L’Abri today

You will find something different at each branch of L’Abri. This is influenced by the location, culture, individual workers, workers’ families, and the unique combination of personalities that make each branch what it is. The students who come also add a lot of variety to the dynamic of an experience at L’Abri.

Each branch is staffed by one or more L’Abri families and single people, called “workers”, who look after those who come and stay, the “students.” In addition to the residential work, many L’Abri workers are involved in conferences, public speaking, and book writing projects. At Swiss L’Abri, students live and take many of their meals together in a large chalet called Bellevue. Although L’Abri is essentially a study center, life is informal and personal. A typical day is divided into half a day of study and half a day of helping with practical work – cooking, cleaning, gardening, etc. Meals often involve lengthy discussion centered on a topic of concern to a particular student or worker. Some evenings are given over to lectures, films, Bible studies, and further discussions prompted by these opportunities for learning.

Those who come and stay may do so for a few days or a whole term. Terms last 8 to 10 weeks. Under the guidance of one of the workers, students experience one-on-one tutorial sessions, in which they are given study materials most helpful to their situation. There are no set courses of study. Students have full access to the extensive book and lecture library, located in a nearby chalet called Farel House.

There are no prerequisites for attending L’Abri. Some students are Christians and some are not. While those who come stay at L’Abri are most commonly single people, there are some accommodations for couples and families.

While most of the information presented here is common to all branches, each branch has its own term dates, daily rates, and other booking details. It is essential to contact each branch individually as we do not have a central reservation system.

To find out more about a specific branch, please click here.

Swiss L’Abri term dates.