Caen downtown |
Université de Caen Basse-Normandie Address: Esplanade de la Paix, 14032 Caen Cedex 05- Tél : 02.31.56.55.00 - Fax : (33) 02.31.56.56.00 Website: http://www.unicaen.fr/ ICP coordinator: M. Alain Labau Contact person:
Mme. Jacqueline Verdier, Bureau des Relations Internationales Academic year: October-May Tourist information: http://www.ville-caen.fr/GB/ |
Courses
|
|
Accommodation: Either in the Cité Universitaire, or private accommodation. The Service des Relations Internationales will help you with either, but for the Cité Universitaire you need to get your request in early. For the Cité, cost is €1,030 for the eight months October – May (you can extend it into September or June for a bit extra). For private accommodation, count on approximately €300 a month. |
|
Transport: Caen is not a large city and you can easily walk anywhere in the town centre. Buses are good. If you go to Caen by ferry, there is a shuttle bus service from the port (Ouistreham) to the city centre |
|
Good things about the town: Friendly, compact, with a lively campus. Not too far to get home for Christmas, and within easy reach of Paris. Plenty of cinemas and a couple of theatres; restaurants of all kinds. Normandy is famous for dairy products, so try the cheeses and cheese dishes; and Calvados (a spirit distilled from apples) if you dare! If you’re interested in history, Caen has lots of connections with the UK (apart from being twinned with Portsmouth) – William the Conqueror was Duke of Normandy, and is buried in Caen. (There is even a part of the city called “ Hastings”.) The Bayeux tapestry, and the WW2 Normandy landing beaches, are a few miles away. The Maison de L’Etudiant can help you find a part-time job, as well as helping with travel and providing entertainments. |
|
Good things about the courses: Caen is strong in applied languages and offers plenty of choice. If you feel you need extra help with French, the University offers French language support in its Laboratoire des Languages Vivantes (there is a small charge). |
|
Things to bear in mind: You’ll learn French much more quickly if you live with (or in close proximity to) French people. Classes may start earlier and be larger than you are used to; staff/student relationships tend to be more formal then in the UK. As anywhere, it is not advisable to walk home on your own at night if you live outside the city centre. |
|
When selecting courses, remember: Sample classes and talk to the tutor before making your final selection. Tell them that you are an Erasmus student. Find out about assessment – is it by contrôle continu (coursework), or exam? |
|
When preparing to go: Caen is easily accessible from the UK – there is a ferry from Portsmouth. If you take a car, remember that motorways charge tolls in France. |
|
Advice: Don’t get discouraged if you don’t find accommodation to your liking at first try. Think about hall of residence if you don’t want the hassle of finding your own. Don’t expect to find all the comforts of home, for example internet in your room. |
|
What will the experience give you? Greatly improved French language ability – even if you don’t feel as if you’re making much progress while you’re there, you’ll notice a big difference when you get back. Better knowledge of France and the French. Increased confidence in dealing with new situations. More independence. |
|
| RETURN TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE | |
Corté, Phorograph France for visitors |
Université de Corte Pascal Paoli Address:Università di Corsica Pasquale Paoli, BP 52 - 20250 Corté, Tél : +33 (0)4 95 45 00 00 Website: http://www.univ-corse.fr/ Contact person: Dr Susanne Gironimi Academic year: October-June Tourist information: http://english.visit-corsica.com/corsica_tourism.htm
|
Courses: You must do a minimum of three courses. You may choose any course offered in the languages faculty,(Faculté des Lettres) . Look at the noticeboards and go along to see the lecturer to find out more. In the past, exchange students have done the following courses.
