PRESS
& TESTIMONIAL

Stay for a month, learn French for a lifetime
(VILLEFRANCHE-SUR-MER, France) – We are seated in a magnificent villa perched on a hillside

French Lessons
“(VILLEFRANCHE-SUR-MER, France) – More than half a century ago, Grace Kelly began the arduous process

Sink-or-Swim French Can Be “Chambre de Torture”, but Also Fun
“… Our days were varied but carefully structured with total emphasis placed on the spoken,

French lessons at the Côte d’Azur
… I am enrolled in the month-long French language immersion course at the institute,

“Innocent abroad : learn a new language and feel more alive”
“… The Institut de Français, here on the Côte d’Azur, has a reputation as one of the world’s

“Don’t Pardon My french”
“… During the first week of the “Total Approach” French language course

The Fast Track to French
“…I was in France and no one would speak to me in anything but French. Not only that,

Bon jewer Villefranche
When I climbed the hill to the tiny flat I’d rented for a month in Villefranche-sur-Mer

STUDENT REVIEWS

Highly recommended! The quality of teaching is incredibly high: my instructor, Sylvie, brings a lifetime of love & knowledge of languages AND the energy and enthusiasm of a 20-year old. The villa is grand, the food is healthy and high quality. Fellow students were upbeat and fun to spend time with exploring the area. Bear in mind: 1/ if you are totally new to French, prepare for hard work & long days; 2/ the beautiful town of Villefranche is built on a steep hill—if you don’t like walking up and down steps, ask for an apartment near the school.

John, February 2024

If you’re serious about improving your ability to speak French, this is the the single most effective program you can take. I’ve studied French as an adult for years – at the Alliance Française, through various online programs and apps, with other immersion courses in France – and I’ve never improved as quickly as I did during my time at the Institut de Français. In short, the Institut de Français is the best place I’ve found to improve your spoken French. I’ve already reserved my place for next year.

Susan, April 2023

I attended with my daughter in January to expand upon my Duolingo based French. Overall it was a great experience. The staff are incredibly good. The facilities are excellent. And the daily meals and special events were spectacular.
Special shout out to Evelyn. I may have been her worst student with my fractured French but she is a fantastic language instructor! Je suis désolé.

Bruce, January 2024

I would highly recommend The Institut de Français. I spent four unforgettable weeks studying French in this beautiful location with incredibly competent teachers and staff.

Zach, August 2023

What a treat, learning a new language in such a setting, on the Cote d’Azur, friendly and competent teachers, international students, pleasant way to learn.

Thomas, January 2022

Taking a month out of my busy day to day life to improve my level in French and spend time in the beautiful cote d’Azure was an incredible experience. The institute is a friendly and loving place that makes you work intensely on improving your level while having a lot of fun. The teachers are lovely, funny and very talented at teaching french as a foreign language. Particular thanks and shout out to Sylvie, who helped me make more progress in 4 weeks than I had made in the previous years of learning french put together. The setting is also incredible in the beautiful Villefranche-sur-Mer, near Cap Ferrat, Nice and Monaco. The food at the institute was also amazing and having lunch with the teachers and extracurricular events are all part of the experience. Don’t hesitate. Book your class now!

Emma, August 2023

It is simply the best way to speak French fluently. I have taken courses at Sorbonne and Alliance Française in Paris, and I could honestly say the Institut de Français is simply on another level. I highly recommend it. Also, as a bonus the food is fantastic. All the teachers are great and the view from the Institut is breathtaking.

