Our Camp: The Haut-Lac International Summer Camp is the foundation stone on which our various programmes have been built. It has been hugely successful since it started as our opening programme in 1987. Each year brings a constantly high rate of returning students or relatives and friends of participants encouraged by them to come and sample the Haut-Lac experience. The Haut-Lac International Summer Camp can be everything for everyone: a hectic hive of activity and a haven of peace and tranquillity, a place of learning offering almost unlimited leisure activities, it is a melting pot of cultures in the traditional centre of Europe.
What makes our Camp so successful ?
Activity Programme: Our activity programme is second to none. We offer a huge range of activities for our students. On any afternoon and evening students can be presented with a choice of up to 7 different activities so there is something for everyone. The following are just some of the activities included in our summer programme price:
Team Sports – football, basketball, softball, volleyball
Sports – tennis, squash, badminton, aerobics, circuit training, tae bo, cross country running, mountain bikes, table tennis, ice skating, martial arts, dance
Activities – swimming, hiking, bowling, mini golf, art & crafts, cookery, pool, table football, playstation games, drama, Haut-Lac magazine, Haut-Lac cinema, chess, board games, pictionary, frisbee games
Theme Events – disco theme nights, casino nights, mission impossible challenge, super team challenge, Haut-Lac Olympics,
Haut
Lac you're a
Star talent show, karaoke nights, torchlight walk and campfire, treasure hunt, quiz nights
Excursions: Gruyere, Cailler Chocolate Factory, Gstaad, Fribourg, Avenches, Montreux, Vevey, Lausanne, Bern, Geneva.
Try our Action Pass and participate in some of the following activities: white water rafting, hydrospeed, canyoning, bridgejumping, dirt monster bikes, kayaking, via feratta, adventure park, horse riding, water skiing, summer skiing, archery, Europaparc,
Aquaparc, cinema, go karting, laser wars, thermal baths.
Our Language programmes: Our language programmes are designed to help address individual needs. Students can choose to study English, French or German or a combination of languages i.e. the French programme for one week and the English programme in the second week.
Our language programmes are pertinent and efficient because an entrance test and a self assessment checklist before arrival at the Centre helps teachers to gauge the level of the students and place them in appropriate classes.
A further evaluation period on the first morning of the course to assess the difference between students’ written and spoken language makes sure that students have been placed in the appropriate level or raises doubts and necessary changes are made.
Class sizes vary from three or four to ten. The small size of the groups ensures that students feel more comfortable, get more individual attention, progress more quickly and gain confidence in all aspects of their work.
Students study Monday and Tuesday, Thursday and Friday with 4 classes each morning and a revision class in the evening. The break on Wednesday has proven to be a beneficial change to our language programmes. Allowing students a rest period in the middle of the week, in general, increases the focus and enthusiasm for learning.
House Teams: Since we started running our programmes we have been running house teams for our students. Our House Team system is invaluable to the success of our summer programme.
Each week students are assigned to teams so that each team has an equal number of boys and girls and an equal number of age ranges. Up to 4 members of staff are assigned to each team so right from the first day the students in each team will get to know 4 members of staff very well and the staff will get to know the students in their team very well. Also being in a team immediately creates a common bond for the students in that team and already friendships will form. The Teams help all students settle in to life at Haut Lac quickly and comfortably. In terms of organising the students the house teams enable us to get valuable
information very quickly through daily house team meetings. Throughout the week each student can win points for their team by participating in the various activities and each week the wining Team receives a prize at the weekly presentation ceremony.
Our Staff: At Haut-Lac we have a very high ratio of staff to students. At our maximium capacity we would have 1 staff member for every 5 students. Our staff are young but experienced in their field of expertise, dynamic and responsible, energetic and enthusiastic and devoted to working with young people and to providing them with a positive life experience. All staff follow a rigorous training programme before commencing their work with us. Haut-Lac started as a family business and even though it has grown significantly since those early days the family atmosphere and values still drive our staff and our programmes today.
Our Centre - The Haut-Lac International Language and Activity Camp is located in a practical and welcoming building set in its own grounds (25,000 sq metres) overlooking the picturesque Swiss
village of
Les Sciernes in the heart of the Swiss PreAlpes. The Centre rises above the village facing south to capture incredible views of the surrounding mountains and benefiting from maximum sunlight during the warm summer season. Les Sciernes is 10 minutes from Gruyères, 30 minutes from Gstaad and 40 minutes from Montreux.
The Centre offers mainly twin-bedded rooms with a few larger rooms for four. Most of the rooms have access to large balconies overlooking the surrounding countryside. All rooms are nicely decorated and have hot and cold running water. Boys and girls stay on separate floors and each floor has 3 shower rooms and 1 bath. Staff are housed on the 3rd and 4th floors and there is a night monitor on duty on each floor in case of emergency.
The ground floor provides a communal area of large and spacious rooms with high ceilings. Comfortable furniture and décor add to the warm friendly atmosphere. On this floor are 2 large dining rooms seating up to 150 people .There is also a large salon/reception area for the students and staff to use as a meeting point or just to relax. Four games rooms are equipped with pool tables, indoor table tennis tables, table football tables, air hockey tables and play station two consoles as well as a multitude of board games. A vending machine where students can purchase snacks and drinks is also available in this area. There is also a separate games room exclusively for junior campers.
On the second floor is a multi purpose hall, always a popular venue for the disco, and this is also equipped with all the latest technology and a large cinema screen. In the basement are the sports equipment rooms and a fitness area.
The Centre has a large garden overlooking the mountains and village. A large barbecue area and wooden benches and tables for outside dining allows students to have the pleasure of eating outside and taking advantage of the warmer weather. A sand volleyball court is a popular item during the summer programme.
