We know there’s a lot to think about when preparing your child for Summer Camp. Here you’ll find answers to our most frequently asked questions, from boarding and travel to classes, activities and life at camp.
Boarding
Everything you need to know about boarding and accommodation.
| Q: Do the bedrooms or campus buildings have air conditioning? |
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A: No. Due to local energy and environmental regulations, air conditioning is not permitted on our campus. Fortunately, Beau Soleil's alpine location at 1,350 metres provides naturally cooler temperatures, especially during the evenings and overnight. |
| Q: Can I request for my child to share a room with a friend? |
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A: Absolutely. During the online application process, simply specify the request in the "Rooming Request" section and we will do our best to make it happen. Please note that the requested roommate must:
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| Q: If I specify a rooming request during the application process, is it guaranteed? |
| A: No. While we always do our very best to accommodate rooming requests, they can never be guaranteed due to room availability, building allocations, and overall camp logistics. |
| Q: Will my child be sharing a room with another camper? |
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A: Not necessarily. At Beau Soleil, we have a combination of:
As a result, we cannot guarantee that a camper will share a room with another child unless they are part of our Junior section. |
| Q: My child is a Junior camper. Will they have a roommate? |
| A: Yes. All Junior boarding houses consist of double and triple rooms. We know how important it is for younger campers to feel comfortable and supported, and therefore Junior campers (ages 8-10) will always share a room with one or more fellow campers. |
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Q: Can I request for my child to stay in a boarding house on the main campus? |
A: No. Our boarding houses are allocated based on:
The only section we typically guarantee on the main campus is the Junior section, with:
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Q: Can I make multiple rooming requests, such as roommate, room view, floor level, or en-suite bathroom? |
| A: No. Each camper may have one rooming request only, which should be used for a roommate request if applicable.
Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate requests regarding:
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Q: Are all rooms identical? |
| A: No. Our campus is spread across 12 different boarding houses, all with their own character, layout, size, and room configurations.
As a result, rooms may differ slightly from one building to another. |
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Q: Do all rooms have an en-suite bathroom? |
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A: No. While some rooms have en-suite facilities, others use shared bathrooms. When bathrooms are shared:
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Q: Do you have mixed-gender boarding houses? |
| A: No. All boarding houses are separated by gender to ensure an age-appropriate and comfortable living environment for our campers. |
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Q: Are there staff members in the buildings at night? |
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A: Absolutely. Every boarding house has at least one residential staff member present overnight, and often several. This ensures that campers can receive assistance immediately if required, whether for:
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| Q: What happens if my child feels homesick? |
| A: Our staff is trained to support campers experiencing homesickness and will work closely with your child to help them settle into camp life.
Should additional support be needed, our Health Center team is available on campus 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. |
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Q: How are rooms allocated? |
A: Rooms are allocated based on:
Our team carefully plans all allocations before campers arrive to create the best possible boarding experience. |
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Q: Can siblings stay together in the same room? |
| A: Yes.
Siblings can share a room provided they:
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Q: Are rooms cleaned during camp? |
| A: Yes. Our Housekeeping team cleans all camper rooms twice per week.
Campers are simply expected to keep their rooms tidy between cleans. |
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Q: Are bed linens and towels provided? |
A: Yes. Each camper receives:
These are provided in the room upon arrival. |
| Q: Is there Wi-Fi in the boarding houses? |
| A: Yes. Wi-Fi is available in the boarding houses during the campers' designated phone time, which is typically up to two hours per day. |
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Q: Are valuables stored securely? |
A: Yes. Every camper is provided with their own secure safe within their room for storing valuables such as:
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Q: Can campers choose their own room upon arrival? |
| A: No. Room allocations are organized by the Summer Camp team before campers arrive on campus. |
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Q: Are boys and girls allowed to visit each other's boarding houses? |
| A: No. This is strictly forbidden. All boarding houses are gender-specific, and access is restricted accordingly. |
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Q: Are laundry facilities available? |
| A: Yes. Campers have access to laundry services twice per week, ensuring they have clean clothing throughout their stay. |
Day Camp
Practical information for Day Camp families.
| Q: Can I sign up my child for just one week of Day Camp? |
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A: Yes. Campers can join our Odyssey Week programme, which runs for one week. Our Classical Camp sessions are designed as two-week programmes, so it is not possible to enrol for just one week of Classical Camp. |
| Q: Can I change between Day Camp and Boarding during my child's session? |
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A: This is not usually possible. Boarding accommodation is allocated before camp begins and is typically fully occupied throughout the session. If your child is attending multiple sessions, however, they may join as a day camper for one session and a boarding camper for another. |
| Q: Does Day Camp only run Monday to Friday? |
| A: No. Day Camp runs every day of the programme, including weekends.
