Camp Blog

Musée Olympique Lausanne

15th June 2018

Founded in 1993, the Museum was the brainchild of then-president of the IOC Juan Antonio Samaranch. The project was overseen by Mexican architect Pedro Ramírez Vázquez, an International Olympic Committee member, and Jean-Pierre Cahen. The museum was named the European Museum of the Year in 1995.

The Museum’s permanent exhibition is organized into three major themes on three separate floors: Olympic World, Olympic Games, and Olympic Spirit. A visit begins on the third floor, where the Olympic World part of the exhibition informs visitors of the history of the ancient Olympic Games and the rebirth of the modern Games in the 19th century. Highlights include a display of Olympic torches, as well as videos documenting major moments in the history of opening ceremonies history.

The second floor focuses on Olympic Games. Sporting equipment for a variety of sports are on display, and visitors are introduced to the Youth Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games. More than 1,000 video clips of Olympic Games events and athletes can be searched and viewed at individual viewing stations.

The final part of the permanent exhibit covers the Olympic Spirit, where visitors are made to feel part of an Olympic Village and can test their balance, agility, and mental skills with interactive exercises. Olympic medals are also on display.

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Camp Suisse and the Chocolate Factory

11th June 2018

Our excursion to Cailler Chocolate Factory is arguably ever camper’s (and staff’s!) favourite excursion! The factory provides every visitor with a complete brand immersion experience; guiding them through the history of chocolate, which stems from the Aztec cocoa ceremonies, right through to the company’s current product range.

Visitors also experience full immersion of the chocolate making process, in the shape of an audio-visual tour, which shows how cocoa bean becomes chocolate bar. The past also comes to life through a selection of photographs that retrace the factory’s history from its humble origins in 1898 right up to the 1960s. This journey through time brings memories to life.

The very best is saved until last: with appetites whetted, visitors can then visit a specially designed shop which sells the entire range of Cailler of Switzerland chocolates.

More information about the factory can be found on their website: https://cailler.ch/en/maison-cailler/la-chocolaterie-suisse/

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The Dizzying Heights of Glacier 3000

5th June 2018

The excursion to Glacier 3000 is a highlight of any adventure to Camp Suisse. The glacier is the highest point of the Lake Geneva region, and is home to the only suspension bridge in the world connecting two mountain peaks. It is called Peak Walk by Tissot.

The bridge connects the smaller peak (View Point) with the 5 metre higher main peak (Scex Rouge) and takes all guests to incredible heights. The 107 metre long and 80 centimetre wide bridge offers a stunning view onto the Alps: the Matterhorn, Mont Blanc, Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau are all visible from the bridge and offer grandiose views, far off into the distance. The suspension bridge is free of charge and open year-round subject to weather conditions.

Glacier 3000 also features a marked glacier trail, which runs from Scex Rouge to Quille du Diable and is open all year-round. The walk begins directly at the Scex Rouge mountain station. Those who prefer to take it a bit easier, can take the Ice Express chairlift to the glacier and can begin their walk in the snow from there.

Year after year, our campers enthuse over our dog sledding experience. The joy of the pack of dogs moving around in the snow is contagious, and felt by everyone watching them. The Huskies pull you through the beautiful glacier landscape and allow you to have a very special experience.

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The impact of foreign language study on young people

28th February 2018

Here at Camp Suisse we believe that providing fun and dynamic language classes for our campers is really important and adds great value to the camp experience. We make use of some amazing and passionate native speakers who come from far and wide in Europe, including Granada, Montpellier and south Germany. We create an authentic, diverse and invaluable cultural experience for our young campers.

So why are languages and cultural awareness just so important? If you’re not sure – then read on.

Intelligence and Success

• Languages are challenging and young minds are very impressionable – meaning it’s much easier to learn while young.
• Studies have shown that learning another language improves cognitive skills therefore improving a young person’s capacity to learn in general.

Social Skills  

• Exposure to new and challenging experiences develops a child’s confidence and teaches them that they are capable of more than they may have known, and more than they are comfortable with.
• The understanding of culture that accompanies the study of a language helps children to become more empathetic, more socially aware and more flexible to different situations.

Professional Advantages 

• In an increasingly globalized economy, it is invaluable for international companies to have employees who are not only accomplished in their discipline, but who can express and share their knowledge in another language.
• The ability to negotiate and debate in a foreign language adds great strength to a CV or professional portfolio.

We don’t know about you, but we are definitely convinced!

