Megève and its history

The winter sports resort of Megève was created in the inter-war period by a branch of the Rothschild family.

The resort grew and in 1933 a cable car to Rochebrune was built. Three years later this allowed the resort to be connected to Mont d’Arbois.

The first ski competition was created in 1914 and many pictures reflect this period of discovery and development. Farmers invented the ski-lifts, almost everything would be tested. A woman journalist would energize and illuminate the village through her texts; she was to become a ‘grand dame’ of Megève with her influence. Mathilde Maige-Lefournier was a mountaineer from Chambery. In November 1913 she wrote an article for the magazine The Mountain entitled “Megève or the glorification of ski” which glorified the ski sites of Mont d’Arbois and Rochebrune. One day she remarked to a hotel owner in the village, “I think Megève was created for skiing and skiing was invented for Megève.”: a spotlight which influenced and made the village, already a mecca for winter sports.

 

The arrival of the Rothschild family in Mont d’ Arbois would accelerate the development of skiing in Megève. Village farmers invested in the Rochebrune sector, notably with the construction of the first cable car for use by skiers, the famous “red bucket” in 1933. In 1923 it was the birth of the Megève Sports Club which saw great champions emerge. Emile Allais, a native son of Megève, was a triple medallist at the World Ski Championships in Chamonix in 1937. The famous Aallard stretch ski-pant was invented in 1930. This dynamism made ​​the resort famous and its rise was meteoric.

 

Megève and its village

Two hours from Lyon lies the most authentic mountain village in the Alps. Skiing in Megève is 445 kms of slopes in an exceptional setting, but not only this: gastronomy, events, shopping and relaxing in the paradise of ‘après-ski’ nestled in the heart of the Mont Blanc Region.

Megève: A village in the heart of the Evasion Mont Blanc ski area

Come and experience the unparalleled skiing in an area that combines slopes, forest, alpine farms and sunny terraces on several mountain ranges. Suitable for families who find Megève’s gentle slopes reassuring to have fun with the kids. Lovers of the great outdoors will prefer the Cote 2000 mountain range which enjoys good snow thanks to its exposure. Freestyle fans are not left out with a dedicated area that allows them to jump safely onto a giant air bag. You’ll soon understand that in Megève a ski paradise awaits you at just 180 kms from Lyon.

Discover Megève

Megève is a typical village in Haute-Savoie that will leave its mark. With an exceptional history and heritage, the village has a soul which goes far beyond the images we have of this unique place. Ambassador of local cuisine revisited by Michelin-starred chefs, this is a destination that lives every season. Cultural and sporting events punctuate the local life and in Megève everyone can find an emotion that they will remember. It’s up to you to discover the legend behind Megève

 

Megève is also:

– A casino, bars, clubs

– Ambassador of wellbeing spas and relaxation areas

– Swimming pools, skating rinks, curling

– Dog sled

– An airfield

 

Coming to Megève

By car

Distances

  • 70 km from Geneva.
  • 180 km from Lyon.
  • 272 km from Milan.
  • 600 km from Paris .
  • 760 km from Lille.
  • 1000 km from London.

 

Motorways

  • Paris – Sallanches : A6 + A40 .
  • Calais / Paris / Macon / Annecy / Sallanches : A26 + A1 + A6 + A40 .
  • Lyon / Chambéry / Annecy / Sallanches : A43 + A41 + A40 .
  • Lyon / Chambéry / Albertville : A43 + A430 .
  • Geneva / Sallanches : A40 .

 

By train

Tel: 36 35

www.voyages -sncf.com

 

  • Sallanches Train Station
  • 12 km from Megève.
  • Direct TGV during the weekends in winter. Frequent bus service to transfer from Sallanches .
  • SNCF Boutique
  • Megève Bus Station.

Open daily (except Sundays during school holidays) from 9:10am to 12pm and 2pm to 6.10pm.

  • Off season: open only on Fridays from 9:10am to 12pm and 2pm to 6.10pm.

 

By taxi

With the company RSERVICES : www.rservices.fr

Tel: + 33 (6) 14 35 36 12

 

By plane

– Geneva Airport

Tel: 0041 22 717 71 11

Fax: 00 41 22 788 00 82

International flights, 87 km from Megève.

10 good reasons to learn French

1. A world language

More than 200 million people speak French on the five continents. The Francophonie, the international organisation of French-speaking countries, comprises 68 states and governments. French is the second most widely learned foreign language after English, and the ninth most widely spoken language in the world. French is also the only language, alongside English, that is taught in every country in the world. France operates the biggest international network of cultural institutes, which run French-language courses for more than 750,000 learners.

