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CEA CAPA Education Abroad in French Riviera, France

Name: CEA CAPA Education Abroad in French Riviera, France
Brand: CEA CAPA Education Abroad
SKU: 16970
Rating: 4.88 (52 reviews)

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CEA CAPA Education Abroad

4.88 (52 reviews)

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CEA CAPA Education Abroad in French Riviera, France

CEA CAPA Education Abroad

4.88 · 52 reviews

Community Choice Award Winner

Location

France

Term

Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter

Subject Areas

Accounting Biology Business Chemistry Communications Computer Science Cultural Studies Economics Engineering English Environmental Studies Finance Humanities Information Technology International Business International Relations Liberal Arts Life Sciences Linguistics Literature Marketing Mathematics Physics Political Science Psychology Public Relations Social Sciences Sociology Web Design +19

Need-based funding, Merit-based funding, General grants/scholarships, Payment plans, Work study, LGBTQIA+ funding, BIPOC funding

Health & Safety

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Program Details

Program Type

Provider

Degree Level

High School Diploma Associates Bachelors

Housing

Apartment Host Family

Language

English

Pricing

Price Details

Included: Personalized Pre-departure Advising; Tuition & Registration; Travel Medical Insurance; On-site Orientation; Housing; Volunteer Opportunities; On-site Staff Support; Excursions and Cultural Engagement; Host Institution Services & Amenities and more. Scholarships available.

What's Included

Some Accommodation Activities Airport Transfers Classes

Last Updated: Sep 29, 2025

Last Reviewed: Jun 02, 2026

Wish List

57 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

With its 300+ sunny days a year, world-class museums, galleries, and sandy beaches, the Côte d’Azur or French Riviera affords 71 miles of Mediterranean coastline along the southeast corner of France. The region’s sub-tropical climate has drawn many famous visitors and expats, including Ernest Hemingway, Coco Chanel, and Pablo Picasso.

There, you can immerse yourself in French language and culture with courses at the CEA CAPA Center or during the semesters take science, engineering, or business courses in English at SKEMA Business School. Excursions to cities like Provence and Grasse will round out your experience abroad.

Interested? Click the “Visit Site” button to learn what’s waiting for you!

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COMMUNITY REVIEWS SUMMARY

This program offers a supportive, well-organized experience in the charming town of Antibes with easy access to travel across Europe.

AI-generated summary from verified community reviews Read reviews →

Video and Photos

CEA Study Abroad Students on the French Riviera

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Diversity & Inclusion 💙

BIPOC Support

CEA CAPA provides, in conjunction with Diversity Abroad, Destination Guides which provide resources and tips for Black/African-American students, Latinx students, Asian American students, and all other students of color.

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LGBTQIA+ Support

Through our personalized advising, CEA CAPA takes steps to understand the needs of a diversity of student identities like the LGBTQIA+ community. In addition to diversity and identity training, CEA CAPA leadership engage in continuous department level project work to identify and revise policies and practices using the appropriate Justice, Equity, Diversity or Inclusion lens as a frame to reduce bias and barriers that impact students, faculty, and staff. CEA CAPA is intentional in elevating diverse student voices and providing a platform for a broad array of identities to share their experiences abroad. The CEA CAPA World Blog promotes stories and personal experiences from the perspectives of diverse student bloggers and vloggers.

Neurodivergent Support

CEA CAPA is willing and able to assist students with learning disabilities and physical disabilities. Students are requested to disclose disabilities through the application health forms as part of their application and in discussion with their application advisor or program manager. The earlier CEA CAPA is made aware of learning or physical disabilities the better we can work with the student, institution, and overseas team to tailor an Individualized Education Program if necessary to support the student.

