How and where do you welcome children coming by airplane?

Verbier is a sunny south facing area but as any alpine region, it can get colder in the night. Stay comfortable and stylish with a cozy new Les Elfes hoodie – perfect for chilly free time or evening game.
These cotton hoodies provide a nice and warm fit.
The hoodie designs are created by verbier graphic designers.
No matter where you are from you will keep wearing your hoodie at home to remember the good times you had at Les Elfes!
Hoodies are available at the reception of the campus.
Please be aware, that our camps are situated in the mountains. The climate on a mountain varies depending on what altitude you are on a mountain. Weather conditions can change dramatically from one hour to the next. For example, in just a few moments the temperatures can drop from very hot temperatures to temperatures that are quite chilly. Therefore, our campers should bring clothes for those conditions and be prepared for bright, sunny days on the one side and for sudden showers or temperature drops on the other side.
Luggage + belongings
Each student’s articles should be clearly labelled with his/her full name. A supply of extra labels is also recommended for any new purchases (sport equipments or other).
Compulsory Items:
Optional Items:
Your child will be very excited to head off to camp. It’s in your best interest to help him/her pack. While he/she may be able to do this on his/her own, you will save yourself the convenience with forgotten items if you oversee the packing. But, be sure to enlist your child’s help – this a wonderful teachable moment.
Travel hands free with our exclusive offer from First Luggage. No more queuing at the airport to check in or pick up your bags. First Luggage will come to your home, and pick up your bags and deliver them directly to Les Elfes in Verbier.
A 20kgs bag, for example to Verbier from the UK is £87, from the USA is £161, from Saudi is £222, from the UAE is £342, from Hong Kong is £217 and from China is £168.
Please ask them to quote on any other weight, country and destination worldwide. Please contact them directly on +44 1895 254 240 or customomerenquiries@firstluggage.com quoting Verbier.
We are nearing the start of the season and looking forward to welcoming some familiar faces to the camp and some new ones to show around the expansive resort.
See those pictures of snow taken during the last days from Verbier:
The second half of our trip to Nepal has been just as exciting and fulfilling as the first. We have shared many great memories with the children of Association Annapurna Nepal (AAN) and have experienced so much more of what this amazing country has to offer. Unfortunately the devastation caused by the earthquakes was still evident in every way, as the country continued to be battered by the resulting aftershocks and the extent of the damage grew as each day passed. Emma and I had become part of the AAN family during our time with them as the children now referred to us as their brother or sister. It was also clear that they had all come out of their shells, as they took every opportunity to impress us with their signing and dancing or engaging in a friendly wrestling match with us as soon as the ‘adults’ weren’t watching.
Our days were still filled with exciting games and outdoor activities around the house. The children had all become extremely proficient on the bicycles with many of them challenging us for a race at every opportunity. We found an old guitar in the house which we had fixed up and restrung, this meant we were able to give a few guitar lessons in the evenings to some of the children who showed a great interest in music. Apart from all the fun and games, there were still the daily chores and homework to attend to which were always undertaken diligently and with little fuss.
In the aftermath of the second major earthquake, on Tuesday the 12 of May, the government decided to call off school for the rest of the week to allow for the buildings to be inspected once again. This gave us three extra days at home with the children and an opportunity to plan some longer activities for them. We spent one of the days at home working with paper mâché and balloons to create piñatas. This was done by covering the balloons in paper mâché and leaving a hole around the top of the balloon where the knot is tied. The balloons were hung to dry for a few days before being popped to leave a hollow paper mâché container. These containers were then filled with sweets and so became piñatas which were smashed by the children on our last day as a farewell present.
A highlight of the trip was a day spent at the local swimming pool. We hired a bus to take us all to the public pools which were just a few kilometers away. The children were extremely excited as they arrived at the pools with their swimming costumes on, towels in hand and plenty of sunscreen on their faces. We spent the whole day playing around in the swimming pools and on the swings in the playground near by. Some swimming lessons were given to the younger children while the elder kids spent their time speeding down the water slide and practicing their dives in the deep end of the pool. After a long day spent in the water we settled in the playground for a well deserved picnic with all the children. They were exhausted from all the swimming but had clearly had a fantastic day out.