Eduardo, August 2023

REFERENCES

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
European Central Bank Frankfurt
European Commission Brussels
Council of Europe Strasbourg
European Parliament Brussels/Luxembourg
European Patent Office Berlin
FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) Roma
ILO (International Labor Organization) Geneva
IMF (International Monetary Fund) Washington, DC
INSEAD (International MBA Program) Fontainebleau
International Red Cross Geneva
NATO Brussels
OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) Paris
UN (United Nations) New York/Geneva
UNDP (UN Development Program) New York
UNESCO Paris
UN High Commission for Refugees Geneva
WFP (World Food Programme) Roma
WHO (World Health Organization) Geneva
World Bank Washington, DC
EMBASSIES AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
Australian Embassy Paris/Brussels
Australia Government Canberra
Canadian Government Ottawa
Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Copenhagen
Danish Parliament Copenhagen
Finnish Government Helsinki
Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs  
Israeli Embassy Paris/Marseille
Israeli Embassy/Consulate Jerusalem
Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tokyo
Kenyan Embassy  Paris
New Zealand Embassy Paris/brussels
New Zealand Mission to the UN Geneva
Qatari Embassy Paris
Singaporean Embassy Paris/Brussels
South African Government Pretoria
South African Embassy Paris 
U.S Embassy in Paris (and in several African countries)  
Zimbabwean Embassy Paris 
FIRMS
AHLSTOM (Finland) AIR CANADA (Montreal)
AIR LIQUIDE (France) AMOCO (West Africa)
ARAMCO (Saudi Arabia) AXEL SPRINGER VERLAG (Germany)
BASF (Switzerland) BNP PARIBAS (London)
CITIBANK (Germany, Gabon) Cleary, Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton (France)
CONTINENTAL AIRLINES (U.S.A) CREDIT SUISSE (Zurich)
DELTA AIRLINES (U.S.A) ELF AQUITAINE (Norway)
ELOF HANSSON AB (Sweden) ELOF HANSSON AB (Sweden)
HELVETIA PATRIA (Switzerland) EXXON MOBIL (Tchad)
HÜLS AG (Germany) IBM (Paris, Nice)
KRAFT FOODS (France) LAFARGE (France)
L’ORÉAL (France, U.K, Germany) McKINSEY (London)
MITSUI & CO (France) NESTLÉ INTERNATIONAL (Switzerland)
NESTLÉ SWISS (Switzerland) NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting Corp.) (Oslo)
PHILIP MORRIS (Switzerland) SAINT GOBAIN (France)
SAUDI FRENCH BANK (Saudi Arabia) SBB (Swiss Railways) (Switzerland)
STATOIL (Norway) SWISSCOM (Switzerland)
SWISS RÉ (Switzerland) TEXAS INSTRUMENTS (France)
UNION BANK OF SWITZERLAND (Switzerland) VISKASE (France)
WINTERTHUR INSURANCE (Switzerland) ZS ASSOCIATES (France)
POLITICAL, INTERNATIONAL AND MILITARY FIELDS
Gough Whitlam Australia Former Prime Minister of Australia
Ralph Hillman Australia Australian Ambassador to OECD
David Stevenson Australia Admiral of the Fleet
Mira Bacelj Australia D.H.R,World Trade Organization
Rona Ambrose Canada Minister of Environment
Justice Allen M. Linden Canada President, Law Reform Commission
Berveley Oda Canada Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women
James Holt Canada Defence Counsellor to NATO
Changchui He China Deputy Director, UN / FAO
Michael Attalides Cyprus Cypriot Ambassador to Great Britain
Ivana Hrdlickova Czech Republic President of the special tribunal for Libanon (International Court of Justice)
Annegreten Holmsgaard Denmark Member of Danish Parliament
Mahmoud Mohieldin Egypt Senior Vice President , Worldbank
Illka Ristimäki Finland Finnish Ambassador to China
Sir Michael Beavis GB Air Chief Marshall
Lord (and Lady) Eden GB Former Minister and M.P.
Viscount Montgomery GB Member of the House of Lords, London
Robert Priddle GB Executive Director, Intl. Energy Agency, Paris
Sir Jim Spicer GB Member of European Parliament
