Are you looking for a camp where you can combine playing handball and improving your French at the same time?
Our Handball summer camps in France allow you to improve your French-speaking skills and make new friends while playing your favorite sport!
Book a summer at our Handball Academy in France 2026!
Nacel organizes summer Handball camps in France for one to two weeks in July.
2026 FRANCE HANDBALL CAMP
Every year, we welcome international students who are looking forward to improving their language level while perfecting their handball techniques during the summer. We offer a full linguistic and sports experience in Vichy, France, where lessons are given by professional, certified coaches in a wide range of sports.
Our sister company, SPORTS ELITE JEUNES, is organizing the camp. They have extensive experience creating cultural, academic, and sporting experiences for students around the globe!
UNIQUE IMMERSION PROGRAM!
Your full immersion experience starts as soon as you arrive at the camp, as most of the camp participants are French! Additionally, all of our staff is French, ensuring a dynamic learning process.
Join our Handball training camp in Vichy, France!
The program of our sports camps is developed internally in collaboration with professional handball players and our Technical Directors to guarantee a real progression. The content can be adapted to the children's different levels and wishes. There is one coach per 10 participants.
Intensive sports camp led by qualified coaches:
- Technical workshops: warm-ups, workshops by level to develop the basics and individual techniques (passing, dribbling, shooting, defense, positioning, goalkeeping skills, etc.).
- Tactical and strategy workshops: technical and tactical exercises (duels with the goalkeeper, shifting, crossing, occupying space, etc.).
- Challenge workshops: teamwork on the collective game.
- Competition workshops: daily matches, tournaments and individual and collective challenges.
For stays of more than 14 days, an outing to the PAL theme park is organized!
How will I study French?
This summer camp in France is a real immersion in French because coaches, teachers, and most campers (90%) are French. International students can join the French campers during the sports practices and the social activities planned inside the camp. International participants must have a minimum French level (2 years of French studies) to interact with the other campers and understand what the coach says.
This camp DOES NOT offer French lessons.
Excursions and other activities are organized in the evening and at the weekend.
All our sports camps in France are developed and organized by our sports affiliate, SPORTS ELITE JEUNES. Read the Director's interview.
Once the sports day is over, it's time for rest and recreation.
Each evening, the children can participate in recreational activities that will bring the day to a happy end. These activities are usually held in larger groups, and the goal is to create a community spirit within the center. They are designed, implemented, and supervised by our certified counselors. The sports coaches will also participate to share great moments with the children!
The teams set up evening activities adapted to the children's age and tastes, the weather, and the group's level of fatigue
Level
High intensity sport camp. Minimum 2 years of competitive experience required. Not suitable for beginner; recommended for high-performance players currently competing and training at a club.
Accommodation on the Vichy campus on a full-board basis.
Students live in residences (2 to 4 beds per room) with showers and toilets. French and international campers share the same room based on age and gender. It is possible to specify a person with whom to share the room. Full board accommodation is provided. The four meals of the day are balanced menus cooked by the chefs at the center.
Facilities at campus: The campers will be able to benefit from quality infrastructure to train in all serenity: a lounge, Outdoor space, Dining room, and a Leisure and activity area.
Handball Summer Camp in France 2026
* Price in Euros per participant.
French Sports Summer Camps in France 2026
Each camp session lasts for 7 or 14 days. Arrival on Sunday and departure on Saturday.
Arrival dates for July are:
- ​July 12, 2026 (1 or 2 weeks)
- July 19, 2026 (1 week)
All our sports camps in France are developed and organized by our sports affiliate, SPORTS ELITE JEUNES.
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
SEJ 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.)
đźš« We do not provide airport pick-ups.
Students must either be dropped off directly at the camp or book the accompanied train transfer option.
đź’° 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
đźš« 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
If you want to be part of our Handball Camp in France, you must consider that:
- We only accept students from 13 to 17 years of age
- You must have studied French for two years
- You must have strong motivation and willingness to create friendships with other participants
- You have to make your best effort to speak in French at all times
- You have to make sure that you have the physical and mental condition to be part of this program
This program lets you improve your French, practice a sport, and make new friends. Our campers are expected to be mature and flexible.
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.
​Cancellation policy ​
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.