A major portion of our time during the final weeks was focused on the earthquake relief effort. We had received a massive amount of support from people across the globe, all of whom made donations which would be used to provide aid to villages which were devastated by the natural disaster. We focussed our attention on the village of Warpak in the Gorkha Distract of Nepal. This village consisted of around 1 400 houses but after the earthquake this number was reduced to just 20 houses. This resulted in thousands of people being left homeless and lacking basic needs such as food, water, clothing etc. With the use of the donations received we were able to purchase various things such as food, soap, gloves, boots, medicine, hammers, face masks, rain coats, equipment for building shelters and many other essential items which could be used to help the people of Warpak. We then hired a vehicle and transported all of these items to the village and distributed them amongst the villagers. The following video will give you an idea of the damage which was caused by the earthquake in the Warpak area:
It is sad to say that our trip to Nepal has final come to an end. We have had an amazing time with the children of AAN and were able to learn so much from them. It’s is difficult at times to think of these boys and girls as children due to the maturity and confidence they all posses. It is also hard to imagine that many of these children have experienced extremely difficult upbringings as they always managed to fill the room with their contagious laughter and enduring personalities. We traveled to Nepal to help the children of AAN and to experience what the country had to offer but I don’t think either of us could have expected to take as much away from the trip as we did. After spending time with these children you realize that there is more to life then what we tend to get caught up in everyday. As long as these children have each other they are happy and they will work together to get through any challenges that may come their way. That is what Association Annapurna Nepal is all about. After seeing the spirit of the Nepali people who had lost everything during the earthquake and were still trying to help those around them with smiles on their faces, it became clear that this is also what Nepal and its people are all about.
Emma and I would like to thank Dhan and Milan for their assistance throughout our trip. They taught us so much during our time with them and our trip would definitely not have been the same without them. We would also like to thank everyone who assisted with, and made a contribution towards, the earthquake relief effort.
We were able to have a positive impact on so many lives thanks to your help and support. Finally, we would like to Les Elfes, and Philippe in particular, for making this entire trip possible for us. It really has been a once in a lifetime opportunity and it would not have been possible without their support.
Position:
Assistant Resort Manager & Head of Individuals
Where are you from?
England
What Languages do you speak?
English, French & some Spanish
Skiing or snowboarding?
I love them both but I prefer to snowboard, jumping around and practising my tricks
What are the best bits about Verbier?
The amazing mountains, the people & the adventures
If someone was coming to Les Elfes for the first time what piece of advice would you give to them?
Remember sometimes coming to camp can be very difficult for the first couple of days if you are feeling homesick but if you give it a chance you will have a brilliant time, we have really experienced and supportive staff who will do a good job of looking after you.
The first was a 2month trip to Nepal where I trekked for 52 days in the Annapurna & Solukhumbu regions walking each day at high altitude in really challenging conditions & sleeping in guest houses along the way each night
The second was when I cycled with Faye from Verbier to Barcelona, camping along the route… we even stayed at a campsite with pet llamas.
What was your best day ever in Verbier?
A day of riding with Faye, Zoe & Ru last season!
Do you remember your first trip to Verbier?
Yes. I came 5 years ago for my friend’s birthday.
Our trip to Nepal began on the 21st of April 2015 as we departed from Geneva airport and flew to Kathmandu via Istanbul. We spend the first two days of our trip in Kathmandu which gave us an opportunity to sort out various things such as mobile phones, bus tickets, clothing etc. It also gave us an opportunity to explore the capital city and visit some of the world renowned sites in the city such as Durbar Square and Swayambhunath (The Monkey Temple).
