Organize an unforgettable school trip with Quentin and his 5th-grade students. Rafting, climbing, mountain biking,...
Sports outdoor et eaux vives
DURANCE, UBAYE, DRAC, SERRE-PONÇON
All-Inclusive Outdoor School Trip: Adventure and Team Building on a School Trip
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The “Adventure & Cohesion” week for a 7th grade class
The challenge: Organizing a turnkey school trip for 20 to 200 students, combining strong sensations, maximum safety, and simplified logistics for the teacher.
Group profile
Client: Quentin, middle school teacher.
Audience: A 7th grade class (12–13 years old).
Format: “All‑inclusive” stay (Accommodation + Activities + Full board).
Flawless logistics: the “All‑inclusive” package
For Quentin, the objective was clear: not having to worry about logistics. Thanks to our local partners specializing in hosting school groups, we offered:
Approved accommodation: Holiday centers adapted to minors, complying with all safety standards.
Full board: Meals tailored to budding athletes.
Outdoor sports activities: Activities to help students discover the mountains from every angle.
Smooth transfers: Optimized management between the accommodation and the activity sites, with a roadbook for your driver or the option where we handle transportation.
The program: 5 days of pure outdoor
We put together a cocktail of activities to push students out of their comfort zone while strengthening team spirit. Here is a taste of the activities we offer, which can also be combined with cultural outings.
Activity
The pedagogical “little extra”
Rafting
Ideal for cohesion: everyone has to paddle at the same rhythm!
Climbing
Learning self‑confidence and trust in your partner who manages the rope.
Via ferrata
Gaining height and managing emotions when facing the void.
Mountain biking
Discovering local fauna and flora along the trails.
Hydrospeed
A total and playful immersion to learn how to handle the current.
“What really impressed me was the guides’ ability to adapt to each student’s level. The most fearful ones ended the week with a huge smile and immense pride.” — Quentin, class teacher.
✅ Why choose our organization for your middle school?
Peace of mind for the teacher: A single point of contact for the entire stay.
Certified safety: All our instructors hold state diplomas and are used to working with school groups.
Educational values: Beyond sport, we teach respect for nature and pushing one’s limits.
Why the outdoors is the natural extension of the classroom
Education does not stop at the school walls. As Quentin experienced with his 7th grade class, the natural environment is a living laboratory. Here, physics becomes concrete with the river current, and PE takes on a vital dimension of mutual aid during a via ferrata ascent.
“Zero‑stress” logistics for the teacher
A teacher’s main obstacle is often paperwork and organization. Our “All‑inclusive” approach removes these barriers.
Safety, our absolute priority
All our activities use equipment that meets current CE standards and are supervised by state‑certified guides with up‑to‑date professional licenses.
The Durance, the Champsaur and the Ubaye, our aquatic classrooms (The choice of river is not just about water flow, it is about pedagogical progression) and natural playgrounds for our activities. Mountain biking, from discovery to riding skills (Mountain biking is the perfect tool to explore landscapes without leaving a major carbon footprint). Verticality as a vector of confidence (Gaining height means changing one’s perspective on oneself).
The Durance
From Le Rabioux to Embrun
This is the classic route for a class. Why? Because it offers the perfect mix of safety and thrills.
The Rabioux rapid: This is the highlight of the stay. Located in Châteauroux‑les‑Alpes, this legendary hydraulic feature allows students to learn to “read” a river. For Quentin, it was the moment when his students had to synchronize their efforts: “That’s when the group really bonded,” he told us.
The descent towards Embrun: The current gently carries the boats towards the Serre‑Ponçon lake, allowing time for observation of local geology and water management in the Southern Alps.
Châteauroux‑les‑Alpes and the Rabioux area
Around the Rabioux, the trails become more technical. There, students learn braking, balance, and choosing the right line. It is an excellent exercise in quick decision‑making.
The Ubaye
The wild gem
For more athletic groups or high schoolers, the Ubaye offers a free‑flowing river, with more technical whitewater. Navigating the Ubaye means understanding the power of raw nature. It is where we work on agility and responsiveness when facing the unexpected.
The Champsaur: a playful, rolling terrain
On the Champsaur trails, we favor routes through the forest. This is an opportunity to talk about the mountain ecosystem, pastoralism, and the balance between human activities and nature.
The Drac: Between La Fare and Pont de la Guinguette
In the Champsaur, the Drac shows a different face. Between La Fare and Pont de la Guinguette, students discover a clear‑water mountain river, ideal for an introduction to rafting. Here, contact with the water is total, strengthening proprioception and physical confidence in teenagers.
