Ardèche river Teens Adventures Camp - Chasselay, Salavas. France
INTRODUCTION
The most spectacular location of all is our riverside activity site on the banks of the dramatic Ardèche river in forests of the sundrenched South of France. Here on the edge of the Ardèche Gorge National Park our long-established Adventure programme has attracted youngsters from all over the world.
They learn to safely abseil, rock-climb and enjoy the challenging, never-to-be-forgotten, thrilling 2-day descent of the Ardèche Gorge with an overnight bivouac under the stars at the half-way stage. Returning campers highlight fun walks, rambles and, using headlamps, the exciting guided exploration of ancient dark, mysterious caves.
The outdoor programme can be combined with an innovative, fun French language course.
THE ACCOMMODATION
Facilities
Campers sleep in large all-weather tents with spring beds, mattresses, table, chairs and ground cover. This is comfortable roughing-it. Each camper is assigned to a tent according to age and gender and an experienced counsellor is responsible for taking special care of campers in each tent.
A central building houses the classrooms and dining room as well as modern toilets and shower facilities. The exciting Ardèche River borders our site with mountain bike trails, hiking trails and rock climbing right on our doorstep.
Not far away, in Vallon, there are historic caves to be explored, cafes and a night market with traditional local shopping for off-campus visits as and when time permits on this busy camp programme.
Camp Organisation
A fully-supervised activity programme is organised for each age group. The varied schedule includes several periods where all campers have their choice from a selection of activities available. Campers in both the French Language Camp and the Adventure Camp will receive comprehensive instruction in canoeing in preparation for the highlight of the camps – the two-day, 30 km descent of the Ardèche River in Canadian canoes including bivouacking for one night at a pre-arranged site under the stars. All campers will also enjoy an unforgettable canyoning experience under the close supervision of local guides.
Meals
Healthy, varied food in unlimited quantities is prepared by the chef, who also caters for most diets.
Medical Information
If you haven’t done so already, please be sure to complete the medical form and submit it to us at least 4 weeks before the start of camp. It is essential that this form is completed as clearly and accurately as possible, as it provides both the camp director and the health care staff with vital health and other 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
Sample Daily Schedule
Mornings |
07:30 – 08:00 | Wake up |
08:00 – 09:00 | Breakfast | |
09:00 – 10:30 | Period A – Speciality Programmes | |
10:45 – 12:15 | Period B – Speciality Programmes | |
Afternoons |
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 | |
Evening |
19:30 – 21:30 | Evening Programme |
22:00 | Lights Out – Yellows (10-12 years old) | |
22:30 | Lights Out – Reds (13-14 years old) | |
23:00 | Lights Out – Blues (15-17 years old) | |
Saturday | Excursion Day | |
Sunday | Morning: Late wake up call, breakfast and relaxed morning |
This is a sample schedule and may be subject to change
Programme - Adventure Camp
AGE
11-17 Years old
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
This ever-popular programme includes a mountain bike excursion, a canyoning experience, rock climbing, abseiling and a very special walk through historic caves, sometimes with the aid of headlamps. The programme never stops, nor does the thrill and enjoyment. A comprehensive canoeing instruction programme is at the heart of the activities, culminating in an exhilarating two-day 30 km descent of the Ardèche River, led by highly qualified instructors. This thrilling descent includes a bivouac under the stars at our regular pre-fixed overnight stopping area.
Programme - France Language
AGE
11-17 Years old
DATES
July 2nd to July 15th
July 16th to July 29th
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
Our language campers work on improving their French in the mornings before embarking on the varied programme of exciting activities on the river and ‘fun’ challenges in the spectacular countryside surrounding the camp. In the 2-week session, the programme provides 24 hours of highly innovative, yet practical, French lessons. Campers returning home will not only speak of their many exhilarating experiences but they’ll be doing it in French. N’est ce-pas?
Evening Activities
Evenings are filled with exciting and imaginative games, spectacular events and relaxing activities.
