We kindly request all parents to thoroughly explore and read through our website to ensure you have all the necessary information. We have provided comprehensive details about our programs, activities, and policies to answer most of your questions.
Please take the time to review everything carefully. If, after doing so, you find that something is not clear or you have further questions, feel free to contact us. We're here to help, but your understanding of the provided information will streamline our communication and allow us to assist you more efficiently.
Also, please check your email spam folders regularly, during your child's stay at our camps.
Thank you for your cooperation!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chemin de la Grande Gouille 1
1470 Estavayer-le-Lac
Switzerland
(+41) 079 530 12 62
Link for joining the WhatsApp group: click here
Please note that the camp leader's phone will be available starting Sunday, July 13.
Our office is open Monday to Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For urgent matters from July 13 onward, you can contact the camp leader directly.
Please pack your luggage in a compact and easy-to-carry format – ideally a small suitcase or backpack. It’ll make carrying it much easier for you, save space in the room, and help us organize and transport everything more efficiently (especially if you’ve booked the accompanied train transfer).
-
- IMPORTANT
o ID/Passport (original) -> if you live outside of Switzerland
o ID/Passport (copy) -> if you live in Switzerland
-> If you booked the train transfer from Bern or Zurich, you must bring your original ID/ Passport.
o special medicine (if needed)
o health insurance card (copy)
o a thin sleeping bag: for the dormitory -> In the 4-bed rooms, the bed linen is included in the price!1 - 2. HYGIENEo 2 towels (1 bath towel & 1 space-saving microfiber towel, if available)
o shampoo & shower gel
o toothbrush & toothpaste
o toiletries
o paper handkerchiefs2 - 3. CLOTHES & SHOESo plastic bags for dirty laundry
o hiking shoes / waterproof shoes
o sneakers / trainers
o slippers
o pants, long & short
o t-shirts & sweaters
o underwear, socks & pyjamas
o rain jacket (for bad weather)
o sportswear and sports shoes
o swimwear or bikini/swimsuit3 - 4. CLASSo writing utensils
o notebook for new words
o maybe dictionary
o maybe schoolbooks / copies of old exams (e.g., for the intensive course)4 - 5. SPORT & FREE TIMEo small backpack
o sunglasses
o sun protection (sun cream), after sun
o wrist watch
o reusable waterbottle5 - 6. OTHER ITEMSo Pocket money (Around 50 CHF
per week for snacks,
refreshments, souvenirs etc.)6 - 7. OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
(only if already pre-booked)SAILING COURSE AND WATERSKI/WAKEBOARD:
The required equipment will be provided by friLingue.7
- OPTION 1: INDIVIDUAL
Arrival by car:
Please arrive at the camp address between 05.00pm and 06.00pm on Sunday.
Individual arrival by public transport to Estavayer train station:
We offer a free pick-up service from the Estavayer train station. To take advantage of this service, you must arrive at the train station station between 04.30pm and 05.15pm.There will be someone (or several people) waiting for you with a friLingue t-shirt/sign. The station is quite small, it should not be a problem to find the staff.
If you want to arrive earlier or later, you have to find your own way to the camp. Unfortunately, due to logistical reasons, we can only offer the pick up service in the mentioned time frame. If you want to book the pick up service, please let us know at least 3 days in advance!
- OPTION 2: WITH THE ACCOMPANIED TRAIN TRANSFER FROM ZURICH OR BERN
What is the accompanied train transfer (BZ)?
For the arrival and departure, we organise an accompanying train transfer from Zurich and Bern main stations. From the meeting point (please scroll down to the end of this page to see the information about the meeting point) at the train station, you will go to the camp together with our staff and many fellow participants, so you can get to know each other and rid yourself of any doubts.
If you would like to enroll for the accompanied train transfer, you can do so with the following link. If you have already booked the accompanied train transfer at the time of registration, then you do not need to fill out the form.
