French Immersion on the Cote d’Azur

Cote d’Azur, photo courtesy of Unsplash

It may sound like a ruse—leaving Geneva in the depth of winter to spend a month on the Cote d’Azur studying French—but it was language boot camp at its best; eight hours of daily French classes in a Provençal villa overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

I happened to be living in Geneva at the time (because of my husband’s job) when someone mentioned that the Institut de Français was an ideal place to learn French. Students were immersed in the language under the guidance of eight full-time teachers, mostly in small classes. An added bonus was that it was twenty degrees warmer in Villefranche-sur-Mer than Geneva in January.

We were seventy students during the month I attended, a dozen of whom had studied at the Institut in previous years. It was fun being with people from all over the world and having French as our common language.

We’d eat breakfast together before classes began at 9 a.m. and meet up again for leisurely lunches. Between classes we’d take breaks in the terraced gardens and walks in the neighborhood—with views of the Mediterranean Sea at every turn.

The teachers were funny and personable and made learning easy even as they enforced the “French only” rule throughout the day. Anyone caught speaking another language in school was charged two euros, which went into a collection for a champagne party after the last class. At every lunch table a teacher ate with students to facilitate discussions and answer questions.

The school organized cultural outings to enhance the experience. We had group dinners at local restaurants, a wine-tasting event at a Cave in Nice, French movie nights on Tuesdays, and a day trip to the medieval villages of St. Paul da Vance and Tourette-sur-Loup as well as to an art museum, the Fondation Maeght.

Immersion of Another Kind

Villefranche is a 14th century fishing port nestled in a picturesque bay between Nice and Monaco. It has retained an old-world charm since it has no large hotels or casinos. The old town has quaint shops and restaurants, a 16th century citadel with a sculpture museum, and narrow twisting streets bordered by a long sandy beach for sunset walks.

I was lucky to get a studio apartment—arranged by the Institut—with a fabulous view overlooking the old town and bay. I often met friends at local brasseries for evening meals, and occasionally we took a local bus to Nice to explore the city’s sprawling outdoor market.

It was like being in college again, where I formed fast friendships and seized opportunities to see as much as possible in that part of France. I hope to join the long list of alums who return year after year to spend a month studying in that remarkable place.