Experience in Nantes, France by Rebecca

What is it like to live in Nantes? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

Nantes is totally different from where I grew up, Lagos, Nigeria. Life here is more organised, there is little or no traffic, the city is clean, there is no noise, queues are followed. You breathe fresh air. It's actually a very relaxed environment compared to where I come from. However, if you don't speak or understand French you might not find it easy. Not all customer care centers are able to speak English as it is in my case. So knowing French would definitely help you find your way around easily. Energy here is gotten mostly from renewable sources. So if you are a fan of clean energy, this is the place for you.

I would recommend Nantes for clean energy lovers and everyone actually. A good tip: Know basic French phrases.

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What is the student lifestyle like in Nantes?

Student life in Nantes is fun and active. In my school for instance, there are many extracurricular activities students participate in. There is the climbing, sailing, DIY, dance groups, sport groups, save the environment group and so on. These activities allow students to be very sociable. There are many housing facilities able to students, the most popular being the Crous Residence. There are many benefits of being a students in Nantes and being younger than 26, you enjoy benefits like low transport, CAF benefit, discount on food etc.

Student lifestyle is cool in Nantes.

How much does it cost to live in Nantes?

For student accommodation in Nantes, a furnished accommodation cost about 300 to 600 euros monthly depending on the kind of accommodation. For students' housing, it could be a Studio (T1) where there is a private toilet and bathroom, private kitchen and a room. It could be a shared accommodation where there is like 2 to 4 rooms and everyone shares a kitchen, toilet and bathroom (these types are usually cheaper). Most student rents in Nantes are inclusive of charges except electricity charges. In France, many student residences enjoy CAF subsidy. CAF pays some amount into your account after you have paid your house rent. Accommodation in Nantes is affordable.

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Nantes? Is there any advice you can give?

There are many websites that show available accommodations in Nantes. You can use these websites to find accommodation of your choice. I would advise that you apply early for an accommodation so that you can get a place because student residence in Nantes is very competitive and it's a first come first serve thing.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

For now, I don't think I have come across my favorite dish just yet. I am still kind of new to Nantes and yet to explore lots of food. I still eat at the student restaurant and I cook at home. I am yet to come across a particular food I would love to eat everyday. Feeding is affordable especially for students. There are students canteens that sell food at reduced cost.

What places would you recommend visiting in Nantes?

There are many beautiful places in Nantes. I have explored only a few. The mechanical Elephant is one of the places I have visited. It cost about 6 Euros to enter into it and the experience was nice. There are many architectural structures for sightseeing too.

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Is it good to eat out in Nantes? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

Nantes has many nice restaurants and bars. Many people in Nantes eat out. Personally, I don't have a favorite spot for eating out for now because I eat mostly at my school's cafeteria or at Crous residence. Bear in mind that eating out could cost you more than buying your ingredients and preparing your food.

Is the nightlife good in Nantes? Where is good to go?

Personally, I can't say. This is because I hardly go out at night. But I think that since Nantes has many young people, nightlife should be good.

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What advice would you give future students heading to Nantes?

Well to future students coming to Nantes, you are in the right place. You will get by easily, just know basic French phrases especially 'Parlez-vous anglais, s'il vous plaît? '.