2. A language for the job market

An ability to speak French and English is an advantage on the international job market. A knowledge of French opens the doors of French companies in France and other French-speaking parts of the world (Canada, Switzerland, Belgium, and North and sub-Saharan Africa). As the world’s fifth biggest economy and number-three destination for foreign investment, France is a key economic partner.

3. The language of culture

French is the international language of cooking, fashion, theatre, the visual arts, dance and architecture. A knowledge of French offers access to great works of literature, as well as films and songs, in the original French. French is the language of Victor Hugo, Molière, Léopold Sendar Senghor, Edith Piaf, Jean-Paul Sartre, Alain Delon and Zinedine Zidane.

4. A language for travel

France is the world’s number-one tourist destination and attracts more than 70 million visitors a year. A little French makes it so much more enjoyable to visit Paris and all the regions of France (from the mild climes of the Cote d’Azur to the snow-capped peaks of the Alps via the rugged coastline of Brittany) and offers insights into French culture, mentality and way of life. French also comes in handy when travelling to Africa, Switzerland, Canada, Monaco, the Seychelles and other places.

5. A language for higher education

Speaking French opens up study opportunities at renowned French universities and business schools, ranked among the top higher education institutions in Europe and the world. Students with a good level of French are eligible for French government scholarships to enrol in postgraduate courses in France in any discipline and qualify for internationally recognised French degrees.

6. The other language of international relations

French is both a working language and an official language of the United Nations, the European Union, UNESCO, NATO, the International Olympic Committee, the International Red Cross and international courts. French is the language of the three cities where the EU institutions are headquartered: Strasbourg, Brussels and Luxembourg.

7. A language that opens up the world

After English and German, French is the third most used language on the Internet, ahead of Spanish. An ability to understand French offers an alternative view of the world through communication with French speakers from all the continents and news from the leading French-language international media (TV5, France 24 and Radio France Internationale).

8. A language that is fun to learn

French is an easy language to learn. There are many methods on the market that make learning French enjoyable for children and adults alike. It does not take long to reach a level where you can communicate in French.

9. A language for learning other languages

French is a good base for learning other languages, especially Romance languages (Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Romanian) as well as English, since fifty per cent of current English vocabulary is derived from French.

10. The language of love and reason

First and foremost, learning French is the pleasure of learning a beautiful, rich, melodious language, often called the language of love. French is also an analytical language that structures thought and develops critical thinking, which is a valuable skill for discussions and negotiations.

Five Reasons Great Parents Send Their Kids to Camp

My shy, quiet nine-year-old went to camp not knowing a soul. Two weeks later, she came home transformed. She blossomed. She made friends, learned a multitude of activities, felt safe, loved, confident, and happy — really, really happy. As hard as it was on me, it was all worth it for her. It was the single best thing I have ever done for her.

-First-time camp parent

Many parents won’t allow their child to go on a school field trip or school outdoor education trip unless they are chaperoning, so it’s no surprise that those same parents may find the idea of sending their child to sleep-away camp incomprehensible. As a camp parent, you may get a shocked response from one of these “non-camp” parents. They may ask you things like, “How can you stand having your child away from you for so long?” or, “How will she survive without you?” or, “Isn’t he too young to go to camp alone?” Or, they may comment, “I would never send my child away to camp for two weeks.” In all of these negative responses, there is an underlying criticism of your parenting.

If you find yourself in the awkward position of being criticized for the decision to send your young child to camp, you may want some extra “ammunition” to defend your decision. And, if you are never in the position of defending your camp decision, let this list remind you about just a few of the many reasons why you are being a great parent by sending your child to camp!

At camp this summer, your child will…

DEVELOP INDEPENDENCE

Going to camp has made me even more independent and a much better people-person. I am  able to go confidently up to someone and introduce myself, or hang out with someone new because of my time at camp. -Five year camper

 

You are giving your child the opportunity to live and thrive without being with you and under your constant scrutiny. The growth in confidence and independence happen at camp BECAUSE you are not there. Read more about why camp experiences help kids develop independence in Parking Your Helicopter.

EXPERIENCE OUTDOOR CHILDHOOD FUN & ADVENTURE

You are giving your child the gift of magical childhood memories – dirt, adventure, story, and joke-filled days and nights spent with friends outdoors, under the stars, and around the campfire. These childhood memories will last forever. And, as Michael Thompson, PhD. So eloquently states, “Our best childhood memories do not include adults.”

