Schools and Groups
A word from the Directors
Dear Group Leader,
Welcome to the Haut-Lac International Centre. We are delighted that you are considering us as the destination for your school trip and we will work extremely hard to make sure that your students have an amazing experience here at Haut-Lac. We hope that the information we provide for you will help you make a decision on where to send your students and that like the thousands of other students we have already welcomed, we will get the chance to meet you and your group and be able to provide you with an unique and memorable experience.
Since 1987 the Haut-Lac International Centre has been providing high-quality, short-term educational and activity programmes for school groups and students from all over the world. You will find Haut-Lac to be the ideal place to deliver an unforgettable experience for your students - at any time of the year!
Best regards
Steve & Julie Mc Shane
Directors
What other group leaders say!!!
"I would like to thank you for a wonderful week at Haut-Lac. I was most impressed by the care and attention to detail shown by all members of staff in what was your busiest week. It was a pleasure to see so many young people enjoy themselves in a safe relaxed environment.The ski instructors, monitors and house staff all deserve praise for their professional approach. Each year the ski school seems to set itself even higher standards from the year previous. The instructors (Ginge, Luke, Dan and Kevin) were particularly friendly and their kind, patient and enthusiastic approach was to be admired. The week ran extremely smoothly and this can only be attributed to your excellent organisational skills and the dedication of your staff. Once again a big thank you and we look forward to seeing you next year."
Michael Mallett – Homefield School Sutton England¨
"Please pass on our sincere thanks to all the staff and to Julie, Mark and Reg for making the trip so successful. It really was the best ski trip we have been on and we look forward to returning next year.' Gail Sproule – Strabane High School Northern Ireland 'Many thanks for another excellent week! Staff and pupils had a wonderful time! See you all again next year."
Rosemary Mc Cauley – Coleraine College N. Ireland
"I don’t think we ever firmly agreed that IPS would love to come again next year at the same time, but if you were in any doubt, please don’t be! Ink us indelibly next to Homefield, please!"
Keith Birch – Ibstock School London
"Please thank all of your staff for our fantastic week. It was an absolutely brilliant ski trip. Thanks to yourself as well."
Paul Leeming – Kingsland Grange School England
Programmes
- Ski Programmes
- Ski-Language Programmes in French, English, German or Spanish
- Field Study Programmes in Geography and Biology
- Language Activity programmes in French, English or German
- Multi-Activity Programmes
- Adventure Sport Programmes
- Team-Building and Leadership Programmes
- Sport Programmes
- Cultural Programmes
All of these options are available seperately or can be combined to produce your unique programme.
At Haut-Lac we offer the most complete trips possible wrapped up in a single price with no extras to pay on arrival.
Included in your price are the following services:
- One free staff place for every ten students
- A special price for extra staff
- Our team to help organise your transport requirements to and from Switzerland
- A complete risk assessment dossier
- A free Haut-Lac House Team T-shirt for each participant
- Full board accommodation in 2, 3 and 4 bedded rooms with buffet breakfast, lunch with extensive salad bar or picnic depending on the chosen programme and a 3 course dinner with a choice of main course
- The comfort of a student only Centre
- The possibility of combining different programmes to create your own unique experience
- A separate Teacher dining room with a bar and relaxation area and limited free wine and drinks with dinner
- Teachers dinner after the students have finished and are occupied with the evening programme
- All necessary equipment for your programme
- A Centre Manager on duty at each phase of the day coordinating your programme
- Fully qualified Staff to deliver your chosen programme
- Extensive supervision by Haut-Lac staff throughout the entire day and evening
- Transfers for activities by minibus or train or coach (if your group has come by coach)
- Haut-Lac staff all equipped with first aid packs and walkie talkies in case of emergencies
- Haut Lac staff every day on accident and hospital duty
- Students collected from hospital and transported back to the Centre
- Haut-Lac staff to pick up prescriptions for any ill or injured students
- Haut-Lac staff to look after injured or sick students at the Centre
- A Haut-Lac House Team system to add atmosphere to all activities and to aid in group organisation
- A full and fun evening programme organised and run by Haut-Lac staff including indoor football or basketball, tournaments in pool, table tennis, table football, air hockey and Playstation games, disco’s, cinema, crazy games, quiz nights, karaoke, casino nights, talent shows, art and crafts, circuit training, aerobics and much more
- Free use of 4 pool tables, 12 Playstation, 2 table tennis tables, 2 air hockey tables 4 table football tables and an 80 seat big screen cinema
- A final night presentation ceremony with a 4.5kg toblerone bar for the winning House Team
- A shop onsite for goods and souvenirs
- Haut-Lac staff to organise the students bedputting and to stay on the floors with the students at night in case of emergencies or problems
On our ski programmes we also include the following services
- Return airport transfers in Switzerland
- A ski pass for the Gstaad Super Ski Region for the duration of your stay – 250km of ski runs including the Diablerets Glacier at 3000 metres which has snow all year round
- Skis, ski boot, pole and helmet hire
- Medical insurance including helicopter evacuation
- Equipment hire done on arrival day in the Centre (unless it is a late evening arrival)
- A superviser on the slopes each day coordinating the ski programme
- 1 fully qualified English speaking ski instructor for every 9 students who looks after their group from the morning to the evening when we return to the Centre including the walk to the train station and back
- Extensive ski lessons throughout the whole of each ski day up to 6 hours a day
- A final day slalom race for all students with gold, silver and bronze medals for the top 3 students in each ski group
- An assessment of skiing ability for each student leading to the award of a Snowlife Snowsport ski level
- A transfer to the ski slopes by exclusive reserved carriage on the MOB train which is one of the premium tourist trains in Europe
- Picnic lunch delivered to the ski station and served to the students in a reserved picnic room
- Ski instructors all equipped with first aid packs and walkie talkies in case of emergencies
- Haut Lac staff on the slopes every day on accident and hospital duty
- A final night presentation ceremony where all students receive a Snowlife Snowsport booklet and medal, slalom medals for top 3 in each ski group and a 4.5kg toblerone bar for the winning House Team
Important information:
At the Haut-Lac International Centre ski helmets are compulsory for all students up to and including 16 year olds. Helmets are now highly recommended in Switzerland for everyone and in studying our accident record over the last 10 years we have found that our accident ratio and lost ski time would be dramatically reduced with the use of ski helmets. You can bring a helmet with you or you can hire them when you arrive at Haut-Lac.
On this website you will find more detailed information on the various programmes just click into ski camps, summer camps, excursions or field study programmes.
House Teams
Since we started running our programmes we have been running house teams for our students. In recent years this has been made popular by the Harry Potter books and movies. 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.
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, 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 and background check 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 tod