The only difference in our session dates for day campers, is that day campers finish on the final Friday of each Classical Camp session (or the final Saturday for Odyssey Week), as the last day of camp is a departure day and no activities take place. |
| Q: What are the day camp pick-up and drop-off times? |
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A: Parents can choose from the following options: Drop-off
Pick-up
Families are welcome to choose the option that best suits their schedule. |
| Q: Can I change pick-up and drop-off times each day? |
| A: Yes. We simply ask that you stick to one of the time options offered, and keep your child's monitor informed of your plans and notify them of any changes. |
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Q: How do I contact my child's monitor? |
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A: You will meet your child's monitor on arrival day and receive their contact details. You can contact them by phone or message if needed, and our Summer Camp management team is always available should you have any questions during your child's stay. |
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Q: What should my child bring to Day Camp? |
A: Campers should bring a day backpack containing:
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Morning Classes
Information about classes, levels and groups.
| Q: What morning classes can my child attend? |
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A: All campers can choose to study French, English or Spanish. Senior campers (ages 14-17) who already have an advanced level of English may also choose Entrepreneurship or Public Speaking classes instead of studying a language. |
| Q: How are language ability levels determined? |
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A: On the first Monday morning of each Classical Camp session, campers complete a short oral assessment with our teaching team. This helps us place each camper in the most appropriate class. We cater for all levels, from beginner to advanced. |
| Q: What if I feel my child is in the wrong language group? |
| A: If you or your child feel the class level is not appropriate, please speak to us as early as possible. Our Head of Academics will review the placement and, where appropriate, adjust the class. |
| Q: How many students are in each class? |
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A: Classes have a maximum of 12 students and are organised by both age group and language level. |
| Q: Can I change my child's class before or during camp? |
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A: Yes. Course selections can be changed before camp begins. During the first few days of camp, a change may be requested subject to availability and approval from our academic team. Because class sizes are limited, changes cannot always be accommodated. No class changes can be made during the second week of the course. |
Afternoon & Evening Activities
What to expect from activities outside the classroom.
| Q: What afternoon activities will my child take part in? |
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A: Campers enjoy a wide range of sports, excursions and outdoor adventures, including watersports, high-ropes courses, climbing, via ferrata, canyoning, wave-pool surfing, trampoline parks, virtual reality experiences and much more. |
| Q: Can my child choose their afternoon activities? |
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A: No. Activities follow a fixed programme and campers participate with their activity group. This approach encourages campers to try new experiences, build confidence and take part fully in camp life. |
| Q: Are activities adapted to different ability levels? |
| A: Yes. Activities are organised by age group and are suitable for all experience levels, including beginners.
Many of our adventure activities, such as canyoning, via ferrata and watersports, naturally accommodate a wide range of abilities within the same group. |
| Q: Can my child be in the same activity group as a friend or sibling? |
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A: Maybe! We accept one group request per camper during registration. If the campers are in the same age section and of the same gender, we will do our best to accommodate the request, although this cannot be guaranteed. |
| Q: How large are activity groups? |
| A: For Teens and Seniors, activity groups typically consist of up to 12 campers with one Beau Soleil staff member, alongside specialist instructors where appropriate.
For Juniors, we operate a ratio of one staff member for every five campers, with up to 25 juniors participating in each activity. |
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Q: Are evening activities organised by age group or for the whole camp? |
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A: Both. Some activities take place within age sections, while others bring together larger groups of campers or the whole camp community. |
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Q: Can my child choose their evening activity? |
| A: No. Evening activities follow a planned programme designed to bring campers together and create a shared camp experience.
Highlights include themed events, sports tournaments, the International Festival and the Gala Evening. |
Travel
Everything you need to know about arrivals, departures, transfers and travel documents.
| Q: Which airport should my child fly to and from? |
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A: Our nearest airport is Geneva Airport, where the majority of our campers arrive and depart. The transfer to Beau Soleil takes less than two hours by road. |
| Q: Are airport transfers included in the camp fee? |
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A: Yes. Group transfers between Geneva Airport and Beau Soleil on official arrival and departure days are included in the camp fee. Transfers from other airports are not included but can be arranged at an additional cost. Please note that parents are not permitted to travel on student transfer transport. A private transfer for families can be arranged on request for CHF 560. |
| Q: Does my child need a visa? |
| A: Some nationalities require a visa to enter Switzerland. Visa processing can take several weeks, so we recommend checking requirements with your local Swiss Embassy well in advance.
Please note that obtaining the necessary visa and travel documentation is the responsibility of parents. |
| Q: Can you collect children travelling as Unaccompanied Minors? |
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A: Yes. If your child is booked with an airline's Unaccompanied Minor (UM) service, please indicate this on your transport form before camp begins. A dedicated staff member will meet your child at the airport and assist them during arrival or departure procedures. There is an additional charge of CHF 150 per journey for this service. |
| Q: How long before their flight will my child leave campus? |
| A: Campers usually depart Beau Soleil approximately four hours before their scheduled flight. This allows around two hours for the journey to the airport and two hours for check-in, baggage drop and security procedures. |
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Q: Will somebody be responsible for my child at the airport? |
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A: Yes. For arriving campers travelling independently, our team will meet them directly in the arrivals area at Geneva Airport. Staff can be easily identified by their orange Beau Soleil polo shirts. They will then accompany campers on the transfer to campus and ensure they arrive safely. |
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Q: What time can I drop my child off on campus? |
| A: Families are welcome to arrive on campus between 10:00 and 16:00 on arrival day.
