where campers enjoy great facilities, healthy meals as well as panoramic views across to the distant French Alps. From the Centre, Camp runs its specialist programmes, catering for children in the 10-18 age-range and offering a diverse choice of fun-packed outdoor adventure, various sports, language studies and award-winning Leadership Training courses.
Everyone will have time to enjoy the pure mountain air and the natural environment of this alpine paradise with its meadows, forests and wild-life. Highlights include a hike where campers taste homemade cheese and ice cream, a visit to the shores of our beautiful lake, and the great international city of Geneva.
THE ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation:
A cosy home welcomes up to 180 campers, ages 10-17, who come from all over the world for the Language, Tennis, Adventure, Sport, Dance and Film Academy.
The Leadership Training Camp (LTC), for teenagers 16-18 years old, takes place at a Hotel, a first-class facility, in the center of Leysin. Anticipated capacity for LTC is 60 campers.
Bedrooms in both sites have en-suite facilities and they are quite spacious, comfortably accommodating up to four campers and offering a fantastic view of the Alps. Campers are assigned to rooms according to age and gender and experienced counsellors (who stay in rooms near the campers) are responsible for taking special care of each and every child.
Meals:
Healthy, varied food, adapted for all diets and eating habits is prepared by the chefs, and is presented with no restriction on quantities. Some special dietary needs can be accommodated for.
Facilities:
Facilities in or nearby include classrooms, a huge theatre, large dining area, music & dance studio, an arts & crafts centre and common rooms with table tennis, foosball tables, board games etc.
Within easy walking distance or five minute bus ride are two state-of-the-art sports centres with: indoor swimming pool, large fully equipped multi-sport gymnasium, covered ice rink, basketball courts, football pitch, volleyball & beach volley courts, archery targets, 12 tennis courts (four of which are indoors), climbing walls, mini-golf course, squash courts, weight room etc.
And, of course, in this gorgeous mountain setting there are numerous hiking trails, a rock-climbing area, cycling paths, adventure trails, campfire area and a welcoming mountain hut for overnights.
Medical Information
MEDICAL AND INSURANCE PROCEDURES
The camp fees cover basic first aid care provided by our staff. Should your child require special care, medication or hospitalisation and you have not subscribed to the Camps accident/illness insurance you will be fully responsible for all the costs incurred. In this case, we will make the following arrangements for any
costs to be settled:
For small amounts, or where the care provider is not able to send invoices directly to your own insurance company, we will either deduct the amount from your child’s pocket money, or settle the costs from camp funds and send you an invoice. In either case, the care provider’s invoice will be sent to you should you wish to claim from your own insurance company.
For larger amounts, where direct settlement is necessary, we will supply the care provider with the details of your own insurance policy. If your child is covered by the Camps accident/illness insurance, we will make all the necessary arrangements for any costs to be settled by the insurance company.
MEDICATIONS
It is camp policy that all medications are presented to the health care staff on arrival at camp and they will be kept and dispensed by our staff. If your child requires any medication (prescription or non-prescription), please ensure that it is clearly labelled with your child’s name and provide clear written instructions as to how it must be dispensed.
Prescription drugs must be in the original container with licensed physician’s instructions. Should your child be required to keep any medication on his/her person (e.g. an asthma inhaler), please provide a written medical certificate from your family doctor to this effect.
Parent-Student Communication
We highly recommend that communication with family and friends be done by email. Please mention your child’s name in the subject line.
CALLING YOUR CHILD
Many of our camps are large and operate in a number of different buildings. All of our camps are very busy, with a full programme of activities from wake-up to lights-out. Telephone calls to your child, therefore, can interrupt a child’s camp routine, and homesick children in particular do not often benefit in the long term from telephone conversations with their parents. In fact, hearing parents’ voices often makes the situation worse.
In addition, a child who has regular telephone contact with his/her parents can make other children without such contact, particularly those sharing his/her room, feel forgotten and encourage feelings of homesickness which would otherwise not occur. It is for these reasons that we do not encourage incoming telephone calls to children at camp, and counsellors strongly discourage children from telephoning home.
