About us & the team
The spirit of Forest Camp, and the team.
Forest Camp Chamonix started with a simple thought: children learn best when they’re absorbed, a bit muddy, and being taken seriously by an adult who loves the outdoors as much as they do.
We believe children should grow at nature’s pace.
Modern childhood is fast, scheduled and screen-lit. Forest Camp is a counter-weight. We give children long stretches of unhurried time in the Chamonix valley, to walk, to notice, to make, to argue, to repair, to be quiet.
Pédagogie par la nature (nature-based pedagogy) isn’t a brand we borrowed. It’s how the three of us already live. We’re sophrologists, environmental educators and outdoor guides. Our job here is simple: hold a safe, warm space and let the valley do the teaching.
“There is no good pedagogy that doesn’t begin by awakening the desire to learn.” — François de Closets
The ethos of Forest Camp.
Our approach is based on three things: careful observation of each child, benevolent support that takes their whole self into account, and respect for the rhythm they arrive with.
01
Observation
Every morning we watch before we plan. What mood is in the room? Who needs quiet? Who needs to run? Activities bend around what we see.
02
Benevolent support
We hold space for the affective, social, cognitive, sensory and motor dimensions of each child, not just the ones that are easiest to measure.
03
Respect for rhythm
Some children arrive loud. Some arrive small. We don’t look to fix either. We trust that our time together in nature will inspire them to find their best selves.
Base camps throughout the Chamonix valley.
Our base sites are in the Chamonix valley between Servoz and Argentière. The exact meeting point is shared the evening before each day, depending on weather, because the weather in the mountains has the deciding vote.
Three mountain leaders, passionate about nature.
Between us we have close to forty years of outdoor, therapeutic and environmental work with children, and we’ve all chosen Chamonix as home. These are the faces you’ll meet in the morning.
Sophrologist · Mountain Leader
Marie Janin
Marie has lived in Chamonix for over eleven years so she can be close to a raw, natural environment and do the mountain sports she loves.
Meet Marie
Environmental Educator · Mountain Leader
Violette Noel Baron
Violette spent years travelling France and abroad before putting her bags down in the Chamonix valley ten years ago.
Meet Violette
Mountain Leader · Somatic Massage Therapist
Claire Janigo
Originally from the United States, Claire has called Chamonix home since 2012 and has been working with children outdoors since she was fifteen.
Meet Claire
- Happy children, every day.
- A safe, thoughtful space, emotionally as much as physically.
- Playful, real learning that sticks.
What we will always do.
- Tell you the exact plan, where we’ll be, who’ll be there, what we’ll eat and what we’ll do.
- Keep groups small so every child gets seen every day.
- Carry full paediatric first-aid kits and a clear weather-contingency plan.
- Reply to every email personally. No ticketing systems, no call centres.
- Never share or post your child’s image without your explicit consent.
- Listen if something isn’t working, and change what we do.