Teens Spring Adventures Camp - Swiss Alps, Verbier. Switzerland

GOLF

Campers play on an 18 holes course at an altitude of 1500m with stunning views over the mountains. There is also a private practice area, driving range and an approach (pitch & putt) golf course. Our professional golf instructors will coach players of all levels during our sports day or during private lessons. Campers can book additional private lessons on top of the basic sports program

BALL SPORTS

We propose all kinds of different ball sports: tennis, golf, minigolf, football, volleyball, beach volleyball, basketball (streetball), table tennis, squash, badminton, pétanque.

TENNIS

Practice, private lessons and tournaments on the tennis courts directly next to our campus (2 minutes walk).

Campers can book additional private lessons on top of the basic sports program. Please contact us for extra tennis lessons.

HIKING

Campers go on the marked trails with our trained counselors. In the Verbier area, 950 km of footpaths are waiting to take campers to the heart of nature. Each skill level is welcome to go hiking. Campers will discover colorful and impressive landscapes, massive water dams, natural mountain lakes, wild forests, traditional villages and nature reserves. Exceptional view of the treasures of the Alps guaranteed! Maybe, campers will even get a glimpse at Swiss wildlife, such as the marmot or the chamois, an excellent climber in high altitude.

2 DAYS HIKING TRIP

During the first week of each session, all our campers will leave for a 2 day hiking trip and spend a night in the mountain. Discoverers and Explorers will sleep in traditional mountain huts while Pioneers will do camping in wilderness. This is just a perfect way to discover the Swiss Alps and to enjoy stunning views and nature. During the evening, campers enjoy a relaxing atmosphere around the camp fire!

SPORTS ON ICE

Ice skating, figure skating, ice hockey, curling at the sport center. Only a 2 minutes’ walk away from the campus.

WATER SPORTS

With our boat on Lake Geneva: swimming, sailing, water skiing, wakeboarding, tubing, banana boat. An indoor and outdoor swimming pool with a big garden to relax is located next to the campus (2 minute walk).

MOUNTAIN BIKING

Mountain biking in the Alps and particularly Verbier mountain biking provides you with thrilling downhills, natural single tracks (for all levels). The downhill trail and the hundreds of kilometres of cross-country provide endless opportunity to explore some of the most spectacular scenery in the Alps.From challenging to leisurely, there’s plenty of mountain biking that is suitable for our campers who want to discover Verbier and its surrounding villages without having to furiously pedal uphill or kit up in full body armour.

ROCK CLIMBING

Professional mountain guides supervise this activity.

On the climbing wall at a natural rock, which has varying difficulty levels, our instructor ensures that all campers make good progress and gain confidence in the safest conditions. Campers will learn different skills and progress from one age group to another.

ROPES COURSE

Our campers will go with their counselors to the rope course in Sion. It’s always an exciting day. This activity is a high forest adventure of rope bridges, tarzan swings and zip-lines, all set high up in the tree tops. Campers will be fitted by professional experts with a climbing harness and supervised during the whole time of this activity.

HORSE-RIDING

Just next the campus, the stables of Verbier allow youth to experience riding or practice this activity with professional riding instructors (extra cost activity).

ARTS & CRAFTS

In addition, our campers can choose between several arts clubs, which they will attend during the session. At the end of the session we all join together and present what we learnt! We will do vast amounts of different aspects of arts and crafts. Each time a child attends those clubs we will give them a chance to expand their artistic side. The main aim of those clubs is to give a new and fun aspect to arts and crafts while involving environmental and cultural aspects.

SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

Billard, trampoline, cards games, music instruments, drama, campfires, picnic, bbq, boat trips, disco, talent show, photography at the campus, shopping in Verbier, Geneva, Italy during excursions. The Summer Camp ensures active participation, a very broad choice of exciting activities and a high degree of learning in a fun and very international environment, all by guaranteeing maximum safety through our caring & experienced staff. Campers will return home with great experiences, fantastic memories and lifelong friendships.

Since 8pm

Our evening programmes are tailored to meet the requirements of our students. Our groups participate in an activities programme from 8pm until 9pm and our older groups from 8pm until 9:45pm, with bedtime at 10pm.

Evening Activities Workshops and Personal Development Programmes – Choose from a range of on-going workshops to develop skills in orienteering, learn about the mechanics of our anatomy in Health and Fitness or start thinking about your online presence in our Web Identity & Online Security classes.

(All equipment can be hired)

Having the proper ski equipment is essential for skiers and snowboarder of all levels. We optionally propose equipment and clothing rental so you don’t need to worry about that. Here’s information on ski and snowboard equipment needed for a day on the slopes:

Clothing

• Jacket: a good ski jacket must keep warm and dry on the slopes. It must be at once weatherproof, breathable, durable and comfortable.
• Pants: Chances are, they are going to be worn sledding, tubing, building snow forts and playing in the snow. Because of that, kids’ ski pants need to be warm and weatherproof enough outlast both a lengthy ski day and a lengthy snow day.
• Underwear: Base layers help regulate the body temperature by moving perspiration away from the skin, which will help to keep you dry. Base layers come in many forms from T-shirts to tights to briefs and sports bras. Top and bottom must absorb and transport moisture and perspiration away from the skin and disperse it on the outer surface where it evaporates.