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Impact 🌎

Sustainability

CEA CAPA makes a conscious effort to create study abroad experiences that leave a positive impact on host communities. Each location implements a variety of strategies to support the local community and promote sustainability. Examples include:

Use of recycling bins in Study Center locations and in CEA CAPA housing

Signage in CEA CAPA housing urging students to limit water and electricity usage

Students are often given reusable bags and water bottles upon arrival to limit single plastic use

Students are provided with instructions for acquiring transportation passes to promote use of public transportation rather than taxis

Program Highlights

Hands-on learning experiences that transform the world abroad into a classroom
Personalized Pre-Departure Advising, including visa and immigration support
Courses offered in English that fulfill major and general graduation requirements
Comprehensive on-site support, including 24/7 emergency phone
Career workshops, Internships Abroad, and Alumni Ambassador positions

Program Reviews

4.88 Rating

based on 52 reviews

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Rating Spread Study

5 rating 88.46%
4 rating 11.54%
3 rating 0%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 0%

Academics 3.8
Support 4.85
Fun 4.8
Housing 4.7
Safety 4.8

Good for Students, Photographers, Adventure travelers

Showing 9 - 16 of 52 reviews

My experience of the French Riviera was magical. I was slightly apprehensive about my program because I did not know anyone and I was so far from home. However, all my worries faded away as quickly as the jet lag did. I felt like I had landed in a storybook land. The French Riviera is so unique and charming. Our first week of orientation quickly bonded the students, and I knew that I was making friendships that would last beyond our semester together. Studying abroad broadened my horizons, sharpened my critical thinking skills, and made me a more well-rounded individual. I am incredibly grateful for the experience.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?

Dune board in the desert!

Pros

Independence
well traveled
improved language proficiency

Cons

far from home

Studying abroad in the French Riviera was one of the best decisions I have ever made. At first I was unsure if it could be an option for me since there were specific classes that I needed to take in order to graduate. But CEA CAPA made sure that I got into my required courses and overall was a huge help in the process of going abroad. I was able to meet some of my lifelong friends through this and get out of my comfort zone in a way I never had before. I learned so much about so many different cultures and ways of life and even about myself, and these lessons will stay with me for the rest of my life.

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?

My most nerve-wracking moment was the first day because I was unsure of how open everyone was going to be to making new friends or if everyone there already had their friend groups fully developed.

Pros

Free Included Excursions
Many opportunities for group bonding
Great Location

Cons

Directors not always quick to respond
Some people may be cliquey
Very long classes

I spent the winter semester of 2025 studying abroad in Antibes, France. I wouldn't change anything from my experience! The area is very quiet in the winter months, as it's primarily a beach town in the summer, so when you travel to bigger cities like Paris and Rome on the weekends, you can come back to the quiet, slow French life for the week. Antibes is right on the water, and my apartment (which was beautiful) had a view of the Mediterranean Sea from the balcony! In Antibes, you are also about a 10 minute train ride from Nice, 15 minute train from Cannes, 30 minute train from Monaco/Monte Carlo, and about an hour long train ride from the Italian border! The train station also takes you right to the Nice airport for weekend trips.

the staff at CEA are incredibly supportive. There's an emergency number that is monitored 24/7 for you in case anything happens, and the onsite staff are incredibly supportive. They give you everything you need during orientation, things you didn't even think of before! They help you with almost anything you need and were a huge reason why my experience abroad was so amazing.

Additionally, I studied at SKEMA Business School, which is in Sophia Antipolis, France. It is about a 20-30 minute bus ride from Antibes, and the school itself has some of the kindest (and funniest) professors I've ever had.

Overall, I would do it all over again if I had the chance. It was such an amazing experience, I'm so grateful to have been able to immerse myself in the culture and community of Antibes!

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?

Since I was in France, I obviously had to try escargot (snails!). It felt weird to eat them, but they were surprisingly really good!

The location was beautiful and the host program was so supportive! I wanted to experience a small town and come out of my hermit crab shell. I was able to accomplish this as well as a new sense of self and peace of mind. My host program held events such as food tasting, wine tasting, cooking classes, and excursions to neighboring towns/countries. Many of the locals knew English and they were very patient. My housing was my first apartment experience and it was wonderful. It was the perfect home away from home.