It was an early start to the day on the 24th of April as we started an 8 hour bus journey from Kathmandu to the city of Pokhara, where Association Annapurna Nepal (AAN) is situated. Upon arrival in Pokhara, we were greeted by Milan, who is the ‘hostel father’ and is in charge of the day to day events at AAN. He led us to Hotel Elia, in Lakeside, Pokhara, which was to be our home for the next 3 weeks. We spent the rest of the day unpacking and finding our feet as we explored the streets surrounding our new home.
We met Milan outside our hotel early the next morning and proceeded to walk with him to the home of the Association, a walk which took us roughly 20 minutes. Upon our arrival we received a warm welcome from the children of AAN, all of whom were at home as there is no school for them on a Saturday. We were introduced to the children individually and then spent some time getting to know more about each of them. After this they showed us around the home and explained the daily chores to us which consist of various things such as sweeping, mopping, fetching water and washing dishes to name but a few.
After the chores were complete, we entered into a competitive game of hide-and-seek with the children although this was cut short, very suddenly, as we were hit by the tragic earthquake which has caused so much damage to the country and its people. We all rushed outside and found a safe place on the street where we all stood together while the 7.9 earthquake continued to rattle the land around us for well over a minute. Fortunately there was no damage the property and more importantly, none of the children were injured by the natural disaster. We were advised not to be indoors as aftershocks continued to roll through the country, so we spent the rest of the day working in the vegetable garden as this allowed us to take our minds off the events which had just taken place.
School was called off by the Government for the next week as they needed time to inspect the school buildings and provide help to the people who had been affected by the earthquake. This meant that the children would be at home for the week, so we came up with a number of different activities to keep the children active and entertained during this time. We introduced the children to a few of the classic Les Elfes games, such as: hold the paper, musical chairs, balloon pop, pen in the bottle and pass the orange. To make these games a little more exciting, we split the children into teams and had a prize giving at the end of each day where we awarded sweets and chocolates, as prizes, to the winning teams.
We also hosted a few different classes where we were able to teach and discuss various things with the children.
One such class was based on earthquakes. Here we taught the children how and why earthquakes occur and we also provided them with a platform to share their thoughts about the whole situation and how they felt during the time of the earthquake. Another class was focussed on business and entrepreneurship. After providing the children with some business theory we then split them into teams and challenged them to come up with a new business idea which they could effectively run in Nepal. The ideas were very impressive and both the teams excelled in their presentations but at the end of the day only one team could be the winners and they were awarded with some well deserved prizes.
A large portion of the week was spent outdoors with the children as we were treated to some glorious weather conditions. Some time was spent tidying up and planting some new crops in the vegetable garden, as well as, fetching leaves in the forest which are used to make compost for the garden. A few of the afternoons were spent teaching the younger children how to ride a bicycle while most of the older children showed us that they had already mastered the art of cycling. One of the highlights of the week was a day which was spent trekking up one of the many hills surrounding Pokhara. On route to the top we stumbled across a silkworm farm where we spent a bit of time investing the processes used to produce silk. Upon our arrival at the summit we spent some time playing games, after which we got the artistic juices following as we all spread out and painted the beautiful scenery surrounding us. The day was ended off with a fantastic picnic which was enjoyed by all before taking a relaxing stroll back down the hill to the children’s home.
School commenced on the 5th of May; we arrived at the home early on this morning to help the children get ready for the day. Little help was needed though, as the children were so eager to get to school and share stories of the earthquake and their week off with their friends. They were all looking neat in their uniforms, with their books ready and bags packed, all that was left, was for them to finish their breakfast and catch the bus to school. We tidied the house after they had left and then headed back to lakeside to rest and enjoy some free time around the lake. We returned in the evening to hear the children’s stories of their day at school and spent most of the evening assisting them with their homework. After their homework was complete we settled in front of the television for a while before enjoying some Dal Bhat, a delicious traditional Nepali meal. We then wished the children a good night and cycled back to the hotel for a good nights rest.
