SITTING on the shores of Lake Geneva, Evian-les-Bains is internationally renowned for its healing waters.

But when Burnley arrive in south east France’s high market holiday resort and spa town, manager Sean Dyche is hoping for plenty of sweat.

There will be one day in particular when beads will inevitably drip from every pore. It has become known among the players as ‘The Gaffer’s Day’ - a gruelling test of fitness, stamina and team spirit.

However, with the close season limited to just over five and a half weeks, Dyche will also be mindful of the need for rest and recuperation.

“Evian-les-Bains is somewhere I went over to last year to have a look at.

“We’re always trying to push the margins in training with not only the physical side but the mental side of the game,” he said.

“It’s a lovely place, a real good setting to work hard - and there will be hard work being done.

“It’s well documented now about how hard our players work. That’s a given, the way we train, the way we look after them.

“We just wanted a smaller break this year with the five nights.

“There’s a game at the end of it, a lower key game because it’s a very early game.

“Going beyond that we’ve also got the mini-break up to Scotland, which we think is important.”

As well as making sure the players are well catered for, Dyche is also mindful of pre-season games being accessible to supporters.

Many plan their summer holidays around far away fixtures, with Burnley’s first friendly being played against Swiss Third Division side Etoile Carouge on Friday night (kick-off 7pm local time).

The Clarets will make the short trip across the border to the 7,200 capacity Stade de la Fontenette in Carouge.

Their first pre-season friendly on English soil is against Accrington Stanley the following Saturday, while they will also travel to Rangers (July 21), Chesterfield (July 25) and Fleetwood (July 28) before hosting Bradford City in Michael Duff’s testimonial on August 1.

“Trips, or the planning of trips, are not so easy to involve your fans with,” added Dyche.

“But the ones we can we try to keep as local and as reasonable for the fans as we can because they are part of this club and we want them to be part of this club,” said Dyche.

“They’ve backed us massively over the last couple of years and we want that backing going forward.

“If you look at the games we have tried to keep them regionalised.

“Out of that there is the Rangers game, but we think that’s a good one for our fans anyway, so that’s why we got involved with that.”