RELAX

You are giving your child a break from the pressures and stress of competitive sports, school, and you. Forgive me if that offends, but I, too, am a well-meaning but over-involved parent who provides just a bit too much advice, feedback, and guidance to my children. Our kids need a break from our well-intentioned involvement in their lives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GET UNPLUGGED

Camp has helped me appreciate nature and the outdoors a lot more than I think I would have if I didn’t go. I can go without my phone or connection to social media awhile, because camp has shown me that amazing stuff happens when you put your phone down and have a nice conversation with someone.

-five year camper

You are giving your child the chance to unplug and connect face-to-face with other kids and positive young adult role models. Getting unplugged is one of my favorite topics, so you can read more at Five Reasons to Unplug and Get Unplugged to learn about the many benefits of taking a break from technology.

BECOME BETTER AT MAKING AND KEEPING FRIENDS

 I feel like I have become a kinder person and am better at making friends because of camp.

-third year camper

 

The bonding and friendships that happen at camp are different from those that occur at school and on sports teams. The intensity of living together and experiencing life together, without distractions, creates the ideal setting to form life-long friendships and really get to know people well. Read more about camp friendships in Friends: Finding Gold in a Plastic Era.

So, if people ever question your decision to send your young child to a traditional, longer camp stay this summer, let them know that it’s hard for you to let your child go, but that you’re giving your child a gift that will have more impact than any material item you’ve ever given.

Want to read more about the many benefits of camp?

Why Kids Flourish at Camp 

“The Dark Side of Parental Devotion: How Camp Can Let the Sun Shine” By Dr. Wendy Mogel (author of The Blessing of a Skinned Knee)

The Natural Gifts of Camp  Read about the benefits of kids being in nature at camp in an article written by Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder.

Role Model Relationships: Making healthy human connections  By Peg L. Smith, CEO, American Camp Association

Coping with First-Time Camp Experiences  “As parents, recognizing that you and your child are growing and learning on a journey together is key to adequately preparing yourself and your child for any type of separation, including going to camp for the first time.”

Children Inside and Out  Information and reassurance for first-year camp parents by camp expert Bob Ditter.

 

WHY SEND MY CHILD TO A SUMMER CAMP?

SUMMER CAMPS ARE EXTREMELY POPULAR THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND TAKE VERY MANY DIFFERENT FORMS, PROVIDING A MULTITUDE OF POSSIBILITIES FOR PARENTS AND CHILDREN ALIKE.

summer camp in france

 

The long summer break from school that is commonplace in most countries provides both problems and opportunities for parents who are concerned about how their children can make the best use of their time.

In today’s society a lot of families have both parents working. This means they will not be able to take the equivalent amount of time off work that their children have off school. As people also move further from their original home for their careers they do not always have access to an extended family system to help in these situations.

When faced with logistical problems such as these then a summer camp is one of the options open to the family, although the prices of camps vary widely so it may not be the optimal solution financially. For this reason it is important to consider carefully what benefit for your family and your children you would like to derive from a camp.

During the summer break a lot of families also look at this period with a view to improving some aspect of their children’s life or education. Camps now provide a multitude of programme variations and so, depending on the interests of your children, they may have a chance to improve their sporting, artistic or language abilities. This can be hugely beneficial to your children as they get the opportunity to grow and learn during their holiday time.summer camp in France

Activity and language camps such as those available at our Summer Camp  always provide the opportunity for a real and positive life experience for their students. Camps in general have a very important role to play in children’s development and I would say that this is even more relevant today than in the past.

Why are camps so relevant and vital in today’s, often hectic, lifestyle?

For camps providing an educational component such as language learning, computers etc., one of the main advantages is that they are not constricted by a particular curriculum or the need to prepare for specific exams.

In our Summer language programmes in particular, we have found that the same problems present themselves with students from all over the world. In school, students get to focus a lot on grammar, writing and translation in their foreign language learning, but almost all have a minimum amount of time and practice at speaking. We found out, many years ago, that providing the same language instruction as students received at school, during their summer break often just switched them off so we had to re-think our approach.

We decided that our role should be to instill a passion for the language by showing students how amazing it is to communicate in another language. We therefore changed our method to spend a maximum amount of time working orally with the students and also putting them in situations where they had to interact using their new language skills. This takes the students out of their comfort zones but forces them to quickly develop new methods and systems to improve their communication. The results over the last ten to fifteen years have been very positive.

Taking children out of their comfort zone is something that all camps can achieve and they can do this in a positive way.

On residential camps students must cope with daily life – looking after their own belongings, getting themselves organized for classes or activities, looking after their pocket money etc., which encourages them to take a more mature outlook on life. They must also learn to communicate, often in different languages and to meet children from other countries and other cultures and which helps them to understand more about how the world outside of their own experience works.

