Local experience in NICE?!

Asala M.

@asalamahajnaDelft, South Holland, The Netherlands

Local experience in NICE?!

Hello, I just arrived in Nice for international master's in engineering (Yes, the furthest away from culture and language). Since I have never learned French and all the other students in my program are Chinese (not kidding) I wonder how can I manage to experience the local life and may be learn a little French. Any advise, please?

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Angelo G.

@angelo-gonsalLa Turbie, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Region, France

Hello Asala, I think the best is to go out at night in the "vieux nice" where all the bars are. Lots of students meet there and it can help you to meet people and improuve your french. Students are used to party thursday nights but you can still meet some other nights. You can also join a sport club (there are a lot in Nice) I hope that will help you :)

Alexandre Bayard

@the_cyberalexVallauris, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Region, France

Dear Asala,

First of all let me welcome you! You are going to have here a great time. I think that Nice's area is the only great place for studying in France (after Montpellier of course)! Here you have the sea, the sun, the country side and the mountains not far, and people from all over the world!

Here (Cannes, Antibes, Grasse, and last but not least Sophia Antipolis) you will find different moods for each city. For example Cannes is very "shopping and showing off", Grasse is more about art and culture and beautiful old stones. And in Antibes you will have find a typical "ville Provencale", with its old streets from the Middle Age (like in Grasse), nice beaches, and pubs where the locals mix with English speaking travellers and staff working on the yachts. Nice of course is also a little bit of all that, but up-sized to a big city scale, with more traffic and longer distances to cover.

So you have a large choice of "ambiances" and venues, depending on your mood and budget.

Oh, and if you like chickpeas (pois chiches) you have to try socca : => https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socca

Should you have any question, please feel free to ask!

Alexandre Bayard

@the_cyberalexVallauris, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Region, France

You can also read this : "How the French Riviera will change the way you live" => https://www.thelocal.fr/20160411/how-living-on-the-french-riviera-changes-your-lifestyle

Mathieu D.

@mathieu-delageNatal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

Blending with French people in Nice is not easy, this has to be said. You will need patience and a LOT of social skills. At uni you should sign up for sports activities with SUAPS, people are usually quite friendly (I would especially recommend activities such as hiking, climbing and canyoning which will make you discover the area). Most activities are free, some of them are very cheap (e.g. 5€ climbing including transport, equipment, guide... or 3€ hiking including the same things).

For a mix of local and international life, you should go to ESN events (Erasmus Student Network), you will get to know a lot of people there but mainly foreigners. While it still is great fun, it might not be what you're looking for though (local life).