Ski

Choosing the right skis depends on a number of factors, such as age/gender and skiing ability.

All manufacturers make junior skis, some make expensive race skis or free riders, as well as powder skis. You can spend a lot of money on junior skis or you can get good recreational models at moderate prices.

Once you determine the right length and style for your child, you can find really good ski deals online. If you buy skis, be sure to take them to a reputable ski shop to have the bindings mounted. Call ahead to see if the ski shop has techs certified by the manufacturer of the binding you bought. If you received the skis with bindings already mounted take them to the shop to have a binding test done and the correct DIN set for your child’s size and ability.

Ski Boots

Having a pair of ski boots that fits and makes feel comfortable is essential. Ski boots transfer the movement, the “instructions” to the skis and are very important for safe and enjoyable skiing. Ski boots are the most important part of the skiing equipment. Aside from the fact that your child definitely will not enjoy his/her time on the slopes if the feets hurt or are cold, it is important to understand that boots are the key of the skiing performance.

Poles

In downhill skiing, ski poles are important. In order to be effective, ski poles need to lightweight and flexible, yet strong and sturdy as well. They also need to be sized correctly.

Snowboard

In general, an all-mountain snowboard is the best bet for beginners, rather than a specialty board, which is harder to turn and balance on. Also, the longer a board is, the more difficult it will be to control. Choose a board that is the right length for your child’s size and snowboarding ability.

Snowboard Boots

As the connecting point to the snowboard, boots are a vital piece of equipment. Make sure to get real snowboard boots (not moonboots or hiking boots) that fit correctly to keep the feet comfortable and warm. For most beginner snowboarders, soft snowboard boots are easier to control than hard boots. Boots have to be laced up tight to give your feet and ankles the support they need.

Helmet

Compulsory. As is the case with many sports, a helmet is the most important piece of equipment when it comes to preventing life-threatening injuries. Our campers must wear one any time they go on the slopes. We will make sure to rent a helmet that fits properly and keep the chin strap fastened to keep it securely in place.

Goggles and sunglasses

The sun’s rays are considerably stronger at high altitudes than they are at sea level, and when they bounce off the gleaming white snow, they can be a serious threat to your eyes. There’s no question that good ski goggles should be an essential on everybody’s skiing checklist, especially in the cold and high wind of mid-winter. Save those cool sunglasses for a little later in the season, and make sure your goggles and lenses are clean and clear.

Gloves or mittens

Many ski or snowboard gloves include pockets for hand warmers to keep fingers nice and toasty.

Wrist guards

Be sure to wear rigid wrist guards designed for snowboarding to protect yourself when you fall.

We strive for excellence in everything we do and our language courses are no exception. To ensure we offer the best possible tuition for our students we work in partnership with a Language School to offer specialist teachers in each language for every course. Students are group according to their language levels with a maximum class size of 7 students per teacher.

We offer 3 types of courses in French, English, Spanish and German. Each of our courses follows a set criteria for levels or language proficiency with detailed certificates and a portfolio of work which students may take away with them.

Conversational Language Course

Our conversation course is a highly interactive course designed to get students speaking in their chosen language. The course consists of 8-hours of tuition per week, typically taught in 4 2-hour sessions.

Intensive Language Course

This course combines speaking with reading and writing and consists of 15-hours of tuition per week. It is ideal for students studying for an exam or wishing to make quick, comprehensive progress in their languages in just 1 week. The course is typically taught in 5 3-hour sessions each morning with activities in the afternoons.

Private Language Course

Our final course is for those students who wish to have one-on-one tuition. This can be added to one of our other courses or chosen alone to allow any number of hours per week. The focus is flexible and it is a great course for students with specific learning objectives.

SOFT SKILLS & DEVELOPMENT

These dynamic and interactive workshops will enable our students to develop a toolbox of teamwork skills which will help them to build mature lasting relationships with friends and colleagues, create imaginative and complex solutions to problems and focus on their Emotional Intellegence using theories and practices from a range of academic scholars in the field of experiential learning.

The leadership and careers courses are designed and facilitated by professionals. Our courses aim to equip our students to develop a deeper understanding of themselves and to apply that knowledge when leading others and preparing for the world of work.

Managing their expectations, motivations and reflection processes can enable students to further understand the concept of success. It is one thing to learn how to become an organised, calm or articulate individual but to understand the fundamental concepts affecting your experience will allow you to lead others to achieve more.

INTENSIVE LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME (12-17 years old)

Our comprehensive Leadership Training courses are run at both our Zermatt & Verbier campuses, consisting of ongoing 2-hour sessions throughout the programme.

The courses are designed by our experienced facilitators with 2 ‘taster sessions’ allowing our students to identify the specialist areas the would like to focus on. From there we host further sessions specializing in different aspects of Leadership Training.

