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Living and gaining professional experience in France is the stuff of dreams for many college students and recent grads in the U.S. But what if we told you there’s a simple path to make that dream a reality? AIFS Abroad offers countless opportunities to intern abroad in France with full-time internship programs in Paris and Study + Internship programs in Cannes. Whether you’re interested in fashion, the arts, film, business, or a number of other fields, you can find an ideal internship that allows you to launch your career, all while you soak up the world-famous culture this country is famous for. Interested in learning more about what it’s really like to intern abroad in France?
Hear from four people who did internship programs in France with AIFS Abroad!
Lauren: Marketing Internship in Paris
Lauren, a retail management major at Texas Tech University, did a summer marketing internship in Paris at a local wine tasting company. Below, she goes into more detail about her internship experience:
“I have loved [interning] here because I’ve learned so much about wine!… It has been so much fun getting to learn about wine and French culture from [the founder]. He is a one-man show! He does it all from selling/shipping wine, conducting wine tastings, and social media marketing!”
Lauren’s responsibilities at her marketing internship included the following:
- Create, design, and plan future Instagram posts.
- Update the website with the correct information on wines and change out the photos.
- Research trends on social media for post ideas.
- Fun tasks like cutting the bread, setting up the tasting room, and printing out menus.
As Lauren explains, her schedule provided more than enough time to soak in the Parisian culture outside of her internship; plus, she enjoyed some AIFS Abroad trips and excursions that were included with her program:
“The internship is 8 weeks long! There is plenty of time to explore the city after work and on weekends! Included in the price are some excursions around Paris, so I have been taking advantage of those!”
Andrew: Business Internship in Paris
Andrew from Duke University did a business internship in Paris. Below, he lists some of his main tasks at his host company:
“[My host company] is basically a social media channel creator and I’m here to…write taglines for our videos, plan our Instagram feed and create posts, and help with English [editing].”
One of Andrew’s favorite things about interning abroad in Paris was the chance to experience a different side of the city that most tourists never get to see. As he soaked in the local sights during his commute, Andrew noted:
“I live about half an hour away from my [internship]. And I have to get onto the metro… The cool thing about being abroad is just seeing the massively different landscape of where you are, and you also get to learn about all the secret alleyways and passages. And you also just get to see the really cool various shops and little boutiques that are around.”
Exploring your new home overseas is one of the simplest yet most rewarding benefits of interning abroad. As you get to know your city better, you’ll learn what it really means to live abroad. Andrew emphasized that there’s so much to do and see in Paris, he couldn’t even allow himself a single day to sleep in:
“I have not slept in at all this trip and I probably won’t [choose] to sleep in until I get back home. But you know what, I’m having a great time getting to see everything [Paris has to offer]. So, when you’re here or wherever you are, get to know the places and cultures.”
Victoria: Fashion Internship in Paris
Want to hear what it’s like to gain professional experience in an iconic Parisian industry? Victoria did a fashion internship in Paris at a local fashion school.
One of Victoria’s favorite experiences during her summer internship in Paris was when she and her fellow interns went to the Gardens of Versailles to do a photoshoot with a professional designer. While she was getting ready for the day, she briefly put this experience in her own words:
“[We’re doing] a photoshoot of [the designer’s] dresses and some of us are going to be wearing the dresses and some of us are going to be taking the pictures.”
Besides fun projects like the photoshoot at Versailles, Victoria explained that she spent most of her internship hours gaining experience at the fashion school:
“We’re usually at the actual school [where] we do various tasks [such as]… translating documents… [and] researching fashion suppliers and fashion vendors… But we do get to do such cool stuff like [the trip to the Gardens of Versailles]. We got to visit an atelier (workshop) that makes prototypes for super famous brands like Chanel, Versace, [and] Balmain. So, we get to see a whole other side of fashion that I personally had never seen before, which is incredible.”
Beyond gaining behind-the-scenes access to renowned fashion brands, Victoria shared that one of the best parts of her internship was learning directly from her colleagues:
“Many of the teachers that work at the school either are still in the fashion business or were in the fashion business and worked for all these incredible, super famous brands that we’re all super obsessed with.”
Below, Victoria explains some of the benefits of interning abroad in France, and Europe, in general:
“If you’re unsure [about doing this internship program], do it. 100% do it… It’s been the best possible decision I could’ve made… You get to experience a whole other culture, meet so many incredible people, it looks so good on your resume, and you have a chance to travel and explore. I’ve been to Rome and Belgium and… I’m also going to go to Barcelona and London. And it’s something that I probably wouldn’t have done if I wasn’t doing this internship, but everything is so close in Europe, there are [other interns] who have been to Santorini, Amsterdam, Berlin—there’s just so much that you can explore while you’re in Europe.”
Arden: Study + Internship in Cannes
Can’t choose between a study and internship program in France? With a Study + Internship program in Cannes, you can get the best of both worlds like Arden from the University of Maryland. Through this unique AIFS Abroad program, Arden took study abroad courses in Cannes and did a part-time internship where he got to participate in the Cannes Film Festival, which he describes below:
“For me it was really new because I thought the festival was just the red carpet and all the celebrities, but there’s actually a really big market of selling and buying movies there. So luckily I was able to be a part of that with the internship. It was a really great experience meeting with clients and [movie] distributors from all around the world… I was also able to watch some of the premiers, and I was on the red carpet a few times… I’ll remember this for the rest of my life, it was a great experience.”
Located on the French Riviera, Cannes is the perfect place to soak up the beauty of the South of France, while practicing your French language skills, as Arden explains:
“In Cannes I’ve been in more situations where I have to use French, which has made me a much better and confident speaker. Also, the South of France in the summer is such a beautiful place, the beach, the food, the culture, and I got to come during the film festival.”
Plus, as Arden explains, you can study and intern abroad in France without having any prior French language skills:
“You definitely don’t have to learn [French]. It helps, but you’ll not be the only person if you don’t know any French. And they speak English here in the city, so you’re fine.”
Another factor that made Arden’s Study + Internship program in Cannes special was his homestay. As he notes, it offered the chance to really dive into the culture, connect with locals, and practice his French:
“Living with a host family has really been a good experience for me because I get to practice a lot of the French and learn the colloquial French terms that I wouldn’t necessarily learn in the classroom like the stuff you use in your day-to-day. Also, I’ve gotten to have authentic French cuisine… so it’s been amazing.”
Discover all France has to offer—intern abroad in Paris or Cannes with AIFS Abroad like these students and recent grads did!
AIFS Abroad offers several internship programs in France, each tailored to meet your professional, academic, and personal preferences. With a full-time internship or Study + Internship program in France, you can build career-focused skills, immerse yourself in the world-famous French culture, and travel Europe to your heart’s delight. Choose AIFS Abroad and take advantage of our valuable program inclusions (which really take the stress out of planning!), such as housing, trips and excursions, integrated career readiness, 24/7 emergency support, and the support of our trusted on-site staff.
