Switzerland
Hill House was founded at La Tour de Peilz in Switzerland in a house called "la Colline" which translated into "Hill House". From there we moved in 1958 to a chalet at Vennes above Lausanne. This became the site of the new interchange for the motorway being built between Geneva and Berne and thus we came in 1960 to Glion a mountain village over 600 metres above Lac Léman (Lake Geneva). The present school building was purpose built in 1966, to the design of Colonel Townend, in the garden of our previous house which is now a B&B welcoming parents visiting the school.
Each year we offer up to twelve courses in Switzerland. In principle there are three or four skiing courses for boys in Senior School in the period January to Easter, three summer courses for girls in Transitus during the Summer Quarter, two specialist courses in the autumn and three music courses. Accommodation is in two dormitories so that children learn to have respect for each other and gain a taste of boarding. The school has its own skis, mountain climbing and hiking equipment. There is an outdoor games pitch and table tennis area in the extensive garden and ski slopes with ski-lift are only a short distance away up the mountain. We have the use all year round of an Olympic size swimming pool in Clarens as well as the opportunity of lake swimming in the summer months. The courses in Glion are by invitation only and usually attract a small additional fee to cover the costs of travel and accommodation.
