Erasmus experience in Bordeaux, France

Why did you choose to go to Bordeaux, France?

Because it's a beautiful city with lots of things to do and see, plus its in the south so the weather is brilliant!

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How long is the scholarship? How much money do you receive to help you with living costs?

You can go for either 1 (if you are splitting the year between two countries) or 2 semesters as part of the Erasmus exchange. With the Erasmus grant you receive around €2000.

What is the student lifestyle like in Bordeaux?

There are lots of other Erasmus students in Bordeaux so its not hard to make friends with people of your own nationality or any others. There are lots of bars but not many clubs and drinks can be quite expensive but there are deals in some pubs and bars you just have to find the right places.

Would you recommend the city and the University of Bordeaux to other students?

Yes, there are plenty of different modules you can choose to study, the translation ones in particular are interesting and very helpful. Also the university organizes weekly Erasmus nights, the bar where they were held this year wasn't the best but its a great way to meet french students and other Erasmus students.

What is the food like?

There are lots and lots of different places to eat depending on what you like, and many places where you can try local cuisine.

How did you find your accommodation?

I had problems finding accommodation as my university at home didn't give me much information on how to find it. Use www.crous-bordeaux.fr to find student accommodation and apply as early as possible! Even if the room seems quite expensive remember to claim for CAF so the price will be reduced. A few of the 'villages' are very basic and you have to share toilets and showers with about 20 other people so make sure you know what you're getting into! However a lot of the other accommodation has been renovated and are really nice.

What are the accommodation prices like? What are prices like for other things in general?

For the very basic 'villages' the price is around €130 per month - €90 with CAF, but as I said they are very basic. I stayed in very nice accommodation with an en-suite kitchen and dinning room area which cost €340 - €270 with CAF. These are two ends of the spectrum accommodation prices are reasonable, often much cheaper than in England if you apply for CAF, remember to apply early.

Is the language easy to get to grips with? Are there language courses available in the University?

It's quite easy you just have to put ourselves out there and try! Also to help consolidate and improve on your French you can do evening classes with DEFLE, as a student of Bordeaux 3 you get a discount so it costs around €140 for 10 weeks worth of lessons. The classes are very useful and I improved a lot and built up my confidence.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Bordeaux from your city?

Plane, I live near Liverpool and there is a direct flight to Bordeaux until the end of September. After then I got a train from Bordeaux St. Jean to Limoges Benedict and a plane from Limoges to Liverpool, this was cheapest for me but it can be stressful so make sure you give yourself enough time to get there if you choose to go this way.

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Bordeaux?

El Bodegon! The drinks are fairly cheap and the people are friendly if not a bit crazy! If you're looking for a good old English pub there's the Charles Dickens where the people are great and they do an ace pub quiz on a Tuesday. There's also The Houses of Parliament where they do student offers and play good live music.

For X Factor fans there's an Irish bar called the Conamara in Merideck where they showed it every week last year, they may do it again this year.

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Bordeaux?

The Blarney Stone does really good pub grub and for French food l'entrecôte.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

The Pey Berland tower has a really good view of Bordeaux and is free to climb for students. Place de la Bourse is a world heritage site and there are loads of cool old churches and museums.

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Is there any other advice that you could give to future students who are going to Bordeaux?

Make the most of it! Don't be afraid to speak the language. Apply for accommodation as soon as you can, it'll make everything sooo much easier and apply for CAF as soon as you arrive, its like free money.

Have fun!