One of the (numerous! ) advantages of being a student in France is that they have something they refer to as University Restaurants or RUs. Basically, they are restaurants subsidised by the government in order to offer complete menus at an affordable price. For example this year, the full menu only cost 3€20 (If we compare the prices with other places, a sandwich costs at least 4€ for just a sandwich. Interesting, right? ).
In each city with a university, there is consequently, a RU. They all work in the same way: choose a starter, a main course and a pudding. You have the possibility to pay an additional supplement from between 90 cents and 1€20 in order to have either a slightly larger starter or pudding, or a main dish called 'The chef's suggestion'. : a dish with a special recipe and more elaborate than the others proposed.
As a starter: Cucumbers with cream and grated carrot. Main course: Salmon and tagliatelle. Pudding: Strawberry tart. All of which is simply... delicious! (Seeing it has made me hungry again haha)
The starter and desert are considered as 'additional items'. A full menu for 3€20 is composed of a main course (pork, beef, chicken, fish) plus two additional items so someone can choose a starter and a pudding, two starters or (if they are very greedy) two puddings.
As Lyon is a city with several university campuses, there are several restaurants. I have been to three of them so far: The André Allix residence restaurant, the Bron and la Madeleine.
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The André Allix residence restaurant isn't very big, therefore the variety of foods that one can find here isn't very extensive either. The peculiarity of this restaurant is that is has a small terrace outside, which you can sit out on when Summer and it's beautiful climate reach the city.
Address: 2, rue Soeur Bouvier 69322 Lyon
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The Bron restaurant is the biggest. It has different stands where you can choose from beef, pork or chicken and another which has fish. In regards to the puddings... Oh my lord! They have much more variety! My favourites are the lemon or raspberry tarts. I had to pay an additional supplement, but did so with pleasure because they taste delicious.
Address: 5 avenue Pierre Mendès 69500 Bron
So much food!
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The third restaurant is la Madeleine. It is smaller than the Bron. This one, I like a lot. It is my favourite because the menus are more creative and varied than in the other restaurants. It always has a wide variety of starts and salads. And in regards to the puddings, it doesn't have as much variety as Bron but hey, it's one thing or the other right?
Address: 360, rue Garibaldi 69007 Lyon
Reminder: This restaurant won't be there next cycle, but don't worry because it will be replaced by another one closer to the Berges du Rhône campus.
And how much did it cost? Only 3 euros 20 cents! Wow!
This beautiful flower design was made with a tomato peel. They are most certainly creative in the Madelaine restaurant.
Going to a university restaurant is not a good, but an excellent choice because you can order a cheap menu and above all, it is well balanced and nutritious (well, if you go just to order hamburgers and chips, maybe it isn't quite so! )
A piece of advice: On occasions I have been served so much food that I can't manage to eat it all. So I bring Tupperware to keep what I have left and then I also have enough for dinner.
So now you know where to go to eat healthily at a more than affordable price. How France loves it's students!
