Where do international families settle near Cannes?
Quick answer: Valbonne is where most relocating families start. It has the Campus International de Valbonne (CIV) and sits inside the Sophia Antipolis school cluster. Mougins comes next, with Mougins British International School and its British curriculum. Biot, Opio and Roquefort-les-Pins give you more space and quiet, with the same schools a short drive away.
The Valbonne–Grasse hinterland has seven international or bilingual schools within a short drive of each other. The reason is the Sophia Antipolis technology park: it brings in international professionals, and bilingual schools have followed them. The families we work with usually start from the same short list. They want the right school, a green setting with room for the children, and a reasonable drive to Sophia, the coast or Nice airport.
How to use this guide
This is a relocation and lifestyle guide, not advice. Admissions, fees and catchments change, so confirm current places with each school. Verified 29 June 2026.
The international schools of the hinterland
The core options are the Campus International de Valbonne (CIV), Mougins British International School (British curriculum), the Mouratoglou international school and academy in Biot, The Hive Academy, and the American international section at Collège César in Roquefort (ASEICA).
The CIV in Valbonne is the reference: a state international school whose national sections attract diplomatic and professional families. Private schools around it (Mougins British International School, Mouratoglou for families built around sport) add English, French and bilingual tracks. Most sit 10–20 minutes from each other, so one house puts several within reach. Each school has its own entry on our schools pages.
Best villages for families, one by one
Choose Valbonne for the schools and a centre you walk around. Mougins suits British-curriculum schooling and a more formal address. Biot is an artists’ village near the sea and Sophia. Opio and Roquefort-les-Pins give you space, gardens and quiet, with the same schools in reach.
- Valbonne: where most families start. The CIV, Sophia Antipolis next door, a pedestrian centre and a close community.
- Mougins: Mougins British International School and its British curriculum. Family life with good restaurants, golf and a well-known name.
- Biot: a glassmaking village close to Antibes, the sea and Sophia. Workshops, a busy centre and good road links.
- Opio & Roquefort-les-Pins: bigger plots, gardens and quiet. The schools and Sophia are a short drive away.
Torn between Valbonne and Mougins? Read our Mougins vs Valbonne comparison and the wider best villages near Cannes ranking.
Daily life, healthcare and the commute
The hinterland villages are green and quiet. Sophia Antipolis (where the jobs are), the coast and Nice Côte d’Azur airport are all within about 20–45 minutes. Hospitals in Grasse, Antibes and Cannes, private clinics and English-speaking doctors are within reach.
On the practical side, families settle in without much friction. Children live outdoors most of the year, and the international community helps newcomers through the first months. From most homes you reach Sophia Antipolis in 10–20 minutes, Cannes or Antibes in 20–30, and Nice airport in 30–45. When you start planning a purchase, our guide to buying in France as a foreigner and the full cost guide set out the process and the budget.