Important: Bookings for the accompanied train transfer can only be made until Friday at 4.00 p.m. (if the camp starts on Sunday). Later bookings will not be processed. For changes made after the deadline (cancellation or new camp destination), as well as for last-minute bookings received 5 days or less before the camp start, an administration fee of 50 CHF will be charged.
- OPTION 3: AIRPORT TRANSFERS
If you are coming from outside of Switzerland, have booked an airport transfer and have already completed the form, then your transfer service should already have been arranged.
If you haven’t yet booked an airport transfer but would like to, please visit our Airport transfers page and contact us via email after: international@frilingue.com
- No one is allowed to leave the camp area alone.
- In order to ensure the safety of the participants, some public areas of the camp (e.g. the entrance area) are under video surveillance. The recordings are not passed on to third parties and are automatically deleted after a maximum of 7 days.
- Leaving the camp facilities after sleep time (after 10pm) is strictly prohibited. Participants who leave the camp facility after 10pm, or are caught climbing out of the bedroom windows and climbing onto the roof - will be sent home immediately.
- Swimming is permitted only with the supervision of the teachers/supervisors.
- We charge a flat rate of 20 CHF for returns of lost items by post within Switzerland.
- Children are permitted to leave the camp on their own to visit the local supermarket or go for a short walk under these conditions:
- They must first ask for permission from the camp leader and ONLY the camp leader.
- They must stay in groups of at least 2 if they are over 12 years old, or in groups of at least 3 if they are under 12 years old.
- They must return at the agreed-upon time
We ask you not to bring any other electronic devices such as Nintendos or iPads!
Important: In the event of problems or urgent questions, participants can be contacted at any time via the camp leader's telephone.
Important: You can keep your valuables (keys, money bags, watches, jewellery, etc.) in the safe or give them to the camp leader for safekeeping.
friLingue accepts no liability for lost or damaged valuables!
together. Once you’re finished eating please put your dirty plates and cutlery in the washbasins provided in the dining area.
This may sound like a lot of rules but most of them are rules that you follow in your own house and in your daily life. We are sure that we will have a good time together and we don’t want to act or be seen as teachers and figures of authority, but rather more as friends. However, that means that we expect from you a lot: punctuality, respect and responsibility among other things - just as you’d expect from your real friends.
We’re looking forward to meeting you!
06.30pm: Icebreaker games
07.15pm: Dinner and getting to know your new friends
08.15pm: Short language test (written & oral)
10.00pm: Bedtime
With the short oral and written test on Sunday evening, we'll work together to find out which course you'll be placed in and what your language level is at the start of the week. In addition to the speaking part, the written test helps both you and us evaluate your level. Then, together with our teachers, you can set individual learning goals tailored specifically to you. And don’t worry about the test – it’s there to help you get the most out of your language course!
MONDAY - FRIDAY
A typical friLingue day
- 08.30am - Breakfast
- 09.00am - 12.30pm Language lessons
- 10.30am - 11.00am Break with snacks and refreshments
- 12.45pm - 01.30pm Lunch
- 13.30pm - 03.00pm Tidy rooms and free time
- 03.00pm - 06.00pm Afternoon activities*
- 06.45pm - 07.30pm Dinner
- 08.00pm - 10.00pm Evening Program
- 10.00pm - Bedtime
AFTERNOON ACTIVITIES*
Depending on which camp you have booked, we offer various camp activities that take place during the afternoon hours:
- Regular workshops - on Monday and Wednesday afternoons we offer various workshops and workshop activities (already included in the price)
- Conversation/intensive courses - If you are interested, you can book a conversation/intensive course at an additional cost of CHF 100 for two afternoons per week or CHF 150 for three afternoons per week.
- Sailing course - you can optionally book the sailing course at an additional cost of 200 CHF. If you have booked the sailing course, it takes place every Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon. Attention: in the weeks of 13.07. & 20.07. the sailing course is already booked out!
