Join our Handball Summer Camp in France for teens aged 13–17! Train with qualified French handball coaches, improve your passing, shooting, defense, and team tactics, and practice alongside French teenagers. Located in Vichy, France, this one- or two-week residential camp combines intensive handball training, French language immersion, and supervised activities for young players with competitive handball experience.
Interested in this program?
We're happy to help you plan your stay.
What can students expect at our handball summer camp in France?
What does the handball training program include?
Training focuses on four key areas:
- Technical skills: Improve passing, dribbling, shooting, defending, positioning, and goalkeeping through exercises adapted to different skill levels.
- Tactics and strategy: Practice attacking and defending techniques, goalkeeper duels, crossing movements, and positioning on the court.
- Teamwork and challenges: Develop communication, coordination, and team play through group exercises and collective challenges.
- Matches and tournaments: Apply newly practiced skills during daily matches, tournaments, and individual or team challenges.
How does French immersion work at handball camp?
At the handball summer camp, students improve their French through daily interaction with French coaches and campers, rather than traditional classroom lessons. With most participants coming from France, international students are surrounded by spoken French during training, meals, and recreational activities. This gives them regular opportunities to practice listening and speaking in real-life situations.
International participants must have at least two years of previous French study to understand coaching instructions and communicate with other campers.
Please note: This program does not include formal French language lessons. French immersion takes place through sports, social activities, and everyday interactions.
Discover more about our handball camp experience in France
Curious about what life is like at a French sports camp? Read our interview with Juliette, our French Sports Camp Director, to learn more about the daily experience, training alongside French teenagers, and opportunities to practice French beyond the court.
What activities can students enjoy after handball training?
After a day of intensive handball training, students have time to relax, make friends, and enjoy supervised recreational activities alongside teenagers from the handball camp and other sports programs.
Activities include:
- Evening entertainment: Take part in organized games, contests, and group activities.
- Weekend activities: Enjoy time with other campers through organized recreational activities.
- Group activities: Meet new friends and build friendships with French and international participants.
All activities are organized and supervised by qualified camp counselors, (ratio 1:7) with coaches also participating in some sessions. The schedule is adapted to students' ages, interests, and weather conditions.
For two-week stays, a theme park excursion may also be included, depending on the camp's activity schedule.
What level of handball experience is required?
The handball camp is a high-intensity training program for experienced young players. Participants must have at least two years of competitive handball experience. The camp is recommended for teenagers who currently train and compete with a handball club and are comfortable with intensive sports sessions.
This camp is not suitable for beginners.
Where do students stay during the handball summer camp in France?
During the handball summer camp, students stay at the Lycée Valery Larbaud campus in Vichy, France, in shared rooms accommodating 2 to 4 students, with shared bathrooms. French and international campers are grouped by age and gender, giving students opportunities to meet other teenagers and practice French outside training sessions.
The residential campus offers access to sports and recreational facilities, including gymnasiums, sports fields, swimming pools, and common areas where campers can spend time together.
⚠️It is important to note that French high school buildings, where students are accommodated, do not have air conditioning, only ventilators.
How are students supervised at the camp?
Students benefit from on-site supervision throughout their stay. Each group is supported by a camp director, one counselor for every 7 students, and a trained health assistant.
Camp staff oversee daily routines, meals, and recreational activities. For safety reasons, students cannot leave the campus without an accompanying adult.
What meals are provided during the camp?
The program includes full-board accommodation, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner provided daily. Meals are prepared on-site and served in the campus dining hall. Students receive varied, balanced menus designed to meet the nutritional needs of young athletes.
Parents should inform Nacel about any food allergies or special dietary requirements before arrival. Additional charges may apply for special meals.
Each camp session lasts for 7 or 14 days, with arrival on Sunday and departure on Saturday.
Arrival dates for July 2027 in Vichy are:
July 4, 2027 (1 or 2 weeks)
July 11, 2027 (1 or 2 weeks)
July 18, 2027 (1 or 2 weeks)
July 25, 2027 (1 week only)
How to register for the Handball Summer Camp in France?
Ready to join Nacel's handball summer camp in Vichy? The application process is completed online in a few steps.
- Check availability: Contact Nacel to confirm that places are available for your preferred camp dates.
- Complete the online booking form: Apply for the Handball Summer Camp in France.
- Pay the deposit: A $300 USD deposit is required to proceed with your application. This amount is deducted from the total program fee and is non-refundable in case of cancellation.
- Submit the required documents: Complete the application form and provide the requested documents, including a passport copy, vaccination record, and other necessary information.
- Receive your booking confirmation: Once Nacel has reviewed your application and documents, you will receive confirmation of your place and an invoice.
Important: Please wait until Nacel has officially confirmed your place before booking flights or making travel arrangements.
Handball Summer Camp in France 2027
* Price in Euros per participant.
TRAIN TRANSFERS
For an additional fee, we can arrange accompanied transportation by train from Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Lille, Rennes, Metz, and Bordeaux to the camp and back.
This extra option includes:
A round-trip train ticket
Camp supervision throughout the journey
Transfers between the train stations and the camp
Students may also join the group directly at the designated train station and travel to the camp using our daily shuttle service.
Please note that this shuttle operates only once per day, at the same time as the group arriving from Paris, for both arrival and departure. (Please contact us for the exact schedule.)
AIRPORT TRANSFERS (On Request)
We can arrange airport transfers on request through a trusted taxi service specialized in transporting minors. This service is available for arrivals and departures, and pricing is customized based on the airport and schedule.