Antibes is an absolute delight, it's smaller and quieter than its neighboring cities like Nice or Cannes, especially in the off-season, which makes it perfect for anyone who prefers like a slower pace. I absolutely adored wandering through the old town of Antibes and chilling at the beach, there's just so much to do and see. It’s also incredibly well-connected, it's just a quick train ride away from Nice, Cannes, the airport, and truly so much more. So it's very easy to do weekend trips or day trips and explore. I went on a few weekend trips to places like London, Prague, Florence, and Vienna and when I returned, Antibes somehow was always so warm and sunny so it felt like returning was the vacation. And if you're worried about the language barrier, I always felt like if you're hanging out at the local bars, you’re just as likely to hear a British or Australian accent as you are French.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?

On the second day, the CEA CAPA staff introduced us to pissaladière, an Antibes specialty, it's like a crust topped with caramelized onions, olives, and anchovies. It was absolutely delicious although it sounds like an unorthodox combination. The night before, I went to O'tacos and had eaten a French taco which is stuffed with french fries, chicken fingers, and cheese sauce. So the contrast between the meals was quite an interesting experience.

Pros

The CEA CAPA staff were very helpful and always there to answer questions
It a beautiful and easy accessible location

Cons

The program only had 60 people so it was on the smaller side

I had the best experience studying abroad in the French Riviera through CEA CAPA. I gained a lot of knowledge about the world and genuinely feel like my life has changed forever. I really enjoyed living in the small town of Antibes because I got to experience the locals and really feel part of the community, but it was also nice being so close to Nice which is a bigger city. The program overall was great and very accommodating so I could travel every weekend. I also really enjoyed the trips that CEA planned and thought those were a great way to meet people.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?

When we traveled to Morocco I ate Tagine.

Pros

Great Scheduling
Easy to Travel
Good Communication

Cons

Weather was a little chilly at the beginning of the program

After a nerve wracking 9 hours of travel from northern New Jersey, I flew into the Nice airport on January 2nd, greeted by a sunny 70 degrees. Where I live, January is a very cold month, and the warm weather was an awesome change. I got picked up in a Mercedes van from the airport, and was shuttled to my apartment for the next 4 months through the Nice metro area, driving along a stunning road with direct views of the Mediterranean. The CEA CAPA staff greeted me and from that moment on, I was always greeted warmly by the program leaders and given assistance whenever I needed it. The people I met in my program were very social and fun, and I had an easy time making friends and talking to people from all over the United States. I would 100% go back, I loved every second I was there.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

Take the train all over the French riviera, it was super easy to navigate and accessible.

Pros

Great adventures

I had the best time everrrr. The program staff were great and very helpful. I loved that they really supported us in building community. We did a lot together as a program. The excursions were great too, and free! Honestly, the school portion was not great. We had to take a 30 min bus there and back and the classes are 3 hrs long and nobody seemed to think the quality of classes were great. However I doubt most people study abroad for the education... It was still incredibly worth it to me, but maybe don't take super important classes while abroad lol.

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?

I visited Paris by myself because my friend wasn't able to join last minute. It was a great experience! I was a little nervous but it threw me out of my comfort zone and was basically exposure therapy. This experience gave me so much confidence.

Pros

community building - so easy to make friends
BEAUTIFUL and a lot to do, especially if you prefer a slow, relaxing lifestyle - beach, walks, reading, etc
close to airport

Cons

not great school experience
not everybody had the best housing, I got lucky

Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

I chose to study abroad with CEA French Riviera because of how highly recommended the program was. Everything from school schedules to housing to public transportation was taken care of by the specialists at CEA, which I knew would make the transition to a foreign country much easier. They also partner with SKEMA Business School which was fully accredited toward my home university. I was able to attend a university that specialized in my specific major and earn the credits I needed to stay on track with my four-year plan at Cedarville.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

CEA assisted me with the Visa process by informing me of the steps I needed to take and when so I can get my Visa on time. They completely set up the housing for all of us and assigned each of us roommates based on a survey of our preferences. Once we got to France, the site specialist sat down with each of us individually to talk about our class schedules and adjust them accordingly. CEA also coordinated multiple day trips for our group where we went to nearby cities and learn about the culture and history of them.

