Moving to Sophia Antipolis with your family: international schooling options
The CIV campus in Valbonne: archive photograph resized for the web. This image shows the campus, not the other schools mentioned in this article.
Moving to the French Riviera as a family involves more than finding a home. Schooling, languages and daily routines matter just as much. Around Sophia Antipolis, several international education pathways are worth exploring at the start of your property search, taking into account your children’s ages and previous schooling.
CIV: a French education with an international dimension. In Valbonne, the Campus international de Valbonne offers international sections. At upper-secondary level, preparation for the Baccalauréat Français International, or BFI, starts in première, the penultimate school year. This pathway is part of the French general baccalaureate, with additional specific teaching and assessments. It is distinct from the programmes offered by the International Baccalaureate organisation, or IB.
ICS Côte d’Azur: bilingual education from the early years. This private school in Valbonne welcomes children aged 2 to 11 for preschool and primary education. Teaching takes place in French and English through the IB Primary Years Programme. Families should also plan ahead for the next stage: moving on to secondary education requires separate arrangements with the relevant schools.
Mougins British International School: continuity within a British curriculum. The school offers education from the early years through secondary level, following the English National Curriculum and preparing pupils for IGCSEs and then A Levels. Interested families can check the appropriate entry year, language support and admissions requirements directly with the school.
Three approaches for different family plans. A French international pathway, a bilingual IB primary school and a British curriculum do not serve exactly the same needs. Consider the languages used, transitions between school stages and how each option fits a long-term move or future relocation. These examples are a starting point, not a ranking or an exhaustive directory of local schools.
For your home search, start with everyday life rather than a radius on a map. When comparing properties in Valbonne, Biot, Mougins or neighbouring communities, we recommend testing the home-school-work journey at the times you will actually travel. Different children’s schedules, after-school activities, transport options and space requirements at home can all change your priorities.
Before committing, contact each school about its application calendar, entry criteria, any fees and availability in the relevant year group. Living nearby is not confirmation of a school place. Coordinate your school applications and property search without treating either as a guarantee of the other.
Côte d’Azur Agency helps you find a property suited to your family life and travel requirements. Our role is in real estate: the schools remain the appropriate contacts for education and admissions. The establishments featured here are presented for information, with no partnership claimed.
Information checked on 30 September 2026 using the official websites below. Entry arrangements and admissions policies may change; confirm them directly with each school before making a decision.