<p>My sophomore daughter is considering a summer study abroad in France next year. Does anyone have any recommendations for best programs/cities for study abroad in France? Also can you advise on what she should be looking for in a program, what questions to ask?</p>
<p>Thanks for any help you can offer!</p>
<p>I’ll bump this up to keep it in view - no specific info for France, but my D did a program in Brussels with CIEE that she enjoyed and seemed well-run. I think CC may have a separate study abroad forum you may want to visit.</p>
<p>Is she looking for her courses to be in French or English? </p>
<p>What’s her major and/or her interests (what would she like her courses in France to cover)? </p>
<p>Is she in high school (so this is an exchange program) or college? </p>
<p>If she’s in college, does her school have any partnerships with schools/programs with guaranteed transfer?</p>
<p>Does the program just include students from the US or from all over?</p>
<p>Does the program leave time for experiencing the local culture and traveling through Europe?</p>
<p>Where do the students live?</p>
<p>My oldest daughter studied abroad in Nice, France, after her sophomore year in college. She choose a home stay and ended up quite pleased with the decision.</p>
<p>My youngest daughter is currently studying abroad in Nice at the moment. She chose the same program as her sister - both through recommendation and research - and is also quite pleased.</p>
<p>The program is through Alliance Francaise and Nice is not the only location in France, of course. The students are tested when they arrive and put in the appropriate language level.</p>
<p>When my youngest leaves Nice she will be with another program in Paris. She will intern rather take language classes and requested another home stay. I’ve been quite impressed with this other program so far but can’t give an unqualified recommendation since she’s only in the getting-everything-set stage.</p>
<p>Feel free to send a pm, if you want.</p>
<p>Is she trying to achieve fluency in French, or just to have fun there? I had an amazing experience with homestay at [Institut</a> de Touraine](<a href=“http://www.institutdetouraine.com/en]Institut”>Learn French in France | French courses in France | Institut de Touraine) People who study there come from all over so there is less temptation to speak English than in a program with only Americans.</p>
<p>She is minoring in French and hopes to improve her French fluency while also having a good time :)</p>
<p>Thanks and if you can recommend specific programs please let me know which ones!</p>
<p>My D studied with IES in Nantes last spring. Nantes is a very nice small city, not too far from Paris, yet far enough to be in another distinct region. She had researched various choices, and was very happy with that particular program and the staff. No clue whether they have a summer program or not. However IES is an American based program, and personally I’m for any program that mixes it up a bit with other nationalities.</p>
<p>^^Have heard good things about the Nantes program. Our D is currently in Lyon taking six hours at Universite’ Jean Moulin (also referred to as Lyon 3) in an exchange program. She has spent plenty of time in Paris and Normandy, but for improving her French language skills she is happy and thriving in Lyon. Lots of opportunities for weekend excursions too.</p>
<p>@greatlakesmom…my D’s university does offer a summer program in Nantes through IES. I believe they are placed with a French family…is that what your daughter did? If so, how did she enjoy living with the family?</p>
<p>@justtryharder my D spent 2 weeks on Lyon on a high school exchange program and she really liked Lyon as well! We’ll have to look into that as well!</p>
<p>I heard nothing but good about the families in Nantes. My D was with a single mom, my age, and her sig other spent a great deal of time at the house. As I’m single, it was very reminiscent of her home situation, and they were lovely people who really enjoyed spending time with my D, very inclusive. She did admit to being a little jealous of those with families with children, as there were more desserts being served, and hanging with kids is a great way to gain language proficiency. </p>
<p>She had a bike, though IES recommends not due to safety, and really enjoyed biking the city. A helmet is essential! </p>
<p>Her family was kind enough to invite me to stay there when I visited, and will tell you, the meal they served was a lovely experience. As was the day I spent with them on the coast. Very kind and interesting people, and I treasure that memory. </p>
<p>As an aside-her French grew the most through Woofing the summer after. Woofing is working organic farms for room and board, and locations are all over the world.</p>
<p>Check out the Rassias Center at Dartmouth. They run many programs.</p>
<p>Things I’d look for:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Avoid areas popular with American students where English can be often spoken, where you can count on a Yankee to chat with etc. (This includes Paris, Aix-en-Provence etc.) This will force you to speak more French and deal less with preconceived notions about Americans. </p></li>
<li><p>Home placement. You will speak much more French when forced to live with a French family. Often, these kinds of situations create friendships for life, and give invaluable insight into French way of life, their values and ideas. </p></li>
<li><p>Intensive French programs. You will learn a lot more if you’re in a classroom for more than an hour or two per day. These kinds of full immersion, intensive programs have the greatest success in foreign language instruction.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>@katliamom- which areas would you recommend if not Paris, Aix-en-Provence? What do you think of Nantes or Grenoble? Thanks for your help.</p>