These include:
- Discos
- Indoor Olympics
- Team-building Challenges
- Games geared to age levels
- Village Outings
- and much, much more…
Excursions - All Campers
Several excursions are planned with the actual number to take place depending upon the weather and camper preferences. Here are some of the popular choices, which usually have one or two further additions each year.
- Aqualand
- Montélimar Nougat Factory
- Medieval Chateau
- Vallon Pont d’Arc on Market Day
Activities
- Abseiling
- Arts and Crafts
- Banana Boat
- Basketball
- Beach Volleyball
- Canoeing
- Caving
- Counsellor Hunt
- Football
- Gorge walk
- Kayaking
- Mountain Bike
- Rock climbing
- Ropes Course
- Swimming
- Table Tennis
- Trekking
LOCATION & GETTING HERE
Location
The most spectacular location of all is our riverside activity site on the banks of the dramatic Ardèche river in forests of the sundrenched South of France. Here on the edge of the Ardèche Gorge National Park our long-established Adventure programme has attracted youngsters from all over the world.
Not far away, in Vallon, there are historic caves to be explored, cafes and a night market with traditional local shopping for off-campus visits as and when time permits on this busy camp programme.
CLOSEST AIRPORTS
Avignon – Caumont: 1hr 30min
Marseille Provence: 2hrs
Getting Here
By Car
From Geneva:
- Take the motorway, direction Annecy/Lyon.
- At Lyon, take the motorway A7-E15, direction Marseille.
- Follow the A7-E15 for approximately 150km and exit at Montelimar Sud.
- Take the N7 south to Pierrelatte and then the d13 and d59 to Bourg St. Andeol.
- Pass through Bourg St. Andéol and follow the d4 to St. Remeze and on to Vallon Pont d’Arc.
- From Vallon Pont d’Arc, take the d579, direction Barjac, crossing the Ardèche river soon after leaving Vallon Pont d’Arc.
- Approximately 500m after Salavas, turn left at the sign to Base Departementale de Plein Air.
- Follow this road for approximately 2km, keeping right at the fork in the road.
- Our campsite is on the left, just before the road reaches the river.
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
Ages
11- 16 years old
Dates
July 5th to July 18th 2020 – Price EUR 2500
July 19th to August 1st 2020 – Price EUR 2500
Summer River Experience Camp | France | Ardèche
This unique programme has been specially designed for outdoor enthusiasts who will enjoy a carefully planned range of water and mountain-based adventures in a spectacular river setting on the magnificent Ardèche in the balmy, sunny climate of the South of France.
Inclusions
√ Accommodation at large all-weather tents with spring beds, mattresses, table, chairs and ground cover.
√ Campers are assigned according to age and gender and experienced counsellors are responsible for taking special care of each and every child.
√ Full Board ( Breakfast, lunch and dinners, health meals specially prepared for teens)
√ All activities: The highlights of the activity programme are the Indoor Olympics and, of course, the cave exploration and memorable 2-day River Descent. Mountain bike excursion, a canyoning experience, rock climbing, abseiling and a very special walk through historic caves, sometimes with the aid of headlamps.
√ The central building houses: classrooms and dining room as well as modern toilet and shower facilities.
√ Excursions include the popular one day visit to Aqualand and the Nougat Factory
√ Staff on hand
French Language Camp (optional)
Our language campers work on improving their French in the mornings before embarking on the varied programme of exciting activities on the river and ‘fun’ challenges in the spectacular countryside surrounding the camp. In the 2-week session, the programme provides 24 hours of highly innovative, yet practical, French lessons. Campers returning home will not only speak of their many exhilarating experiences but they’ll be doing it in French. N’est ce-pas?
Transfers
ARRIVAL | DEPARTURE | PER WAY | |
Geneva Airport | 6:00 – 12:00 | 16:00 – 22:00 | 100 EUR |
Marseille Airport | 12:30 – 17:00 | 13:30 – 17:00 | 75 EUR |
Valence TGV Station | 15:00 – 16:15 | 10:45 – 12:00 | 50 EUR |