Adolescence in the Ardennes: Outdoor sports for screen viewers
'No sense'. 'Kweenie'. “La-me-well, duh.” Going on holiday with teenagers is quite a challenge for many parents. How do you wean WiFi addicts away from their screens? They found a solution for this in the Belgian Ardennes…
'Whaaaa!' In the quarry, Marieke (16) and Paulien (17) hang on the rock wall. Thirty meters below, the other teenagers watch the awkward actions of the two girls with wide eyes. A via ferrata has been set out in the quarry: a steel cable above a ten centimeter wide ledge against the steep rock wall.
Equipped with a helmet, hip belt and double lifelines, the girls shuffle foot by foot over the ledge, with the safety hooks clicked to the steel cable. Under the watchful eye of outdoor instructor Björn, the climbing and obstacle course through the treetops follows shortly afterwards, including the crossing of a real ravine. With the final highlight: abseiling from a height of thirty meters. Then try to put a smile on those pale faces for a photo.
But: it works. And the adrenaline is still running through their bodies when we later drive back to the campsite in the car. The WiFi is waiting there, so they can immediately share their experiences with their network of friends.
Five-star campsite in the Ardennes
We are at the Parc La Clusure campsite, in the Belgian Ardennes. The five-star campsite specializes in family holidays, especially families with teenagers. 'Many campsites find this a difficult group and focus on the age group up to 12 years. We also have activities for that, such as Ardennes Rangers, Aquaball in the swimming pool and cool glasses workshops.
But with us it only starts then', says Dutch campsite owner Jan Jehee. Originally a gym teacher, later responsible for the activities at Duinrell amusement park. But that was a quarter of a century ago now, because together with his wife Nympha he has been running Parc La Clusure for 25 years: that anniversary is being celebrated on a grand scale during the Pentecost weekend. 'Recreation and entertainment are our spearheads. Here we activate the youth who normally only stare at their screens: that is the ultimate challenge.
Teenage campfire
Our strength lies in the fact that we hire staff of the same age - motivated trainees and students from recreation and sports courses. During the weekly teenage meetings, they determine together with our guests what the recreation program will be for the coming week. Mountain biking in the woods, canoeing on the Ourthe, teenage campfire, live table football, abseiling in a quarry: whatever they want.
We have a very strong outdoor program. We even use a separate company for this: B-Adventure. With professional instructors and CIOS students. And in addition to the outdoor program, we also have activities for all ages: this afternoon, for example, a bird of prey show by a falconer from Zeeland. And tonight, when the campsite restaurant has been converted into a theater, the hypnosis show will take place. For teenagers'.
Under hypnosis
"You look at me now and if I blow in your face, you will fall asleep." The hypnosis show has started. Patrick Pickart – strange jacket, ditto glasses – randomly picks young people from the audience and within a few minutes eight young people are hanging in chairs on stage, fast asleep. The hypnotist makes them cycle, row and count their own fingers, completely ignoring the number 5. 'Eleven fingers, how is that possible?'
The audience in the restaurant – mainly teenagers and their parents – cannot recover as the hypnosis victims perform one hilarious act after another on stage. There is also disbelief when a fourteen-year-old girl is placed stiff as a board on two trestles under hypnosis. Shoulders on one side, feet on the other – later she remembers nothing about it. But luckily we still have the photos. 'Real? Did I do that? Send me an email and I'll put it on Snapchat right away! My friends will never believe that!'
When the hypnotist joins the chatting audience after the hour and a half show, it is someone from the recreation team's turn. Rob: 'I told him it was all a show, and a little later I was sleeping on the floor. He made me take all kinds of selfies with funny faces, but I only saw them on my phone later. Really bizarre!'
About Parc La Clusure
Camping Parc La Clusure is located in the heart of the Ardennes, near St. Hubert and Rochefort. The campsite is located in a beautiful valley on the banks of the river l'Homme. The campsite is well equipped with modern sanitary facilities, an excellent restaurant, bistro, brown pub and a bikini bar by the pool.
Parc la Clusure is known for its extensive recreation and entertainment program. There are all kinds of (sports) activities, theme evenings and music performances throughout the year. Such as the Colorrun, Western evening, campfire sing-a-song and the legendary spooky evenings in the forest. The parents are also called in to scare the hell out of their offspring - from the age of 14. "They really wet their pants," laugh Nympha and Jan Jehee, owners of the campsite. An outdoor company is also located at the campsite: B-Adventure. Professional instructors organize mountain bike tours, climbing and abseiling, among other things.
More information: www.parclaclusure.be
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