I am delighted to welcome you to La Garenne International Boarding School.
Nestled in the stunning alpine setting of Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland, La Garenne has been a family away from home for boarding and day students since 1947.
Our mission is to guide young people in becoming independent, resilient, internationally-minded individuals. We nurture each student’s unique talents, meet their individual needs and aspirations, and support them in becoming the best possible versions of themselves.
With students aged from 3 to 18, our top priority is for each one of them to feel happy, safe, healthy, and cherished throughout their educational journey.
Our motto, “Be happy and never, never, never give up,” reflects not only our ethos, but also the Swiss values of open-mindedness, responsibility, innovation, empathy, and respect.
We look forward to welcoming you into the La Garenne family.
La Garenne has always been more than a school to me: it has been my home. I grew up here, watching my parents lead the school and summer camps with care and dedication, and I always knew I wanted to follow in their footsteps. Today, alongside my family and a devoted team of educators, I have the privilege of continuing their legacy while shaping the future of our school.
We offer more than just academic programmes or an international community: we create the feeling of belonging. Every student who joins us becomes part of a supportive, loving environment where they are seen, valued, and encouraged. We guide our students to develop their strengths, discover new passions, and learn with curiosity and purpose.
I am proud of how far La Garenne has come from a traditional chalet school to a dynamic international learning community with state-of-the-art facilities. But the heart of our school remains the same: a place where children feel safe, inspired, and at home.
Welcome to La Garenne: a school built on tradition, driven by passion, and guided by people who truly care. Join our family.
Grégory Méan is the fourth child of the Méan family. He grew up with La Garenne as his home. He graduated from the Hotel Management School (École Hôtelière de Lausanne) in 2003. After gaining experience in hotels around the globe, he returned to Villars to become Assistant Director of a local hotel. He balanced work with continuous learning, studying Happiness through Harvard Online and completing management courses at IMD in Lausanne. In 2008, Grégory took over management of La Garenne, with the goal of making it one of the leading schools in the world at the forefront of both educational and pastoral development. Grégory’s wife Céline is a former La Garenne student and now works in the school’s HR department.
Before joining the Board of La Garenne School, Alexey spent twelve years managing the accounts of major multinational companies in the advertising, media consulting, and audit sectors. He holds a Master of Science from Moscow State University and pursued Business Studies at the Stockholm School of Economics, and INSEAD. In 2015, he completed an Executive MBA at IMD Business School. In his current role, Alexey develops financial and practical solutions to support La Garenne’s continued expansion and development.
Gavin Williams has worked in education for over 15 years, including 10 years in senior leadership roles. He has extensive experience with the MYP, IGCSE, and IB Diploma programmes, and most recently served as Head of an IB Continuum school in Italy, supporting students aged 2 to 19. He holds a BSc in Biochemistry, a Master’s in Teaching and Learning, and is completing a Doctorate in Education at the University of Bath. Gavin is proud to lead learning at La Garenne and to share his passion for high-quality teaching, learning, and pastoral care with the school community.
Danielle has led the development and implementation of the Primary Curriculum and Assessment structure at La Garenne since 2018. She also introduced Cambridge English Qualifications to the school. Previously a teacher in England, Danielle frequently travels abroad to visit schools and attend leadership workshops. She remains actively involved in classroom teaching and collaborates closely with her Primary School colleagues to help every child build confidence and reach their full potential. One of the most rewarding aspects of her role is getting to know families and working with them to support their children’s learning and development.
Having gained her English Literature PGCE from King's College, London, Alexandra has worked both in the UK and internationally as an educator. Her international teaching career has taken her to Thailand, Italy and Switzerland, and she has held a range of positions including Head of English, CAS Coordinator and Deputy Head of Secondary. Alexandra has taught at MYP, IGCSE, and IB Diploma levels and has a strong focus on nurturing creativity within the classroom environment. Alexandra joined La Garenne in 2021 and is delighted to be the Head of Secondary; with the students' best interests at heart, Alexandra is a caring and compassionate educator and leader.
