My Erasmus Experience in Marseille, France - by Unai

Why did you choose to go to Marseille, France?

I wanted to go to a French-speaking city, and this was the only option I had due to my ranking on the list of assigned places.

How long did your scholarship? How much were you paid?

Nine months, but I stayed for ten. I received a combined 400 euros per month from the Erasmus government grant, the grant from MEC the year before, and the Gran Canaria Council grant. The CAF also gave me a separate 90 euros per month.

What's the student life like in Marseille?

There are loads of students, but lots of different campuses. I was on Luminy Campus, where the School of Architecture (my faculty), Fine Art, Biology, Mathematics and Euromed (Economics) all were. The campus is really nice, as are its onsite services, such as a cafeteria, restaurant and bar, but what's lacking is really student involvement: for all the students who spend time there, there are few organised campus events.

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

I would recommend the city. It's a city different to any other in France, slightly strange and with its own individual identity - an authentic city. A lot of people slate it, but these are mostly people who have never been there before or haven't spent enough time there. I was a bit uncertain when I first arrived after having read things like this, but I returned ten months later very satisfied after having lived in one of the world's most culturally diverse Mediterranean cities, and one which has the best climate in France.

What's the food like in France?

The food's pretty good. Typical Marseille dishes are Bouillabaisse, snails, and mussels with potatoes, which are all delicious. You can't usually afford to eat them on a regular basis though, as they're very expensive - you pay for what you get. The kebabs are amazing! Made by real Arabs, they use amazing sauces, my favourite being the algérienne. They're slightly spicy, but this doesn't make them impossible to eat.

Did you find it hard to find somewhere to live in Marseille?

No, since the School of Architecture in Marseille has plenty of halls of residences on campus. Be careful where you choose to live on Luminy: buildings A and C are nice, but the other ones are really old and far away. To get to building F where I was originally living, I had to go down a short path through a foresty area without any light, and at night there were wild boars in there. Once you're there and have gotten to know a few people, if you want to move into a flat together, you can cancel your rental contract in the halls as they run for a trimester at a time.

How expensive is living in Marseille?

I lived on 600 euros per month, and this covered my rent in my hall of residence, my food (cooking for myself always saved me a lot of money), going out clubbing, and going travelling every two months or so. There were of course times when at the end of the month I had absolutely nothing left, but this depends on how much you go out and if you invest in textbooks and extra books for your studies.

How are you finding the language? Have you signed up to a language class at the university?

I found the language pretty hard at first. I'd studied French at school for four years and already had A2 level before I went, but when I arrived I realised that this wasn't enough, and at first I found it difficult to express myself and make myself understood. Since the classes and administration were all done in French and I spoke to everyone in my hall of residence and my friends in French (there was almost nobody who spoke English), I learned to speak and understand the language and returned home with quite a high level of capability.

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

From my city, Las Palmas in Gran Canaria, the cheapest way was to fly with Ryanair to Madrid or Seville, and then get another Ryanair flight from there to Marseille.

What are the best places for partying in Marseille?

Bars along Cours Julien are great for going out, Au Petite Nice is definitely the best one and the one with the best atmosphere. Along the Vieux Port you have the Trolleybus, and inside is La Damme Noir, a pretty good electro music place, similar to Cabaret Aleatoire in La Friche, or Silente Native (organised by students) and Mix in Bouche parties. Sometimes there are a few festivals on, such as Marsatac, Marseille Rock Island or DJs that come throughout the year. These are always fantastic parties. You have to pay for them all, so choose wisely which one you buy tickets for as you won't have enough to go to them all. Marseille is also only thirty minutes away from Aix en Provence, where there's an even better nightlife for you to try out.

What about eating out in Marseille? What are your favourite places?

The hamburger place L'autenthique in Castellane, which has a six euro menu ten times better than any McDonalds. The kebabs at Cours Julien and a Lebanese kebab place (the best in Marseille) at the back of the park on the left hand side of Vieux Port. Boullabaisse, snails and mussels with potatoes at Cours Julian. Charly Pizza, where you can buy pizza slices, in the Arabic district.

What does Marseille have to offer in terms of culture?

Marseille is rich in culture, with numerous museums, cinemas, an opera house, the Le Panier district and parties, the Unite d'habitation de Marseille, designed by architect Le Corbusier, the cathedral, the Church of Notre Damme, Les Calanques, next to my hall of residence and the best place to spend the summer, the velodrome stadium (the Marseille football team are immensely popular, since they're the only French team ever to have won the Champions League). All this proven by the fact that Marseille won European Capital of Culture in 2013, and was the host city of the European Cup in 2014.

Do you have any advice for future students coming to Marseille?

Enjoy Marseille to the full, learn to understand it, live it and enjoy it. Though you might arrive worrying and a little unconvinced (it happens to us all), it's a magnificent city which you'll end up falling in love with.