Gwillim Lake
We're small, we're remote, we love it, and you will too! BC Family French Camp has three camp locations for a reason. Each of the camps features and celebrates a unique area of British Columbia, and gives options to families who not only want to enhance their French language education throughout the summer, but also to explore the province as well. We don't get as many campers in northeastern British Columbia as our southern neighbors do, but all who venture our way are always happy that they did.
Our camp is situated at the Pat O'Reilly Outdoor/Environmental Studies Centre on Gwillim Lake, a facility owned and operated by the local school district. This site has been developed and nurtured over the years with the intent that children can enjoy and learn about the area flora, fauna, rivers and lakes, with minimal intrusion from the outside world. We at BCFFC cherish this site, and our families do too. All campers work hard to maintain the forest we occupy for the week, and we are proud to leave the site in as good or better shape as when we came to it. As well as new French vocabulary and meeting new friends, your children will learn to love the forest and the magic it holds.
On site, there is no electricity, phone, or cell service, laundry and shopping are 40 minutes away, camping is in grassy (sometimes uneven) meadows, there are no flush toilets, no picnic tables, and no sad faces ever! Those are the "have nots"... so what do we have?
We have:
- fresh mountain air
- clean, clear rivers and waterfalls
- towering natural forests
- a cold mountain lake
- northern lights and starry, starry skies
- Moniteurs who love the site and are happy to explore it with the kids — canoeing, hiking, and playing in programs for the adventurous and the not so adventurous
- hot showers
- sauna
- an incredible new climbing wall
- firepits with real wood (no fire bans here)
- four-legged wilderness visitors
- rabascas (you'll have to join us to find out what this is)
- happy families who return year after year for friends to re-unite
- a dedicated committee that works to ensure they do
We could go on forever, but we really want you to come and check us out for yourselves. The program at Gwillim is limited to 55 families. If you are interested but still have questions, please contact the Co-ordinator or Registrar for Gwillim Lake. We would love to hear from you, whether it's to answer questions from newcomers, or welcome returnees.
Provincial legislation (Bill 10) was introduced in 2008 that prohibits smoking on all properties owned by School District 59, including the Gwillim Lake Outdoor Education Facility, home of the BCFFC Gwillim Lake camp. No smoking is allowed anywhere within the facility, including personal motor and recreation vehicles on the property. It is important to note that where individuals are caught smoking on District property, it may now be dealt with as a criminal offence, as well as a breech of the school district policy. Provincial penalties under the Offence Act range up to fines of $2000 or 6 months imprisonment. BCFFC could also loose the privilege of access to this facility in future years and this would mean the end of French Camp at Gwillim Lake.