|
|
Accommodation: Either in hall of residence (very moderate rent) or in flats (studio or a shared room in the private sector). You must apply in advance if you want to be placed in a hall of residence. Although this may not always be the case, the university allocates ERASMUS students to the same hall of residence, so this may not be the best place to meet French speakers. Look for flats advertised on noticeboards all around the university, also in local shop windows, and in local newspapers. The university Erasmus office can also help. You can also find information about accommodation by contacting the “Bureau des Relations Internationales” |
|
Good things about the town: A unique experience. Corsica is an island and people are quite insular. It is a veautiful, sought after place which attracts a lots of tourists in the summer, but is quite during the other seasons. This will enable you to get to know the locals.The night-life is limited due to its quite but beautiful location. The campus is modern, but quite attractive with a very Mediterranean feel to it. The town is very compact, situated in the mountains, in the centre of the island and you do not need a car to go to the university, but may want to either use the limited public transport or use a bike to get around. It is ideal if you like walking, rafting, and enjoy outdoor activities. |
|
Good things about the courses: Very wide choice - lots of courses from lots of faculties. Interesting courses. Erasmus students are well informed but tend to be housed in close proximity to each other. |
|
Things to bear in mind: Life is a little bit more expensive than on the mainland but can very pleasant in towns such as Ajaccio with its cafes and architecture. Corsica has a very strong Italian background and the Corsican language is used actively alongside French. Staff/student relationships are more formal than in the UK. The bureaucracy is also quite daunting. The professors are very difficult to contact but the course administrators are available and helpful. Computer access is limited. The University sports club organises excursions although social events are not organised formally for students. |
|
When selecting courses, remember: Sample classes and go to see the tutor and tell him/her that you are an Erasmus student before finally selecting courses. Find out about the assessment. Literature courses require you to do a considerable amount of background reading. Some courses have over 100 students in a class, so try to select from smaller courses (find this out from French students). Teachers may sometimes tell you that your French is not good enough for their courses, but persevere - you're there for a year so you should expect to make rapid progress and you will be able to cope by the end of the year. |
|
When preparing to go: Remember you may have to spend some time and effort finding appropriate accommodation. You may end up sharing accommodation and adjusting can be difficult. Consider hall of residence accommodation if you don't want the hassle of finding your own. |
|
Advice: Live with French students if possible - it helps enormously with the language but also with general cultural awareness. Talk to as many tutors as possible before choosing courses. |
|
What will the experience give you? Opportunity to live in an exclusive part of France. Much improved French language ability. Better knowledge of the country and the people. More confidence to deal with a wider variety of situations. Independence |
|
| RETURN TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE | |
St.Etienne, Photograph St.Etienne Tourist Board |
ENISE, St.Etienne Address: 58, rue Jean Parot Contact person in Portsmouth: Prof.Tony Chafer Website: http://www.enise.fr/1024/home.php3 Tourist information: http://www.tourisme-st-etienne.com/site_ang/index.htm
|
THIS PLACEMENT IS FOR GRADUATES ONLY |
|
![]() |
Université du Havre Address: 25 rue Philippe Lebon - BP 1123 - 76063 Le Havre Cedex France Website: http://www.univ-lehavre.fr/ ICP contact person: Mme. Sandrine Danger-Pujol Contact person: Mme. Nathalie Normand Academic year: October-June Tourist information: http://www.ville-lehavre.fr/ |
Courses: A few examples
|
|
Accommodation: CLOUS (Centre Local des Oeuvres Universitaires et Sociales) will help you find hall of residence accommodation. Its address is 115 Rue Casimir Delavigne, 76000 Le Havre, email clous-lehavre@crous-rouen.fr About €300 a month. They will also give you a list of private accommodation in the city; rent should be approximately the same. You can also get help from the Service des Relations Internationales, 25 Rue Philippe Lebon, 76600 Le Havre, email sri@univ-lehavre.fr |
|
Transport: Getting there is easy – there are ferries from both Southampton and Portsmouth, or you can go by air. Within the city, you might find it useful to hire a bike (€23.50 for 6 months, €25 for a year) from the Service Vie Etudiante, located in the Maison de L’Etudiant. Otherwise, Le Havre has a good bus service. If you take a car, remember that France’s motorways will charge a toll. |
|
Good things about the town: Like Portsmouth, it’s not only a major port but also a seaside resort. Good starting point for exploring Normandy and the beautiful “Cote D’Albâtre”; several classy resorts nearby, such as Deauville, and the picturesque small port of Honfleur. It’s within easy reach of Paris. Good sporting facilities, including water sports. If you like painting, you’d be in good company – the Impressionists did a lot of work in the region: Monet’s paintings of the cliffs at Etretat are well-known. |
