Erasmus Experience in Rennes, France by Lise

Why did you choose to go to Rennes, France?

I had to make a top 5 of cities I preferred, and the school eventually choose the one I would go to.

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

I got an Erasmus grant for 4 months (around 1000 euros). Besides this can you apply for the CAF, this is a sort of housing allowance. Depending on your living situation will you get money from the French government. I was living with 4 other people and got 90 euros per month.

What is the student lifestyle like in Rennes?

Life in the city is all about the students! I studied at ESC Rennes where approx. 4000 students studied at that time, and 1000 of those were international. You can imagine that it is quite easy to make friends in a city like this. Besides this are there some other universities where a lot of students do their study.

The student life in Rennes is perfect. There are so many parties and festivals to attend.

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

I would definitely recommend the city Rennes. For a student is this city perfect. It is not as big as Paris, but not too small. When going out you can see some familiar faces, and it is easy to run into someone. I didn't study at the Univeristy of Rennes so I can not really recommend this. I studied at ESC Rennes, which is a business school. I really liked this school since all the students are really close and they organize a lot of parties.

What is the food like?

Bretagne is famous for it delicious crepes. These are like really thin pancakes, which you can combine with everything. All the other food I have tasted so far, in restaurants etc, was also great.

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Rennes?

The school I attended during my stay helped me with arranging an accommodation. I heard that other people kind of struggled with finding one since there are so many students looking for an accommodation.

How much does it cost to live in Rennes?

Living here was sort of expensive. I paid 400 per month for my rent. Going out in the bars was okay, but the bars close at 1, so you have to got to a night bar or a nightclub, where the prices are significantly more expensive.

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

I had French before, so after some weeks I started to recognize some French again. I also took a French language class.

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

My parents drove me by car, since it was only a 7-hour drive and I could take a lot of stuff with me this way. So it depends from where you have to come.

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

The best bars are all located near Sainte Anne. Good nightclubs are Pym's and L'Espace.

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

I would recommend some places near Sainte Anne.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

The closest and most famous sites are Saint Malo and Mont Saint Michel.

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