As the winter break approaches, Carfax Consultants have been keeping an eye out for the top Winter Camps for 2023/24. It is no secret that Switzerland has the facilities to be the most impressive destination – the stunning Swiss Alps provide a safe, yet exhilarating environment for children to learn new skills in a new place. Many Swiss schools are making the most of this advantage and are holding camps for a wide range of ages and interests – there’s something for everyone!

As our Swiss schools consultant, Sophie Oakes says,”Swiss schools are renowned for their fantastic summer camps.  However, it is possible to make the most of the mountains and enjoy lots of skiing within the winter months as well.  Perhaps your children would enjoy a winter camp for a week or two but perhaps you might want to consider a whole term to get the most out of the winter season both on and off the slopes”.

The Swiss education system is renowned for its multifaceted approach to learning – using a mixture of traditional education methods, vocational skills and extra-curricular skills, these schools always provide when it comes to engaging their students. On these camps, pupils can expect to be stretched, in both an academic and personal capacity whilst making new friends and meeting new people.

La Garenne Winter Camps (1-4 weeks)
7 January 2024 - 15 March 2024

La Garenne's mission is to offer academic excellence and unique adventures in a warm international family environment, full of diverse opportunities, and in a safe location. With a focus on younger children, this camp features a mixture of indoor and outdoor winter activities. As well as their skiing camps, they are hosting a pre-IB camp this year for 14-16 year olds, including mentoring in IB subjects, plus Theory of Knowledge, writing for the IB and/or conversational French.

For more information, please click here.

Brillantmont Winter Camps (4-5 weeks)                                                    
7 January 2024 - 18 February 2024

If the opportunity to stay in the centre of buzzing Lausanne on this school's campus is not enough, the program will certainly convince my curious student to attend. The high school programme is taught in English and includes French classes, a variety of sports, as well as the possibility to join extra-curricular school clubs. You will get to follow classes and school life at Brillantmon and the camp incorporates winter sports into the mix too.

For more information, please click here.

St George’s International Winter Camp (5 days)                  
2 January 2024 – 7 January 2024

With a strong winter sports focus, this camp is perfect for children aged 10 to 17 years looking for a shorter camp that still provides all of the benefits of being away from home. Whether you're a seasoned racing skier aiming to elevate your performance or an enthusiastic beginner skier eager to enhance your skills, this camp has something for every child. The emphasis is not only on skiing, too, with the opportunity to relish in other winter delights such as skating and luging.

For more information, please click here.

Institut Monte Rosa Winter Camps (2-4 weeks)                                            
9 January 2024 - 9 February 2024

The perfect combination of learning and fun, Monte Rosa’s courses target students from 10 to 18 years old and focus on learning a language or perfecting linguistic skills in an international atmosphere. A great advantage of living on their campus in Montreux is the easy access to up to 15 different ski resorts, including some of the most well-known and prestigious in the world, such as Gstaad, Crans-Montana, Verbier or Les Portes du Soleil. Unlike in previous years, this year the camp will include extra excursions such as a trip to Milan to visit the attractions and learn about the city’s culture.

For more information, please click here.

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