Join us in France next summer for an epic voyage of discovery: a one-of-a-kind sailing expedition along spectacular coastlines, organized in part by our student-crew members.
It’s so-o-o much more than a world-class sailing course.
It’s where young adults find the confidence to meet the moment and become lifelong changemakers.
“As a parent l can say that my daughter’s three weeks with QBE in August 2023 has been the single most remarkable experience of her life… To say that it was a sailing trip does not do justice to her ‘growing up’ experiences.””
• Culturally immersive sailing adventure with regular exposure to authentic French patrimony
* Team leadership mentoring in an environment where seamless teamwork is essential for success (We often set out to sail 1,000 miles/1,600km in a single expedition!)
• A treasure trove of winning university admission essay ideas
• Course certification to prove new sailing bona fides
• Special memories for a lifetime
The QBE European Leadership School (ELS), known for its signature classic yachts, serves up impact sailing adventures for high-school students along the culturally rich coastlines of Brittany and the Channel Isles. Each camp emphasizes instruction in traditional sailing, cultural discovery, marine coastal ecology, and team-success coaching.
Our head-turning gaff-rig pilot cutters, authentically constructed by an artisan boatwright, are unmistakably “old-school chic.” Our frequent destinations are right out of a coffee-table book. And each expedition is largely organized by a (very) small international group of crew members who take ownership of practically all everyday tasks, including navigating, helping prepare meals, and taking turns at the wheel.
If you’re looking for a singular adventure next summer, one that actually can change the trajectory of young lives, find some deck shoes and join us in Saint-Malo.
The staff–to-student ratio is 1:3. Instruction is in English.
* Recently, QBE has welcomed adventurous crew members from six continents (not to mention our frequent dolphin pod escorts). In August 2025, eight of twelve expeditioners were second-, third- or fourth-time participants. That should say it all.
Le nec plus ultra of live-aboard sailing adventures for teenagers, 15–18.
*OUR STORY: QBE (Qualified By Experience) is an internationally acclaimed expeditionary-learning initiative supported by a group of adventure sport enthusiasts who all met at a Swiss school that emphasized challenging co-curricular experiences. Outdoor and cultural expeditions were mandatory for all students, and through the years, skiing, mountaineering, cycling, and sailing were the among most popular options.
“Expeditionary education is often associated with adventure education, outdoor education, environmental education or experiential education and refers specifically to learning associated with exploration and journey-based experiences or expeditions within these fields. Usually involving elements of challenge, adventure and leadership, expeditionary education can take place in a variety of settings...””
In 2009, one of the school’s former expedition masters—an outdoor education entrepreneur and advocate of “learning-by-experiencing”—came across two remarkable, artisan-built pilot cutters up for sale. He immediately hatched a plan to acquire them and make one of the school’s most transformative teen activities available to youngsters from a broad range of backgrounds. With the backing of some of his former students, “QBE Adventure Sailing” became the new focus of QBE Outdoor Education’s European Leadership School.
When it comes to boosting self-esteem, challenging outdoor adventures (like small-yacht blue-water sailing) can be fairy dust, 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.
A crowd gathers to watch a QBE cutter pass by
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 crew members feel when pulling into port after a busy 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.
Learning about astro-/celestial navigation—using the stars, planets, moon, sun, and horizon to determine a boat’s position and thus be able to navigate without GPS
What’s more, teens love it; many of our crew members ask to come back and do it again. Several do. In fact, three expeditioners on our July 2025 cruise contacted their parents after the first week to ask if they could stay on for the August expedition!
You may have never even considered sending your teen on a summer sailing expedition, much less one along the French coast. But no matter where you live, you should. It’s not just a horizon-expanding adventure, but also a life-elevating small-team sport where nobody sits on the bench; every crew member plays an important role.
References on request.
You can read an English translation of a recent Bateaux.com article about QBE’s unique “learning by doing” philosophy here.
All major credit cards accepted, so you can pay securely and with confidence.
life-elevating adventure • expert sailing instruction • NEW GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
No sailing experience necessary | Transportation assistance available | Safety record: Impeccable