Adventurous Leaders

Developing bold techniques in Leadership. Daring to be different and applying these skills in Outdoor Adventurous Activities.

Innovative Leaders

Finding creative solutions to challenges and using complex strategies in leadership.

Aspirational Leaders

For those students who are driven to succeed and intend to apply their leadership skills in a business contexts. Setting clear goals to perform above and beyond.

Inspirational Leaders

Using existing experiences to inspire others to achieve their true potential. Guiding othes in new activities, through new experiences and developing the compassion and communication skills to work effectively with others.

Progressive Leaders

Adopting reflective practces and setting clear targets to develop a leadership style which is adaptable and ever-evolving.

SOFT SKILLS PROGRAMME (7-11 years old)

For our younger campers we offer an exciting introduction to our existing leadership programme. Our Arts, Theatre and Public Speaking Course is designed to spark creative thinking, confident public presentation skills and a range of fun communication techniques which can be applied to activities and academic contexts.

Our extensive Arts & Creativity Course will be run at both our Zermatt & Verbier campuses, consisting of ongoing 2-hour sessions throughout their programme. As with our older Leadership Training Course our students will have 2 taster sessions, followed by further sessions in which they will have some autonomy in identifying their personal specialist focus.

These dynamic and interactive sessions will enable our students to develop a toolbox of teamwork skills which will help them to build mature lasting relationships with friends and colleagues, create imaginative and complex solutions to problems and focus on their Emotional Intelligence using theories and practices from a range of academic scholars in the field of experiential learning.

ETIQUETTE &WEB IDENTITY

Perfecting your personal brand to become more successful in professional and social situations. For our students aspiring to run their own business, become directors, CEOs or prominent public figures or to conduct themselves in a confident and comfortable manner in a range of social situations our Etiquette and Web Identity classes are the perfect starting point.

We focus on social etiquette, first and last impressions and European etiquette for dealing with a range of encounters. Interview technique, entering and leaving a conversation gracefully and strategies for managing difficult interactions or finishing the dreaded conversation with the person who never seems to stop talking!

A new branch to our personal branding workshops, which makes it a truly modern finishing school experience, is our web identity focus.

In addition to the more traditional arts of finishing school we also focus on managing interactions and movements in the online arena.

It is becoming much easier to access personal information about people through their social networking page and this may be a blessing or a curse depending on how you build your personal online identity. Social media can be used, with carefully chosen profile pictures, albums and posts to boost you personal brand but, all too often, our students’ social media pages are filled with content that would be discouraging for future employers or even university admissions. We guide students to think about the content which is public and the content which is private to build a respectable online identity.

What better way to really appreciate the culture of Switzerland than to dedicate a day to visit some of the most iconic cities and some of the famous organisations. Each of our cultural excursion days is a little different, with new options each year for those returning campers who are ready to see something new!

Whether it is souvenir shopping that interests you or the science exhibitions of CERN the options are endless.

• Sample some of the finest swiss chocolates and cheeses at the factories in Gruyere
• Learn a little about global cooperation with a guided tour of the United Nations or Swiss Red Cross museum in Geneva
• An interactive tour of the Olympic museum in Lausanne the home of the International Olympic Committee
• Walking inside a glacier at the nearby ice caves in Chamonix
• Visiting many of the beautiful castles in the area
• Experience the tranquility of the natural Bains de Lavey hot springs
• Take a stroll through the winding cobbled high streets of Zurich
• See how some of the most exquisite and delicate watches in the world are built
• Many many more options.

Once a week the students will go on an excursion to visit famous Swiss cities such as:

• Lausanne: A trip to the Olympic Museum with its wealth of memories will keep your passion for the Olympics burning, followed by a walking tour in the old town to one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Europe.
• Geneva: With its humanitarian tradition and cosmopolitan flair, the European seat of the UNO and headquarters of the Red Cross is known as the “capital of peace”. Visit the old town, the heart of Geneva with its shopping and business quarter.
• Bern: The capital of Switzerland – the old town of Bern has been entered on the list of UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Sites. The Houses of Parliament (Bundeshaus) rise above the city just a stones throw away from the railway station. Bern and bears, the city’s heraldic beast, are inseparable. When visiting the city we will take a trip to the Bear Pits.
• Gruyère: The Gruyère region, with its rolling green landscape and peaks of the Fribourg Pre-Alps, is home to the world-famous Gruyère cheese. In the famous cheese factory you will see how the tasty Gruyère cheese is made and the tour of culinary delights will be followed by a guided tour of the Cailler chocolate factory.
• Montreux: Visit the town of Montreux that nestles in the shelter of Lake Geneva, surrounded by vineyards, with the breathtaking backdrop of the snow-covered Alps, followed by a visit to Château de Chillon.
• France: Get a taste of France with a visit to Evian and the famous water factory, with also a walk along the world famous Lake Geneva.
• Italy: Discover the famous Italian city of Aosta, visit the old town and enjoy some Italian shopping.