Erasmus Experience in Pau, France by Vanesa

Why did you choose to go to Pau, France?

It was one of my options as I liked its location, it's in the south, so the climate is better haha.

Pau, France

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How long was the scholarship? How much money did you receive to help?

The scholarship was one school year long. I received about 600 or 700 per month.

Pau is situated near the mountains

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What's student life like in Pau?

I really like student life in Pau, mainly because it's a small city and us Erasmus all knew each other (and there were lots of us) and the atmosphere between us all was great.

A street in Pau

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

Yes, completely. Although it's a small city there's a lot to do, also there's a really good Erasmus community.

The campus

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How's the country's food?

The food is good, it's similar to other French cities in that it has traditional food.

Was it hard to find accommodation in Pau?

No. I actually organised mine through CROUS and I lived in student halls (which is the most cheap option in France, after applying for help from C. A. F, I paid between 80 and 100 euros a month for accommodation. I lived in the Ronsard residence, which was quite good; it had a kitchen in the room, bathroom and the room was 18 metres squared in size.

The 'Ronsard' residence

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It was 3 minutes away from the University, and less than 1 minute from the E. Leclerc supermarket, the cinema, bus stop etc. The other residence is also good, it's got the same facilities as 'Ronsard', and it's called 'Thélème'. This one is near to a small Carrefour, the University, and it's a little bit further away (but almost nothing) from the bus stop. When I take all of this into consideration, I would say I prefer Ronsard. There's also the 'Gaston Pheobus' residence, which is 9 metres squared in size, with a shared kitchen on each floor. The drawback is the size and layout of the kitchen, however, here there are more Erasmus and it's where people host parties in the kitchens, but this is not an issue as for example, 'Ronsard' is 3 minutes away from 'Gaston'.

The 'Thélème' residence

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What's the cost of living like in Pau?

So, including all bills, about 600 or 700 euros a month approximately. The most expensive residences cost about 230 euros and 'Gaston' is the cheapest at about 160-180 euros. Entry to clubs is free (2 euros if you want to use the cloakroom). The rest goes on food etc.

What's the language like? Did you take a course organised by the University?

The language is quite good, in reality it's a southern city where the language is easier to understand. Yes, throughout the year I attended a French for foreigners course, as did all the Erasmus. The course was one hour per week and it was quite good.

What is the cheapest way of getting to Pau from your city?

I come from Granada so the cheapest way of getting there is by bus. Sometimes I took this bus route: from Pau to Irún, Irún to Granada (a return trip cost 70 euros). It does take many hours, however it can be done. Other tunes I went from Seville to Burdoes, and from Burdeos I took a train to Pau (this was also cheap although it does depend on the date, and of course is more expensive than the bus but the journey is much shorter).

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

There are various places in Pau. First off there are the bars: I recommend Garage, a bar where all the students go and it's always full and you can meet loads of people. This area is called the triangle because there are three bars, but Garage is the best. The clubs are nothing to write home about, but for me the best is L'esprit, which has all types of music; it's the place with the best music for dancing haha.

The Garage

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There's also Durango which I personally don't like. The music genre is more Rocka, but this does depend on what you like and your personal tastes (also, you have to pay to get in to Durango). When you go for a night out there are no buses returning, meaning you have to walk for about 30 minutes more or less, but it is short I promise! Also, you always come back accompanied by other Erasmus students haha.

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

There's not a huge amount of places in all honesty... We ate in the Garage bar, in Dominos pizza, a Mexican place close to Clemenceau square and in a little restaurant-pizzeria which is also near to this square. And there is always the option of going to the kitchens in the Gaston residence to have an Erasmus meal :). In summer we had BBQs on the lawn near to Gaston.

What cultural visits are there?

Pau is quite a pretty city. You can visit the castle which has some incredible gardens, and several times a month they are lit up and and the castle's history is projected onto the castle itself. Something not to be missed is Boulevard of the Pyrénées, which is super pretty and in summer it's very nice and the bars there are always full. There is also the Beaumont Palace and the cablecar. Plus you can go skiing with the University, there's a river, forests, you can go kayaking, rafting etc.

The castle

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The castle's gardens

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The University organises ski trips, for example, to Gourettes

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You can also do rafting!

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Do you have any advice for students coming to Pau?

The bus which goes to town centre is the T2, and it stops near to the residences and University. I would tell them to enjoy the stay, live the French lifestyle and don't have doubts about going there. I advise not missing out on the Pau Carnival, it's so original and one of the best events there, you'll like it and you'll be very surprised. There are lots of towns and cities nearby to visit. Don't forget to go to integration week; it's the best way of getting to know people and the city.