|
Good things about the courses: Le Havre is a relatively small university so it should be easier to meet people. It is also a “new” university, which means that many of its courses are less hide-bound than in older establishments. They specialise in applied languages, and indeed in vocational training in general, so you should be able to find something that will help you with future employment – see if you can find one of their seminars on job-finding strategies. Strong support for international links. 15% of all students are non-French, so you could make lots of international friends. There are also a number of student associations and clubs. |
|
Things to bear in mind: If you want accommodation in a hall of residence, apply early. Foreign students have priority, but applications received after April are dealt with in chronological order. You’ll learn French much more quickly if you live with (or in close proximity to) French people. Classes may start earlier and be larger than you are used to; staff/student relationships tend to be more formal then in the UK. As anywhere, it is not advisable to walk home on your own at night if you live outside the city centre. |
|
When selecting courses, remember: Sample the courses before making up your mind finally, and talk to tutors. Introduce yourself as an Erasmus student. Find out about assessment so you are prepared for contrôle continu (coursework) or exams. |
|
When preparing to go: Remember that it can take time to find appropriate accommodation. Consider a hall of residence if you don’t want the hassle of finding it yourself. Don’t expect all the comforts of home (eg. Internet in your room) |
|
Advice: The Service Culturel de l’Université offers workshops in many activities ranging from juggling to photography. Could give you a break from academic work, and be a good way to make friends. The university offers the possibility of a “tuteur d’acceuil” – a French student assigned to you to help you out. Make good use of them, both for practical advice, and to speak French with! |
|
What will the experience give you? Greatly improved French language ability – even if you don’t feel as if you’re making much progress while you’re there, you’ll notice a big difference when you get back. Better knowledge of France and the French. Increased confidence in dealing with new situations. More independence. |
|
| RETURN TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE | |
Lyon, Photograph Vincent Formica |
Université Lumiere, Lyon II Address: Faculte des Langues, Departement des Langues Etrangeres Appliquees, Website: http://www.univ-lyon2.fr/ Contact person:
Pascaline Dury Academic year: October-June Tourist information: http://www.en.lyon-france.com/ |
Responsible du Bureau Erasmus: Emmanuelle Lop email: emmanuelle.lop@univ-lyon.fr |
|
Courses: This is one of the School’s best established and successful links. You can do various courses at Lyon 2. Pascaline Dury is an excellent link person who is young and lively: she also speaks impeccable English and will help you to identify courses which, where possible, have a bearing on what you have been studying at Portsmouth. You may choose courses offered in the languages faculty (rue Pasteur), or in another part of the university, at Bron, although you need to be aware that courses run there will entail some travelling, so aim to fill your timetable with courses in the languages faculty in the first instance. In the past, Portsmouth exchange students have done some of the following courses successfully:
|
|
Accommodation: Over the years, almost all Portsmouth students studying in Lyon have lived in a hall of residence. There are two main possibilities - either in a single room in a hall of residence (approx. 131-345 euros per month; deposit 153 euros) or in a studio-flat (266-370 euros per month; rental period is 10 months, so this option is not suitable if you are in Lyon for the whole academic year, and bedding, crockery and cooking utensils are not supplied, and water, electricity and telephone costs are not included; deposit 229 euros). You must apply well in advance if you want to be placed in a hall of residence, and Janet Bryant can help you with this when you complete other Lyon documentation during semester 2 of level 2. Lyon informs us that applications for hall places for one semester may not always be successful (although we have not had a problem yet). Recently Lyon has been allocating all ERASMUS students to the same hall of residence, so this may not be the best place to meet French students. We don’t know if this policy is a permanent change. Alternatively, look for flats advertised on noticeboards all around the university, also in local shop windows, and in local newspapers. The university Erasmus office can also help. If accommodation in a hall has been reserved for you, as soon as you arrive in Lyon you must first go to 86 rue Pasteur where you will be given all the paperwork necessary for you to access your accommodation. A list of students who have been allocated halls of residence accommodation will have been forwarded to CROUS (an organisation which manages halls and reserves the rooms for Erasmus and international students). You can also find information about accommodation at the following web site: http://www.univ-lyon2.fr/ . From here, click the Union Jack symbol for the English language version; go to International and click on Exchange Programs; then scroll down under ‘Admissions guidelines to Accommodation, and read on. You could also e-mail Emmanuel Villemont in the International Relations Division (DRI): emmanuel.villemont@univ-lyon2.fr for help and advice. |
