Mobility specification

Country:France

Institution:University Côte d'Azur

City:Nice

Program:Erasmus+ for study

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2024/2025

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Arts / Department of Romance Languages and Literatures - French

Study level abroad:Bachelor

🎓Hit the books! How do you rate the university experience?

Can you enroll in a course where you can learn the local language?no

Does the university offer enough courses in English?neutral

Are your credits converted?no

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?I was surprised that I had exams in France for practically the whole semester. During the semester, we took tests that made up the final grade for the course. I also didn't expect to be graded on the same scale as the home students in most of my courses, who had the advantage of having a native language and also of having taken previous courses that were related to my own.

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?Yes, I must commend the university on this. It offered several events, including a welcome event or conversational afternoons.

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?I haven’t noticed

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:22000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?no

Do you have any tips on how to find private accommodation?I found accommodation through La Carte des Colocs website. I highly recommend it, you will find many ads and accommodation options.

What about unexpected expenses? Did anything surprise you?I was surprised at how expensive some of the food is. On the other hand, some foods cost the same as here, which I honestly didn't expect. I must also mention the prices of trains and transport, there was no student discount on train tickets in France, so this made my travel slightly more expensive. I must add that my high monthly expenses were mainly due to my accommodation, which cost me 580 €/month. Unfortunately, not many Erasmus students made it to the dorms.

Do you have any tips on how to save money?It's definitely a good idea to get an ESN card, it gives students discounts on drinks at ESN events and cheaper tickets to their events. The card costs 10€, but it is definitely worth it for those who want to travel with ESN and participate in their trips.
You can also save money by buying a monthly tram pass, I recommend picking one up at their office as this will get you a student discount on the fare.
It's definitely worth going to the canteen, where meals only cost 3€. Or cook for at least two days in boxes.
If you're going to be taking the train a lot on the Cote d'Azur, definitely get a yearly train pass for 90€, it's definitely worth it, I spent more on the train in those 4 months than this yearly pass costs right here.

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?almost without problems

How does public transport work in the city?I've seen better

And what about transport outside the city?I've seen better

Where to find connections? How to buy a ticket?You can search for connections via Google Maps or the Lignes d'Azur app. Trams run on time, buses rarely, almost like in Italy. But I have to say that the cheapest trains I rode were, in my opinion, of a lower standard than Czech Railways. You couldn't buy tickets and at the same time the trains were always so full that you could stand the whole journey, especially in the afternoon.

Did you deal with any health issues during your stay?no

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?Lots of things! Nice has lots of beautiful cafes, monuments. For example, it's worth a walk through the old town, the 7 km long promenade and also to go to the Colline du Château with its waterfalls and spectacular views. I'm sharing my Google Maps list of Nice that I created during my stay:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/gveowDf9HuAJgT8X6?g_st=i

What are the must-visit trip destinations?Certainly Villefranche-sur-Mer, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Monaco, Saint-Tropez, Menton, Antibes, Èze - the most beautiful places I have ever been in my life.

Share your best experience:The most beautiful experiences for me were my solo trips, for example hiking the Sentier du Littoral in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat or the Chemin de Nietzsche in Èze. Then a trip to Saint-Tropez, sunbathing with a picnic on the beach with my friends, the carnival in Nice, there are many.

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?no

How did you get to the place?Plane

Is there anything to watch out for before the trip?The only thing is that at the airport, the only available tram ticket to the city centre costs 10 € as a tourist trap. I didn't know there was a tram option from the airport to Grand Arenas station, where you can buy tram cards for 2 €, which can be charged at the machines for 1.70 € for a 74 minute journey. You can't buy these cards at the airport. The line between the airport and the Grand Arénas is completely free.

Can you pay by card?in most places

What not to forget when packing?Most cosmetics can be bought (and often even cheaper) on the spot (although my favourite brands Essence and Balea were not available in the stores, as there are no dm stores in Nice). For cosmetics shopping, I recommend the drugstore Normal.

🥳Summary

Whew, what a ride! 😮‍💨 Thanks so much for taking the time to complete our survey and for sharing your unique experience. Just one last thing. 🙏 How would you summarize your trip in one or two sentences?The stay taught me (apart from the language) to be more confident in myself and my abilities, to be more at ease and understanding with myself.