One of the best aspects of camps is the interaction which takes place right here, right now, face to face!! In camps we have many other activities to take our students interest away from their phones, ipads and computers.

Face to face communication skills are vital to the wellbeing of our children but something that the next generation are doing less and less as our use of technology grows. Camps provide an opportunity to take a step back from constant use of technology and to learn and experience different vital skills as well as the inevitable keypad or touchscreen.

For any well run summer school or camp, the staff are an extremely important aspect of the overall experience. As we stress to our staff throughout our training programmes – this is the biggest responsibility they will ever have, as they will potentially have a huge impact on the outlook and possibly future of a young person. A good staff member can be a very positive role model for the children they work with at camp so that is what we look for when we are hiring.

Our staff are young, qualified, energetic, enthusiastic and dedicated to working with young people. They provide them with a fun, vibrant and safe atmosphere, where they feel comfortable meeting new people and having new experiences. They conform to the highest standards in order to show our students how important it is to be active and enthusiastic in life.

Since 1996, International Language Camps has been running camps for children and teenagers and we truly believe that a camp provides a unique growth opportunity for your child. It provides a secure environment where they can start to take their first independent steps away from family and school, where they can look at the bigger picture in terms of the world they live in, where they can learn to look after themselves and connect with others. All of this can be achieved while they are still being closely looked after and supervised in order to ensure their safety and well-being.

Find out more about International language Camps at www.internationallanguagecamps.com

FIVE GREAT REASONS PARENTS SEND THEIR KIDS TO CAMP

My shy, quiet nine-year-old went to camp not knowing a soul. Two weeks later, she came home transformed.  She blossomed. She made friends, learned a multitude of activities, felt safe, loved, confident, and happy — really, really happy.  As hard as it was on me, it was all worth it for her. It was the single best thing I have ever done for her.

-First-time camp parent

Many parents won’t allow their child to go on a school field trip or school outdoor education trip unless they are chaperoning, so it’s no surprise that those same parents may find the idea of sending their child to sleep-away camp incomprehensible.  As a camp parent, you may get a shocked response from one of these “non-camp” parents. They may ask you things like, “How can you stand having your child away from you for so long?” or, “How will she survive without you?” or,  “Isn’t he too young to go to camp alone?”  Or, they may comment, “I would never send my child away to camp for two weeks.” In all of these negative responses, there is an underlying criticism of your parenting.

If you find yourself in the awkward position of being criticized for the decision to send your young child to camp, you may want some extra “ammunition” to defend your decision.  And, if you are never in the position of defending your camp decision, let this list remind you about just a few of the many reasons why you are being a great parent by sending your child to camp!

At camp this summer, your child will…

DEVELOP INDEPENDENCE

Going to camp has made me even more independent and a much better people-person. I am
able to go confidently up to someone 
and introduce myself, or hang out with someone new because of my time at camp.
– Maxime, returning camper since 2015

2You are giving your child the opportunity to live and thrive without being with you and under your constant scrutiny.  The growth in confidence and independence happen at camp BECAUSE you are not there.

EXPERIENCE OUTDOOR CHILDHOOD FUN & ADVENTURE

You are giving your child the gift of magical childhood memories – dirt, adventure, story, and joke-filled days and nights spent with friends outdoors, under the stars, and around the campfire.  These childhood memories will last forever. And, as Michael Thompson, PhD. so eloquently states, “Our best childhood memories do not include adults.”

 

RELAX

You are giving your child a break from the pressures and stress of competitive sports, school, and you.  Forgive me if that offends, but I, too, am a well-meaning but over-involved parent who provides just a bit too much advice, feedback, and guidance to my children. Our kids need a break from our well-intentioned involvement in their lives.

summer camp in france

summer camp in france

GET UNPLUGGED

Camp has helped me appreciate nature and the outdoors a lot more than I think I would have if I didn’t go. I can go without my phone or connection to social media awhile, because camp has shown me that amazing stuff happens when you put your phone down and have a nice conversation with someone.

  • Estelle, returning camper since 2012

You are giving your child the chance to unplug and connect face-to-face with other kids and positive young adult role models.

 

 

BECOME BETTER AT MAKING AND KEEPING FRIENDS

 I feel like I have become a kinder person and am better at making friends because of camp.

  • Lana, returning camper since 2009

international language campsThe bonding and friendships that happen at camp are different from those that occur at school and on sports teams. The intensity of living together and experiencing life together, without distractions, creates the ideal setting to form life-long friendships and really get to know people well.

So, if people ever question your decision to send your young child to a traditional, longer camp stay this summer, let them know that it’s hard for you to let your child go, but that you’re giving your child a gift that will have more impact than any material item you’ve ever given.