One of the main reasons for children attending residential camp is to encourage independence, and speaking to parents breaks the continuity of the experience. If you would like information on your child’s progress at camp, please contact the camp during office hours to arrange a suitable time to speak to either the camp director or your child’s counsellor.
Visiting your Child
We welcome visits to camp by children’s parents or guardians, but please consider how your visit will affect your child’s adjustment to camp life. Receiving a visit from a parent can be more upsetting than a phone call for a homesick child and can be disruptive to his/her growing sense of independence. If you would like to visit your child, please telephone the camp director to arrange a time that is convenient both for the camp and for your child.
For obvious security reasons, we normally only allow visits from the parents or guardians named on the Summer Application Form. If you wish other family members or friends to visit your child(ren), please provide a written request to the camp director in advance of their visit. In addition, please ensure that the camp reception is advised of your child’s departure from and return to the camp, should you wish to take them away from the centre.
Homesickness
If you receive a letter, email or telephone call from your child expressing concerns or strong feelings of missing home, you should telephone the camp and discuss the situation with the camp director. If your child is taking time to adjust to camp life, his/her counsellor will already be paying special attention and encouraging him/her to make new friends and join in with games and activities.
The camp director will ask that you reinforce the same message with a positive reply. Let your child know that you understand the feelings but maintain confidence in his/her ability. Communicating by email is preferable to telephone calls as hearing a parent’s voice can make the situation worse. Ask specific questions to help him/her to focus a reply.
With support from camp and home, most children, even those who seem extremely upset in the first few days of camp, can make it to the end of the session. The majority of these children will have enjoyed their stay and will feel a huge sense of achievement – some even wish they could stay longer!
In very rare cases, though, a shortened stay at camp may be considered as the only answer for a homesick child. You should discuss this with the camp director, and never suggest this to your child until a decision has been made. Once you show doubt that your child can make it through to the end of the camp, he/she may lose confidence in his/her own ability and give up trying if they feel that going home early is an option.
Rules and Policies at Camp
SMOKING AND DRINKING ALCOHOL
At all our camps, we maintain a very strict policy that children are not allowed to smoke or drink alcohol at any time. This policy is reiterated very clearly to all children on the first evening of camp. This policy applies to all children at camp, whether or not they are allowed to smoke or drink at home, and whether or not they are legally old enough to smoke or drink in the country of the camp.
Should your child smoke or drink alcohol at camp, the camp director will contact you immediately to discuss what action he or she feels is appropriate in the specific circumstances.
In the case of drinking alcohol, the appropriate action is always that your child is sent home at your expense as soon as is reasonably possible. In the case of smoking, the camp director may feel that a strong warning is more appropriate, on the understanding that a second violation of the rule will result in your child being sent home, again at your expense.
In this case, the camp director will look for your support and ask that you explain the situation very clearly to your child by telephone in order that there is no misunderstanding. It is very important that you discuss this policy with your child before he or she travels to camp, in order that he/she fully understands the implications of smoking or drinking alcohol at camp.
POSSESSION OR USE OF ILLEGAL DRUGS
Should your child possess or use any drugs at camp, other than those prescribed for medical reasons, he/she will be sent home immediately at your expense. We reserve the right to also notify the police given the seriousness of this matter.
MOBILE TELEPHONE
If children decide to bring their mobile phone to camp please understand that campers younger than 13 will be required to hand them in at reception to be kept safe and that they can have access to them only during afternoon free time using a sign-out / sign-in procedure. Campers who are older than 13 years old will be allowed to keep their phones with them under very strict rules which are explained to them on the first day. If these rules are broken the mobile phone is confiscated and returned to the camper on departure day.
DAMAGE TO PROPERTY
It is important that children treat the property of Camps and its suppliers with the greatest of care and respect. Any damages resulting from negligence, even if accidental, will be invoiced to the parents or guardians, who, as part of the booking conditions, agree to this stipulation. Where individual guilt cannot be accurately assessed, damages will be shared amongst those involved and families invoiced accordingly.
FREE TIME
Every day at camp is well-structured and very busy, with a wide variety of activities on offer. For this reason, we find it extremely beneficial to both children and staff to offer them some free time during the day. During free time, there are always alternative activities available and counsellors are assigned to supervise children in both the activity and accommodation areas. Should a visit to the local village be offered in free time, children will be supervised according to our excursion supervision policy, as stated below.