|
Transport: lots of it! It is easy to get from Lyon to other places ( Paris is only a couple of hours away with the high speed train link, and other places to visit include Grenoble, Annecy and Montpellier). Within the town, it is pretty straight forward to get about. Lyon has got an extensive bus network and there is also a metro system which is very easy to use. In the past, Portsmouth students have bought a monthly pass which is useable on buses, the metro and the funiculaires. These passes are available from Bellecour (a major metro + bus interchange), Part Dieu, Perrache (these are the two main train stations in the city), or from places like tabacs. Try asking for a Carte Campus (which is what it used to be called, but bear in mind that it may have had a name change). |
|
Good things about the town: Lively, friendly, varied, lots of things to see and do, good night-life. Places to get to know include Vieux Lyon (really lovely, a step back in time, and packed with boutiques and places to eat), Fouriere (offering fabulous views of the city and its twin rivers), Place des Terreaux, the Parc de la Tete d’Or, etc). A boat trip is a must. The two rivers with their bridges give the city a spacious feel in these areas, which is nice. The city is also beautifully lit at night (hence its nickname “ville lumiere”) and in December there is a “Fete Lumiere”. The shopping is also very good (check out the huge indoor shopping centre at Part Dieu to get you started!) The city has also got some wonderful museums and if you are doing a dissertation about the French resistance, this might be the place for you because of the excellent Musee de la Resistance. Other good reasons for studying in Lyon include the historic and prestigious university itself. Pacaline Dury is also an angel! |
|
Good things about the courses: A choice of interesting courses, and extra help is available for foreign students in French language: there is an intensive language course in September (which isn’t free but may be a good way to meet other students and get to know the city); and during the academic year, you can do extra French language classes on top of what you get as part of the Erasmus package (which are free), if you wish. |
|
Things to bear in mind: Lyon is quite expensive – similar to Paris. There are many beggars who can be persistent. Lyon is a big city: you should be aware of this and thik about your personal safety. Staff/student relationships are generally a lot more formal than in the UK (although Pacaline is a refreshing exception) and the bureaucracy is also quite daunting. Be patient, polite but persistent. Don’t take things personally if you feel that you are treated in a brusquer manner than at Portsmouth. |
|
When selecting courses, remember: Sample classes and go to see the tutor and tell him/her that you are an Erasmus student before finally selecting courses. Find out about the assessment. Teachers may sometimes tell you that your French is not good enough for their courses, but persevere if the class really interests you. Ask Pascaline’s opinion and be guided by her advice. Once your timetable is fixed, email Janet Bryant to check that you are doing enough of what you need to be doing. |
|
When preparing to go: Remember you may have to spend some time and effort finding appropriate accommodation. You may end up sharing accommodation and adjusting can be difficult. Consider hall of residence accommodation if you don't want the hassle of finding your own. Travelling to Lyon is relatively straight forward. In the past, Portsmouth students seem to have tackled this in one of three ways: by plane (direct links from Heathrow, Gatwick and Birmingham) followed by the coach link (navette) between the airport and the city centre (Perrache is the terminus) which departs every 30 minutes or so); by Eurostar (London Waterloo to Lille Europe and then to Lyon); or by car with parents. Aim to arrive on a weekday and during office hours because you will need to go to the university first to find out whidh hall you are in (if this is your option) and nothing will be open at the weekend. Late Friday afternoons is also not a good time to arrive. When preparing to go, you can find plenty of good advice at http://www.universite-lyon.fr/86587911/0/fiche___pagelibre/ |
|
Advice: Live with French people if possible - it helps enormously with the language but also with general cultural awareness. Talk to Pascaline before choosing courses. |
|
What will the experience give you? Much improved French language ability. Better knowledge of the country and the people. More confidence to deal with a wider variety of situations. Independence. |
|
| RETURN TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE | |
Aix- Photograph Carbone |
Université de Provence, Aix-Marseille I Address: Université de Provence (Aix-Marseille 1), Website: http://www.up.univ-mrs.fr/ Portsmouth contact person: Professor Martin Evans Contact person: Nathalie Vanfasse nvaix@yahoo.fr Academic year: October-June Tourist information: http://www.aixenprovencetourism.com/uk/ |
Courses: The diet of courses available to students may vary from year to year but usually Aix offers the following units.
