CEA CAPA Education Abroad in Grenoble, France

I studied in Grenoble for a semester and I cannot recommend it enough. I found the city and the courses I was taking to be perfect for what I was wanting to get out of my study abroad experience. My program was the French Language and Culture program, so all of my classes were in French at the B1 level. I thought the teachers were excellent and made the French immersion very accessible and were always happy to help with any questions or clarifications, and the students at the university were from all over the world, so it really made me have to use French to communicate with almost all of my classmates (I was the only American in my class, but this was not the case for other CEA CAPA students in the same program who were at different French levels) and I feel like I progressed a lot during the semester because of it. Grenoble is also a great city because it is pretty walkable and the tram system can get you pretty much anywhere in the city or the suburbs. Many places, such as restaurants, cafes, museums, the ski companies, transportation companies, etc. in Grenoble have student discounts (from what I understand this is the case in all of France). The location of Grenoble makes it easy to travel to other cities and countries at a decent price, too. I was able to travel multiple times to Switzerland and Germany because of the proximity and low cost, and while I didn't get a chance to go, Italy is also very close. If you like adventure and nature especially, I think you will be able to find many things to do in and around Grenoble, such as hiking, skiing, snowboarding, bouldering, and paddle boarding. The city also feels very safe; I never had any incidents of being in danger or anything bad happening, and neither did anyone else on my program.

Grenoble is a huge university city with 1/4 students being international or on exchange, so the opportunity to meet new people and try new things is huge. Grenoble is especially known for being a sporty city, so if you are into any outdoor activities it is also the place for you. I was able to learn French and communicate from being there and fully immersing myself. The CEA CAPA excursions, staff, and activities were so fun and very well planned out. I participated in every single activity available, and it was just truly the best 4 months of my life.

My experience in this program was unique because I was taking all my classes with other BU engineering students but was still a part of a broader program with CEA CAPA that included students from different schools studying different subjects. I really enjoyed studying in Grenoble in particular as I didn't know much about the city before going there and I think getting to experience French culture in a smaller, less touristy city really added to my experience. Despite being a smaller city, there are still so many restaurants, museums, and other places to explore in Grenoble and I recommend taking advantage of all of them and truly immersing yourself in the unique culture Grenoble has to offer.

I never expected spending a semester abroad to impact me on a particularly deep level; after all, my family travels as much as we can, so I figured it would just be a much longer version of that. I was in the rare position of being the only person in my particular CEA program, but not my location. This led to my developing three distinct groups of friends during my time in Grenoble, each amazing in its own distinct way. My friends from uni were a group made up of locals, the children of prominent international business-people, and long-term study abroad students. In short, they were the best and most interesting drinking buddies a girl could ask for, because where else will you get educated on Tanzanian ideas of respect and Taiwanese street style at the same time?
My CEA group felt, in a way, like home. They were all amazing, sunshine-y people who just made me feel at home during our weekly meetings with Patrick, the greatest program coordinator out there!
And to end it all, my host mom. This woman works night at day to keep her business afloat, supports two kids in collage, and yet finds the time to just sit and talk about life for two hours with a foreigner struggling desperately to keep up with her language. I cannot say enough positive things about my host mom, and about her many incredible friends that she was gracious enough to introduce me to.
The location might have been a selling point for me, but what really ended up having the biggest impact was the confounding range of people from different backgrounds I found myself happily surrounded by,

I loved the city of Grenoble, France and the CEA program so much that I decided to stay an extra semester by sudying abroad for a whole academic year! I fell in love with the French Alps and in Grenoble you can see the mountains off of every street corner. It's the perfect size city with a huge student population and lots to do. It's easy to get around with the tram and it's also all walkable. Grenoble is set in a valley so the winters aren't that bad and it rarely snowed. The CEA program made the whole process so easy and I never had any worries or issues. They take care of everything from housing to excursions. Patrick, the program director is the best and is so dedicated to all the students. He was the first to show us around the city and knows so much about French culture. I loved our weekly FACE meetings that were relaxed and engaging. My first semester I stayed with a host family and the second I lived in a residence hall with other international students. They both were amazing experiences and in great locations in the center of town. I was close to the river that runs through Grenoble that I'd love to run along and I always felt safe because there are a lot of locals who run, ride, or walk the path. Grenoble is a very safe city in general and I never once felt unsafe. I attended Grenoble Ecole de Management which is a small international business school and I met so many wonderful people there and learned so much. I could go on and on about my time in Grenoble and all the travel I did around Europe (13 countries!), but it overall changed my life and was the best year ever. Grenoble feels like home and I will surely be back soon.

Grenoble is a place that I had never heard of before, and upon arriving, remember crying for my first two days for not haven chosen to study abroad at a more popular location such as Prague or Madrid where my other friends had gone. However, being alone with no ties to home and complete strangers on the other side of the world, was undoubtedly the best decision of my life. Grenoble has a strange way of making you feel like you're right at home with the benefit of the mountains, student atmosphere, and always friendly and ready to help supervisors on site. I never once felt homesick being in Grenoble, and I loved it so much after one semester, that I had to stay the full year to make sure I was doing it right. Grenoble has everything, and I owe all my future successes personally, professionally, and mentally to the help of Grenoble Ecole de Management and the town of Grenoble for pushing me out of my comfort zone.

I studied in Grenoble with CEA and loved it. The city itself is young and lively with beautiful mountains surrounding it on all sides. I originally picked CEA for its reasonable price and am very glad I did. The programs director Patrick was very welcoming and enriched the experience with his many cultural activities and great humor. I would definitely recommend this program if you are interested in France, the Alpes and a great learning experience.

Grenoble is a wonderful city full of history and fun. Patrick, the program coordinator, makes your trip the best with his support and general knowledge. I would go back in a heartbeat. My favorite part was our walking tours of Grenoble and drink coffee at one of the oldest cafés in France! Patrick will also take you to other cities in France and will make you feel more and more like a local. Get ready for a nice sized city, great public transportation and lots of activities!