Nice, France: French Immersion Summer Program

My daughter had the best time in the Nice program! She met new friends from all over the world and loved spending the month in this beautiful city. Arthur and staff were extremely communicative and helped to meet the needs of the students at all times. The schedule was busy and there was always something fun to do. Thank you for making this trip something she will always remember!

My daughter made wonderful friends and laughed a lot. Thank you to Arthur, it was an amazing experience that she will absolutely treasure! Great program with excellent communication between Arthur and the parents!

Our expectations were exceeded by Abbey Road. This is a very well run program, and our daughter had an experience she will cherish forever. In her own words... "Going on exchange with Abbey Road was one of the best decisions I've ever made and ended up being the highlight of my summer. I formed many lifelong friendships, significantly improved my French-speaking skills through engaging conversations and immersive classes, and gained a deeper understanding of the culture through the fun excursions."

My daughters participated in this program and had an incredible time. The program offered the right balance of supervision and independence. The experience was incredible, from the food to the field trips. Most of all they appreciated the opportunity to get to know the beautiful city of Nice. The staff took great care to make sure everyone had a wonderful time and remained safe.

My daughter loved her experience in Nice. From a parent perspective the staff and activities offered were above and beyond our expectations. Thanks for providing care and give attention to all kids needs and interests.

I can’t begin to describe the tremendous experience I had during my four weeks with Abbey Road in Nice, France. The program is run by extremely remarkable people who love working with kids and try their hardest to accommodate every need for every student. My favorite part of the program is that they really focus on learning through immersion. Instead of sitting in a desk with a textbook and worksheet to fill out, every morning, they take you out to a cafe or a park and have you learn by playing fun games in French. I had fears that I’d come to France only to be given long lectures by teachers who only wanted to make a quick buck over the summer, and I’m very glad to say I was completely wrong. Every lesson, every class day, every teacher has a fun lesson prepared which teaches the students just as much if not more than what we would’ve learned if we were stuck in a classroom. By providing interactive lessons and genuinely fun lessons, I was motivated to learn and looked foreword to class every day Tied for my favorite thing about Abbey Road, are the fun activities they provide for the students in the afternoon and evening. I did more fun things in four weeks than I think I did in the past four years. Bowling, Parasaling, Karaoke, tubing, many many fascinating museums, tons and tons of beach visits and uncountable other fun things. Im not even beginning to talk about the weekend day trips which really deserve their own little section. Every day when I went to bed I’d reflect on all the things I had done just that same day and never cease to be amazed with all I had done. It’s very nice knowing than almost all activities are optional and if you’re too tired to go out you can always chose to take a breather. The freedom to do what you want is with you. That said, I highly recommend you take advantage of what Abbey Road provides. Lastly, I must note, the entire time I was with Abbey Road, I had to appreciate that I was actually living on the French Riviera, Abbey Road gave me the chance to live the best life I’ve ever lived. I had so much fun meeting new people, exploring interesting places, and do fun things with my new friends. If you are a parent and are looking for an abroad program for your kid, or if you’re a student looking for yourself, I highly highly recommend Abbey Road. You won’t regret it. P.S. (Arthur is great)

With the Abbey Road experience I was able to have an amazing trip. I met so many new people and made some very good friends. We had so many fun day trips, Antibes, St Tropez, Île de Saint Marguerite. We did many activities such as, karaoke, escape room, pottery, games night, and so much more. The city of Nice is very beautiful and gives you a taste of France. There are many shops and markets, the food is delicious and we had so much fun.

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Had such a great time!! Unfortunately I decided to come during the highest temperatures recorded in Europe but I had a great time regardless and made lots of friends. The amount of freedom is awesome and it’s such a cool experience I’ll remember forever. Do not hesitate to apply!!

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I had so much fun seeing France for the first time and being able to not only explore Nice but other beautiful islands and cities as well. The beaches and small streets were so cool and I had a great time!

