Robert

Travel Study Program: Institut de Français, Villefranche-sur-Mer

My biggest challenges: Starting to learn a Romance language for the first time at the age of 62. Avoiding mental exhaustion. By the end of four weeks I had difficulty expressing myself, which I attributed to mental fatigue.

Surprises: How effective the program was. After one week I was able to make myself understood at the school. And after classes each day, I was able to use what I had learned in the course of shopping and dining. Now, I am totally comfortable speaking French—which was my objective from the first day.

My tips for readers who want to study in France: Listen to French radio via the Internet, rent French language films from Netflix and watch with subtitles switched off (if you can), read French newspapers online and participate in a French conversation group.

What to expect from a study experience in France: Your benefit from it will be in direct relation to how dedicated you are to learning the language. If you want to relax and party, I recommend you choose another school rather than the Institut de Français. The program is demanding and expensive, and the results are fantastic if one is willing to work hard.

Favorite places: I can’t think of a better place in the world to escape the cold than Nice and the Côte d’Azur during March and April. My wife Christine and I also loved Villefranche, where our favorite restaurants are Brasserie Cosmos, La Grignotière and L’Oursin Bleu. In Nice we love Safari, Jouni and the bistrot at Les Viviers.