EXCURSION SUPERVISION
At some point in all excursions, children are given “free time” for shopping for souvenirs, having a snack, etc., in a designated, controlled area. During this time, not all children are with a counsellor. The following explains our supervision policy on excursions:
- Children 12 years and younger are always accompanied by a counsellor (the exception to this is inside Aqualand and similar activity parks where counsellors are stationed about the various attractions).
- Children 13 years and older will not be accompanied at all times, but will always be in groups of a minimum of three children.
- All children will be given emergency phone numbers.
- Meeting points and times will be established and shown to the children.
- The maximum amount of time between meetings will be 90 minutes.
- Counsellors will be stationed at various locations around the designated area in case of an emergency.
If your child is 13 years or older, but you prefer that he/she be accompanied by a counsellor at all times during excursions and visits to local villages, etc., please indicate this preference in writing to us before the start of camp. If we do not receive your written instructions to the contrary, we will assume you agree with the above supervision policy.
THE ACTIVITIES
Schedule – One day at the Camp
7:30 – 8:00: Wake Up
08:00 – 09:00: Breakfast
09:00 – 10:30: Period A – Speciality Programmes
10:45 – 12:15: Period B – Speciality Programmes
12:15 – 13:30: Lunch
13:30 – 14:00: All camp meeting
14:00 – 15:30: Period C – Sign-up Activities
15:45 – 17:15: Period D – Sign-up Activities
17:15 – 18:15: Free time
18:15 – 19:30: Dinner
19:30 – 21:30: Evening Programme
21:30: Lights Out – 7-9 years old
22:00: Lights Out – 10-12 years old
22:30: Lights Out – 13-14 years old
23:00: Lights Out – 15 and older
Saturday: Excursion Day
Sunday: Late wake up call, breakfast and relaxed morning
Notes:** This is a sample schedule and may be subject to change
Campers are assigned to groups according to their choice of programme as well as age and/or skill levels.
The morning period (3hrs) is devoted to the campers chosen specialty programme. In the afternoons, campers from most programmes join together and choose from a selection of ‘sign-up’ activities. Leadership (LTC) campers and Junior Adventure campers have their own special programmes and only join the other campers on special occasions.
Speciality Programmes:
- Junior Adventure Camp (7-9 years old)
- Adventure Camp (10-17 years old)
- Lab Explorers (10-17 years old)
- Tennis Camp (10-17 years old)
- English Language Camp (10-17 years old)
- French Language Camp (10-17 years old)
- Sports Camp (10-17 years old)
- Leadership Training Camp (15-17 years old)
Programme - Junior Adventure Camp
AGE
7-9 Years old
DATES
July 5 – July 18
July 19 – August 1
August 2 – August 15
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
This Junior programme is ideal for a ‘first-time-away’ experience for 7-9 year olds. Young campers meet others in the same age group from all over the world. Together they get to enjoy our age appropriate activities and games in the delightful village of Leysin, high in the Swiss Alps.
Our young campers are introduced to a variety of exciting activities and games. Throughout the day, experienced, caring counsellors guide young campers through a varied list of specially designed activities.
Under constant, patient supervision by the counsellors with a ratio of 1:4, campers receive clear instructions so that each feels comfortable during each activity. During every activity all precautionary safety measures are in place and followed strictly.
All Camps counsellors are required to have full CPR and First Aid certification and there are full-time Health Care Specialists looking after campers’ health. Strict camper hygiene measures including the regular cleaning of hands, sneezing/coughing scenarios and more will be supervised and delivered by staff in order to educate campers.
Counsellors are enthusiastic young people from around the world and their role at camp is to take care of your children making sure they are comfortable, safe and happy at all times. They must be above 21+ years old in order to be considered for a position in the residential camps and are usually in the age frame 21-35.
All our camps have a qualified chef and kitchen staff with professional experience in preparing meals for young children and teenagers. Special dietary needs such as those relating to allergies, vegetarians, etc can be accommodated provided that Camps is advised in advance.
Programme - Adventure Camp
AGE
10-17 Years old
DATES
July 5 – July 18
July 19 – August 1
August 2 – August 15
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
The aim of this programme is to acquire vital skills needed to safely enjoy the outdoors whilst having fun and sharing adventure with new found friends.
