Week 11: The Final Weeks

It was the penultimate week in France before the Christmas holidays and I was looking forward to the joys of an English Christmas, and, England. As much as France is a lovely place to live, you start to miss your home comforts after a while, especially at a time like Christmas when all you want is some good English grub, festive drinks and meals with your friends and family, and Christmassy vibes. 

Christmas isn't so much of a big deal in France, and despite Toulouse's Christmas market, England is a lot more festive when it gets to November and December, there's much more of a Christmas feel in the UK. The great thing of going back is getting into the decorations, Christmas lights and markets, and the filling up of pubs, bars and restaurants - all this is somewhat lacking in Toulouse.

We tried to recreate the Christmas spirit by going out a bit more and exploring the Christmas market in Toulouse - think lights, novelty gifts and indulgent food (Aligot is heavenly). Not only is there the Christmas market, you can also hit up the ice skating rink in Toulouse. The Patinoire Alex Jany is amazingly cheap and a great idea if there's a big group of you wanting to do something festive together. Get the Métro to Argoulets and you'll be able to enjoy a fun evening on a budget (your student loan and Erasmus grant will have dwindled dramatically). 

Since Christmas is the time to be stocking up on carbs and we all knew we'd be getting some pounds soon once we headed back home to our parents, going out for meals became more and more popular. Meet The Meat is the perfect place for a hearty festive meal - the atmosphere is cozy, and the food is perfect if you're looking for something comforting and filling.

In the last two weeks (before final exams which take place in the first two weeks of January), I'd strongly recommend visiting the places you've always wanted to in Toulouse, eating out and socialising, and speaking as much French as possible. It's easy for your language skills to slip when you're at home so those two weeks are the best for immersing yourself totally before you have to show off your language skills in your exams and your language test post-mobility. 

Get in as much French as you can!