Nice is the most famous city on the French Riviera, perfectly situated between Cannes and Monaco, it is the 5th largest city in France. Served by the 2nd largest international airport in France after Paris, there are more than 100 direct flights to other large European cities.
Life in Nice is most agreeable thanks to its climate, its culture, its traditional cuisine and its unique colours that inspired some of the best painters of the 20th century.
La Baie des Anges and its azur blue sea really makes this city in the south of France, where you can swim from April until October, one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
Nice has its own unique culture in comparison with the rest of France. It is a gentle mixture of Italian ‘la dolce vita’ and French ‘la joie de vivre’. Even though everyone in Nice speaks French, the people have their own language : Nissart, which you can see on signs in the old town of Nice as well as in the names of traditional niçois dishes like la Socca or le Pan Bagnat.
Nice is a city of history and whether it is by the sea, on the Castle Hill or in higher parts of Nice in Cimiez, you will be able to see the traces and remains of the Greeks and the Romans who populated Nice in its beginnings.
The heart of Nice is le Cours Saleya where you can wander through the flower market in the morning and dine in one of the many restaurants in the evening.
During your French language stay at alpha.b, our teachers and guides will help you discover all the secrets of Nice and of “La vie à la française.”
Cannes is just 30 minutes by train from Nice. Cannes is the capital of French cinema and every year in May the famous Festival de Cannes takes place at the Croisette, which is attended by hundreds of stars from all over the world, so they can enjoy the beauty of the French Riviera.
In connection to your French course at Alpha.b you’ll have the opportunity to visit Cannes accompanied by one of our guides.
The activities program contains a visit of the old city of Cannes, le Suquet, the Château de la Castre with its panoramic view over the city, the Croisette, le Palais des Festival and of course the sandy beach of Cannes for a game of beach volleyball or just for swimming and sunbathing.
With its diverse shops in the heart of the city, Cannes is just the perfect place for shopping.
During a Saturday trip to Cannes, the alpha.b school takes students to the Îles de Lérins just off the coast of Cannes. Beautiful spots of nature surrounded by a turquoise sea, you will feel like you’re in a different world!
Antibes is an authentic town on the French Riviera. It is the last coastal town to have conserved its ramparts, giving it a slight picture-postcard look.
After your French lessons, you can take go and explore this town with your guide, only 20 minutes from Nice.
Antibes has one of the largest marinas in Europe and is famous for its billionaire dock where the world’s largest yachts dock throughout the year.
Antibes is also a city of art where you can discover the Picasso Museum and the workshop in which the great painter spent the end of his life.
For nature lovers, the Cap d’Antibes is a must-see for a stroll beside the turquoise water.
20 minutes from Nice, you can discover the city-state of Monaco. Famous for its luxury Monte-Carlo district, its casino and its 5* hotels, Monaco also has a traditional old-town with le Palais Princier, la Cathédrale et le Musée Océanographique.
You will have the chance to discover Monaco from an unusual angle with alpha.b after your morning French classes. Your guides knows all the corners and secrets of the town and will help you discover them too!
If you are coming in May, you will have the opportunity of helping with the Monaco Grand Prix, a unique event of this principality. There are also many shows, exhibitions and festivals in Monaco throughout the year.
The school offers a wide range of activities that you can do after lessons. Nice is a marvellous and interesting city. I really enjoyed jogging along la Promenade des Anglais and reading a book in the Monastery garden in Cimiez. I took the train to Antibes (musée Picasso), Cannes (Festival de Cannes) and Monaco which are all close to Nice. I would recommend studying at and discovering the French Riviera with alpha.b to everyone.
The numerous afternoon and weekend activities allowed me to learn lots of things about the super city of Nice and its surroundings. Thanks to the activities, I immediately met lots of other students who then become friends and who made the experience even more amazing.
In general I would say that Nice is a very calm and beautiful city with easy commutes to surrounding areas. And alpha.b does not only have great personnel, good courses and have engaged teachers but also provides sufficient information and guided tours of Nice, Monaco and more. New happenings are presented every week if you want to do something other than the usual, like salsa dancing or have a crepe-party!
