FAQ Vacation Camps

- Important -

Can the camp provide food for every type of diet and allergy?

NO. Our camp chefs can only cater to 3 diets: a typical diet, a no-pork diet, and a pollo-lacto-pescatarian diet (vegetarian that eats eggs, dairy & fish) . Counselors must choose amongst those three options.

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide alternative options for those on a gluten-free diet, a vegan diet, or persons with strict allergies (ex: lactose intolerence, nut allergies). This is incredibly important to understand before applying. According to French health & hygiene regulations, only the camp chef may use the camp kitchen - you will not be able to do your own shopping and cook your own meals.

Will this job give me a work visa to work in Europe?

No. We cannot authorise or apply for visas for our counselors. See our Applicant Requirement Page.

- Vacation Camps -

What is the work schedule like at Vacation Camps?

Vacation Camps run for 6 or 13 days.
It is a French CEE contract. The work schedule during the day is balanced out amongst the different team members.
In France, employees only work 6 days in a row. During Vacation Camps, employees have 1 day off each week. When the camp is 13 days, the day off is placed during the camp.
Once at camp, the counselors are informed of any change to their work location in advance by their site director.
Counselors housing and meals are covered for the entire contrat, including on days off.

What is a counselor's typical day like at Vacation Camps?

Our pedagogical team (the director and the counselors) run different activities for the children all day long. Some parts of the day are common to everyone, for example, mealtimes. Other parts of the day are managed by different sub-groups of the team : ESL counselors, Activities counselors, Daily Life counselors. Each counselor has a specific mission for each session. This allows us to balance out the workload amongst the team.

Read A Typical Day at Camp on our blog.

Can I also apply for School Trip Camps ?

Yes! Counselors can work at both our School Trip Camps and Vacation Camps. Depending on your availablility, experiences and skills, you could certainly apply to both. In the case that you are hired to both, you commit to preparing each employment attentively. All American Village camps refer to the same Educational Project and make up the same camp brand. But there are distinctions between school groups and vacation camps that are important to know.

You can check which dates correspond best on our School Trip Camps Date page and Vacation Camp Date page.

- All Programs -

When will I receive the official employment contract to read, sign and return?

Shortly after accepting the offer, we'll send you a link to a secure platform where you will read and then electronically sign your hire documents, in a timely fashion. You will receive :

a work contract
the list of responsabilities for your position
the company's internal regualtions and code of conduct
the "Counselor Pledge" commitment to our educational values
translations of all these documents
a wire transfer information sheet for your salary

After that, complete, legible, color scans of several documents are required. Read the list on the Application Process page.

What is counselor preparation like?

Employee preparation has four axes :

The hire documents clearly outline staff policies and your responsabilities.
The Employee Program Manual presents our educational goals and how to put it into place at camp.
An E-learning training tool on our technical approaches for language-teaching is currently in development. In the meantime, continue your preparation with the ressources on the Counselor Webzone.
Once at camp, your team will work together to plan the session program in detail, establish rules for the campers, and set up camp materials.

How do counselors get to their initial work location?

Being fully aware of the remoteness of our sites and the fact that many of our counselors do not speak French, we make an effort to make counselor arrival a smooth one. Around 3 weeks before employment, you will receive an email confirming your camp assignment and arrival time. As established on the contract, plan your arrival for the day before the contract starts. Remember to keep your receipts, as Nacel offers a travel reimbursement of up to 100 euros.

Arrival by train/bus : Organise your arrival to the assigned train station, at the assigned time (usually between 5 and 7pm). Confirm your arrival with your director several days in advance. Your confirmation is essential, so that he in turn, plans your transportation between the train station and the camp.
Arrival by car : Confirm your arrival directly to the camp with your director several days in advance.

We do not organise transportation for our counselors. This is one reason we seek initiative-taking, adventurous, and organized candidates!

How are the assignments established ?

The locations are not all open at the same time. That is why, a placement will be determined based on your availabilities and your experience. We always try to respect our counselors' preferences. Applicants should inform us of any specific location preference during the interview.

If I apply at the same time as a friend or loved one, is it certain that we will work together?

No, employees are hired independantly of one another. There is no such thing as a tandem work contract. We try to place friends/relatives together when requested. But it is not always possible and these employees will not receive special treatment.

Do you provide family or pet housing at camp ?

No we do not. Additionnaly, please know that visitors are not allowed.

Are the locations near large cities?

Just like at most American camps, the majority of our sites are located in the countryside. Our counselors must be prepared and excited to spend some time in natural, small town areas of France. Many come to love the local traditions, foods, wines, and people around the sites! Employees can come by car, if desired. Be attentive as to park your car in the designated parking areas of the site. To see our camp locations map click here.