Erasmus Experience in Nice, France

Why did you choose to go to Nice, France?

The truth is that I chose Nice on a bit of a whim... my first choice was an English destination, but I couldn't go there, so I chose a French destination with a climate similar to that of Spain, so I opted for the south of France, and Nice was the chosen place.

Nice, France

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How long was the scholarship? How much money did you recieve as help?

My scholarship lasted 9 months. I went on Erasmus through the Complutense University of Madrid and the amount of money I received was very little... 160 euros a month. Fortunately, I got the Caja Madrid scholarship - 400 euros a month - which was enough for the first 4 months. I also have to say that the Ministry of Education gives out a scholarship in December, and when you deliver the paper back the total end up being about € 1100-1200, which is divided into two payments.

Nice beach

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What's student life like in Nice?

The student life in Nice is quite good, as there are lots of students. If it is true, it depends on the faculty you're in, as it is in my case... in the faculty of science there are almost no non-French students. But in humanities or sports there are loads!

The promenade

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

I highly recommend the city, because it has a lot of charm and the locals are really open and friendly, although you can always meet those typical French people who believe they are better than the Spanish (but equally you can meet unpleasant Spanish people).

A street in the city

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The University itself is a different story...in the science faculty, I did the first year of a masters (4th year of university studies) and they do not understand what it is to be an Erasmus student whatsoever, so don't go thinking that it'll be easy!

What's the country's food like?

Nice is a city where you can eat unhealthy whenever you want! You can get really cheap pizzas (5 euros), hamburgers, kebabs... but you also have a wealth of Italian, Indian, Chinese restaurants... in truth there's a lot of variety as far as food is concerned! The downside is the hours... normally they eat at midday and have dinner at 7pm, but you quickly get used to it!

How did you find accommodation?

I found my accommodation through CROUS, which is the organisation that manages student residences for native as well as international students. The person in charge of Erasmus is nice and if she likes you, you're all sorted!

A CROUS residence in Nice

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A street in the Old Town

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What are the accommodation prices like? And the general cost of living?

I lived in a residence, my room was 9 metres squared in size and I paid 226 euros a month, but this was only for the room. I then had to take into account food, but it wasn't too expensive in the residence's restaurant, it was 2-3 euros. You also have to consider the area in which you'll be living; if you go for the more tourist-y area it will obviously be more expensive than if you go for a normal area, as is the case everywhere! As for supermarkets some are expensive (such as Monoprix) and others are cheap (Carrefour or Huit à Huit).

How is the language? Did you do a course with the University?

French is good, and I went to Nice with some knowledge of the language, which no doubt helped me out. Once you get there, people are happy to help by speaking more slowly or by trying to speak with you in Spanish...

The University offers French courses before the actual term starts, and they take place in July or August.

A university building

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

In truth there is no really cheap way of getting to Nice from Madrid, which was the case for me... the only company which does the journey is Iberia, low cost it is not... then there are non-direct ways of getting to Nice, you can go to Marseille and then catch a train (about 3 to 4 hours more of travelling) or go to Turin, from where you can also catch the train which takes about 3 hours. It's cheaper, but also takes longer...

Another way is by car... I did the return journey by car and it took about 14 hours...

Nice airport

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What places would you recommend for a night out in Nice?

In truth there aren't good places to go out in Nice...at least in comparison with Madrid of course... places close at 2-3am generally. And those places which close at 5... they get extremely busy and when they are filled with people who aren't the most friendly, or you have to spend 10 euros on entry without a drink included and they are very far from the centre of Nice (as is the case with the only big club in Nice, HIGH club).

Nice carnival takes place in February each year

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High Club

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The French host a lot of house parties, and those are the best of all!

What about eating out in Nice? Can you tell us your favourite places?

Mmmm so there the crepe places, which are really good generally speaking! And the Italian restaurants at Cours Saleya, they are really good too and give you generous portions!

The creperies are really good

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What about for a cultural visit?

When visiting, I would recommend walking around the city, which has loads of really pretty things to see. Also you could visit the medieval places such as St Paul de Vence or Èze! And of course not forgetting Monaco and Cannes which are next to Nice... the Cannes film festival and Formula 1 take place on the same dates!

St Paul de Vence

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Èze, France

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A street in Èze

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Monaco Monte Carlo

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Cannes

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Do you have any advice for students coming to Nice?

Enjoy yourself! Make the most of the experience, and remember that there will always be low moments or times when the faculty doesn't help you with anything when you need it, seek out support among those in your social circles, because through Erasmus you can make really great friendships!