We ensure that there is a careful balance between testing activities that demand hard work, skills and intensive application mixed in with fun team-building sessions and using the outstanding indoor facilities of the two well-equipped Leysin Sports centres.
Every weekday morning campers leave our camp base to enjoy a challenging and thrilling range of activities and sports that includes:
- Rock-climbing
- Hiking
- Mountain-biking
- A high-ropes course
- Nature trails
- White-water rafting (15+)
- Outdoors survival skills
- Orienteering
- Educational workshops focus on the Alpine environment
One of the highlight of the two-weeks is the scenic trek high into the mountains to stay overnight at an authentic mountain hut at Lac Lioson High above the alpine village of Les Mosses campers enjoy cooking dinner and a meal ‘al fresco’ in the terrace with an amazing view. Around the camp-fire campers play games and swap stories amongst much laughter and fun.
Programme - Lab Explorers
AGE
10-17 Years old
DATES
July 5 – July 18
July 19 – August 1
August 2 – August 15
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
Students will be guided and taught a variety of laboratory skills before taking their curiosity to the next level by taking part in a range projects tied to National curriculums for science for ages 11-16. We want Lab Explorers to love learning and we want them to enjoy science which contains so many explanations to our world and chances to explore.
Some of the examples of the projects:
- Understanding Engineering/tools
- Biology projects- “Science in Sport”, “Diversity in nature”
- Chemistry projects- “Crime scene investigation”, “Colour magic”
- Physics projects- “Up, up and away”, “Supermagnets”
Programme - Tennis Camp
AGE
10-17 Years old
DATES
July 5 – July 18
July 19 – August 1
August 2 – August 15
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
This camp programme is provided in collaboration with our long-time partner, Leysin Tennis, who offer a dynamic and innovative approach providing each player with an unforgettable Swiss tennis experience.
The international coaching team includes former professional players and experienced coaches from Switzerland, Europe and the United States who focus on forming the next generation of elite junior players and future club players. The team runs a well-established, successful programme that brings out the very best in each player with campers and coaches sharing a passion for tennis with fun and lots of laughter on court.
Players are divided into three general categories:
- Club – (age 10-17 years) Designed for beginner and intermediate levels, this category focuses on developing core tennis techniques and tactical skills, fitness, match play and a love for the game.
- Competition – (age 10-17 years) Designed for advanced players who are competing in tournaments in their home country. The programme is challenging with high-intensity tennis games, as well as physical conditioning and mental strength training. A highlight of this programme is a competitive match-play with some of Switzerland’s top junior players!
- Green – (age 7-9 years) Leysin Tennis is recognized nationally for their “Green” tennis programme that encourages younger campers to develop their love for the game of tennis! This is based on the award-winning Kids Tennis High School programme by Swiss Tennis. Using an adapted court, balls and materials, campers learn to play tennis through a fun, motivating and team-oriented programme.
Programme - English Language Camp
AGE
10-17 Years old
DATES
July 5 – July 18
July 19 – August 1
August 2 – August 15
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
Campers learn from new material that takes them outside their usual comfort zone while stimulating their interest, providing them with new skills. Campers enjoy learning to speak together in class and in camp with English native speaking campers. On the first morning of camp students are carefully assessed and placed into groups of about 7-10 campers according to ability and age.
There are 4 ability levels:
- Beginner/elementary
- Pre-intermediate
- Intermediate
- Upper intermediate/advanced
We operate a ‘continuous assessment’ system – so students may move classes at any time as they progress.
Lessons are Monday to Friday for 3 hours from 09.00 to 12.00 with a short mid-morning break of about 10 minutes. At the end of camp, certificates are awarded to each student and a full progress report sent independently to each family.
Programme - French Language Camp
AGE
10-17 Years old
DATES
July 5 – July 18
July 19 – August 1
August 2 – August 15
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
This French language programme is delivered in one of Europe’s native French speaking areas. Campers have fun together in small groups and soon start to use the words and phrases that they learn each day, in conversation with other campers and local people – both in Camp, in the village and on the excursions out of Camp. It is an unmissable opportunity to learn from native French speaking teachers and at the same time be exposed and encouraged to practice the language in real-life settings.
