10 Best Paying Summer Jobs in France for American Students

If you are an American student who is willing to spend this summer abroad, to work and learn many new things, you should maybe consider France, since we bring you the list of best-paying summer jobs in France for American students.

Being a student is probably the best period of one’s life, and though it is hard to believe so when you are overwhelmed with exams and obligations, once you graduate you realize how everything that comes after is actually more demanding and energy consuming. It is why you should devote this period, not just to study and pass your exams, but also to travel, meet new people and cultures, learn new languages, getting some work experience and many other things that will be very much useful when you get your degree. Of course, if you are not in the mood to travel this summer, you may always check our list of 10 Best Paying Outdoor Summer Jobs for College Students, and get some ideas on how to spend it.

In order to make the list of best paying summer jobs in France for American students, we consulted several sources, and among them the most useful were Transition Abroad, Expatica, and of course the website of U.S. Embassy & Consulates in France. First of all, we focused our research on those jobs that do not require the knowledge of French, that is, the jobs that can be done in English. That was the first criterion, since the language is the biggest barrier when it comes to searching for the job abroad. Out of all of these jobs in English, we analyzed further on whether those jobs can be done for one season, are full-time or part-time, and are they willing to employ someone from abroad, especially American students. Overall, we were surprised by the number of possibilities that American students have in France, and probably in all other European countries. We made the final classification according to the salaries that you may earn by doing these jobs, and the Pay Scale was very much of help throughout that process.

We conducted the whole research especially for you, so you don’t have to do anything except making a cup of coffee or a tea, and read our list of best paying summer jobs in France for American students.

10. Au Pair or Nanny

€400

Being an au pair in France is a really appreciated job, and the best thing about it is the fact that it can be seasonal and suitable for students. It is also very well paid, and if you take into consideration that in almost all of the cases you will have food and accommodation provided, it means that everything you earn may be used for your own personal needs. Since weekends are usually free, you may travel around France, and use that unique opportunity to explore this beautiful European country. If you want to know more about this job, there is an excellent website dealing with it, so do not hesitate to visit Geo Visions in order to get ready for everything that awaits you on this road. And now, let’s see what else we have in our list of best paying summer jobs in France for American students.

9. Lifeguard

€500

Summers are the best mostly because you may enjoy being in the water all day, no matter whether you are at the seaside or pool. In those cases, good swimmers are more than necessary, because no matter how people enjoy, there is always a risk that someone will drown or be in danger. In that case, if you are a good swimmer, perhaps with the first aid certificate, you are eligible to apply for this job in France, and spend your summer enjoying and holding everything under control. Yes, there is always a risk that something bad may occur, but in 99% nothing actually happens, so even though you should always be ready, do not push yourself so far to the point of not enjoying the fact you are working in France.

8. Hostel Work

€600

One of the easiest options to find a job in a foreign country, including France, is to apply to work in a hostel since it offers various positions. The most important fact is that you don’t need to have specific experience in the field, that ranks 8th in our list of best paying summer jobs in France for American students is that is only important that you speak English and that you are ready to work and devote yourself to it. Many hostels in France, especially those at the seaside are in need for seasonal workers because of the huge number of tourists visiting them, so you may find a job as a housekeeper, receptionist or a waiter/waitress in a hostel bar. Each of these jobs may be quite interesting, but also very demanding, so get ready for it. In general, if you choose a hostel near the beach, you will be able to combine work and pleasure, which is probably the best option. And, you will have food and accommodation, which is a huge plus!

7. Festivals

€600 – €800

We are continuing our list of best paying summer jobs in France for American students with festivals in France that are particularly popular and visited during summer, and some of the best world’s events happen right there, so think about being a part of one such festival. Besides the fact that you will earn money, taste delicious food and listen to amazing music, you will also get the chance to meet the people from all over the world and to enjoy the summer to the fullest. Festicket brings you the list of amazing music festivals in France, so don’t forget to check it if you want to contribute to it. The best thing is definitely the fact that you don’t need any other language, except English, since the majority of people will be strangers. There are many different jobs to be done during festivals, but you will be able to choose the most suitable for you according to your preferences and previous experiences.

