Overnight French Language Camps in Ontario
**Full-week overnight camps are cancelled for 2021.**
A fun-filled French language retreat (6 days/5 nights) in Ontario’s gorgeous Muskoka cottage country in Bracebridge, Ontario for campers aged 8 to 14.
The camp setting is a fantastic opportunity to have fun in the outdoors making new friends, playing together and living in French.
Programs are available:
- For children in French immersion or francophone schools: weeks of July 26th, August 9th, and 23rd
- For children who are not fluent in French, we offer the PFE program the week of August 3rd
French Overnight Camp
Our experienced counselors will pack the week with outdoor activities, crafts, arts, and much more! Most importantly, campers will develop their autonomy, leadership, and self-confidence….en Français! From Sunday evening to Friday afternoon, campers will spend their days enjoying the wilderness and participating in a variety of land activities such as high and low ropes, rock climbing, quidditch, hiking in the trails, soccer, basketball, campfires, as well as water activities such as canoeing, kayaking, swimming in the lake, and a special tubing treat at the end of the week.
Here’s the twist: all counselors are French and all activities, meals and even the evening campfire will be spent speaking French. Campers will learn fun songs we call “chansons à répondre”, participate in a giant game of animal survival in French and play our “know your word gender” game (one of the hardest parts to master in French).
A UNIQUE and complete French immersion opportunity for a whole week at our French camp in Ontario!
This program is open to children in grades 3 t0 8 in French immersion or francophone schools. Children in grade 2 are considered on a case-by-case basis.
CIT Overnight Program
We also offer a Counselor in Training program for campers in grades 9 and 10. This is an extension of our successful day camp CIT program. CITs in our overnight camps will sleep in the same cabins as campers and shadow staff for the first day until they feel confident leading games and assisting younger campers in the transition to overnight camp. Love the overnight camp experience and want to share it? Then the CIT Bracebridge program is for you! Find out more
We offer transportation from various locations in the GTA via school bus accompanied by our counselors. Check out the bus stops on the location page or at the bottom of this page.
Check out dates and rates for this program in the table below. For information on our discounts and FAQ check our pricing camp page.
The Fun :
During a typical week at this French overnight summer camp, campers can participate in several water activities such as:
- optional tubing / water skiing activities once a week,
- canoeing / kayaking / sailing,
- swimming in the lake,
- water trampoline,
- pedal boats.
On land, they will have the opportunity to:
- challenge themselves on the rock wall, the high and low rope courses,
- play volleyball on the beach court,
- play baseball, soccer, basketball and kickball on the field,
- try their hand at archery, golf or tennis,
- build a shelter and fire,
- enjoy a match of Pictionary or Quidditch,
- participate in our play of the week put together by small groups of campers,
- practice our Tournesol French key sentences and keywords game
They will, of course, also participate in arts and crafts activities, French sing-along songs and folk tales around the campfire in the evening, as well as a once a week French movie.
Note that campers who only attend one week will not have time to participate in all the activities listed.
Come Learn French With Us By The Lake!
We are also happy to offer your budding young francophones an immersive, educational, and fun overnight alternative. Children who are still in the process of learning French can now have fun on one of our overnight trips as well! This will give your children in Extended and Core French school programs the chance to learn French in a supportive, engaging, and safe environment! Not to mention the countless fun and unique games and activities they’ll be able to participate in while they’re up in beautiful Ontario cottage country by the lake.
The week of August 3rd, there will be an overnight program for campers who are not fluent in French. It is a 5 day, 4 night program. This is a program offered for campers who are in the Core French or beginning extended French program and want to develop their French speaking abilities and learn more vocabulary. Our staff are trained in second language learning to ensure your camper feels at ease expressing themselves in French. Our most exciting program is the Camp Tournesol Cup that happens over five game stages. Campers win points by using French, being creative and collaborating among each other. Campers will return from their week at camp having gained new confidence in French and lots of new vocabulary words!