Campers learn from new material that takes them outside their usual comfort zone but stimulates their interest, providing them with new skills. Campers enjoy learning to speak the together in class and in camp with other French native speaking campers. On the first morning of camp students are carefully assessed and placed into groups of about 7-10 campers according to ability and age.
There are 4 ability levels:
- Beginner/elementary
- Pre-intermediate
- Intermediate
- Upper intermediate/advanced
We operate a ‘continuous assessment’ system – so students may be upgraded at any time as they progress.
Lessons are Monday to Friday for 3 hours from 09.00 to 12.00 with a short mid-morning break of about 10 minutes. At the end of camp, certificates are awarded to each student and a full progress report sent independently to each family.
Programme - Sports Camp
AGE
10-17 Years old
DATES
July 5 – July 18
July 19 – August 1
August 2 – August 15
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
This is the ideal programme for the active, sports-minded campers who look forward to enjoying a different sport session lasting 3 hours, every weekday morning. The daily schedule includes team and individual sports with choices made from:
- Football
- Basketball
- Swimming
- Archery
- Beach volleyball
- Climbing
- Street hockey
- Tennis
- Badminton
- Outdoor fitness trails
The programme includes a fun element with team games, challenges and competitions. It is a challenging, action packed programme where every camper will have fun whilst learning under the guidance of our enthusiastic and talented team of counsellors and coaches.
Although most activities in this programme take place in the alpine mountains around Leysin, our counsellors and trainers regularly take campers to the two well-equipped sports centres in town. The sports centres are top-class facilities with a wide range of sports and activities available.
In the afternoons, Sports campers join the other campers in age-appropriate groups, for more fun and all-camp activities.
Programme - Leadership Training Camp
AGE
10-17 Years old
DATES
July 5 – July 18
July 19 – August 1
August 2 – August 15
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
This award-winning programme is led by Programme Director, David Allen, assisted by a team of experienced staff plus an international selection of renowned guest speakers, specially flown in to engage with our young leadership campers. Our speakers typically fly in from the USA, South Africa and the UK. These thought-provoking presentations lead to lively discussion sessions amongst the young campers, which are interspersed with outdoor action-packed physical challenges and tasks. It adds up to an exciting new experience every day!
This much-acclaimed Leadership Training Camp (LTC) is designed to:
- Build self-confidence
- Raise self-esteem
- Encourage motivation
- Improve communication skills
- Develop individual leadership qualities
- Develop team working skills
The programme combines thought-provoking talks by specialist Camp staff and invited international speakers with a programme of testing challenges and action-packed activities. Each day is constructed around:
- Leadership training sessions
- Inspiring talks from our range of top guest speakers
- Talks are followed by an open question and answer session
- Challenging discussions that stretch the mind
- Goal-setting exercises and time management
- Innovative team-building exercises and a programme of off-camp visits to outdoor sites
Highlight Activity Days
Our highlight activity days are challenging, great fun and require patience, fortitude and teamwork skills.
These include:
- Rafting and canyoning – an exhilarating experience
- Ropes Course – tough and challenging
- Beach Volleyball – energetic fun and team work
- Laserquest – a skillful team competition
The Award –winning T.A.L.E
A competitive series of challenges that demand skills, application and multi-tasking whilst operating to a strict financial budget.
Everyone takes part in the Camps T.A.L.E – The Amazing Leadership Experience. The programme is designed around competitive contests with camper teams given places to find, sites to visit, items to collect and missions to accomplish. Teams are limited to the constraints of a limited financial budget, which promotes the understanding of the R.O.I. principle (Return on Investment), one which guides corporate investment in today’s world.
Programme Director
David Allen David Allen is an entrepreneur, renowned leadership coach and inspirational, international motivational speaker. He runs his own innovative Leadership Camp in KwaZulu, South Africa and is an in-demand lecturer to corporate companies, schools and Universities, as well as an expert, specialist security consultant to tactical police forces and detective units worldwide.
David has directed the Camps Leadership Training programme in England and Switzerland for many years. Thanks to his interactive approach, David captivates our young leadership campers, ensuring that every participant is actively involved in his presentations.
