10 months of Erasmus in Nantes

Why did you choose to go to Nantes, France?

Why Erasmus in Nantes? Because I had the possibility of spending the whole second year of master there and all the exams that I would take were accepted by my home University, so why not?

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

I spent 10 months in Nantes.

Scholarship was about 230 euros per month from Erasmus association, plus about 240 euros per month provided by an association (here in Genova, Italy) which "takes care of" students.

What is the student lifestyle like in Nantes?

The atmosphere in Nantes is wonderful! You're surrounded by thousands of other students, of things to do, places to see, activities to enjoy! It's super easy to meet new friends and it's easy to organize your nights always in a different place!

For this reason, it may be a bit difficult to study and keep the concentration, but it's ok, I think it's better this way.

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

I would definitely recommend Nantes as a wonderful destination for an Erasmus project!

What is the food like?

Consider that I'm Italian, so concerning food we are the top of the world (yes, we are).

Nantes offers typical French food, good and with butter everywhere.

It's quite common to resort to a kebab in the center, after midnight when you get hungry.

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How did you find your accommodation?

I found a room in a "Cité Universitaire" thanks to the International Office at the University (Ecole Centrale de Nantes). They booked for me a room (9 squared meters room with private bathroom and fridge, shared kitchen) in a residence which was very close to the university, just 5 minutes on foot.

What are the accommodation prices like? What are prices like for other things in general?

I payed about 225 euros per month for my small room but I also received about 90 euros per month from the CAF, a french association which helps students contributing to their expenses for their accommodation.

So globally I spent about 130 euros per month, all included: room, private bathroom (very small but alright), private fridge, electricity and cable internet connection.

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

I studied and learnt french in 8 months. I had never studied french before leaving for my Erasmus.

I left Italy in September 2010. In April 2011 I got the official certification of french language TFI (Test de Français International) with the level B2+.

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

Nantes has its airport but the flights are not so cheap. For example, it's difficult to find a low cost flight from Italy.

I'm from Genoa (north-west of Italy) so the possibilities are two:

1. Fly from Nice, through Lyon, and reach Nantes in half a day.
2. Fly from Milan to Paris and then take a train (TGV) to Nantes. Cheaper, but it takes more time (a whole day).

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

Every pub in Nantes is nice and cool. The one I prefer is for sure the Cote Plage, which is close to the hospital.

In any case, all the pubs are really close to each other so in 10 minutes you can easily switch from one to another obviously to drink more and more beers.

If you want to organize your own party, with your friends and open air, you must choose the garden in front of the castle! It's perfect to hang out together, meet up with friends and stay there, relaxing, drinking, singing... in one word, paradise!

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

I had no preference in Nantes for eating. Most of the times I cooked my meals in the residence and then I met up with my friends in the center. In any case, you should taste the Crepes and the Galettes, typical products of Brittany.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

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What to see in Nantes? A touristic guide would give better advises, in any case. The Castle, the Cathedral, Place Royale, the Botanical Garden, the "Ile de Nantes" (island of Nantes), especially at night.

Then, the district of Bouffay, both at night and by day, and all the faces of people from all over the world.

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

If you're still not completely sure about it, go to Nantes, it really is worth to go.