Register now to give your budding francophone kids an experience they won’t soon forget!
| Program Name | Weeks Offered | Age Group | Fee | Busing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2+3 trip: 2 days at day camp and 3 days away | Week of July 13th and 20th | grades 1 to 6 | $550 | Transportation to overnight camp site included in registration fee |
| Overnight Camps: Sunday afternoon to Friday end of day | Week of July 26 Week of August 9 Week of August 23 | grades 3 to 8 grade 2 exceptions on a case-by-case basis (French immersion) | $900 | One way: $50.00 Round trip: $80.00 |
| Overnight Camps: (PFE) | Week of August 3 (until Friday August 7th | grades 3 to 8 Practical French Essentials (Core French and Extended French) | $750 | One way: $50.00 Round trip: $80.00 |
| Overnight CIT Program | Week of July 26 Week of August 16 | grades 9 and 10 | $625 | One way: $50.00 Round trip: $80 |
| Leadership Program (mandatory for CIT candidates) | Sunday June 28th to Wednesday July 1st (Schomberg) Tuesday August 4th to Friday August 7th (Bracebridge) | grades 6 to 8 | $625 ($575 when purchased with 2 CIT weeks) | One way - Schomberg: $30 One way - Tamarack : 50$ Round trip - Schomberg: $55 Round trip - Tamarack: $80 |
The Stay :
Camp Tamarack’s private 1000-acre property is in the heart of Muskoka and surrounds a pristine private lake.
Take a look at the facilities:
The site offers a challenging high ropes circuit with elements such as the Quick Drop, Vertical Playground and Flying Squirrel, a 40ft climbing tower, a fleet of over 20 canoes and kayaks, nine half-court tennis courts, and a large archery range.
In addition to the outdoor facilities, there are numerous indoor facilities for use during rainy days. Activities including a dance studio and a state-of-the-art theater.
Meals are served family style in our 4000 square foot dining hall lined with inscriptions and plaques featuring campers from over 35 years ago. Each meal features a balanced and plentiful hot meal option as well as salad bars, breakfast bars and fresh fruit.
Onsite, campers will stay in wood cabins with electricity, containing bunk beds and private shelving for each camper.
Staff live in an adjacent and accessible private cubicle.
While a good number of cabins have washroom facilities, those that don’t still have facilities very close by to their cabins.
The Fun :
During a typical week at this French overnight summer camp, campers can participate in several water activities such as:
- optional tubing / water skiing activities once a week,
- canoeing / kayaking / sailing,
- swimming in the lake,
- water trampoline,
- pedal boats.
On land, they will have the opportunity to:
- challenge themselves on the rock wall, the high and low rope courses,
- play volleyball on the beach court,
- play baseball, soccer, basketball and kickball on the field,
- try their hand at archery, golf or tennis,
- build a shelter and fire,
- enjoy a match of pictionnary or Quidditch,
- participate in our play of the week put together by small groups of campers,
- practice our Tournesol French key sentences and keywords game
They will, of course, also participate in arts and crafts activities, French sing-along songs and folk tales around the campfire in the evening, as well as a once a week French movie.
Daily recap: Click here for last year’s daily update from our overnight camps!
Note that campers who only attend one week will not have time to participate in all the activities listed.
Overnight French Camp Parent Handbook
Find the 2019 Parent Handbook here! Included in this document are:
- things to bring
- code of conduct
- pick up and drop off procedures
- complete itinerary (for our trips)
- and much more
A copy will be sent to you following your registration in our full-week overnight French camp.
Includes:
- a five-night, six-day camp.
- all meals and snacks for the duration of the camp.
- all accommodations and activities.
- a Tournesol t-shirt
- campers are responsible for their clothes and personal expenses.
Transportation:
A transportation service by school bus is offered for a fee of $80.00 for a return trip or $50.00 for a one-way trip. Alternatively, you are welcome to drop your child off at the camp directly yourself.
Please note that the stops as well as times will be determined based on the registrations. Pick up time and drop off times are below:
| Pick-up Sundays | Drop-off Fridays | |
|---|---|---|
| Erin Mills Athletic Field 4407 Haydock Park Drive, Mississauga | 1:45PM (bus arrives at 1:15PM on site) | 4:20PM |
| Yorkdale SS: 38 Orfus Rd, North York | 2:15PM | 3:20PM |
| Julliard PS: 61 Julliard PS: 61 Julliard PS, Maple | 2:45PM | 2:30PM |
“Our kids came back from the camp, dirty, exhausted but all happy. They had a wonderful time! Thank you and all your staff.”
“This was our first experience with an overnight camp and I was very impressed with how well organized and smoothly the entire trip was. My daughter had such an amazing time that she even forgot she was speaking in french the entire time….she is recruiting her friends and planning next summer’s trip….thanks Camp Tournesol for giving my daughter a memorable experience with her first overnight trip!”
“Loved how connected the camp leaders kept families with the group via social media…felt like we were right there camping too! My daughter can’t wait to go on another French overnight camp!”
