Teen outdoor adventure with a European accent

Grab your deck shoes, perhaps round up a few friends, and join us this summer on the French Atlantic coast for an opportunity to sail the French and British coastlines on fabulous traditional boats. It's a European adventure camp that’s entirely out of the ordinary—the sort of experience that most teens only dream of!

Spectacular traditional yachts. Unforgettable destinations. Expert mentoring by one of Europe's most seasoned personal development coaches and sailing instructors. It all adds up to the impact experience of a lifetime.

ABOUT US: QBE (Qualified By Experience) is a top-shelf experiential-learning initiative supported by a group of adventure sport enthusiasts who all attended the same Swiss international school. Outdoor and cultural expeditions were mandatory for us, and through the years, skiing, mountaineering, cycling, and sailing were the outdoor activities of choice.

So when one of our former expeditions masters came across two rare pilot cutters on the market a number of years ago, he started working the phone to raise funds to purchase them. The idea was to make our own transformative teen experiences available to a larger cohort of young adults.

When it comes to boosting self-esteem, challenging outdoor adventures (like small-yacht blue-water sailing) can be the secret sauce, especially when participants are given the reins to make many of their own expedition decisions. That’s why so many top schools have adopted and now swear by expeditionary learning activities.

As for QBE sailing, there’s nothing quite like the exhilaration of cutting through the water on a traditional boat, unless it’s the pride you feel when pulling into port after a challenging day on the water. And unlike, say, a wilderness trek, there are also the daily revelations that come from discovering our sailing area’s vibrant ports, cultural sites, and regional cuisine.

Participants go home feeling they’ve taken their lives to a new level… because they have.

It’s simply a fact that self-esteem is a powerful catalyst for academic and career success. You’ll be amazed at the difference a great adventure can make on a young adult’s life trajectory.

And what’s more, teens love it; many of our crew members ask to come back and do it again. Several participants in 2022 have signed up to join us again this summer. One has referred a friend and asked if he can be a QBE ambassador!

Expeditions in June (two weeks), July (three weeks), and August (three weeks).

You may never have even considered a summer sailing expedition, much less one along the French coast, as a high-school summer adventure/enrichment option. But no matter where you live, you should. It’s a small-team sport where nobody sits on the bench; every crew member plays an important role.

Contact us. Let’s chat. We’d love the opportunity to discuss our unique expeditions and explain what makes QBE’s European Leadership School (ELS) special. References on request.

Train service from CDG airport right to Saint-Malo | No sailing experience necessary | Safety record: Impeccable