Nice, one of France’s most iconic cities located on the French Riviera, can be a dream destination to work abroad. For centuries Nice has attracted vacationers from all over Europe and the world because of its charming architecture, lazy promenades, and pristine setting on the Mediterranean Sea. But for the ambitious intern, Nice can be more than just a vacation spot. It is France’s fifth largest city, and offers a great opportunity to gain professional experience with a wide variety of promising businesses.
Internships in Nice
Nice’s largest two industries are technology and tourism, so students interested in these fields will benefit from a large amount of internship openings. This being said, there are many other fields in which students can find great internship opportunities in Nice. Communications, Event Planning, Marketing, and Culinary Arts are a few examples of the professional fields where you can find available internships. Some programs will even combine your internship with the chance to take courses for academic credit.
Many internship in Nice will additionally offer French language lessons as a supplement to your internship duties. This is because French is spoken in nearly all business settings in Nice, so interns will be expected to achieve acceptable proficiency in the language. If you are studying French already in school, then interning in Nice is a great way to advance your fluency.
Internships in Nice are offered year round, and typically last from two to six months. Many students who are still in college choose to complete their internship over the summer, and in Nice it is the same story. Can you imagine spending your summer productively, while also soaking up the Mediterranean sun every day in one of Europe’s most beautiful cities?
Life in Nice
Because it is such a popular travel destination, it is often overlooked that Nice is a very important port city in France. It is also quite large, with a population of over 1 million people living in the metropolitan area. Nice may seem like paradise from afar, and there are indeed many things paradisiacal about this amazing city, but as an intern you will have the privilege to move beyond its shiny coat and discover the everyday Nice that locals enjoy.
Nice is one of the oldest cities in France, with a history spanning thousands of years to its settlement during the Roman era. Since then it has been governed by many different peoples, but it has always maintained its reputation as a place of rare beauty. Not just vacationers, but many famous artists and other creative personas have travelled to Nice frequently in the past for inspiration.
Some of the most iconic parts of Nice include its many famous plazas (Massena, Garibaldi, Rossetti, du Palais), the Opera de Nice, and the Promenade des Anglais, which is a promenade running all along the Mediterranean bayside. Admittedly these areas can become quite crowded during the summertime which is peak tourist season, so it is a great idea if you can to make friends with locals and learn about all the secret hotspots!
Salary & Costs
Nice is a fairly expensive city to live in, even by European standards, but the good news is that you are likely to get paid for your internship abroad. French labor laws require employers to pay interns if they are working for longer than two months, and also prohibit interns from working for longer than 35 hours a week. Salaries vary depending on your internship, but at least you’ll have a good amount of extra time and cash to enjoy the sunshine with.
Accommodation & Visas
As an intern abroad in Nice, you will typically have the option whether to live in a homestay or in an apartment. Homestays are a great way to continue practicing your French, and give you the opportunity to immerse yourself deeper into French culture. Apartments can be expensive, so it is likely that you might live with other interns, but this can be a great option too for those students who want a more autonomous lifestyle.
You will typically have to apply for either a work permit or student visa if you are interning abroad in Nice (unless you are from inside the European Union). Either your host employer or your internship abroad program will help endorse you during this process. For more information about visas in the mean time, you can check out our French Embassy Directory.
GoAbroad's Insider Tips
Learn French. In the workplace, in your homestay, on the streets – the opportunity to develop your French language skills while interning abroad in Nice are endless. There is no better way to learn a language than by immersing yourself into a place where it is spoken everyday.
Global Professionalism. Future employers will be greatly impressed by an internship abroad in France. It is a highly respected work culture, and shows that you possess a good degree of flexibility and ambition (and bilingualism).
Mediterranean Summer. Of course all internships are over the summer, but you get the point. Nice is one of the most beautiful cities in all of Europe, stunningly settled on a Mediterranean coastline at the foothills of the Ligurian Alps. Any time in the French Riviera is time well spent.
