Not all Wildernesses are covered in trees. One of the most unexpected—and fascinating—ones can be found along the Atlantic coast of Europe.
The QBE European Leadership School (ELS) takes teenage crew members (14–18) on adventure sailing expeditions along the mythical, rugged coastlines and small islands of the English Channel. Emphasizing traditional sailing instruction, personal development, and cultural exploration, it’s a unique wilderness course and exceptional “worldschool” option in a corner of Europe filled with surprises.
Join us this summer on the French Atlantic coast for a coastal expedition in the English Channel on iconic traditional yachts.
QBE (Qualified By Experience) is an expeditionary-learning initiative supported by a group of outdoor enthusiasts who all either taught at or attended the same Swiss international school. Outdoor and cultural expeditions were mandatory for students, and through the years, skiing, mountaineering, cycling, and sailing were the outdoor activities of choice. Today, we’re trying to make the school’s transformative teenage experiences available to a wider market.
It’s a fact that self-esteem is a powerful catalyst for academic and career success. And when it comes to boosting confidence, challenging outdoor adventures like a QBE wilderness course frequently prove to be the secret sauce. Parents are amazed at the difference great adventures make in their teens’ life trajectories. And among life-elevating experiences available to young adults, you can believe us when we tell you this is one of the best.
“As a parent l can say that my daughter’s three weeks with QBE in August 2023 [was] the single most remarkable experience of her life. She was lucky to have this opportunity as a teenager. To say that it was a sailing trip does not do justice to her ‘growing up’ experiences. She gained sailing and sea skills that she is now able to build on and is pursuing her sailing instructor’s certificate. She also faced valuable ‘growing up’ moments of having to navigate meeting and living with new people, working as a team member, dealing with unpredictable weather that frustrated progress and meeting goals set by the leaders. She came home with a new take on life and wanting more for herself. As a parent l also learnt from the experience of having to let go and trust my daughter that she could handle being away from home for three weeks. I can only highly recommend this course. She has kept in touch with friends that she made and they bonded over late nights, Breton dancing in Lorient, eating countless French crepes, the laughter and the tears when saying goodbye. The expression ‘life changing’ can sound like a cliché, but the QBE course brings life changing memories and a whole new perspective on life that the world is indeed as big as their dreams. It was the adventure of a lifetime.””
EXTRAORDINARY EUROPEAN DESTINATIONS • VALUES FOR SUCCESS • NEW GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
Est. 1992 | No sailing experience necessary | The language of instruction is English