Erasmus Experience in Lyon, France by Saiesha

Why did you choose to go to Lyon, France?

I actually chose to go to Lyon as I was told I would be able to get a work transfer from the company I was working with in England at the time, however that didn't quite transpire.

Out of all the options I had regarding cities for my Erasmus year, Lyon was the biggest city on the list. Paris wasn't an option due to what I studied. Seeing as I had become so used to living in London, I didn't want to go anywhere too small.

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

I spent about 10 months living in Lyon, though I could have spend a bit longer.

I was studying at the University Lyon II so once all my exams were over I was allowed to come back, though I chose to stay a little longer but not as long as my peers.

In England we receive student loans to help us with our finances which is usually enough but on top of that, we also received an Erasmus grant. Though I don't know how helpful it really was considering the fact that I received the second half of it at the end of July, well after I had returned from France.

What is the student lifestyle like in Lyon?

I found that the student lifestyle didn't quite compare to the student lifestyle one can find in England.

First of all, the universities don't really have social aspects about them like in England. In the UK there are more societies and the Student Union that organizes student nights. However, the International Relations department would arrange trips out of Lyon and a few evening activities.

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

I would recommend the city of Lyon as there is plenty to do and due to the central location it's really easy to get to other cities around France and Europe.

The university life is very different to the one in the UK and I found the university to be poorly equipped and a bit run down but I still enjoyed my time there.

What is the food like?

Lyon is the gastronomic capital of France, although as someone who doesn't eat red meat, I struggled a little.

There are so many beautiful, charming and unique restaurants specialising in Lyonnais cuisine around the Vieux Lyon area which are well worth a try, though the prices range dramatically.

I loved the patisseries too, it was amazing to see such care and attention to detail going into food.

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Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Lyon?

It didn't cost me to find my accommodation. I applied through the University Lyon II whilst I was filling in some forms online. However, there were a few costs such as administrative fees and deposits to pay to get my keys for the residence.

How much does it cost to live in Lyon?

If one budgeted well, I don't think Lyon would be very expensive to live.

The prices of private accommodation and accommodation in the city centre can be rather expensive.

I also found food to be quite expensive too but I don't see that that should be a problem should one keep a good eye on their money. I didn't really buy any clothes or things like that too often either.

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

I already had a good knowledge of French having studied it for years prior to living in Lyon so I didn't find it to be too much of a struggle.

The university offered language classes that were quite intense to those international students that wanted extra help too.

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

I traveled to and from Lyon in many different ways which gave me quite an insight into what worked best.

First of all, I took a flight from London Luton (as that's the closest airport to my home) to Montpellier and then the train up to Lyon Part Dieu. Although this wasn't too expensive it was a bit inconvenient going so far from Lyon.

To return home for Christmas I took a flight from Lyon to London Gatwick which was quite simple but I find it's quite expensive to get home from Gatwick and I had to change trains several times.

I also once took a flight to Paris from London Luton and then waited in Paris for 5 hours before getting a 6-hour bus from Paris to Lyon. Although it was incredibly cheap, I was tired, the bus station was a little scary and there were some rather creepy people on the bus. I hated it.

My favourite way of travelling was taking the train from Lyon to London. If I booked quite early, it often came to under 100€. If I went via Paris I usually got a taxi between stations as it meant no hassle of having to drag my suitcase on the metro. Changing in Lille was was best option as it didn't require a change of train stations. Also I was able to get the train from Lyon Perrache which was only a bus ride away from my residence in Lyon. Once I arrived in London, I didn't need to change stations to get onto my final train home. I don't like flying either so this I felt was my best option.

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

I didn't go out much at all in Lyon, mainly due to the fact I couldn't be bothered to deal with getting night buses and taxis back in the early hours of the morning.

However, I would recommend The Smoking Dog in Vieux Lyon, Cosmos on a Monday (they offer 1€ beers) and Ayers Rock is must. Though I prefer the bar/club rather than the boat club. The day I went it was particularly windy, and having consumed a generous amount of wine, I felt a little queasy!

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

There's so much choice in Lyon.

I'd say the Bouchon St Jean in Vieux Lyon is definitely the best for traditional Lyonnais cuisine at a good price. Other than that, VaPiano is a good Italian, and GoMex is a nice, small and simple Mexican. There's so much choice it's hard to choose!

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

There are so many cultural sites to visit in Lyon, it's hard to do everything!

There's the Roman Theatres and accompanying museum, the Musée des Beaux Arts is really good and free - it's a good way to spend an afternoon. There's sites dedicated to the cinema, celebrating the Lumière Brothers. My overall favourite was the Musée d'Art Contemporain, a modern art museum as the exhibitions are always really intriguing and they change completely every few months.

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

I think my best advice would be: make the most of it as you only regret the things you didn't do and keep and eye on your bag in the city centre and get a TCL card to get around the city. Enjoy it - it is what you make of it, don't complain too much and keep and open mind.