Village Camps

Village Camps - International Summer Camp - Switzerland - General Introduction

Ages: 7–17 years old.

Dates, 2026: July 5–18, July 19–August 1, August 2–15.

For over 40 years, the delightful alpine village of Leysin, located high above Lake Geneva, has been the center of the Village Camps summer camp. Young people from all over the world come here every year. The school building offers an amazing panoramic view of the French Alps. The camp offers various programs for young people, including adventure, sports, language, and leadership development training.

The kids will have time to enjoy the clean mountain air and natural beauty of this Alpine paradise with its pristine meadows and forests. They can visit beautiful places nearby, such as Chillon Castle on the lake shore, the city of Montreux, and the magnificent international city of Geneva.

The camp can accommodate 180 children at a time.

Key factors

• The summer camp is not limited to language learning – there are various leisure and educational programs to choose from. There are also programs without language learning.
• Excellent sports facilities – children can try an almost unlimited number of sports.
• Amazing views and a wonderful climate will make summer holidays truly enjoyable and beneficial.
• The international environment will allow you to quickly improve your language skills. 

Facilities

The camp has excellent facilities for learning, recreation, and active sports: classrooms, a huge theater, a large dining room, music and dance studios, an arts and crafts studio, and common rooms with table tennis, table football, and games.

A five-minute bus ride away are two modern sports centers with an indoor swimming pool, a large, fully equipped multi-purpose sports hall, an indoor ice rink, basketball courts, a soccer field, volleyball and beach volleyball courts, and a shooting range. The center offers 12 tennis courts (four of which are indoor), a climbing wall, a mini-golf course, squash courts, and a gym.

And, of course, the magnificent Swiss mountain landscape offers numerous hiking trails, a climbing area, bike paths, adventure trails, campfire sites, and a cozy mountain hut for overnight stays.

Program

Adventure Camp (ages 10-17)

The morning begins not with language classes, but with sports activities such as rock climbing, mountain biking, and rafting. The highlight of the program is a hike in the mountains and an overnight stay in a hut. The main goals of the program are to develop vital traits and skills: endurance, breathing training, patience, mutual assistance, and knowledge of the environment.

During all activities, children are accompanied by mentors and professional coaches who supervise them and provide assistance when necessary. This makes the program both interesting and safe for the children's health.

The program does not include language training and classroom lessons, but children learn conversational language very well in the process of organized “adventures.”

Language program - English or French (ages 10-17)

30 hours of language classes are held in the morning. Classes focus on developing speaking and listening skills. At the end of the course, all students receive certificates.

Camp for the youngest (7-9 years old)

A safe and very interesting program for children, especially those who are attending camp for the first time. Children are supervised 24 hours a day. Under the guidance of experienced instructors, children participate in various activities organized on the camp grounds throughout the day, including a variety of sports activities of their choice. Children are helped to choose sports activities and make new friends.

Leadership Development Program (ages 15-17)

The program is primarily aimed at helping young people develop personal and leadership qualities. The goal of the program is to develop leadership and communication skills, teach how to make the right decisions and how to resolve problems and conflicts.

The participants learn all this by taking part in various activities, such as rafting, canoeing, tightrope walking, rock climbing, soccer, “Olympic Games,” beach volleyball, and mountain biking. After a two-week course, the kids will feel much more confident in society, which will ultimately allow them to stand stronger on their own two feet.

Sports camp — no language classes (ages 10–17)

The program is designed for active teenagers who love sports. You can play your favorite sports or try something new. All activities are led by qualified coaches. The program includes individual and team sports: soccer, basketball, swimming, archery, beach volleyball, rock climbing, street hockey, tennis, badminton, and many others. The aim of the course is not only to introduce children to different sports, but also to encourage them to further develop their skills.

Tennis camp — without language classes (ages 7-17)

The program, conducted in conjunction with the California Tennis Academy, which provides its specialists for the duration of the course, will help improve your tennis game. Classes are led by an experienced instructor and focus on practicing basic skills, tactics, and strategies for both singles and doubles play. Students are divided into groups according to their age and skill level. In addition to training, there will be opportunities to participate in tennis tournaments where students can demonstrate their skills.