You are also invited to join us for lunch and a campus tour during this time. |
| Q: What time can I collect my child on departure day? |
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A: If you are collecting your child directly from campus, we recommend arriving between 08:00 and 12:00. |
| Q: Can I help my child settle in and unpack? |
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A: Yes. Parents are welcome to see their child's room on arrival day, and families of Junior campers are welcome to help them unpack and settle in. For Teens and Seniors, we encourage independence from the start of camp and kindly ask parents not to remain during the unpacking process. Our staff will be on hand to support them as needed. |
Pastoral Care & Camper Wellbeing
Everything you need to know about your child’s health, wellbeing and care at camp.
| Q: What food do you serve at camp? |
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A: Meals are freshly prepared by our chefs and designed to be healthy, balanced and enjoyable for campers. A variety of options are available at each meal, including vegetarian choices. Meals containing pork are clearly identified. Snacks are also provided during activities and excursions. Please let us know about any dietary requirements or allergies on the health form completed before camp. |
| Q: Can you accommodate food allergies and dietary requirements? |
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A: Yes. Our catering team can accommodate a wide range of allergies and dietary requirements. Where necessary, campers will receive specially prepared meals to ensure their safety and wellbeing. We ask families to inform us of dietary requirements before camp so appropriate arrangements can be made. Please note in this case, campers are not able to choose from multiple options and meal selections, as our priority is ensuring they have a suitable meal catering to their needs. |
| Q: Can my child buy additional snacks? |
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A: Yes. During Classical Camp, campers can purchase additional snacks from our on-campus café, 1910. Campers also have opportunities to visit Villars during supervised free time and may purchase snacks there with their pocket money. If they wish, they may also bring snacks from home to keep in their room. |
| Q: What happens if my child becomes ill at camp? |
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A: Our Health Centre is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week should a camper require medical attention. Doctors are also available locally for external consultations if needed, and the nearest hospital is approximately 25 minutes from campus. |
| Q: What happens if my child takes medication? |
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A: All medications and medical conditions should be declared on the health form prior to arrival. Medication is collected by the Health Centre on arrival and stored securely. Our medical team administers medication according to medical instructions and prescriptions. Campers who require medication during camp will visit the Health Centre, where staff manage its administration. |
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Q: How is on-campus supervision organised? |
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A: Campers are supervised by dedicated pastoral staff throughout the day, including during activities, meals, free time and in the boarding houses. Our team lives and works alongside campers, ensuring a safe, supportive and well-supervised environment at all times. |
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Q: What happens if my child is homesick? |
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A: Homesickness is a normal part of some campers' experiences, particularly during the first few days, especially for first-time boarding campers. Our staff are highly experienced in helping campers settle in, make friends and become comfortable with camp life. We will keep parents informed as appropriate and work together to support each child in the best possible way. |
| Q: Can I contact my child during camp? |
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A: Campers have access to phones and electronic devices during two designated times each day, and we encourage parents to contact them during these periods. If you need to reach your child urgently outside those times, our camp management team can always assist you. |
| Q: What are the expectations of campers during their stay? |
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A: Campers are expected to behave responsibly and follow the Summer Camp rules and values. Any ongoing behavioral concerns will be reviewed by the Heads of Summer Camp and, where necessary, referred to the Principal. |
Other Common Questions
Practical information about pocket money, devices and staying connected.
| Q: How does pocket money work? |
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A: We recommend the following amounts:
This recommended pocket money amount is included on camp invoices but is not compulsory. For campers who have pre-paid pocket money, funds can be withdrawn from the School Shop once per week. Additional funds can also be arranged through our Finance Department before arrival. We discourage campers from carrying large amounts of cash and ask that all money be provided in Swiss Francs. If additional pocket money is required during camp, families can contact the camp team to arrange a top-up. |
| Q: What is your phone and electronic devices policy? |
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A: Teen and Senior campers may use phones and personal electronic devices for a maximum of two hours per day, usually within the below time slots:
For Junior campers, we limit phones and personal electronic devices use to approximately 1 hour a day, usually within the below time slots:
Please note that the exact timing may vary slightly depending on the schedule each day. Outside of these times, devices are stored by camp staff to encourage participation in camp life and help campers make the most of their experience. If your child does not have a phone, their monitor will provide them with a staff phone to use to contact home during these times. |
| Q: Can I receive photos of my child during camp? |
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A: Yes. We offer an optional photography package, which provides families with a personalised digital album of their child's camp experience. The cost is:
The package can be added during registration or before camp begins. All families also receive a weekly newsletter featuring photos from camp activities. However, with up to 260 campers attending each session, we cannot guarantee that every child will appear in the newsletter photographs. We also regularly share updates, photos and stories on our Instagram and Facebook channels throughout the summer. |
