Quick Answer for Busy Parents
At Aiglon College, expeditions are a required, progressive outdoor education program for every Junior and Senior School student. Students average about three expedition experiences per term, and roughly 200 students head out on an average weekend. Activities range from mountaineering and ski touring to rock climbing and mountain biking, and the most ambitious students pursue Skyline Expeditions toward an Aiglon Skyline Award.
Why Expeditions Sit at the Heart of Aiglon
Aiglon was founded in 1949 on the balanced development of mind, body, and spirit, and time in the local mountains has been part of the school since the beginning. Aiglon is clear that expeditions aren’t just about technical skills. They’re genuine outdoor education through real-life experience: learning to plan, persevere, look after each other, and respect nature. For many students, this is where independence and resilience are built.
How the Program Progresses
The program builds year by year, so skills develop incrementally. Aiglon’s structure includes required expeditions, year-group expeditions, long expeditions, House Spirit Days, adventure-sports expeditions, and independent expeditions. Junior School students start with the Aiglon Mountain School (Years 2–6), camping, orienteering, kayaking, and climbing under experienced staff.
| By the Numbers | Figure |
| Average expedition experiences per term | 3 |
| Average students on expedition each weekend | 200 |
| Commitment Awards in the most recent year | 300 |
| Highest peak climbed (Pigne de la Lé) | 3,396 meters |
Wondering If Your Child Will Thrive at Aiglon?
We help families judge fit honestly, including readiness for boarding and mountain life.
Skyline Expeditions and Awards
Skyline Expeditions are Aiglon’s most challenging mountain experiences, divided into Skyline Summit, Skyline High, and Technical Skyline High expeditions. Completing the required number earns an Aiglon Skyline Award. Students also receive Progression, Technical, and Commitment Awards, and can pursue the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, which has Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels built on service, sport, skill, and an adventurous journey.
What This Means for Your Child’s Application
Aiglon’s admissions process asks whether a student will excel in its mountain environment. You don’t need a seasoned mountaineer, but genuine openness to the outdoors matters. Hiking, camping, scouting, or skiing experience can show up in an application and interview naturally, and so can stories about persevering through something hard.
- Talk with your child honestly about weekend expeditions and cold-weather days.
- Encourage some outdoor experience before applying, even close to home.
- Help your child reflect on a challenge they pushed through, for the interview.
Is Mountain Education Right for Your Child?
For the right student, Aiglon’s expeditions are life-changing. For a child who dreads the outdoors, a different boarding school may be a better fit. We help families think this through before applying.
Let’s Find the Right School
Talk with an advisor about Aiglon and other boarding options that fit your child.