Science Laboratory (ages 10-17)

Students will learn various laboratory skills and develop their curiosity by participating in a number of projects related to the national science program for children aged 11-16. Some examples of projects:

• Understanding engineering
• Biology projects — “Science in Sports,” “Diversity in Nature”
• Chemistry projects — “Crime Scene Investigation,” “The Magic of Colors”
• Physics projects — “Up, Up, and Away,” “Super Magnets”

Accommodation and meals

Accommodation is provided on the camp grounds in spacious, comfortable rooms designed for 3-4 people. Most rooms have a bathroom and toilet. The residence offers stunning views of the Alps. Children are accommodated according to age, with boys and girls staying separately. All children are supervised by mentors who live on site.

Meals are served in a large school cafeteria. There is an unlimited selection of varied dishes to choose from. All food is prepared under the guidance of a professional chef and meets the standards of proper and healthy nutrition. The dishes are adapted to different diets and food preferences.

Sports

Basketball, dancing, soccer, mountain biking, orienteering, rock climbing, street hockey, tennis, beach volleyball, fitness, cross-country walking, overnight mountain hikes, parkour, swimming, yoga, badminton, hockey, mini golf, rafting, squash, table tennis, volleyball.

Entertainment activities

Evenings are filled with exciting creative games, spectacular events, and relaxing activities. These include:

• Campfire – after a walk through the picturesque Swiss countryside to a local scenic spot, children enjoy a campfire with marshmallows and roasted bananas with chocolate filling while watching the sun set on another beautiful day in Leysin.
• Friday Festival – begins with a hike to the beautiful Prafendaz viewpoint, where children enjoy a delicious barbecue and tasty doughnuts. After lunch, it's time to paint their faces and divide into groups to come up with and perform some cool team songs, then start the competition.
• Overnight in a mountain hut – the children take packed lunches and put on their hiking boots to set off on a night hike to the Adventure Hut. They spend the day admiring some of Switzerland's most beautiful scenery on their way up the mountain. After a hard day of hiking in the sun, they settle in for a barbecue and a peaceful night in a cozy traditional mountain hut!
• Carnival Night – the entire camp turns into a carnival filled with fun games. Children spend the day playing exciting games such as “Strong Man,” “Butter Pig,” “Balloon Stomp,” “Hot Shot,” “Guess the Candy,” “Karaoke,” and many others!
• Movie Night – Children settle down with down comforters and lots of pillows in one of the common rooms. A big screen and lots of popcorn make this an enjoyable and relaxing evening after a long and tiring day filled with active pursuits.
• Ice Skating – Children go in small groups to the ice rink in the city center. This is a chance to learn how to skate for those who have never tried it before and a great opportunity to have fun on the ice with friends. International Evening – On this day and evening, children can share the culture, dances, traditions, cuisine, and humor of their country!
• Special farewell dinner – a very special dinner in a beautifully decorated hall with a slide show capturing all the best moments of the camp. 

Evening activities are often held separately for each age group, but sometimes they are organized as joint activities when the whole camp gets together.

Excursions

The course includes one full-day excursion on Saturday and a trip to a water park and water activities on Sunday. The program includes cultural and educational trips, as well as sightseeing and shopping.

Examples of excursions:

• Trip to Geneva and visit to the United Nations.
• Trip to the Swiss capital, Bern, and visit to the Montreux Jazz Festival (for children aged 15+).
• Visit to Lausanne and trip to the Cailler chocolate factory.
• Visit to the Olympic Museum in Lausanne.
• Trip to Vevey and visit to the Adventure Park.

Schedule

Cost, 2026

CHF 5,100.
Leadership development program – CHF 5,500.
Science lab program - CHF 5,050 – CHF 5,500 (depending on the course date).

Course reservations are free of charge.

The price includes

• Tuition
• Accommodation and meals
• All sports and entertainment activities, excursions 

Additional fees

• Airfare
• Visa
• Insurance 
• Transfers to and from the airport
• Supervision during your child's stay abroad (optional)

HOW WE DIFFER FROM OTHER COMPANIES

• We have been operating since 1996.
• We select camps with a minimum number of Russian speakers.
• We only select camps with good conditions 
• We have personally inspected almost all of the schools we offer 
• We do not work with the mass market, only camps for discerning clients
• Our phone line is always open 24/7 
• Why our clients value us