Summer on the Mountain
Experiencing the Ultimate High Ex Adventure. Introducing your new roommate to the joys of Swiss chocolate. Racing your best friend down from Exeter through a rainstorm. Aiglonians never forget their time on the mountain – and they relish every opportunity to share it with partners, friends, children – and anyone who will listen!
So, it comes as no surprise that Aiglonians want their children to experience the real thing. And Aiglon’s expanded Summer School is the perfect taster.
“It’s always so wonderful to see both new and familiar family names on the Summer School register – and to see the joy of alumni returning to Aiglon, perhaps for the first time, when they pick up and drop off their children!” says Ms. Fiona Tweedie, Director of Summer School. “It’s the perfect place for students from all over the world to come together, challenge themselves, learn new skills, have tons of fun, and make some memories themselves.”
Patrick Hofmann’s daughter, Isabel (Clairmont, 2028), enjoyed her Summer School experience so much that she pleaded to be allowed to join Aiglon for real. Patrick and his family had recently moved from London to Florence for a lifestyle change. After reconnecting with Aiglon at a reunion event, he went to visit the school – which he hadn’t seen since he left.
“I was impressed at the way Aiglon had developed,” he says. “So my wife and I agreed that it would be wonderful for our daughter Isabel to experience the school through the lens of Summer School, as she is very sporty and outdoors-oriented.”
Although it was the first time Isabel had been away from her parents for a longer period, she loved it.
“I really liked the canyoning and the day we went to the trampoline park,” she says. “Plus, we did sports like tennis and golf. The classes were very interactive, and I also enjoyed the leadership challenge.”
When Patrick (Alpina, 1992) picked Isabel up, she was eager to tell him everything she’d done – and that she wanted to apply to Aiglon.
“She has now been accepted, and we’re all so happy. Aiglon has always been in the background for her – she knows several of my classmates’ children, who were also at Summer School. Taking her at the start of the new school year is going to be somewhat nostalgic for me, but it will be such a great new opportunity for her.”
For Sebastian Echavarria (Alpina, 1996), Aiglon is also very much a family affair – in fact, he’s the 12th member of the Echavarria clan to have attended the school. For him, Aiglon was a transformative experience.
“I wanted my children to have that too, and to mix with people from all over the world,” he says. “It’s very hard to replicate that or get that anywhere else in the world. Right now, I live in Miami, which is multicultural, but you don’t get that raw international feel that you get in Aiglon. I also wanted them to gain the love for the outdoors that I got from the school and to learn the importance of being healthy in body and mind. All these things have stayed with me throughout my life.”
The Echavarria children – Lucas (15), Arianna (13), and Sabrina (11) – have all taken part in Aiglon’s Summer School over two successive years. It was their first experience at any kind of camp, and they had never been away from home for so long before – so it was a big challenge.
“For the first year, they did everything under the sun,” says Sebastian. “Hiking, rock climbing, outdoor activities – and they really enjoyed it.”
For the second year, his two oldest children took part in Aiglon’s Manchester City Football School for the first week.
“They said it was great – but I think they would have been just as happy doing all the outdoor activities again! After all, when you’re in Switzerland and in the mountains, you want to make the most of that.”
He’s also keen to see if his children might consider attending Aiglon full-time.
“It was a great way to dip our toes into the water. The first year, they said they loved the camp but didn’t want to go to boarding school. But now they’ve been a second time, I’m starting to get very different answers!”
Natasha Fleischman (Exeter, 2001) was also eager for her daughters to experience a truly multicultural environment.
“It was so good for me – an only child – to live in a community with friends who became like my brothers and sisters,” she says. “And it broadens your personality when you know other cultures. We live in Honduras, and my children don’t always get to experience a broad view of the rest of the world. I hoped my daughter Olivia would also learn a little French – even though I spent two years at Aiglon, and I know how hard it can be. So perhaps it was a little much to expect her to do it in two weeks!”
Olivia first went to Summer School in 2023 and was excited to go back again this year – this time with her sister, Antonia. She even persuaded two of her friends in the US to go with her.
“I was very excited to go to Aiglon this summer, since my friends were coming with me!” says Olivia. “I couldn’t wait to show them around, and I was also happy to see staff and counsellors from the year before. This year, rafting was my favourite, but I really enjoyed the expedition and camping outdoors. Mountain biking was challenging since I had never done it before – it was scary at first, but then I had so much fun.”
She loved the mountains and the views and had a great time with her fellow students.
“Even though we are all from different cultures, we all get along. I really like meeting new people from different backgrounds – learning where they are from is very interesting.”
And she even fulfilled her mother’s desire for her to improve her French.
“I feel that I learned so much from only two weeks of classes.”
Natasha is delighted that Olivia had such a positive experience.
“And while the activities were fantastic, I’d also like to emphasise how good the pastoral care was,” she adds. “Everyone was so nice and welcoming, and I was particularly impressed with the counsellors.”
Just like hallowed memories of school days, Summer School looks set to become a treasured memory, says Ms. Tweedie.
“It’s an experience that stays with students for life – and a unique first step on a fascinating journey. Whether your child wants to get a sense of what Aiglon is like before applying or just wants to meet new people, learn, and have fun in this beautiful part of the world, they’ll find these experiences are ideal preparation for whatever lies ahead.”
Article originally appeared in Issue 23 of the Aiglon Magazine. Words by Lucy Jolin and photography by Nicoals Dulex.