Are there bilingual state schools on the Côte d'Azur?

Yes. State education offers international sections in several languages, from primary school to sixth form. The list of establishments and languages evolves from one new academic year to the next: consult the Nice education authority website for the current map.

Must my child speak French to be enrolled?

That depends on the option chosen. State international sections require following part of the curriculum in French, with reception provision for pupils whose first language is not French. Private establishments with English-language curricula are often more flexible on this point. Put the question directly to each school.

How much does a private international school cost in the region?

Fees vary greatly from one establishment to another and are revised each year. No figure published in an article remains reliable for long: request the current fee schedule directly from the establishments that interest you.

Is the international baccalauréat offered on the Côte d'Azur?

Certain private establishments in the region offer it, but provision evolves. Check the accreditation on the official website of the international baccalauréat organisation and confirm with the establishment itself.

When should one begin enrolment procedures?

As soon as possible, ideally during the school year preceding your installation. Admission calendars differ between state and private, and certain sections verify language level in the spring. Make contact as soon as your project takes shape.

International schooling on the Côte d'Azur: what options for a family settling in?

By Garen Ajderhanyan · 23 September 2026 · 7 min read

In brief

Between Nice, Monaco and the west of the Alpes-Maritimes, international schooling is organised into three families of options: international sections within state education, which lead to the international options of the baccalauréat; private international establishments, which teach in English and sometimes offer the international baccalauréat; and proximity to the Monegasque provision, reinforced by the presence of the Sophia-Antipolis technology park. Establishment names, fees and pupil numbers change from one year to the next: the reliable source remains the Nice education authority and the schools themselves. This article provides the map and the right questions, not a list of addresses.

What international schooling options on the Côte d'Azur?

When a foreign family prepares to settle between Nice and Monaco, the question of schooling often comes before that of the flat. The local landscape comprises three families of options. First, international sections within state education: bilingual provision integrated into primary schools, secondary schools and sixth-form colleges, which lead to the international options of the baccalauréat. Next, private international establishments, which teach all or part of the curriculum in English and sometimes offer the international baccalauréat. Finally, proximity to the Monegasque provision, which completes the picture for families settling in the east of the department.

This density is not accidental. The Sophia-Antipolis technology park, west of Nice, has attracted engineers and researchers from around the world for decades, and their children need schools capable of receiving them in their language. Monaco, for its part, concentrates a highly international population within a few square kilometres. Between the two, Nice provides the link, with its international airport and its own bilingual provision.

An honest warning before going further: establishment names, pupil numbers, fees and section lists change regularly. I therefore do not cite them here. The reliable source is the Nice education authority for state education, and the establishments themselves for the private sector.

State or private international?

State education first. International sections within it are free or nearly so, and the child follows the French curriculum with reinforced teaching in the section's language. It is a choice that makes sense when the installation is lasting and the family wishes the child to learn French in depth: he or she grows up within the school system of the country where they live.

Private international functions differently. Teaching is conducted in English, partly or wholly, which ensures continuity with a course of study begun abroad; certain establishments prepare pupils for the international baccalauréat, recognised by universities in numerous countries. In return, there are tuition fees, sometimes a calendar different from the French calendar, and less immersion in the local language.

Neither path is superior to the other. The real question is that of the family project: how long do you intend to stay, what language is spoken at home, and towards what higher education is your child heading? The answers guide the choice more surely than any reputation.

What is an international section?

It is a provision of the Éducation nationale, present in state primary schools, secondary schools and sixth-form colleges, and in certain private establishments under contract. The pupil follows the French curriculum, with reinforced teaching of the section's language and certain subjects, such as literature and sometimes history and geography, taught in that language.

Admission is by application, with verification of the child's language level. At sixth-form level, the course leads to the international options of the baccalauréat. The pupil remains within the French system: one speaks of a dual school culture, not a foreign school implanted in France.

The map of sections, languages offered, levels, establishments, is published by the Nice education authority and evolves from one new academic year to the next. Check it each year: a section that existed two years ago may have been moved, and others may have opened.

How to choose according to one's area?

Geography matters more than one might think. The coast is crossed slowly at peak hours, and a home-to-school journey between Nice and Sophia-Antipolis, or between Nice and Monaco, can weigh heavily on a family's daily life. Reason in actual journey time, tested on a Tuesday morning, not in kilometres on a map.

The department's major balances help with orientation. Families whose professional life revolves around Sophia-Antipolis often look to the west of the Alpes-Maritimes; those who work in Monaco favour the east of the coast; Nice, at the centre, offers its own bilingual provision and access to the airport.

At La Gazette, we regularly see families choose the school before the address, and it is often the right order. Four questions to ask each establishment: the actual teaching language, class by class; the curriculum followed and the qualification prepared; the calendar and hours; finally the journey from the areas you are considering. The answers draw your map better than any ranking.

Frequently asked questions

Are there bilingual state schools on the Côte d'Azur?: Yes. State education offers international sections in several languages, from primary school to sixth form. The list of establishments and languages evolves from one new academic year to the next: consult the Nice education authority website for the current map.
Must my child speak French to be enrolled?: That depends on the option chosen. State international sections require following part of the curriculum in French, with reception provision for pupils whose first language is not French. Private establishments with English-language curricula are often more flexible on this point. Put the question directly to each school.
How much does a private international school cost in the region?: Fees vary greatly from one establishment to another and are revised each year. No figure published in an article remains reliable for long: request the current fee schedule directly from the establishments that interest you.
Is the international baccalauréat offered on the Côte d'Azur?: Certain private establishments in the region offer it, but provision evolves. Check the accreditation on the official website of the international baccalauréat organisation and confirm with the establishment itself.
When should one begin enrolment procedures?: As soon as possible, ideally during the school year preceding your installation. Admission calendars differ between state and private, and certain sections verify language level in the spring. Make contact as soon as your project takes shape.

References

The author

Garen Ajderhanyan

Editor of La Gazette de la Promenade

Editor of La Gazette de la Promenade. He writes on Riviera property and the art of living, from Nice.