David is the author of a book – Leadership In The Trees – that aims to give students the tools to maximise their leadership potential and thus become better leaders in all aspects of their lives.
The quality of the international guest speakers flown from all over the world continues to be a major factor in the success of the highly acclaimed LTC programme.
Here are some of the speakers who have addressed LTC campers in recent summers:
- Kerry Max Cook (USA) – Kerry is an extraordinary man with an extraordinary story. His presentation is riveting as he goes through his life explaining how someone else’s mistake and a travesty of justice cost him over 20 years of his life in prison for no reason. Kerry’s story is to be made into a film.
- Alfred Eden (South Africa) – Alfred is from Estcourt, South Africa where he is the director of Greystone Camp & Adventure Centre. He is also co- director and founder of Challenge Tours which runs exceptional Leadership courses for school and corporate groups. He gives a fascinating presentation.
- Claire Young (UK) – From ‘The Apprentice’ boardroom to award winning entrepreneur! She is a straight talking, no-nonsense business woman. Lord Sugar dubbed her a ‘Rottweiler’ for her tenacious approach and mind-set of never giving up! She hopes that her story will motivate others to realise that with hard work, drive and determination anything is possible.
- David Hyner (UK) – David gives you the best bits from 20+ years of research interviews with top achievers, inspiring and motivating our LTC campers.
Evening Activities - All Campers
Evenings are filled with exciting imaginative games, spectacular events and relaxing activities. These include:
- Camp Fire – After a stroll through the stunning Swiss countryside to reach a local beauty spot campers enjoy a campfire with marshmallows and roasted, chocolate-filled bananas, as they watch the sun set on another great day in Leysin.
- Friday Festival – Starts with a hike to the beautiful Prafendaz lookout point where the campers enjoy a delicious BBQ and tasty donuts. After lunch it’s time to put face paint on and split into groups to create and perform some awesome team chants, and begin the competition.
- Mountain Hut Overnight Stay – Camper take their pack lunches and put on their hiking shoes before setting off on their overnight Adventure Hut hike. They spend their day taking in some of Switzerland’s most beautiful scenery on the way up the mountain. After a hard day of hiking in the sunshine they settle in for a BBQ and a peaceful night’s sleep in a quaint, traditional mountain hut!
- Carnival Night – Counsellors work hard to transform the whole camp into a Carnival filled with fun parlour games. Campers spend their afternoon playing awesome games like Strong Man, Oily Pig, Balloon Stomp, Hot Shot, Candy Guess, Karaoke and much more!
- Movie Night – Campers settle in with their duvets and lots of pillows for a comfortable night in on one of the common rooms. With a big screen and lots of popcorn, this is a welcomed relaxed evening and long tiring day of activities.
- Ice Skating – Campers go in small groups to the ice rink in the centre of town. It’s a chance to learn to skate for the ones that have never tried and a great opportunity to have fun on the ice with friends.
- International Night – On this day and evening we celebrate our diversity and give campers the opportunity to share their culture, dance, traditions, gastronomy and humor of their home country! The camp participants prepared wonderful presentations. Everyone at camp takes part in the presentations and encourages each other!
- Special Farewell Dinner – A very special dinner event complete with a beautifully decorated dining room and slideshows of all the best moments at camp. Campers are pampered with table service provided by their very own counsellors!
- Final Evening Festivities – There are awesome presentations by campers and the Dance Camp team plus a special edition of ‘Secret Friends’ hosted by special guests. Finally it’s time to dance the night away at our very own disco.
Evening activities are often run independently for each separate age group but sometimes are organised as all-camp events where the entire camp comes together for some of the spectacular and much-anticipated Camps all-time favourites.
Excursions - All Campers
On all excursions we ensure free time for cultural visits, shopping and walking around in small groups. On visits to places of interest admission fees are included.
Highlight for campers are the two excursions that take place over the weekend.
Saturday – Excursion to a local point of interest
This excursion is organised separately for each age-group and is usually to one of the local points of interest set out below – according to weather conditions and any local special events:
- Maison Cailler – Chocolate Factory
- The Nest Museum in Vevey
- Olympic Museum
- Labyrinth Adventure Park
- United Nations Building and Geneva old town
Sunday – Excursion to the Aigle Outdoor Water Park
The whole camp is allowed a little extra time in bed and then after breakfast they grab their swimsuits, load up their lunch boxes and jump on the COG train to make their way to Aigle.