My university, Cedarville, had different presentations for all the students studying abroad to give us tips on how to deal with culture shock, how to get the best deals traveling, and get the most out of our experience abroad.

I had to organize my Visa appointment on my own, which I think almost everyone does anyway. I also had to organize my own spring break and weekend trips. Other than personal travels and activities, most things were organized for me, or I was assisted in organizing.

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What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

I wish I would have known how culture shocked I'd be by my fellow American students. I grew up in a very Baptist community and attend a strict Christian college, so being around the major drinking culture for the first time was quite shocking.

However, I could not be more thankful for the opportunities I had in France to become more open minded of not just another country's culture, but of another worldview's culture.

Because my faith is so important to me, it is the main thing that stuck out while I was so far removed from my comfort zone. Advice I have for others who are devoted to faith or religion would be to get plugged in. I found an amazing church that translated in both French and English where I was able to get connected with people from all over the world. This kept me grounded and allowed for me to get cultural experience without having to compromise my personal convictions. Do not let fears of discomfort, uncertainty, or anxiety keep you from experiencing one of the greatest gifts: a broader perspective of this planet and its beautiful people.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

The classes at SKEMA Business School are set up differently than my classes in America in that each class is only once a week for three hours. I had classes every morning, Monday-Thursday. I usually got done with class around 11 AM, so the rest of my day was free to study, grocery shop, go to the beach, hike around the Cap d'Antibes, and hang out with friends. I also had every Friday off which allowed for a longer weekend to travel around Europe.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fear going to France was that I didn't know any French. Although the school I would be attending had English speaking classes, I wasn't sure how I was going to communicate with waiters and waitresses, grocery clerks, or anyone outside of school. However, once I finally got there, I found out that many people in Europe speak more than one language. More often than not, they know enough English to communicate. For those with whom I didn't share a common language, we communicated through gestures, charades, and facial expressions.

Sometimes we never got to the point of fully understanding each other, and sometimes I ordered the wrong thing, but in the end it didn't matter. Every baby step toward learning a new language and every successful interaction is a small victory. I no longer look at it as a language barrier, but an opportunity to grow in my overall communication skills.

What did you miss about the US while you were away? Now that you’re home, what do you miss about southern France?

While I was in France, I missed random things. I missed my friends from my home university the most, but that was to be expected. I also really missed American-Mexican food. For some reason, the French do not eat Mexican food. Their grocery stores have a limited supplies for making anything Mexican, and what they do have is overpriced. Also, where I was living was a small city, so there was minimal green spaces and never the smell of a back yard BBQ which is the epitome of the American suburbs I grew up in.

Now that I'm back in the US, I miss all the things that I took for granted. I miss the small city! I miss being able to walk five minutes down the road to grab my groceries for the week, or go to the beach, or out for dinner with friends. I loved that everything was walkable. Surprisingly, I miss public transportation probably because I didn't have to pay for gas, and being able to hop on a train to Monaco for the day was a plus. Lastly, I miss the friends that I made overseas. My heart is spread throughout the world after meeting so many new people, and it was an adjustment going from seeing them every day to being back in the US.

Jamie Crane-Mauzy

2017 Alum

Cailyn Katsev

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Kristin Kerr

Program

CEA CAPA Education Abroad in French Riviera, France

Job Title

Director of the CEA French Riviera Program

Kristin Kerr is Director of the CEA French Riviera Program in Antibes, France. A native of Leipzig, in the former East Germany, Kristin has lived and worked in France, Germany, England, Poland and Canada. Today, she lives in the scenic Mediterannian village of Theoule-sur-mer in the Esterel Mountains, between Cannes and St. Tropez. Kristin is a graduate of the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis and has worked in the Study Abroad industry for almost 20 years. She is fluent in English, French and German.

antibes

What position do you hold at CEA? What has been your career path so far?