The remainder of the school week followed in a similar pattern although we also spent some time working with Milan, and his brother Dhan, on various issues relating to the earthquake. They had decided that they would like AAN to assist with the earthquake relief effort and provide support to those living in areas which had been devastated by the earthquake. We spent some time collaborating a few emails which could be used to raise awareness for the relief effort and provide people with information about how they can contribute to the effort through donations.
We have now reached the halfway point of our time in Nepal and we have already taken away so much from this amazing experience. Nepal in an incredible country which has so much to offer in so many ways. The country is founded on a culture that is so gripping, it is almost overwhelming, and the people are among the friendliest in the world. We are looking forward to making the most of the little time we have left in Nepal and sharing it with the awesome children that are the heart and soul of Association Annapurna Nepal.
For more information on Association Annapurna Nepal please feel free to visit the website: www.annapurna.ch
If you would like to contribute to the Associations earthquake relief contact Dhan Adhikari – asso.annapurna@gmail.com or Milan Adhikari – milan.adhikari11@yahoo.com and they will provide you with more information.
A massive thank you to Les Elfes, and Philippe in particular, for providing us both with this amazing opportunity to visit Nepal and have a positive impact on their lives of the children at Association Annapurna Nepal.
During a two week session the students take part in many activities as you can see. The four week program further develops the students’ learning of these activities, such as in mountain biking in the first week they may take part in a gentle route and the following occasion a more challenging route, or in rock climbing, students may be introduced to rock climbing in the first two weeks and further on experience a more challenging face.
Also within the four week programs the students can choose some of their activities so that they can further develop the activities they enjoy the most. Also they will have the choice of the different mountain huts or camping locations ensuring they experience a diverse Alpine experience , this is also the case with the excursions, again providing the students with a range of cultural visits.
It is important for the students to understand that although the programs are pre defined, within the weeks 3 and 4 they do have more choice, and therefore able to enjoy the activities they do best, and at the same time learn new skills in new activities.
Over 2.000 students have been skiing with us so far representing over 50 different nationalities from South America, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe..
The winter season so far has been amazing; the students travelling to Les Elfes from all the world have enjoyed ski/snowboard lessons with plenty of snow, exciting evening activities and fun excursions within Switzerland.
During Summer Camp 2015, Les Elfes will offer different kinds of educational courses to the campers, on top of the regular summer camp program. Les Elfes work with reputed experts in order to achieve the highest learning outcomes for the students. Each camper will receive an official certificate after completion of the course.
Contact Les Elfes headoffice for details.
This video has been recorded during the winter staff training week 2014/15.
Adam, the Verbier resort manager is explaining the list of security measures the staff must take to make sure all the kids can ski in safe conditions.
During the training week all of our instructors are teached and certified by the Swiss Ski School.
Safety Quality and Fun!
Achievement test scores and school grades
Social and emotional skills
Positive social and classroom behavior
Conduct problems such as classroom misbehavior and aggression
Attitudes about themselves, others, and school
Emotional distress such as stress and depression
During 6 days per week and 6h / day, from total beginners to high level experts, our students learn how to ski and snowboard. No matter the level they have at their arrival they will all discover that they can overcome their own limits and will return home proud after achieving their newly achieved skills. Many parents have commented on how their children have returned with a greater sense of self confidence, independence and pride. After each session, a race is organised in order to give a certificate to the camper to show him/her how he/she improved since previous years or since the begin of the camp
Which level is your child? Discover it through those detailed description of achievement levels.
Taught by the Verbier Language School. Students will undergo language lessons for 8h per week. As students come from all over the world, the multi lingual aspect of Les Elfes is both interesting and new to many students, and allows the students to discover how to communicate with people from different cultures and mother tongues. Parents often relay on how their kids found international long life friendships and how they have become more aware of the culture difference through the world. Teachers will evaluate the students at their arrival and departure in order to provide them with a certificate and make them proud of their achievements since their arrival or since last year.
Improve even more with intensive language program
For those who are looking for deeper international objectives. We propose intensive language programs of 15h per week in addition of the ski and snowboard lessons. With this program students will have even more achievements and gain skills that will be useful for their entire life and future carriers.