Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| colonie de vacances | /kɔ.lɔ.ni d(ə) va.kɑ̃s/ | feminine |
| camp de vacances | masculine |
In France, colonie de vacances typically implies a residential program where children live together for a week or two, often in the countryside. It serves as an institution for housing and entertaining children.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase colonie de vacances literally translates to "colony of holidays".
Which one should you use?
Colonie de vacances is the standard, traditional term. In contrast, camp de vacances, which literally means "camp of holidays", is often used to describe more modern or specific types of camps, such as those focused on a single activity like music or sports.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In parts of Quebec, Canada, the term camp de jour may be used.
How does it change in a sentence?
When saying you are "at" summer camp in a general sense, use the preposition en (en colonie de vacances) rather than à la.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of colonie de vacances is /kɔ.lɔ.ni d(ə) va.kɑ̃s/ and consists of 4 syllables.
Did you know?
- In France, the colonie de vacances was historically used by the government as a tool for social mixing, bringing children from different economic classes together.
- Because colonie de vacances is a long phrase, French speakers often shorten it to just la colo in casual conversation.
- The French word colonie is a doublet of the word Cologne, meaning they both share a common root in the Latin word for 'colony'.
Examples in context
- Nous nous sommes rencontrés en colonie de vacances.We met at summer camp.This sentence shows how to use the phrase to describe where people met.Tatoeba #2071570 by sacredceltic, translation #1553335 by CK
- J'ai la conviction que quelques semaines passées dans une colonie de vacances bien organisée peuvent être d'une plus grande valeur éducative qu'une année entière consacrée au travail scolaire traditionnel.I have the conviction that a few weeks in a well-organized summer camp may be of more value educationally than a whole year of formal school work.This sentence illustrates a viewpoint on the educational value of a well-organized colonie de vacances.Tatoeba #1660106 by Scott, translation #1659956 by Scott
- Tu as prévu de participer à un camp d'été cette année?Are you planning to attend a summer camp this year?
- J'ai passé un été inoubliable en colonie de vacancesI had an unforgettable summer at a summer camp
- Ma petite sœur part en colonie de vacances demain.My little sister is going to summer camp tomorrow.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Chloé are talking about their childhood memories.
- NathanTu aimais ta colonie de vacances quand tu étais petite ?Did you like your summer camp when you were little?
- ChloéOui, j'adorais les activités et mes amis là-bas.Yes, I loved the activities and my friends there.
- NathanMoi, je préférais rester à la maison.As for me, I preferred staying at home.
- ChloéC'est dommage, c'était vraiment une expérience géniale !That's a shame, it was a really great experience!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “summer camp” translations and entries colonie de vacances, camp de vacances, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries camp, colonie, de, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