Activities
- Archery
- Arts & crafts
- Badminton
- Basketball
- Beach volleyball
- Climbing
- Dance studio
- Film studio
- Football
- Full-size ice skating rink
- Game room (table tennis, foosball)
- Hiking
- Mini golf
- Mountain-biking
- Multi-sports hall
- Nature trails
- Outdoor fitness trails
- Outdoor survival skills
- Rock-climbing
- Squash
- Street hockey
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Rafting (15+)
LOCATION & GETTING HERE
LOCATION
The delightful alpine village of Leysin perched high above Lake Geneva, panoramic views across to the distant French Alps, pure mountain air and natural environment of this alpine paradise with its meadows, forests and wild-life.
Closest Airports
Geneva Airport: 1hr 30min
Bern Airport: 1hr 30min
Getting Here
By car
- Take the motorway, direction Lausanne/Vevey-Montreux, and exit at AIGLE.
- From Aigle, follow the signs to Leysin, turning left at Le Sepey.
- On entering Leysin Village, follow the main road up the hill, continue straight ahead at the round about and pass the Centre Sportif/Office du Tourisme on the left.
Leadership Training Camp is close by, but different location, full adrees will be given as soon as the reservation is made.
Escorted Travel
TRAVEL FORM
In order to provide the best and safest experience for your child, it is important that we receive comprehensive information about his/her travel method. Arrivals and departures outside the validity period will not be accepted. The Travel Form must be returned at least 4 weeks before the start of camp.
Please complete this form as clearly and accurately as possible, and return it to us as soon as you have confirmed travel arrangements for your child for an extra coast. If your child does not require our escorted travel service please be sure to inform us about it.
Your child will often be one of many children arriving at the airport or train station to be escorted to camp. Whilst our representatives will always try to arrange for onward transport to camp with the minimum of delay, it should be understood that your child may be required to wait at the airport or train station for up to two hours before he/she commences the onward journey, due to flight delays affecting other children and/or difficult traffic conditions.
Upon arrival at the destination airport or train station, your child should look for a Camps representative, who will be displaying a Camps sign. Airports and train stations can be quite crowded and hectic, you should instruct your child to wait at the airport’s or train station’s information desk should he/she not locate our representative on arrival.
Packing List
The following is a minimum recommended list of items to bring to this camp based on a 2-week stay. Bed linens and studying materials will be provided. Campers are advised not to bring valuable items. We will not be responsible for items lost or stolen.
CLOTHING
- 3 Confortable trousers / suitable for general activities
- 14 T-shirts
- 3 Sweatshirts / Pullovers
- 1 Coat / Fleece
- 14 Underwear
- 6 Shorts
- 2 Pyjamas
- 1-2 Swimsuits
- All-purpose activity shoes
- Indoor sports shoes, with non-marking soles
- Trekking / Trail walking shoes (worn in)
- Waterproof rainjacket
- Sunhat / Baseball cap
- Inexpensive sunglasses
TOILETRIES
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Shampoo
- Soap
- Brush or comb
- Personal hygiene items
- Bath towel
- Swimming towel
- Waterproof sunscreen and lip balm (SPF 20+)
GENERAL EQUIPMENT
- Small backpack eg. 20 litre capacity
- Water bottle (0.75 litre+ capacity)
Pocket Money
Your child should bring pocket money for the purchase of snacks and souvenirs. A “camp bank” is operated at every camp and children should, therefore, deposit their pocket money on arrival at camp. We will not be responsible for money that is not deposited in the camp bank.
As availability of money exchange facilities varies from camp to camp, please ensure that your child brings enough local currency for the duration of camp in small denominations to facilitate its distribution each day. We suggest that your child should bring € 150-200 for a 2-week session depending on his/her age.
Passport and Visas
Please ensure that your child has a valid passport and appropriate visas for all the countries he/she will be visiting. No refunds will be made when a child is unable to start camp due to delays in obtaining appropriate passports or visas.