My son, Aidan, attended the Abbey Road language program during the summer after 9th grade (summer 2019) and then again after 11th grade (summer 2021), and I can’t say enough positive things about the program. He was required to take French in high school starting in 9th grade and it turned out to be his weakest class. With the intent of improving on his worst subject over the summer, he enrolled in the Abbey Road language program. The experience was transformative. Aidan will attend college in the fall with French, Russian, and International Relations as his intended course of study. Abbey Road did a great job of providing an educational French language experience and well as a fun-filled summer. The classes were undoubtedly effective, and the immersion in the French culture inspired his love of history and foreign affairs. His progress in the language after his first summer was impressive. After his second summer, he skipped a grade level of French. Abbey Road was definitely an educational experience. The accommodations in the Nice apartments provided a good level of impendence overlayed with adult oversight. The kids need to do their own laundry, are responsible for cleaning the community space, and must manage their time to stay on schedule. Curfew is not negotiable. However, they have several hours of free time a day to explore in small groups. The independent interaction with locals furthered Aidan’s language proficiency. From a parental perspective, I never felt like Abbey Road “cheaped out.” The kids ate at restaurants, traveled to nearby cities, and enjoyed the beach activities that have made Nice famous. When they went snorkeling, Abbey Road hired a boat. When they returned home from a weekend outing, they traveled in a private van. Furthermore, the blog postings from the staff were detailed and consistent so I always knew what my son was doing. This was important because he was having too much fun to update me directly. Aidan would say the best aspect of the program was the other kids, and he undoubtedly forged long-term friendships. He keeps in touch with his “French friends” to this day. After his first Nice summer, the kids organized a reunion so they could gather again in New York. After the second summer, the kids did the same thing (although it was cancelled due to Covid). Abbey Road is clearly effective in creating an environment where the kids feel included and are able to bond. When Aidan attends college next fall 3000 miles from home, he will have “French friends” nearby. Our kids have attended several summer camp programs. By far, Abbey Road is the best.

I went to Nice, France with Abbey Road for a month-long program and had the time of my life. I was fully immersed into the French language with fun language classes in the mornings and cultural immersion in the afternoons, visiting museums and cafes. I met the most amazing people on this trip and saw the most amazing places all along the Cote d'Azur. This was the best experience of my life so far and I cannot recommend it enough.

I have to say this was a fantastic experience for my son. He loved every minute. In fact, he was only supposed to stay three weeks, but instead, he wanted to stay another week (a bargain) because he met fabulous friends, was able to see historic locations, and learn from terrific professors and teachers. He learned more French in four weeks than he had learned in the past several years of classroom instruction. Truly, we were impressed. Well done! I have nothing negative to say about the program at all.

The Abbey Road Nice Program was the best summer of my life thus far. From the very beginning, my parents were impressed with the responsiveness of Abbey Road and it really helped them have confidence in sending me abroad for five weeks. When I finally left, I felt very comfortable with the staff on the trip and in Nice. The program was led by a longtime local who was very knowledgeable and I believe this helped contribute to the success of the program. Not only was the director very knowledgeable but the teaching staff was also very helpful and fun in our daily lessons. The lessons were always immersive and interactive. While we spent some time on traditional classroom learning, the majority of our instruction was given to us in and around Nice. I loved the staff's devotion to getting us out and about. I had so much fun on all of our excursions to surrounding cities and countries and not only did this better my French, but it also improved my city-navigating skills. There are a few important things to know before you go on the trip. First, you have to be an optimistic and open-minded kid. The weather in Nice is very hot and sunny so if you are someone who is brought down by the sometimes draining weather, either be aware of this beforehand and limit complaints or simply do not go on this trip. Second, if you are looking for a program that is 100% French, all day, everyday, this is not the program. While we spoke a lot of French during the instruction time, the time spent with my friends was mostly in English. I do think my French improved though and I will say that the program will be as good as you make it with regards to the French-speaking part. Third, you have to be very careful with spending on the trip. Abbey Road provides all of the food, but some people did not like the food and decided to go out instead. All I will say is that you have to be vigilant of how much you spend on food and shopping on your trip. I am so grateful for my parents for sending me on this trip and I will never forget all the memories and friends that I made. I am happy to say that my experience with Abbey Road has inspired me to continue my French learning and go on a year abroad in Switzerland next year.