Please contact us to receive a personalized quote.
💰 What's Included in the Price?
- Administration fees
- Full board accommodation in shared rooms
- Sports activities are carefully supervised and led by certified chaperones
- Access to all sports equipment on the campus
- Social activities during the weekend and in the evenings
- Support, assistance, and 24H emergency response phone number during the whole program
🚫 What's Not Included?
- Round-trip international airfare
- Non-compulsory insurance (luggage lost, flight delay, etc.)
- Visa, passport, and medical exam fees
- Group transfer from a Paris train station to the Vichy campus by train, with French chaperones, and back
- Personal expenses and spending money
- Medical, Liability, and Emergency Repatriation insurance: please provide an insurance certificate
Who can join the handball summer camp in France?
The handball summer camp welcomes teenagers aged 13–17 who have previous handball experience, have studied French for at least two years, and want to develop their skills while practicing French with local players.
Students should also be open-minded, independent, and ready to adapt to a French-speaking environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
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During our sports camp in France your child will be surrounded by French teens. Improvement comes from constant immersion, using the language daily with native speakers. Studies show that four weeks of immersion can be as effective as a year of college language study due to the constant practice.
Cell phones are allowed at the camp and their use is subject to the following rules:
- They may only be used during free time and just before meals.
- They cannot be used during camp activities to ensure smooth operation.
- Phones are collected by the management team every night to avoid disturbing campers while they sleep.
- Wifi access on campus is not guaranteed.
- Parents can contact the camp director daily from 6 pm to 7 pm.
- In case of an emergency, parents can contact our 24/7 emergency phone number.
Please remember to disclose any allergies during registration. If you indicate on the booking form that your child has allergies, we will provide you with an allergy form. Please complete the allergy form as soon as possible so that we can assess the camp's ability to accommodate your child's condition.
For stays of two consecutive weeks, laundry will be done at the end of the first week. However, we advise you to bring clothes for 10 days.
The supervision ratio is one adult for every 6 children. The camp staff is present during the campers' daily activities, including waking up, meal times, bedtime, evening entertainment, sports training, and language classes. Campers are not allowed to leave the campus unsupervised.
It is common in France not to have A/C in school buildings. As the camps are held in boarding schools that are available during the summer, they do not have A/C.
Their day starts at 7:30 am and ends at 10:00 pm
Yes. Your child can be dropped off between 3:30 pm and 5:30 pm on the first day. Pickup time on the last day is between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm.
If you are unable to collect your child yourself and allow another person to pick them up, we will send you a parental authorization form, which you will need to complete and sign.
If you authorize your child to return home alone, we will send you a parental authorization form, which you will need to complete and sign. For those traveling on their own, we provide a free shuttle service between the station and the accommodation center, at a fixed time on arrival and departure. The shuttle times will be shared 1 week in advance. We recommend booking a taxi in advance to make sure your child catches the train/plain.
After booking you will receive a welcome pack with all the information about the camp including a packing list with clear instructions what to bring for each sport.
.If your child's train timetable does not correspond to the free shuttle bus timetable you'll need to book a cab in advance. You must let us know the name of the cab company, phone number and pick-up time
Once classes are booked, they are non-refundable.
Your child may need a medical consultation. In that case one of the staff members will accompany your child to the doctor or hospital. The cost of the visit is their responsibility and should be immediately paid at the location of the appointment.
- Estimated price for a doctor who comes to see the patient: 45€
- Estimated price for a visit to a general practice doctor: 23€
- Estimated price for a visit to a specialized doctor: 45€
Please keep in mind the following information:
- To fully immerse your child in the French experience, we would like to encourage you to limit contact with them. However, your child may reach out to you if necessary.
- In case of an emergency, please contact our 24/7 emergency phone number
- A blog with daily updates and pictures of the camp will be available. You will receive the login and details a week before the camp.
All stays include full-board meals (breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner) served either self-service or at the table, well-balanced and adapted to sports activities.
- 7:45 am - 8:15 am: Wake-up call
- 8:15 am - 9:00 am : Breakfast
- 9 am - 12:30 pm: Sports program
- 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm: Lunch
- 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm: Free time
- 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm: Sports program or French courses
- 5:30 pm - 7 pm: Showers + Free time
- 7 pm - 8 pm: Dinner
- 8 pm - 9 pm: Free time
- 9 pm - 10 pm: evening activities
We recommend that participants have 25 € pocket money per week. To avoid loss or theft, the pocket money must be given (it is compulsory) to the center's director. A coach opens the “bank” daily.
We are committed to doing everything in our power to motivate your child to stay and provide the necessary support. However, if your child decides to leave early and you agree to end the camp, please note that there will be no refund for the remaining days.
Arrival:
Direct Drop-off: Bring your child to the camp in Macon, Montauban, or Vichy on Sunday.
Train Arrival: Bring your child to Paris' Gare Bercy (for Vichy) or Gare de Lyon (for Macon) to join campers traveling by train between 12-2 p.m.
Departure:
Pick-up: Collect your child from camp on Saturday.
Train Return: Your child can return by accompanied group train travel to Gare Bercy or Gare de Lyon. You may pick them up at the station.
Other French stations available upon request. We do not offer Airport transfers.
Yes. As part of the application process, students must provide a copy of their vaccination record before joining the programme. Families should make sure that all required health information is updated and submitted to Nacel during the registration process.
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