CEA CAPA Education Abroad in Aix-en-Provence, France

So many people only know of big towns in european countries like Paris or London or Milan. The same was true of me in the beginning of my search for a study abroad program. But after randomly choosing Aix because the classes coincided with ones that would transfer back to my university, I am beyond happy that I didn't choose a big city. During my travels I have gone to cities like London and Paris and it was so overwhelming. I felt like the people were meaner, the food was more expensive, and my feet hurt more from walking. In Aix, I can walk from on side of centre-ville to the other in 20 minutes. If I struggle with French, people actually help me. And the food, well it's some of the best that I've had in my whole life. I'm so glad I chose Aix because when I return to my home-stay after a weekend excursion or day trip, it truly does feel like a home.

I had the time of my life in Aix-en-Provence. I had the best host family and they were so generous to me. It was so nice to have support from our Program Director and staff, making friends from all over the U.S., and traveling together to Nice, Monte Carlo, etc.

I loved walking on Cours Mirabeau, going to bakeries, eating Pizza Capri, watching movies, and traveling to other cities and countries.
The food in France is so good and I was lucky to have the best host family and have home cooked meals.
I feel incredibly fortunate to have studied abroad and I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything.

When I studied in Aix in 2010, it was my first trip to Francd EVER. I had considered Paris, but I really wanted to become more fluent in French, so I chose a smaller city with fewer English speakers. I was not disappointed. Plus my teacher, Monsieur Tissot, was fantastic at improving our language skills in a fun, engaging way. At the same time, Vivienne and her staff were there to help when we needed it--my roommate and I blew a fuse in our apartment at 10pm one night, and they were there to help in less than an hour. Most importantly, the people I met in the program have become my lifelong friends. We have attended each other's weddings and visited each other all over the United States. The stories we tell about our time in Aix never get old. Choose Aix if you are looking for everything there is to love about French culture without the stress of big-city life! You will NOT regret it!

Aix-en-Provence was an truly an amazing experience, and CEA was a large part in making it so memorable. I took part in the French Immersion program in the Summer of 2015 and through it I came to know the beauty of the French culture and people. Aix-en-Provence is the most picturesque town and for a few months you arguably live in a postcard. What is great about living in Aix is that it is the perfect size and you are able to become familiar with the town and form relationships with locals. All the excursions were great, I highly recommend them (you might not always know where you are going but trust George).I recommend Aix because it has so many things to offer and Vivienne and Nancy are very helpful and always know the best places to visit! I recommend Aix to anyone who wants to be able to immerse themselves in a culture, and explore the South of France. Honestly the best part about Aix is that at the end of the day you get gelato and sit by a fountain for hours...so it really is Aix-cellent.

I really loved this study abroad program. Especially when I arrived and received an incredible amount of help and advice from Vivienne, the program director. I made tons of new friends there that I still talk to this day. One thing about being there for the Fall semester I really enjoyed were the activities leading up to Christmas and New Years. With the other students, I was able to try vin chaud for the first time and feel the mistral during walks through the city. The area is bound with ancient history that we could learn about when we visited Avignon and Arles as part of excursions. The location of Aix in the South of France meant that slightly longer than weekend trips were doable to Italy, Monaco, and Spain. I would go back in a heartbeat if I could in order to do things I wasn't able to do when I was there.

I loved my stay in Aix-en-Provence. Vivienne was wonderful, and I only wished I had stayed longer! Great people, great education, and the most beautiful place on earth. I was ok in french when I got there, but definately still a beginner. I improved tremendously... the people in Aix gladly let you practice your French with them. The nightlife was a lot of fun as well, and I loved the people who went with me, of which I knew nobody before going!

Aix was the most amazing city to study abroad in. You had plenty of people that don't know English, which is perfect for learning French. People are extremely accepting of foreigners in Aix, which separates it a lot from the atmosphere in Paris. Vivienne was the most amazing CEA staff member. She was always there to help us though any situation, from housing to travel plans, to planning our excursions. You will not regret choosing Aix!

Have you ever eaten lunch in a cave house that is 100s of years old? I did. Our CEA director Vivienne was amazing at finding unique day trips for us and one of them was to visit Lolo. He is the last of a long line of farmers and lives in a beautiful cave farmhouse where he still prepares farm fresh meals for groups. He is the sweetest old man and his house is amazing to see! If you take a walk around the house and the yard you can see old farming equipment stashed away or simply left out in the elements. Lolo prepared a lovely French lunch for us all while we enjoyed the picturesque view and the Provence sunshine.