Mark Silverstein, a graduate of NYU and Hofstra University, grew up in Switzerland and has lived in several countries including Belgium, Spain, and the USA. His professional experience includes leadership roles in organisations such as the American Red Cross, Mount Sinai Hospital, and international schools in Switzerland, including Aiglon College, Institut Florimont in Geneva, and Collège et Lycée Saint-Charles in Porrentruy. Mark has served on various boards, including Counterpart International and the Swiss chapter of the End Hunger Project. His global outlook and background in both education and humanitarian work bring a valuable perspective to his work with families and partners around the world. When not travelling to represent La Garenne, he can be found welcoming families and agents to campus, guiding them through the school and introducing them to its vibrant community.
Construction begins on our new Sports Hub, just a few steps from the Le Roc senior campus. The building will include a multi-purpose sports hall, as well as accommodation for our senior boarding students.
The latest addition to La Garenne's teaching and learning spaces is Chalet Millenium. Opened in autumn 2023, it houses classrooms specially designed for our very youngest students, from rising 4s to age 7. With its own play area and equipment, Chalet Millenium is the perfect place for your child to start their La Garenne journey.
La Garenne marks its 75th Anniversary, celebrating a history of education in a warm, family atmosphere where each child is prepared for the challenges ahead.
Work starts to convert Chalet Le Roc into the new home of teaching and learning for senior students. Just a short distance from the original La Garenne campus, Le Roc has modern classrooms, design and fine art studios, a dance and music space, and a gym. It also has a dining hall, libraries, a multi-use Community Floor, and en-suite bedrooms for boarding students. Le Roc was designed with students' input to nurture their talents and meet their individual needs. The boarding environment creates the stability and structure for each student to thrive socially and academically.
La Garenne marks its 70th Anniversary, celebrating a history of education in a warm, family atmosphere where each child is prepared for the challenges ahead.
La Garenne begins the construction of the new ‘Beau Site’ building to provide junior students with en-suite bedrooms, common rooms and relaxation areas, as well as a multi-function room for theatre, exams and celebrations.
The bedrooms, dining room and administrative offices within La Garenne main building are sensitively modernised, retaining the charming chalet style but upgrading functionality. Cosy bedrooms, modern bathrooms, spacious dining room with mountain views, and upgraded offices serve the school community well, whilst retaining a ‘home away from home’ feel.
Chalet Académia, with classrooms for Primary and MYP, opens its doors. With its charming chalet-style facade and modern comforts, combined with the latest technology, Académia is truly a state-of-the-art learning environment with a stylish and cosy mountain atmosphere.
Two new plots of land are purchased and work on the new academic building ‘Académia’ begins. With nine fully equipped classrooms, a music room, a science lab and meeting rooms, ‘Academia’ is designed to exceed the highest academic standards.
Grégory Méan and his wife Céline, a former student of La Garenne, succeed Christophe and Clare. Their main goal is to perpetuate the traditional values and educational philosophy of the family.
Christophe Méan (second son of the Méan family) takes over the leadership of the school.
Patrice and Wendy Méan take over the ownership and management of the school. They modernise and enlarge the building, increase the number of students enrolled, and achieve real progress in the development of the English section.
Monsieur & Madame de Lattre take over the direction of the school. This dynamic couple enlarges the existing building and creates an English section, which is immediately successful. The traditional afternoon nap (siesta) is replaced with sports activities for the children to enjoy and benefit from.
A ‘Home for Children’ is established and managed by two young women, Mrs A. Caboussat and Mrs A. L'Eplattenier.
OUR VISION
To inspire our community to be responsible global citizens in an ever-changing world.
OUR MISSION
The mission of La Garenne International School is to educate young people from around the world. We promote traditional Swiss values of open-mindedness, responsibility, innovation, empathy, and respect. We strive to nurture each learner’s talents, meeting their individual needs and aspirations.
OUR CORE AIMS
Our Admissions team travels widely to promote La Garenne's excellent academic standards, our forward-looking approach to caring for and educating our students, and the traditional Swiss values which inform everything that we do.
In the coming year, we will be in Madrid, Munich, Istanbul, Tokyo, Miami, Sofia, Sao Paulo, London, Bangkok, Jakarta, Beijing, Shanghai, Hanoi and Taipei. We also plan to visit Lisbon, Seoul, Paris, Rome, Mexico, Dubai, Monaco and New York. If you would like to attend any of our events, or have a personal consultation in your home country, please drop us an email and we will be in touch.
Lisbon, Portugal
Seoul, South Korea