How to keep your loved ones entertained, inspired and active over the summer holidays – Camp Suisse Day Camps

12th January 2018

Here at CS HQ, we are very excited to announce the introduction of our Day Camps for summer 2018. It is now even easier (and cheaper) to enjoy the Camp Suisse experience on a part time basis.
Whether it is for a morning, afternoon or a full day, you can sign up for a wide range of activities under the expert guidance of Camp Suisse staff and have the opportunity to mix with children from all over the world.
As with the well-established residential program at Camp Suisse, the aim is to help our campers build confidence and learn new skills in the safest possible environment. Our team has spent many years developing an Alpine Adventure activity programme that is second to none at our beautiful location in the mountains of Torgon.
Guests learn new skills and sports, participate in outdoor pursuits and adventures, learn or improve language skills, explore Swiss culture and, above all, make new friends.

Camp Suisse Day Camps are available for anyone between the ages of 5 and 17 and are ideal for working parents looking for childcare and for families visiting Switzerland looking for amazing activities for their children whilst exploring the local area.
As an accredited ‘Adventuremark’ provider, we are proud to uphold the highest standards of safety. Expert guidance is provided at all ability levels by experienced activity leaders, qualified instructors and coaches. Activities include language classes, mountain biking, climbing, baking, navigation, sports coaching as well as many others. The camp is English and French speaking with language courses available in French, English, German or Spanish. Last summer we were proud to welcome youngsters from over 35 countries to our truly international environment.
If you are looking for something different for your youngsters this summer an escape to the mountains could be just what they need. With the option to do the occasional overnight stay as required, the Camp Suisse Day Camp is the best of both worlds. Pick up and Drop off at Aigle available (full days only).

Day Camp Prices are 60 CHF per half day including lunch with discounts available for 5 days or more and free transport to and from Aigle station. To find out more contact info@campsuisse.com or call us on +44 845 5191031.

Parlez-vous français ?

10th January 2018

Introducing…. our French intensive camp in Switzerland!

Could there be any better place than the Swiss mountains to learn French in natural real life context?

We are really proud to offer a French intensive program for our campers that want to learn French quickly in a busy, fun, stimulating environment.

Our amazing French-speaking team provide incredible opportunities to maximise campers’ exposure and learning of the French language: including classes, daily routines, excursions and evening activities! Our techniques are adapted to the ability level and the age of our campers to enable them to improve their French at their own level.

In addition to the standard Camp Suisse programs, participants on the French Intensive Program undertake an extra 3 language classes per week as well as an additional French cultural excursion, usually to one of the French local markets in Evian or the Abondance valley.

The team’s goal is to help our campers grow in a French speaking bubble without feeling like they are at school. With that aim in mind our teachers design stimulating and fun classes, along with various opportunities to learn French with French movies, game boards in French, sports in French…

The idea is to allow our summer campers to be stimulated in French all the time but in a lively and interactive way.

A bientôt !

Elsa Martin, Language Team Manager

The origins of Outdoor Education

6th March 2017

German visionary Kurt Hahn was one of the early pioneers of outdoor education. He was an insightful educator, an influencer and leaves a legacy of expeditionary learning concepts that have been incredibly influential over the years.

Hahn’s values included “concern and compassion for others”, “the willingness to accept responsibility”, and “concern and tenacity in pursuit of the truth”.

From his work, and that of other educational leaders, ELOB (Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound) schools were born, along with ten key expeditionary learning principles which are invaluable today in describing what it means to foster a caring, adventurous school culture and approach to learning.

The primacy of self-discovery
“Who in the world am I? Ah, that’s the great puzzle.”
― Lewis Carroll

Learning happens best with emotion, challenge and support. We discover our abilities, values, passions, and responsibilities in situations that offer adventure and the unexpected. The primary task of a youth development professional should be to help youngsters to overcome their fears and importantly to challenge their self belief (facilitate the discovery that they are capable of more than they thought). Eg with tasks that require perseverance, fitness, craftsmanship, imagination, self-discipline, and significant achievement.
The having of wonderful ideas
Building on children’s curiosity about the world by creating learning situations that provide matter to think about, adequate time to experiment, and time to make sense of what is observed.
The responsibility for learning
Learning has to be both an individual process of discovery and a social activity. We learn both individually and as part of a group. Learners should be encouraged to be responsible for directing their own (personal and collective) learning.
Empathy and caring
Learning is fostered best in communities where students’ and teachers’ ideas are respected and where there is mutual trust. Small groups may facilitate this, with a caring adult looking after the progress and acting as an advocate for each child. Older students should mentor younger ones.
Success and failure
Everyone needs to enjoy some success if they are to build the confidence and capacity to take risks and meet increasingly difficult challenges. But it is also important to learn from failure, to persevere when things are hard, and to learn to turn disabilities into opportunities.
Collaboration and competition
Individual development and group development should be integrated so that the value of friendship, trust, and group action is clear. Students should be encouraged to compete not against each other but with their own personal best and with rigorous standards of excellence.
Diversity and inclusion
Both diversity and inclusion increase the richness of ideas, creative power, problem-solving ability and respect for others. It is beneficial for students to investigate their different histories, cultures and talents as well as those of other communities or cultures. Learning groups should be heterogeneous.
The natural world
Direct respectful relationship with the natural world teaches the essential ideas of recurring cycles and cause and effect. Students will learn to become ambassadors of the earth and of future generations.
Solitude and reflection
We need to explore our own thoughts in time alone. Individuals should make their own connections and create their own ideas. We also need time to exchange reflections with others.
Service and compassion
“We are crew, not passengers”. It is important to prepare youngsters with the attitudes and skills to learn from and be of service to others.