Winfried Frank Germany Member of Parliament, Saar, Germany
Hans Mehltretter Germany Director of Recruitment, World Bank, Paris
Plutarchos Sakellaris Greece Vice-President of the European Investment Bank
Uma Lele India Director, Global Develpement. Progr., Carter Center
Yossi Gal Israel Israeli Ambassador to France
Efraim Halevy Israel Israeli Ambassador to the European Union
David Peleg Israel Permanent Representative to the U.N in Geneva
Marta Vincenzi Italy Member of European Parliament
Raychelle Omamo Kenya Kenyan Ambassador to France
Martin Mogwanja Kenya Regional Asst. Director, W. Africa, UNICEF
Tim Groser New Zealand Former New Zeland Minsiter of trade and Minsiter of Climate Change
Rosemary Banks New Zealand New Zealand’s Ambassador to France
Prof. Jibril Aminou Nigeria ex-Federal Minister of Petroleum
Gen. Joseph N. Garba Nigeria ex-President of U.N. General Assembly
Gabriel Olusanya Nigeria Nigerian Ambassador to France
Astrid Heiberg Norway President, Intl. Fed. of Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies
Helga Hernes Norway State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Atle Leikvoll Norway Norwegian Ambassador to the European Union
Tore Eriksen Norway Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance
Ziad Al Dress Saudi Arabia Permanent Delegate of Saudi Arabia to UNESCO
Mohamed Al Kuwari Qatar Qatari Ambassador to France
Mary Seet Cheng Singapore Singaporean Ambassador to the European Union
Juraj Schwartz Slovak Republic Judge at the European Court of Justice
Nkosazana Zuma South Africa Minister of Foreign Affairs
Konji Sebati South Africa S. African Ambassador to France
Peter Holmgren Sweden Deputy Director, UN / FAO
Adrian Amstutz Switzerland Member of Swiss Natl. Council (Swiss Parliament)
Victoria B. Sekitoleko Uganda Minister of Agriculture of Uganda
Joseph Prokopenko Ukraine Head, R & D, International Labour Organization
Robert Cornell USA Admiral of the U.S. Fleet
Robert Buzzell USA U.S. Naval Attaché, U.S. Embassy, Paris
Cynthia Stroum USA Former U.S. Ambassador to Luxemburg
Joey M. Bimha Zimbabwe Zimbabwean Ambassador to France
SCIENTIFIC, EDUCATIONAL AND COMMUNICATION FIELDS
Desmond Spurway Australia Director, Dept. of Agriculture and Fisheries
Maureen Wheeler Australia Founder of Lonely Planet (travel guide books)
Dr Edgar J. Korherr Austria Director of Education, Vienna University
Yin Yin Nwe Burma Monitoring/ Eval. Officer, West Central Africa, UNICEF
Rita Silvan Canada Editor-in-Chief, Elle Canada
Michèle Landsberg Canada Journalist, Globe & Mail, Canada
Carlos Martin Chili Director, N. Africa/Middle East, Intl. Potato Center
Lila Ochoa Columbia Chief Editor of Fucsia Magazine
Per Stenback Finland Secretary General, Intl. Fed. of Red Cross, Geneva
Ronald Gibbons GB Director, ICRISAT, Nigeria
Richard Grove-Hills GB Head of Delegation, Intl. Fed. of Red Cross, Geneva
Ephraim Idusogie Ghana Regional Director, FAO/WHO, Ghana
K.K. Venugopal India President, Supreme Court of India Bar Association
Miguel Osomo Mexico Director, National Research Institute, Mexico
Marc A. Okunnu, Sr Nigeria Regional Director, IPPF, Africa Region
Bente Merete Holdt Norway Director of Personnel, Norwegian Broadcasting Corp.
Goril Stromholm Norway TV Reporter, NRK (Norwegian TV)
Katherine Namuddu Uganda Senior Scientist, Rockefeller Foundation
Paul Arbor USA President, Juliard School, N.Y.
Dr Marvin Glimcher USA Orthopedic Surgeon, Boston Children’s Hospital
H. Landis Gabel USA Deputy Dean of INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France
Sam Thompson USA Deputy Director-Gl, OECD Nuclear Energy Agency
Charlayne Hunter-Gault USA Journalist, CNN, Foreign Bureau Chief
BUSINESS WORLD
David McCann Australia Director of Marketing, Lancôme / L’Oréal
Philipe Donna Canada President, Kellogg’s, Europe
