Lyonnais Life: Residence André Allix: Getting Around Town

Lyonnais Life: Residence André Allix: Getting Around Town

This section covers the some essential elements when it comes to living in the Andre Allix residence. It's all very well knowing what the complex and bedrooms are like, but knowing a bit about the surroundings and how to get from A to B is very useful indeed. I cound't find much about the residence on the Internet, so I've taken it upon myself to create a sort of rough guide, of course I haven't quite stopped discovering new things so this could be like a sort of work in progress, but I feel that now, after one semester, I know the bare necessities of the Andre Allix life.

This section covers all you need to know about:

• Transport
• Food
• Other shops in the area

Transport:

Buses

There are quite a few travel links from Andre Allix despite there not being a tram line or a metro line near the site. However, there are four buses that serve the area quite well, and the funicular line between St Juste and Vieux Lyon is only a few minutes’ walk away from the residence.

The buses are:

• 46: Boyer to Perrache
• 49: Ste-Foy Chatelain to Perrache
• C20 and C20E: Francheville Taffignon

Despite starting in different locations, the 46 and 49 take the same route from the residence to Perrache, where one can get the Metro (Line A) or either the T1 or T2 tram. These busses are particularly useful when it comes to getting to the universities in the morning especially as the T1 tram goes via, the Lyon 2 Quai Claude Bernard Campus (first stop on the T1), Lyon 3 buildings and all the way over to the Lyon 1 campus I believe. The T2 tram is pretty much the only mode of public transport apart from some busses that actually goes all the way to the Lyon 2 campus Porte des Alpes. The journey is about thirty to forty minutes, just on the tram.

The 46 and 49 both arrive every fifteen minutes during the day, however the most annoying thing is that they always arrive within moments of each other rather than one of each every 7 minutes or so. So if you do miss either bus, you do have to wait a quite a considerable amount of time which isn't always convenient.

The busses C20 and C20 E are virtually the same bus, as the both start and end in the same place; however, they take different routes down the hill. The C20 goes via Trion and the Saint Juste area not too far from the Funiculaire whereas the C20E takes the same route down the hill as the 46 and 49. These buses are quite handy when it comes to getting into the city centre, but they are also quite handy if you are heading away from the city towards as by going a couple of stops further than the residence when going away from Bellecour, you can find the nearest supermarket.

There are bus stops by the main entrance of the residence by St Irénée, where you can get the 46, 49 and C20E and there are also a couple further back which are more convenient for those living near the back end of the residence. One serves only the 46 and 49, whilst from the other one further round the corner you can take the 49 or C20E. All bus stops indicate how long you will have to wait for the next two busses to arrive.

The Funicular

The funicular isn't too far away in St Juste, and I'd say it takes less than ten minutes to walk over there. The funicular runs regularly all day until midnight, allowing passengers to get to either Minimes for the Roman Theatres and down into the bustling quarter of Vieux Lyon where you can change for the metro line D. The funicular with its metro connections and the fact the Vieux Lyon isn't too far away is another handy way of getting down the hill and into the city centre. It can be quite convenient during strikes when the buses by the residence become rather rare with some not running a service at all.

The funiculaire does provide an alternative route to the Lyon 2 campus at Porte Des Alpes as it is possible to take the funiculaire down to Vieux Lyon, where you take the metro to Grange Blanche then get the T2 tram from there. Though, having tried it once, it doesn't save much journey time, and it is probably best to use such a journey on the way back from the university rather than on the way there as it always seems virtually impossible to get on the tram from Grange Blanche as there always seems to be a million other passengers waiting for one already crowded tram. It’s probably just best to get on the empty tram at Perrache where the line starts.

Source

Food:

Going food shopping is an essential part of everyday life and it is always essential to know where the nearest supermarket is or the cheapest, so here’s a bit of information on the nearest, dearest, and cheapest supermarkets that I've been to and other people seem to go to.