Passports and other travel documents will be collected for safekeeping upon arrival at camp and returned at the time of departure. Please note that to comply with local police regulations, all children must have either a passport or other valid identification deposited at the camp office for the duration of the camp, even when they have been brought to camp by their parents.
Children Travelling as Unaccompanied Minors
Most airlines offer an unaccompanied minor (UM) service to parents for children travelling alone. Generally, this service is offered to children 12 years and under, but some airlines extend this service to older children on request.
Upon arrival at the destination airport, your child will be accompanied from the plane to the arrivals gate by an airport or airline representative, where they will be handed over to a Camps representative. For the return, your child will be accompanied to the plane by either a Camps or airport representative, depending on the airport’s policy.
If you wish your child to travel as a UM, you will be required to complete the airline’s Handling Advice for Unaccompanied Minors Form. Please complete this form for both the outward and return journeys and ensure that any charges levied by the airline are settled for the return journey to avoid any problems at the airport.
While filling the UM form with your airline, they will require the name and phone number of our staff member meeting your child upon arrival at the airport. Please contact our office to obtain the required information.
LOW COST AIRLINES
If you book your child’s flight with a Low Cost airline, please be sure to check their age policy. Most Low Cost airlines have strict age requirements and will not let your child travel alone if he/she is not old enough.
PRICES & PACKAGES
| PROGRAMMES (Ages) | DATES | PRICES |
| Junior Adventure Camp (7-9) Adventure Camp (10-17) Lab Explorers (10-17) Tennis Camp (10-17) English Language Camp (10-17) French Language Camp (10-17) Sports Camp (10-17) |
July 5 – July 18 July 19 – August 1 August 2 – August 15 |
CHF 5’100.-
ADD-ON: Tennis CHF 650. |
| Leadership Training Camp (15-17) | July 5 – July 18 July 19 – August 1 |
CHF 5’500.- |
Inclusions
√ Accommodation in public rooms and many of the bedrooms right across the Rhone Valley to the dramatic French Alps and the peak of Mont Blanc
√ Bedrooms at both sites have en-suite facilities and offer quite spacious, comfortable accommodating for up to four campers.
√ Full Board: The in house chefs hygienically prepare three nutritious, healthy and varied meals. Campers make a special point of praising the salad bar with its fresh dairy products as well as the great choices available at breakfast time. We cater for healthy young appetites so ‘second helpings’ are always available. Most special dietary needs can be accommodated but please let us know before arrival.
√ Campers are assigned to rooms according to age and gender and experienced counsellors (who stay in rooms near the campers) are responsible for taking special care of each and every child.
√ During free time, campers in small groups enjoy the traditional village cafes and small shops in Leysin Village, which they can visit with their new-found friends from all over the world.
√ Always present for all activities (at an average ratio of 1:6) is a supervisory group of experienced counsellors who are fun, friendly, caring, helpful and a source of inspiration for the young campers.
√ Sunny south-facing terraces with amazing, panoramic views over to the distant French Alps
√ Facilities: Snack bar, gift shop, classrooms, auditorium, 3 dining rooms, music & dance studio, arts & crafts centre, climbing wall, common rooms with table tennis, foosball tables, board games.
√ Close by Facilities: Indoor swimming pool, large fully equipped multi-sport gymnasium, covered ice rink, basketball courts, football pitch, volleyball & beach volley courts, archery targets, 12 tennis courts – four of which are indoors, climbing walls, mini-golf course, squash courts, weight room.
√ The glorious mountain setting much of the time is spent outdoors to really enjoy: many different hiking trails, a rock-climbing area, cycling paths and mountain-biking trails, adventure trails, a mountain hut for overnight stays and an exciting camp-fire.
√ Evening activities: Camp Fire, Treasure Hunt, Camp Olympics, Carnival Night, Sports Night, Ice Skating, Discos and Talent Night, International Cuisine Night, Final evening Awards and Farewell Prom Night, Team-building challenges.
Transfers
| ARRIVAL | DEPARTURE | PER WAY | |
| Geneva Airport | 09:00 – 19:00 | 10:00 – 19:00 | 100 CHF |
| Lausanne Train Station | 08:00 – 18:00 | 8:00 – 18:00 | 55 CHF |