Carol Kerbel Canada President, Kerbel Communications Inc.
Richard Meech Canada Senior Partner, Borden & Elliot
Peter Warkentin Canada Director, Canadian Commercial Corporation
Esko Ollila Finland Member of the Board, Bank of Finland
Jorma Ollila Finland Chairman, Nokia and Royal Dutch Shell
Kirsti Paakkanen Finland CEO, Marimekko
Owen Bavinton GB Director, Bridge Oil Services
Michael S. Coffield GB Negotiations Rep., Amoco, Europe & W. Africa
A.J. Karren GB Corp. Regional Representative, General Electric, Ltd.
Jerry Marlar GB President, Dow Corning Health Care, Europe
Janet Palmer GB Administrator, BUPA Medical Service
Ted Sandridge GB Manager, Phillips Petroleum Co.
Hans-Georg Hubner Germany Director, Trailor Ltd.
Stephan Killinger Germany General Manager, One & Only Resorts
Erich Schwarz Germany President, Bieral Chemicals
Henry McDowell Ireland Director, Casino, Loews Hotel, Cannes
Andrew Mullei Kenya Director, Bank of Kenya  
Paul Perez de Celis Mexico Director of Marketing, L’Oréal, Mexico
Olav Eikeland Norway Manag. Director, Christiana Bank, Luxembourg
Jan Froeshaug Norway CEO, Egmont Group (Media)
P. B. Lindeburg Norway President, Lindeburg Firma
Jorge Cepeda Herrera Peru Area Manager (Venezuela), Rhone-Poulenc
A. Rahman Al-Dabal Saudi Arabia President, Al-Dabal Company
Hesham A. Tashkandi Saudi Arabia Manager, Saudi-French Bank  
Leela Kumaran Singapore Director, Singapore Trade Develpt. Centre
Antonio Anguita Spain Executive Vice President, Orange France
Heinz Affanni Switzerland Asst. Director, Union Bank of Switz., Zurich
Theodor Heizmann Switzerland Director, Union Bank of Switz., Zurich
Chantal Sturzenegger Switzerland Head, language training, UBS, Zurich
Alan McKerron South Africa Executive Director, Anglo- American Corporation
Gunnar Söderling Sweden Vice-President, Svenska Nestlé  
Mark Chandler USA President, Amoco Gabon
John Reed USA Chairman of N.Y. Stock Exchange (2003-2005)
Blake Rider USA Resident Manager, Union Texas Petroleum, Maghreb
Bryan Seiler USA Manager Operations, Eastman Kodak, London
Rudolph Thomson USA Vice-President, Citibank
Alan Tremain USA President, Hotels of Distinction Inc.  
John M. Valentine USA Managing Director, Caltex Ltd., Asia
F. J. Woodall USA Executive Director, Bellsouth Intl.
ARTISTIC FIELD
Henry Winter Australia film producer
Keith Turnbull Canada stage director, Banff Music Theater
Lady Natasha Boldero GB singer
Lady Michael Cecil GB model
James Clavell GB writer (“Shogun”, “Noble House” etc.)
Jeanette Finn GB painter
Victor E. de Monteton Germany concert pianist and conductor
Boris Livschitz Israel violinist
Tone Skedsmo Norway Chief Curator, National Gallery, Oslo
Alan Duff New Zealand writer (“Once were warriors”, etc.)
Rudolph Nureyev’s niece Russia ballerina
Kyung Wa Chung South Korea violinist
Hjorids Niven Sweden David Niven’s wife
Rita Andermatt-Evans Switzerland painter on glass
Kathy Bates USA actress
Kate Capshaw USA actress (Steven Spielberg films)
Denise Curt-Morris USA painter
Brian Von Dedenroth USA PBS TV host
Eric Douglas USA Kirk Douglas’s son, actor
Hilary Henkin USA screenwriter
Robert Hopkins USA writer
Frances Horn USA writer
Hal Landers USA film producer
Blake Lively USA actress, model (Chanel USA)
William Milli USA choreographer
William Morris USA producer and impresario
Megyn Price USA actress (TV series “Rules of Engagement”, etc.)
Felicia Taylor USA CBS TV anchorwoman
Paula Williams USA Stage Director, MET Opera N.Y
Denis Wirth-Miller USA painter
Celia Zaentz USA wife of film producer (Amadeus)
Louise Sorel USA    
Lane Davies USA} stars from the Santa Barbara TV series
Todd McKee USA  
John Phelps Venezuela host of daily TV talk show

 

and Vidal Sassoon, Thomas Enqvist

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