Erasmus Experience in Pau, France, by Elena

Why did you choose to go to Pau, France?

I chose Pau because I wanted to explore the s outh of France. I also study spanish and was keen to be close to the spanish border. Pau was the right size for me as I do't like big cities but I still wanted somewhere with a bit of life.

What is the student lifestyle like in Pau?

It's not the biggest student community so there isn't going to be something on every night for students. But after living there for 6 months, I found that if you looked hard enough you could find a party or a bar etc. It is what you make it. You need to integrate into the French student community in order to find out where everything is for students.

My lifestyle was quite quiet and relaxed but we still went to clubs usually twice a week. I lived in the university halls which helped a lot in meeting other international students and French too.

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

Yes, I really enjoyed living in the city. Even though it was small and was't full of things to do, we were close to so many beautiful places in France and Pau is at the centre of it all. We travelled a lot, to Bordeaux, Toulouse, Paris, Biarritz, San Sebastian, etc. The train is great and you can buy a discounted student card. Pau also offers beautiful weather in the summer, and skiing and amazing views of the Pyrenees in winter.

As far as the university goes, I wasn't very impressed. I didn't feel they helped us to integrate into the university much after the induction week. The timetabling was extremely stressful and no one was really around to help. It was left up to us to organise our timetable and work out which classes were suitable for our level of french. The induction period was the only real positive thing, however, we were mingling with other international students every time we met up. It was a great way to meet friends but I would also have liked to have met some native students from the university as they are invaluable in language improvement and your integration at the university.

What is the food like?

I found the food to be okay, nothing really out of the ordinary.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Pau?

No, I lived in the university halls and all was organised before I arrived. I only had to pay a deposit.

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

The university gives you an Erasmus class where you learn french with the other international students. You take a test to find out which class level you will be in.

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

To fly, but from Belfast it was very difficult.

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

Conamara (club) or The Galway (bar), seemed to be the biggest Erasmus places and they were always full.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

The castle, the mountains...

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Is there any other advice that you could give to students going to Pau in the future?

Make the most of it. Don't stick in the same group and speak your native langauge. Get out there and meet french students.

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