FAQ

No, the school is a luxurious Provençal villa comprised solely of classrooms, dining room, office and garden. We can help organize accommodation offsite, in the town and surrounding residential area, within a 10 – 15 minute walking distance from the school.

Move in and keys pick-up is available in Villefranche on the Sunday preceding the start of the session only, between 12 – 5pm (an absolute deadline).

If you wish to arrive 1 or 2 days earlier, we can provide a list of recommended hotels in Villefranche and Nice.

By 9am on the last Friday of the session. There can be no exceptions. You must arrange your hotel and transport reservations accordingly.

All apartments organized by the school are fully furnished with internet, television, cooking and kitchen utensils, refrigerator and a washing machine. Apartment cleaning, with change of towels and bed linen twice during the whole session included.

The Institut and apartments are within walking distance of shops, restaurants, bank, train station, old town and the beach.

Select menu desired on application form and indicate any allergies in the notes.

The school remains open on all public holidays, except December 25 and on May 1.

Nice Côte d’Azur Airport – around a 30 to 45 mins drive to Villefranche.

A taxi is the quickest and most convenient route. Expect around 30 – 40 minutes . 
Both cash and card payments accepted. 

Tram line 2 from Aéroport to Port Lympia. From there, take bus 15 and get off at the stop ‘Octroi’ in Villefranche. Short uphill walk towards the Institut.

Train from either Nice Saint Augustin (closest to airport) or Nice Ville (the main city centre station) to Villefranche-sur-Mer. 
Expect a gradual inclining uphill walk towards the Institut. 

Please note: public transport is heavily saturated, especially during summer months.

A car is not really necessary on weekdays as all our apartments are within waling distance from school.

However, a car is always useful on week ends and in the evenings.There are lots of places to visit on the Riviera.
Villefranche is within a short drive of Nice, Cannes, Monaco or the hinterland.You may therefore choose to rent a car.

There are a few spaces available along the school street, avenue Général Leclerc and around the perimeter of the garden, on allée Saint Estève and avenue Saint Estève.

Classes are from Monday to Friday, from 9am to 4.45pm.

A little effective work before arriving can help for beginners, such as listening exercises on fundamental verbs and everyday situation phrases. Otherwise, our own materials are handed out in due course at the right time.

We offer « perfectionning » classes for students with a high level of French. For more information, please contact: info@insitutdefrancais.com

Individual and higher standard bedrooms are occupied solely by students and for their exclusive use.
For studios and 1-bedroom apartments, any occupancy by an additional non student (spouse, companion, friend) must obtain prior authorization from the school.
Supplementary fee of 100 Euros for guest in studio category applies.

Free wifi access at both the school and in all apartments.

Notebooks and pencils are provided when needed. Books are not needed in class as our method is audiovisual.

We do have a lending library with selected novels and plays for each class level. It is always useful to bring a good dictionary with you. Your teacher can recommend one for outside purchase. The Institut has big dictionaries, in most current languagues, available in the large living room.

You don’t need a laptop or an Ipad during the various activities of our program;
but either can be useful for preparing presentations, discussions or any homework.

We send our online pre-test assessment a few week before arrival to be completed online.

All materials are introduced in due time and with due process of explanation and application by the teacher (in the right place and at the right time).

No pets are allowed at the Institut or in the apartments under any circumstances.

All our apartments are non-smoking to ensure every one’s comfort. It is requested that, if needed, you smoke on the balcony or terrace. No smoking is allowed inside the school buildings (it’s a French law), but it is allowed during the breaks on the balconies and outside in the garden.

At the school, casual but proper wear is requested. Evening wear is preferred for our introductory social evening on the first Friday. Certain smart restaurants and night clubs naturally have a dress code.

You will find one ATM « Crédit Agricole » located on boulevard de la Corne d’Or, and another just in front of Villefranche’s tourist office.

On Sunday, in Villefranche you will find two small groceries stores, one boulangerie and one newsagent open until 7pm. Some restaurants might be open too.

The Institut organizes a few extra-curricular activities during the week. Students are free to plan their own outings on weekends.

A refund of the advance payment (less the non refundable registration fee of 200 euros) is possible if cancellation is received 15 days before the course starts. We can also credit your advance payment towards another session (provided there is space)

Any absence (professional, personal, illness) is neither refundable nor reschedulable. Homework can however be provided upon request to help catch-up.