Elite Swiss School Buys $17 Million Yacht for Student Science Classes

Institut Le Rosey, an ultra-exclusive boarding school in Switzerland, has acquired a $17 million solar-electric catamaran named Ipharra for its students to use as a marine science classroom. The 94-foot yacht was purchased last month at the 2026 Monaco Yacht Show by the school's former director, Phillipe Gudin, and was delivered this month.

Gudin stated that the vessel is intended to provide students with opportunities to discover new subjects and potentially find new passions. The Ipharra is equipped with six guest cabins for the 10 teenagers who participate in the program. Parents paying nearly $200,000 annually for tuition also pay an additional $20,000 for the two-week voyages, which are staffed by five full-time personnel.

The yacht features a luxurious interior with linen sofas, oak floors, a large dining table, and a coffee bar with panoramic windows. The student cabins are furnished with Wenge wood. A retractable movie screen can transform the salon into a classroom space for nighttime viewing.

Students will have access to an expansive Ocean Lounge area with fold-down balconies that create a beach club atmosphere for swimming, diving, and socializing. The yacht also carries a variety of water toys, including skis, snorkeling and scuba diving gear, and fishing equipment.

The two-week voyages are part of Le Rosey’s Excellence Camp for students aged 13 to 16. During these trips, students study ocean conservation, marine biology, renewable energy, and responsible resource management while cruising in the Mediterranean and Caribbean. The Ipharra is powered by electric motors and features solar skin panels that convert sunlight into electricity, making it an emissions-free vessel.

Institut Le Rosey, founded in 1880, is known for educating children of royalty, celebrities, and affluent families. The school has approximately 400 students, ages 8 to 18, from over 60 countries. Its alumni include Prince Rainier of Monaco, King Farouk of Egypt, and King Juan Carlos I of Spain. The school has two campuses: one in Rolle, Switzerland, overlooking Lake Geneva for the fall and spring semesters, and a second campus in Gstaad for winter studies.

While the school maintains a Nautical Centre on Lake Geneva for smaller boats, the Ipharra will be stationed at sea in active cruising areas. This new acquisition is an upgrade from the school's previous yacht, which had been in use since 2010.