Carrefour

For the first semester, I would always go to Carrefour in Confluence. This is a brand new supermarket that opened in the Confluence complex earlier on in 2012. It's incredibly clean and spacious, light and airy unlike the one over in Part Dieu. There are never too many people here and it's quite nice for a pleasant shop. However, I found that the some things like certain vegetables are there one day and not another and they do go off rather quickly. Also I once planned to get a spare towel there once, I went about three or four times in the space of three weeks, only to find the shelves looking as they did the first time I went there looking for a towel- empty. Whilst I quite liked Carrefour and there is a good range of products, I did find it to be quite expensive, even when sticking to the Carrefour discount range.

How to get there: 46 or 49 bus to Perrache, then T1 tram to Hotel de Région-Montrochet.

Simply

For something a little simpler to get to and a little cheaper, Simply is the perfect option. It's about a ten to fifteen minute walk down the round until the petrol station, or you can simply get the bus one or two stops. Despite appearing rather small, there it certainly a good range of every day products available here and a large range of good looking vegetables and fruits. Simply is also open until about 8 in the evening and is open on Sunday mornings too, which is always handy if you find yourself going hungry on a Sunday.

How to get there: C20 or C20E bus towards Francheville Taffignon or walk

Lidl

Lidl seems to be quite a popular choice amongst many students here thanks to its rather cheap food, however I'm not its greatest fan as I never quite like the look of most things you can buy there and it's not really suited to my taste. There are two Lidls which are probably about the same distance away from the residence. One is at St Blandine, the stop before the Confluence shopping centre on the T1 line and the other is at Rue de l'Université opposite one of the Lyon 2 buildings at the Quai Claude Bernard campus, which is again two stops from Perrache on the T1 line. I can see its convenience for those studying at the Lyon 2 and Lyon 3 campus there.

How to get there: 46 or 49 to Perrache, then tram T1 to St Blandine (Hotel de Montrochet) or Rue de l’Université (IUT Feyssine).

The Local Convenience Store

Should you find yourself desperate for food and all supermarkets are shut, there is a rather small, dark convenience shop next to the Church in St Irénée. I believe it is open twenty-four hours as I have never in fact seen it shut. I have been warned that it can be a little expensive, though all the basic essentials are crammed into this tiny space, making it rather convenient in times of desperation.

Bakeries

By the church and by the first bus stop by the residence for those getting off the bus when coming from Perrache, there is also a bakery and patisserie which also has a little tea from for those to enjoy lunch in. The staff are friendly and this is where I tend to get my usual demi-baguette from. There is also another bakery next door to Simply.

Source

McDonalds

In times of absolute desperation, when you don't fancy cooking, you're hung-over of just have plain fast food cravings; there is a McDonalds on Rue Commandant Charcot, in between the residence and Simply which is nice, big and modern. McDonalds is open late each and every night of the week and as it is not far away at all, it provides some sort of salvation in times of complete despair.

Other Shops and Useful Information:

Tabac

Opposite the back end of the residence on the corner of Rue Commandant Charcot, and Avenue de la 1e DFL, there is a little Tabac, which is more like a newsagents. You can pick up your cigarettes here should you need them, but there's also a wide selection of magazines, drinks, sweets, crisps and chocolates. It is also possible to top up the monthly TCL card here, though I always tend to do mine on the first of each month at the funicular station at St Juste.

Post

For parcels and sending letters, there are two small post offices within walking distance of the residence. One is situated further along the 46, towards Boyer at Point du Jour and the other is in Trion, which is on the C20 route but not the C20 E route. Both are about a ten minute walk away. It is incredibly easy to send letters, as it mostly just involves self service machines that weigh your letter for you and calculate the cost for you. It is usually one of these to post offices that you need to go to pick up anything that is too large for your letter box and some form of I. D is usually required.

Other shops

By the Tabac there is also a rather pricey hairdressers that does actually offer student rates, but still I find it a bit too much, and there is also a chemist which could prove handy in emergencies. All in all Andre Allix is quite well connected despite appearing as though it is in the middle as nowhere as the area around here isn't as built up as the city centre. There's all the essentials needed to Lyonnais life, so I guess it's not such a bad place to be.

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