- Waterski/wakeboard course - you can optionally book the sailing course at an additional cost of 20 CHF (for one hour).If you have booked the waterski/wakeboard course, it takes place every Wednesday evening.
If you would like to book one of these courses at short notice, please get in touch with us! ATTENTION: These courses cannot be combined with each other.
SATURDAYS
A full-day excursion takes place every Saturday to a local city or attraction. We arrive back at the camp in time for dinner. If you leave on Saturday, please see the departure details.
SUNDAYS
If you're staying at the camp for more than one week, Sunday is your chance to relax a bit. We’ll start the day with a cozy breakfast. Afterwards, we’ll clean the rooms and sleeping areas together to get ready for the arrival of the “newcomers.” The rest of the day is yours to spend however you like. We’ll offer a few small, optional activities – no pressure to join. If you're in the mood to do something, you'll surely find some other motivated teens and staff members to hang out with.
From 5 p.m., the “newcomers” will start to arrive. Of course, you're welcome to go on an outing with your parents over the weekend or have them visit you—but we don’t really recommend it. It’s definitely more exciting to spend the time at camp with your new friends. 😉
For the departure from the camp, you have different possibilities. As a general rule, however, most of the participants leave on Saturday after the full-day excursion*.
- OPTION 1: WITH ''ACCOMPANIED TRAIN TRANSFER (BZ)" TO ZURICH OR BERN
- OPTION 2: PICK UP PARENTS
- On Friday after lunch from around 01.30pm in the camp
- On the Saturday morning before the excursion by approx. 09.30am at the camp
- On Saturday afternoon after the excursion, usually from the station of the excursion sites from around 04.00pm. The exact place and time will be announced and communicated with the parents via e-mail on Thursday before the departure.
IMPORTANT:
- Please be punctual when picking up your child; if you are more than 30 minutes late, we will bring the participant back to camp, and you will need to pick them up from the camp at your own expense.
- We transport the children’s luggage separately by car or bus during excursions. No child has to carry their own luggage during the trip.
- OPTION 3: INDIVIDUAL DEPARTURE BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Please let us know your departure time and we will gladly bring you to the station. If you have any questions or delays, you can also contact the camp leader.
* FULL-DAY EXCURSION SCHEDULE FOR ESTAVAYER SUMMER 2025:
19/07: FRIBOURG CITY TOUR
The meeting point after the excursion will be the Jo Siffert parking at 04.00pm.
26/07: NEUCHATEL CITY TOUR
The meeting point after the excursion will be the Neuchatel train station at 04.00pm.
02/08: YVERDON CITY TOUR
The meeting point after the excursion will be the Yverdon train station at 04.00pm.
The address and meeting point will be confirmed by e-mail on Thursdays during the camp week!
The meeting point after the excursion will be the Jo Siffert parking at 04.00pm.
26/07: NEUCHATEL CITY TOUR
The meeting point after the excursion will be the Neuchatel train station at 04.00pm.
02/08: YVERDON CITY TOUR
The meeting point after the excursion will be the Yverdon train station at 04.00pm.
The address and meeting point will be confirmed by e-mail on Thursdays during the camp week!
Please be advised that it is essential for parents to pick up their child from the excursion point on time. We will wait for a maximum of 30 minutes past the scheduled pickup time. If you are unable to arrive within this period, we will return your child to the camp location.
Please note that any additional costs incurred due to this delay, including transportation and staff supervision, will be your responsibility.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
SIGN THE CONTRACT AND FILL OUT THE DEPARTURE / MEDICATION FORM
Fill out and sign the documents on several signing fields (required).
SEND BACK THE SIGNED DOCUMENTS
You can either send us the signed documents by email or post office. Also, you can provide us with the physical copy upon your arrival at the camp.
ACCOMPANIED TRAIN TRANSFER
If you have booked the accompanied train transfer from Zurich or Bern, you can find the information about the meeting point here:
TABLE OF CONTENTS