Kurt Hahn founded Outward Bound, the Duke of Edinburgh Award, and the United World Colleges and played a key role in shaping the evolution of outdoor education for schools and youth groups for many decades to come. His ‘six declines of modern youth’ including “Decline of Fitness due to modern methods of locomotion [moving about], Decline of memory and imagination due to the confused restlessness of modern life, the decline of skill and care due to the weakened tradition of craftsmanship and the decline of self-discipline due to the ever-present availability of stimulants and tranquillisers” still resonate with youth leaders today.

Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) Quality Badge.

1st December 2016

News flash…Camp Suisse has recently been accredited with the Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) Quality Badge; a UK benchmark which confirms our status as a provider of safe and high quality educational experiences for our guests.

At Camp Suisse we have always strongly supported the important role learning outside the classroom plays in a child’s education. We understand the significant contribution to improving pupils’ personal, social & emotional development played by learning experiences outside of a classroom setting, as well as the positive contribution to the quality and depth of learning.

To achieve the LOtC Quality Badge Camp Suisse was assessed against a number of Quality Indicators set by the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom.

We are continually developing and improving the outdoor educational experiences available to our guests and we look forward to implementing the LOtC Quality Badge across our range of products and programmes in 2017.

If you would like to know any more about the LOtC Quality Badge or our outdoor education, International Award, modern foreign language (MFL) or school ski programmes please contact us via info@campsuisse.com

Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award

6th October 2016

A huge “Well done” to all this summer’s participants in our Duke of Edinburgh programme. We were delighted to sign off a number of Residential Projects and to run several Adventurous Journeys during summer 2016 in support of this great organisation that we are very proud to be a part of. #dofe #expedition #campsuisse #goldaward 

Staff focus: Emma W, resort manager

3rd March 2016

As part of our ‘staff focus’ series, catching up with members of Camp Suisse staff, we recently caught up with Emma W and heard all about her exciting new language venture.

Age: 36

Nationality: British

Languages: English, French, Spanish and learning Mandarin and Brazilian Portuguese.

Role at Camp Suisse: Resort Manager

Qualifications: BA Hons French and Spanish

How many seasons did you work at CS: 3 years

What interested you in working for CS: I am interested in languages and travel and decided to see what work was available in other countries. I searched and found Camp Suisse advertised I researched the company and the area in which it is based in Switzerland. I was really impressed with what I found out so decided to apply. A couple of months later I was on my way to Switzerland.

What kept you coming back: Camp Suisse is a really great company to work for, apart from being based in the beautiful Swiss Alps, I really like the company ethos. Julie and Richard are passionate about developing children and young adults through the camp experience. The campers have a great time and it is really satisfying as a member of staff to see how your hard work pays off. The staff also gain from the experience, it’s not only the campers who make friends for life, in fact tomorrow I am heading off to Amsterdam to visit a friend who I met at Camp Suisse! There are also opportunities for staff to develop and really enhance their skills and CV whilst working at Camp Suisse and this is really attractive as an employee.

What are you doing now: I have started a business called The Language Guys; we provide online language tuition in a variety of languages.

That’s really interesting, tell us more: I wanted to combine two interests of mine: my passion for languages and entrepreneurship. The Language Guys aims to modernise the way we learn languages by taking advantage of modern technology. We provide online language tuition via video link, meaning anyone with an Internet connection can learn a language at a time and place to suit them. I believe the best way to learn a language is from a native speaker and this is one of the main features of The Language Guys; we only use native speakers. I also want to make language tuition affordable to all, regardless of social or economic status. I have set up a social project in Mexico through The Language Guys, where I use a portion of the company profits to offer language tuition to people who would otherwise not be able to access quality language education. You can read all about the project on our website www.thelanguageguys.com

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time: I see myself developing my business further and being able to make more of a social contribution. At present we do our social work with students in Mexico and I would really like to be able to extend this to other Latin American countries such as Colombia, Nicaragua etc. I will still be travelling and learning about new cultures and meeting people from around the world. I will definitely still be learning languages!

If you could have dinner with anyone, past or present who would it be?: This is a really difficult question, there are so many people! I would probably not choose a famous person or poignant figure; I’d rather be taken to a new country and have dinner with a family to learn about their culture. Other than that I’d like to have a big dinner party with all the people I have met from around the world on my travels so I can catch up with everybody!