Collège International de Cannes

Liked the historic buildings and the location near the beach and city center.

I've only attended tha classes because I was living outside the college, but for what concerns the course I only have nice words the teacher was really kind and competent. I have really enjoyed every lesson and would recommend the college to everyone! Unfortunately I was there when not so many students were there, but I still had the opportunity to meet people of different country and share my experience with them. I also really enjoyed the movie at the Mediateque which 5 minutes from the College. To conclude the location is wonderful and the city centre is really close.

I particularly enjoyed the afternoon classes (with Mme. Pascal) - they were conducted in a very professional manner. I learned a lot of useful grammar there.
The morning classes (with Mme. Elisabeth) were more informal, focused rather on a conversation. It was also enjoyable, a nice way to start the day at school.

The school cantine offered a rather basic offer of food. It was a cantine after all :)

Unfortunately the impact of Covid means that (at the moment) there aren't many students. The college is very empty of life, atmosphere and student vibe. This is disappointing because I wanted to meet new people. I hope that this will begin to change.

The venue is gorgeous but much in need of a lick of paint and repair in some places.
Again due to covid not all the buildings are in use (ie the theatre, chapel, stage) which is a shame.

Due to low student numbers (at the moment) the choice of classes are few. For me this means that I am in a class too advanced for my level which will, actually, serve me well long term. I would, however, prefer to feel like I am stretching and learning within a sweat spot rather than struggling in discomfort trying to keep up with others at a much higher level.

Saying that, I do appreciate that the bigger challenge is for my teacher. She has to satisfy a very broad range of linguistic abilities in one classroom, and I have to say she does it very well. Chapeau!

I have had two teachers so far and have thought both of them were very attentive, relatable and committed to my advancement.
Thank you.

The teachers are really good - engaged, enthusiastic and adapted their teaching on an individual basis. Classes were well structured and a good balance between grammar and conversation. Location is fantastic next to the sea, the facilities do need an upgrade - the standard of toilets are quit bad. We did not stay at the school, we only attended daytime. All in all - a great experience and we would definitely like to come back.

I am very satisfied with my 2 weeks course.
I had grouplessons in the morning and some privatelessons in the afternoon.
For me it was verygood

Nice Beach

I was impressed with the teacher who was very professional and good, but she struggled keeping order in a very disruptive class of teenagers.

The teacher was working hard to keep order, but that meant a lot of time got lost every day for disciplining the kids (replacing structured teaching).

I recommend adult learners taking a course by themselves, or alternatively staying for a longer time-period to make it worthwhile.

I had two teachers since I did the intensive course. They were both extremely good! I really suggest to study here :)

Campus was great! Located directly on the beach which was amazing and the distance to the center (about 15 min by foot) was not a problem. Good atmosphere on campus, you could always be sure to meet someone at the cafe or in the courtyard. The atmosphere was very international and the people represented a mix of high school and university students (although during the first two weeks of August the majority was between 16 and 18 years old). Thus the language on campus is English, but in general it is possible to practice every major European language while interacting with the fellow students. (Besides studying French, I also improved on my English and Italian)
Classrooms where adequately equipped and a variety of teaching materials was used (books, films, maps, games). The teachers were competent and very experienced and mostly used French while in class which really enhanced the personal learning effect. In addition to that the small size of the class had a beneficial effect as well, as the teacher was able to get everyone constantly involved, either in grammatical exercises, vocab training or speaking sessions. Plus the small class size also facilitated getting to know each other.
I arrived as a complete beginner and at the end of my three week long stay I was able to communicate on a basic level. Still I think it would be more effective to study the basics (introducing yourself, restaurant dialogues, asking for directions plus the grammatical basics) before, because I think then it is possible to get even more out of such a trip.
Housing on campus was very good, as I had a room in the renovated part of campus, with rooms that was equipped with a/c and had private bathrooms. I would recommend those rooms.
I also took part in some organized trips (to Monaco and St. Tropez). They were both well organized. In general though I would recommend to try to visit the places of interest as a group apart from pre-organized trips. The obvious advantages are that you get to decide when, where, what plus it is more fun to go there with friends (we spent one day at Nice with about a dozen people from campus which was great).

There was a cheerful, relaxing and friendly atmosphere at the college, which was in a superb location (practically right on the beach), and just a 10-minute walk away from downtown Cannes' hustle and bustle. They had informed and engaged teachers who encouraged us to speak and were very patient with us in correcting and helping us properly apply grammar rules in our spoken French.

I signed up for the Standard Plus Course so I had morning classes every day, and evening classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. All other days, we were offered excursions to nearby places of historical or cultural significance or interest (Antibes, St. Paul de Vence, L'Ile de St Margerite, aquapark etc.) at very low prices. In fact, the school makes no profit on these excursions (all we had to pay were boat, museum and transportation tickets) but nonetheless provides its staff as guides.

As for the progress I made in French, I started speaking fluently, I dare say, on the 4th day of my stay (I spent two weeks in Le College International de Cannes). This is largely thanks to the teachers in the College who encouraged us to speak and engage in conversation on a variety of topics. I felt relaxed enough to try to express my views and beliefs even when I was unsure if I was using proper verb and noun forms. After two weeks in the College, I moved from B1.3 to B.2.1 level.

I did not live on the campus but at a private accommodation and became friends with the 82-year-old lady who hosted me during my stay in Cannes. If you want to get the most of your stay in France, this is the best way to do it. Stepping outside of your comfort zone i.e. living with a native French person and refusing to speak English has done more for my French than all the classes combined. Bonne chance!

POSITIVE
- I liked very much my class because it was a kind of multicultural education.
- I was worrying about my age, but I had absolutely no problems in communicating with the younger persons.
- The location of the college is excellent — just in front of the sea and the beach.
- Our teacher was very well informed about everything, and we always had good discussions about important subjects.
- I rented an apartment outside the college.

NEGATIVE
-The building was being renovated during my stay.

I have mixed feelings about the classes, however the teacher was very good. The receptionists and assistants were very helpful. They were always present and very competent. The room was comparable to a youth hostel, but nonetheless quite expensive. I actually didn't take part in any activities, but I heard from the other students that they were very good. The facilities could have been better.

The main teacher I had lessons with every day was Elena. She is a wonderful person who is able to encourage students by showing passion herself. It was so much fun to work with her together and to improve one's French skills.

In the afternoon lessons it felt like almost the opposite. One was able to see that the teacher always is one major factor when it comes to the encouragement of students and therefore to an enjoyable learning atmosphere.

To put it in a nutshell, I very much enjoyed the morning lessons, but unfortunately did not benefit from the afternoon lessons that much as the working environment was not comfortable.

The school campus is nice, but the classrooms are partly too noisy - one is able to hear the instructions of the teacher next door.