What is the aim of La Garenne Summer Camp?

We aim to give all our campers an amazing Alpine experience in a supportive, international environment. Along the way, they will learn languages, teamwork, resilience, and make friends from around the world, and create memories for life.

Where is the camp located?

Just outside the village of Villars-sur-Ollon, a pretty Alpine village in the Swiss Alps, about 90 minutes’ drive from Geneva.

Do you offer scholarships for summer camp?

No. But we do offer discounts for siblings.

Can I request room mates?

Requests to share with a particular student will be considered sympathetically. To guarantee integration and harmony, however, we will not permit students from different age groups to share.

What is the weather like in the Alps in summer?

Temperatures range from 18°C to around 28°C. Usually it is pleasantly warm and dry. We take care to protect students from the sun, with sun protection cream always available.

What are the afternoon activities?

Students enjoy indoor and outdoor sports, cultural visits, expeditions, clubs and societies, excursions and crafts. You can see more here:

Ages 6-9 Ages 10-12 Ages 13-16

What are the morning activities?

Summer Campers have French or English classes in the morning. The classes take place Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 12:00 with a break in the middle of the morning.

What if I don’t speak English or French?

We welcome students at all language levels from complete beginners to advanced. We encourage students to speak only English or French around the campus.

How large are the classes?

Class sizes at Summer Camp are between eight and twelve students.

Which countries do students come from?

Summer campers come from all over the world, with around 45 nationalities represented. To keep our camp properly international, we have nationality and mother tongue quotas of 10% – 15%. This encourages good social and cultural integration, and great opportunities to practise a different language!

How much pocket money is allowed?

Pocket money is charged to the parents’ invoice at the weekly rate of CHF 30 for 6-9s, CHF 50 for 10-12s and CHF 100 for teenagers. The children receive it in instalments during their stay. If you wish to leave additional money, you may do so on arrival day.

For teenagers, you could consider adding a credit or debit card to their phone, (e.g. Apple Pay). Physical credit cards are easily mislaid so please do not send one with your child. The school is not responsible for lost cards or lost money.

Where will my child sleep?

Summer Camp boarding students sleep on campus, in bedrooms for 2 to 5 students.

Teenagers: 2-bed hotel-style rooms at Chalet Le Roc, with spectacular mountain views and en-suite bathrooms.
Ages 10 to 12: Share spacious suites with its own bathroom.
Youngest students: Sleep in cosy chalet bedrooms where the focus is on home comforts.

What is the food like?

We take great care to ensure that students eat well. We serve an international menu with a wide choice at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Fresh salads and vegetarian options are always available. Fruit and healthy snacks are also offered during the day.

The menus are nutritionally balanced and are prepared in-house by our chefs. Special diets can be catered for – just let us know if your child has any allergies, or if they have an Epipen adrenaline pump. Our health team will liaise with our chefs to ensure that your child is safe, healthy and well fed.

Can I contact my child?

To encourage integration and full participation in activities, we restrict access to phones and devices.

Chalet La Garenne: Can phone or video call their families on Wednesdays from 8:30am to 9:00am and on the second and subsequent Sundays from 10:00 to 11:00 (all times are CEST/Swiss time).
Chalet Beau Site: May use their phone more often, but again, this is strictly monitored and enforced.
Chalet Le Roc: Have more access to their devices but not during class time or activities. Phone privileges for Le Roc students can be withdrawn at any time.
Day students: May not bring mobile phones to camp under any circumstances.

Do you meet students at Geneva Airport?

We meet children travelling as Unaccompanied Minors (UM) or with their parents on the official camp dates. We also take students back to Geneva Airport on the final day. These journeys, on official dates and within official times, are included in camp fees.

Transport to and from La Garenne is for students only; we regret we cannot transport parents or agents. Transport from and to Zurich Airport is not included in Summer Camp fees. Students whose flights are delayed and arrive after the official camp meeting times may be required to take a private taxi from the airport at their family’s expense.

What is the cancellation / refund policy?

If cancelled 65 days or more before the start: Full refund in Swiss Francs.

If cancelled fewer than 65 days before the start: No refund. This clause also applies to early or voluntary departure, late arrival, dismissal, or absence due to illness, family emergency etc.

Important: It is the parents’ responsibility to ensure that all documentation is valid for travel. We strongly recommend parents take out insurance to cover cancellation eventualities.

What is the pandemic cancellation policy?

If a global pandemic is declared by global agencies such as the World Health Organisation, and students cannot travel due to resulting worldwide restrictions, we either refund camp fees in full, in Swiss Francs, or offer a credit note which can be put towards a future stay (academic, summer, winter, or integration), valid for two years.

In the absence of a formal declaration of a global pandemic, students who choose not to travel will not be refunded within 65 days of the start of their planned Summer Camp session. We strongly recommend parents take out insurance to cover all eventualities.