6. Fruit Picker

€900

France is in need of agricultural workers every year, especially seasonal workers during summers. Fruits, especially apples, cherries, and grapes are in the focus when it comes to these jobs, and they keep the primary position during the summer. The only drawback of this job that ranks 6th in our list of best paying summer jobs in France for American students is the fact that you will be a little bit far away from the city, since the job is mostly done in the villages. On the other hand, you may use your free weekends to travel, since you will have food and accommodation here and you will be able to spend money on such things. You will probably work with other people from abroad and locals as well, and meet a lot of new cultures. A paycheck of €900 a month puts this relaxing job in the 6th place on this list of 10 best-paying summer jobs in France for American students.

5. Summer Camp

€1000

Summer camps rank 5th in our list of best paying summer jobs in France for American students. They are probably the best thing about summer, and probably all of us had some experience with them while we were kids or teenagers. There are many different camps for various age groups in France, and some of them are focusing on language, nature, or any other relevant subject depending on the needs of the children at the particular point. You may easily become a part of these camps, since the knowledge of English is very much useful. If you may offer some other services, such as teaching math, chemistry, biology, or simply be there to look after children and animate them, you are highly welcomed. This can be an amazing experience that will let you explore France, meet new people and get an amazing experience.

4. Sports Instructor

€1200

If you are a sports student, or if you are particularly good at certain sports, with experience of being an instructor or anything similar to it, you are more than eligible to apply for the job as a sports instructor in France that’s up next on our list of best paying summer jobs in France for American students. Just make sure to start searching for the job earlier, and if you are maybe into some extreme sports, such as parkour, cliff diving, paragliding, rafting or something like that, you are very likely to find the position that you are searching for. It would be useful to know French a little bit, but since sports do not recognize language barriers, English can often be sufficient. This is the best way to deal with a lot of adrenaline the whole summer, enjoy it to the fullest, and get amazing experiences and friendships.

3. Construction Work

€1300

Construction jobs rank third on our list of best paying summer jobs in France for American students. They are very famous throughout Europe, especially among those workers who may only afford to be outside their own country during the summer. The most important thing to note is that you don’t need to have a specific experience, you just need to be familiar with the basics, since you may start doing those ordinary things, such as helping the contractor or simply being an assistant to experienced workers. These jobs may be very demanding, so do not try to apply if you are not a hard working person, ready to devote the time and energy. In general, you may earn a decent salary and use your free day in a week to travel around and visit some important places. Overall, you will be surrounded by people from all over the world, so this is an excellent opportunity to meet different cultures and customs.

2. English Teacher

€1400

Since you were lucky enough to have English as your native language, it would be a pity not to use it to earn some money and travel the world. If, besides that, you have a TEFL certificate, your chances to get the job are even higher. Remember, this certificate may be very easily obtained online, so do not wait for another second to do it. Generally speaking, there are many programs for English teachers in France, and you may choose whether to hold private family lessons in exchange for room and board, or to teach English in regular summer schools within the classroom. Both of the possibilities will bring you a lot, and if you choose the second one, your salary will be enough to cover some regular living expenses.

1. Internship at U.S. Embassy

€1550

We know that when you hear the word “internship”, you may be very skeptical, since they usually include working a lot, obeying the orders from people in high positions, bringing coffee and cookies, without even being paid a cent. However, this is not always the case, since there are indeed some of the internship positions that are paid and offer great conditions. For example, if you are an International Relations student, there is a program Pamela Harriman Foreign Service Fellowship, related to U.S. Embassy in France, and it provides a $5,000 scholarship to one intern each summer, that is, for three months. Yes, you need to be an excellent student, but it is definitely worth, since the chance is incredible, and it deserves the first place on our list of 10 best paying summer jobs in France for American students.