My daughter had a wonderful time with Abbey Road. Pertaining to my ratings: -Housing: I would prefer the kids have roommates vs. singles since the apartment building is publicly-occupied. -Academics - my daughter enjoyed her language class a lot. She thought she'd get more language immersion than she did (e.g., talking to each other during the week at the program). She gained strong language skills though - but mostly by being immersed in the culture during their ample free time. She learned a lot of slang which she liked a lot! -Organization - the staff was *terrific, my daughter loved them. I wish they had communicated better/more with us parents in advance of the trip. I found myself having to reach out several times for basic info like where should my kid meet you when she arrives? -Peers - my daughter met some wonderful kids and is keeping in touch with them! I think she expected more international kids vs. just USA kids, but she was ok with it in the end. -Overall: Know that your kid will have A LOT of independence w/this organization. They go out on the town and out to dinner/lunch alone nearly every day. My daughter loved this and is an experienced traveler and was with her new friends, so it was OK for us, but I can see that not being comfortable for all parents. Also, wondering about the program cost given the amount of eating out they do. I know they get a small (10 euro?) supplement to eat out, but that doesn't cover many restaurants. Thank you Abbey Road - this was a highlight of my daughter's summer.

My daughter (15) attended the Abbey Road Nice program in July 2019 and had an amazing experience. It was her first trip to Europe and this was certainly a memorable time. We were pleased with the program's communication, organization, and program offerings from language instruction to numerous fields trips. I will note, not so much a criticism as simply for others to be aware, that the program does offer a fair amount of free "exploration" time without supervision. My 15 year old certainly gained independence and confidence.

We were given many opportunities to have free time in the area to converse with shopkeepers, locals, etc. It was a great mix of facilitated language learning and discovering on your own. The additional opportunities for water sports, cultural tours and photography were great.

My 16 year old rising junior did the two week program in Nice France in July 2019. We looked at a number of language camps, but he ultimately selected Abbey Road because he liked the housing option best (each student had their own studio apt). While housing was the initial attraction, in the end, he loved the structure of the program which offered solid instruction in the morning as well as a flexible selection of electives (he opted for the conversation elective), meaningful cultural experiences and plenty of free time, too. He didn't know a single person in the group prior to arrival, but ended up making many friends with whom he plans to keep in touch. He had a 24 stomach issue which the counselors took seriously and for which they sought treatment appropriately. Their handling of the situation gave us - sitting all the way across the world in California - confidence in their professionalism and the quality of the care they provide. A number of students opted to extend their stay while there and our son sad that he would have, too, had he not had another camp scheduled to begin shortly after his return. It was his first experience abroad without any family members nor friends accompanying him and, as hoped, he came home with increased confidence in the likelihood of his thriving in college. He learned a significant lesson- that a positive attitude and enthusiastic participation work together to increase satisfaction with the program, the honing of language skills AND the fun factor! I give this program the highest recommendation for educational and enjoyable language skill reinforcement with a side of cultural maturity, to boot! Andrea

My son had the most amazing summer in Nice. He spent 4 weeks there and moved up to advanced French half way through the program. Most importantly he had such a positive experience with the friendships he made, the culture, the cities he visited and it will be a time in his life he will remember forever. Thank you for giving him a wonderful summer!

There is not a better way to make more genuine friendships as well as learn than by studying abroad! I had the time of my like spending one month learning French while immersed in the culture of France in Nice.

I signed up for this trip in January 2019, completely and utterly excited to spend a month of my summer in France. At first, I felt very secluded and anxious, as many people did not make an effort to become friends with me, and if I tried talking to them, they were proceed back to their cliques. Obviously, overtime it got better, and I ended up making some really great friends! Nice is a beautiful city filled with many things to do, and the Staff did a really great job in regards to making my experience worthwhile. They are compassionate, funny, and they enjoy teaching you their language and culture. The excursions and day trips were my favorite part, as we were given a lot of free time to roam the cities and see what we wanted to see, as well as do what we wanted to do. I would definitely recommend this program to others, as my French improved dramatically and living in France is something I will probably never do again. I will remember this experience for the rest of my life, and I am truly grateful for being able to participate in this program.