Kristin: I am CEA Program Director running the French Riviera program in Antibes, Southern France. I myself studied French for a year in Cannes while working as an au pair. I then obtained a Masters degree in German language and Literature from the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis, where I studied for 4 years.

Prior to working for CEA, I worked as Program Planner for an American organization specializing in educational tours of Europe for high school students. As Program Director for AIFS in Paris, Cannes and Krakow, I had full responsibility for coordinating study abroad programs in these locations and have worked directly with thousands of students from the US.

Did YOU study abroad?! If so, where and what inspired you to go?

Kristin: As a child I grew up « behind the wall » in Leipzig, East Germany. As soon as travel restrictions were lifted in my country I embarked on an Educational Tour of Spain which greatly influenced me to work in the Study Abroad industry.

cannes film festival

To move forward with my career, I knew I had to master several foreign languages, since the German language is not widely spoken or understood in Europe as a whole.

I worked as an au pair in Cannes for a year to master the French language. I was then fluent enough to study for a 4-year degree at the University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis. I then lived in London for 3 years and became fluent in English. I never looked back from that point and I have worked in Study Abroad for almost 20 years.

Describe a time when you felt especially proud to be part of the CEA team.

Kristin: In May every year, I am thrilled to offer CEA students the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to intern at the largest media event in the world after the Olympic Games – the Cannes International Film Festival. Since working in 1996 as an intern myself with David Cronenberg and the cast of his movie « Crash » as well as American Hollywood legend Tony Curtis, I have been involved with the Festival for almost 20 years.

Every year, there are many great opportunities for CEA students to work with/for some of America’s top-rated entertainment shows such as “Entertainment Tonight”. This opportunity has taught them the logistics of behind the scenes work in addition to communication skills vital to working on a global level. While on assignments, it is not uncommon for students to brush shoulders with the likes of Harrison Ford, James Franco or Nicole Kidmann.

berlin wall

Why is language learning and cultural immersion important to you?

Kristin: Fully understanding and speaking the language of any country is vital to connect with its people and brings you huge benefits. I have lived and worked in France, Germany, UK, Canada and Poland and I have witnessed first hand how you can immerse yourself more fully into daily life if you are able to hold a meaningful conversation in the host language.

Language fluency helps you to understand mentalities and it open many doors. Even trying to say just a few words will help to gain the trust of local people, they will appreciate your efforts and help you to make further progress. Speaking the local language will help you to establish meaningful friendships with locals, cultural immersion will be easier and you will have a more enriching experience in general.

The experience of living in different countries and speaking different languages also opens many doors in the global job market. Companies appreciate staff who can communicate with and understand the particularities of their international partners.

Location

Location:

France

Currency:

Euro

Weather:

Jan-Mar

59 F / 21 F

Apr-Jun

77 F / 36 F

Jul-Sep

82 F / 46 F

Oct-Dec

72 F / 25 F

Airports:

Paris Charles de Gaulle

( CDG )

Nice

( NCE )

Lyon Saint Exupéry

( LYS )

Whether you are looking to learn the language of love, ski in the French Alps, indulge in incredible food, or unwind by the French Riviera, this country has plenty to keep you busy. While traveling in France, you will see a large variety of different lifestyles, accents, and delicacies from region to region.

About CEA CAPA Education Abroad

With 22 destinations across 13 countries, CEA CAPA Education Abroad offers an ideal balance of academics, internships, and adventure to more than 4,000 students each year. Click on “Visit Site” to explore our study and internship opportunities and find out just out how far international education can take you. Why study abroad or complete an...

CEA CAPA Education Abroad in French Riviera, France

CEA CAPA Education Abroad in French Riviera, France