Erasmus Experience in Lyon, France by Giovanni

Why did you decide to go to Lyon, France?

I wanted to go to France to learn French and Lyon seemed to be a good city to choose, not being too big or too small and not expensive like Paris.

How long did the placement last? How much money did you receive as help?

The placement was for nine months and I received 230 euro per month.

What's student life like in Lyon?

There are lots of universities with a diverse range of people between them. Lots of different atmospheres.

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Would you recommend the city and university of Lyon to other students?

Yes, absolutely. More the city than the university. It's a beautiful city. The university is a bit badly organised but in general it's absolutely worth it to go to Lyon. Trust me.

What's the local food like?

Not bad. In Lyon particularly meat and salami are popular choices. The cuisine is a bit basic but still nice.

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Was it difficult to find accommodation in Lyon?

For me not at all. I had heard of others having difficulty but in some cases it was because they moved out there too late. My advice is to start looking before September, for example at the beginning of the summer.

How much does it cost to live in Lyon?

It's not cheap. Luckily though it's not like Paris, but still it's not cheap. On average a room in an apartment costs around 400 euro.

How did you find the language? Did you go to any university language courses?

Things went well with the language, but my honest advice is spend time with French people, not Erasmus students (I know I'm probably not in the spirit of things), but it's the only way to really learn the language and to avoid finding yourself in the only grimy club that plays Pitbull ft. No Matter Who from 2008 at an Erasmus party every Wednesday.

What's the cheapest way of getting to Lyon from your city?

By train.

Where would you recommend for a night out in Lyon?

I would recommend: DV1, La Marquise, Transbourdeur, Ninkasi Kao (stade de gerland), La fée verte, le Blogg.

And to eat in Lyon? Can you tell us about your favourite places?

There are the bouchon Lyonnais which are the typical places to eat in Lyon. They're not bad. I didn't go mad for them, they all serve basically the same thing. But anyway it's worth it. If not you can eat lots of international food, from Algeria or Turkey. If not, there's a place by the river (a boat whose name I don't remember) that does really nice and really expensive hamburgers.

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And cultural things to see?

On the silk road at Croix Rousse and Vieux Lyon. Lots of churches. The St. Jean cathedral. The Fourviere cathedral, the Roman amphitheatres (very beautiful place). The museum of fine art (some exhibitions). La Confluence (very beautiful overall for those interested in contemporary architecture).

What advice would you give to future students in Lyon?

Try all that you can to meet French people. It's not true that it's difficult. It's also great to know people from all over the word but if you limit yourself only to them, you'll end the year not having known France. Bye!