Information on working in Nice - How much knowledge of French do I need ?

Expert Info

Posted by

on 5 Oct 2013

Hello I am based in London (middle aged, educated to postgraduate level in media) recently gained a B1 DELF in French which I know is not fluent enough to get a job in France. Thinking about the possible job market for a native English speaker. I hear Sophia Antipolis develops Amadeus travel industry computer reservation systems. Does anyone work in the Nice area in the travel trade - or anything - where they do not require B2 French or above - or should I keep studying for a B2 at Nice and can anyone recommend a suitable school for the middle aged looking for work? Thank you.

Anonymous (not verified) on 17 Oct 2013 - 11:42

Hi there

Unfortunately the short answer is that it will be difficult to find a job if you're not a French speaker, full stop. That said, however, your education and relative proficiency may put you at a bit of an advantage.

I will investigate further but, in the meantime, have a look at sites like http://www.thelocal.fr/jobs to see if there may be anything there.

If you haven't already, have a look at our Working in France page for a bit more information. In the meantime, I'll see if I can find anything else out for you.

Good luck,

Xavier

Anonymous (not verified) on 18 Oct 2013 - 07:08

Hi again sre20

I had a chat with Lane, our expat expert for Nice, and this is what she said:

"...each company varies on the level of French required, but it would be beneficial to achieve the highest diploma of French if possible, just to strengthen an application. The market in Nice is tough when it comes to English-language media companies. As for a school recommendation, unfortunately the only program I am aware of is at Sophia Antipolis."

Have a look at her Moving to Nice article.

Hope this helps put things in perspective.

Best,

Xavier

Anonymous (not verified) on 21 Oct 2013 - 14:55

Thank you Xavier. I have contacted Sophia Antipolis Centre Universitaire d'Etudes en Fle (CUEFLE). I was thinking of Cannes in May for possible English speaking work, but this would only be temporary and I don't have a driving licence (which I should probably)

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