Climbing on natural rock: Corbières and Le Pibou
Forget indoor resin holds. In Corbières or at Le Pibou (Savines‑le‑Lac), students feel the warm limestone of the Hautes‑Alpes under their fingers.
Safety first: Each student learns to tie a figure‑eight knot and to belay. The responsibility is real: “I am holding my classmate’s life in my hands.”
Pedagogy: At Le Pibou, with its sweeping views over the Serre‑Ponçon lake, the beauty of the setting helps overcome the fear of heights.
Via ferrata routes: A gateway to adventure
Via ferrata allows access to high‑mountain sensations without the full technical demands of rock climbing.
Arthouze and Ancelle: Ideal as a first experience, they offer a reassuring yet spectacular route.
Les Orres: More exposed to the void, it requires a little more nerve.
Château‑Queyras: A historical experience! Climbing at the foot of Vauban fortifications blends sport and cultural heritage in an unforgettable way.
Impact on school life afterwards
Why does Quentin return every year? Because the benefits go far beyond a week of sport.
Reduction in bullying: By living together 24/7 and helping each other through effort, social barriers come down.
Revealing talents: The student who struggles academically often shines through courage on the river or agility on the rock face.
Ecological awareness: We only protect what we love. After swimming in the Durance, students better understand the importance of preserving water resources.
Practical guide for organizers (The Teacher’s Checklist)
To make your educational project a success (safety plans, school trips with overnight stays), here are the key steps we handle for you:
Administrative file: Provision of approvals, insurance certificates, and instructors’ diplomas.
Packing list: Detailed list of clothing to bring (wetsuits are provided!).
Budget: Complete transparency. No hidden costs.
Teacher’s words – Quentin’s interview
To understand the real impact of such a stay, we asked Quentin a few questions a few weeks after his return to school.
Question: Quentin, why did you choose the Hautes‑Alpes and more specifically the Durance area for your 7th grade class?
Quentin: “I was looking for a complete playground. The ‘05’ offers this unique opportunity to go from whitewater to high cliffs in less than a 45‑minute drive. For 12‑year‑olds, variety is key. If we only went hiking, we would lose half of them. But going from rafting on the Rabioux in the morning to mountain biking in Les Salettes in the afternoon keeps the energy level incredible.”
Question: What was the most memorable moment for your students during this week?
Quentin: “Without a doubt, the via ferrata at Les Orres. For many, it was the first time they geared up with a harness and lanyards. I saw students who are very confident in class completely petrified by the void, and others, who are very shy, turning into real guides for their classmates. This role reversal is what makes it so rich. On the wall, social or academic status no longer exists; only mutual support matters.”
Question: In terms of organization, is it not too difficult to manage 24 students in the great outdoors?
Quentin: “That was my biggest fear. But having an ‘all‑inclusive’ stay changes everything. The partner accommodation near Embrun knew perfectly how to handle school groups. The instructors took charge of the students as soon as they arrived on the activity site (Rafting, climbing at Le Pibou, etc.). I was no longer a stressed logistics manager, but a chaperone sharing the adventure with my students. It’s an invaluable gain in comfort for a teacher.”
Technical focus – Equipment and safety
To reassure the school administration and parents, full technical transparency is essential.
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
All our activities are supervised with equipment that meets current CE standards:
Whitewater (Rafting/Hydrospeed): 5 mm neoprene wetsuits for optimal thermal insulation in the cool waters of the Durance, Drac, or Ubaye, high‑buoyancy life jackets, and certified helmets.
Vertical activities (Climbing/Via ferrata): Adjustable harnesses, dynamic safety ropes, and double lanyards with energy absorbers.
Supervision: Passionate professionals
Every guide involved in the stay holds a state certificate (BE or now BP) or a State Diploma (DE) in their discipline. They are not just sports technicians; they are educators able to adapt their teaching to the school curriculum.
Integration into the school curriculum (Biology and PE)
An outdoor stay is not just a fun break; it is a major educational lever:
Biology/Earth sciences: Studying the force of water and erosion on the banks of the Drac or the Durance; observing alpine biodiversity during mountain bike outings.
PE: Working on balance, managing effort, and mastering risk.
Life skills: Learning autonomy and community rules (respecting schedules, managing personal equipment).
Conclusion: Your project starts here
Quentin’s experience is just one example among many. Whether you want to take on the waves of the Ubaye, climb the cliffs of Corbières, or explore the trails of the Champsaur, we are here to turn your educational project into an unforgettable human adventure.
More than a trip, a life milestone
Like Quentin and his 7th graders, offer your students this rite of passage. Between the Drac and the Durance, under the sun of the Hautes‑Alpes, they do not just discover rafting or climbing: they discover themselves.
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