|
|
Accommodation: Nathalie Vanfasse will advise you on how to proceed to find accommodation. Some places are available in Halls of residence, but you need to apply as soon as you know that you are going to Aix. You need to fill a ‘Accommodation Application Form’ and send it back with your registration file. Your tutor in Portsmouth will advise you on how to proceed. Sharing accommodation with other French students is better for language acquisition. As an Erasmus exchange student you may be entitled to receive some financial help (Aide Personnalisée au Logement) towards the cost of your accommodation. To see whether you qualify, check first the CROUS site (CNOUS: Centre National des Œuvres Universitaires et Sociales: http://www.cnous.fr/_vie_33.htm ) |
|
Transport. Aix is a dynamic city - very compact and easy to get around on foot. There is a good local bus and train service and there are good transport links with Marseille. Cheap flights are available from Stanstead airport. |
|
Good things about the town: Aix is a small, picturesque and very dynamic city, with an excellent good student life. The town is famous for its cultural and entertainment scene. Aix en Musique (rock, jazz, experimental) lasts from mid-June to the first week in July. The Festival d’Art Lyrique is during the first two weeks of July and is devoted to opera and classical concerts. There are a good range of restaurants and bars and plenty of local f ood markets. Paris is only four hours away by TGV. Marseille is just 25km away. For further information on Aix see www.aixenprovence.com and www.aixenprovencetourism.com |
|
Good things about the courses: There are a substantial number of units offered to exchange students. |
|
Things to bear in mind: Aix is expensive. In political terms Aix is a conservative town but the university is fairly left-wing. Strikes are not uncommon. Lessons may be cancelled at short notice. You need to be aware of this. However, this is also a great opportunity to observe a hallmark of French student culture (strikes, demonstrations, occupation of buildings, militancy etc...) and past students have learnt a lot from these social conflicts at first hand . |
|
When selecting courses, remember: Sample classes and go to see the tutor and tell him/her that you are an Erasmus student before finally selecting courses. Find out about the assessment. You can change your options in the first three weeks of your course. Always contact the link person in Portsmouth to seek advice before committing yourself. |
|
When preparing to go: Remember you may have to spend some time and effort finding appropriate accommodation. You may end up sharing accommodation and adjusting can be difficult. Consider hall of residence accommodation if you don't want the hassle of finding your own. |
|
Advice: Live with French speaking students if possible - it helps enormously with the language but also with general cultural awareness. |
|
What will the experience give you: Improved confidence to speak and write French and your other foreign language(s). Improve your cultural awareness and cultural understanding of other cultures. Develop core professional skills (notably communication and negotiation). Increase your desire to learn. |
|
| RETURN TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE | |
The Royal Castle, Photograph Office du tourisme de Pau |
Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour Address: Bâtiment de la Présidence, BP 540 Website: http://www.univ-pau.fr/ Contact person: Michael Parsons Academic year: October-June Tourist information: http://www.pau.fr/ |
Courses: You must do a minimum of three courses. You may choose any course offered in the languages faculty,(Faculté des Lettres) . Look at the noticeboards and go along to see the lecturer to find out more. In the past, exchange students have done the following courses.
|
|
Accommodation: Either in hall of residence (very moderate rent) or in flats (studio or a shared room in the private sector). You must apply in advance if you want to be placed in a hall of residence. Although this may not always be the case, the university allocates ERASMUS students to the same hall of residence, so this may not be the best place to meet French speakers. Look for flats advertised on noticeboards all around the university, also in local shop windows, and in local newspapers. The university Erasmus office can also help. You can also find information about accommodation by contacting the “Bureau des Relations Internationales” |
|
Good things about the town: Lively, friendly, varied, lots of things to see and do, good night-life. Excellent location , conveniently placed near the skiing slopes of the Pyrénées, the well known chic resort of Biarritz and the Spanish border . Friendly modern campus. . For travel around town, get a bike or the bus as the university is slightly outside the main city centre. |
|
Good things about the courses: Very wide choice - lots of courses from lots of faculties. Interesting courses. The induction for Erasmus students takes place around the last two weeks of September and gives the opportunity for students to get to know other fellow students and get to know the city. |
|
Things to bear in mind: Pau is not a very expensive city and very pleasant with its cafes around the Boulevard des Pyrennes where many students tend to meet and there are various places for eating out etc). Staff/student relationships are more formal than in the UK. The bureaucracy is also quite daunting. The professors are very difficult to contact but the course administrators are available and helpful. Computer access is limited. The University sports club organises excursions although social events are not organised formally for students. |
|
When selecting courses, remember: Sample classes and go to see the tutor and tell him/her that you are an Erasmus student before finally selecting courses. Find out about the assessment. Literature courses require you to do a considerable amount of background reading. Some courses have over 100 students in a class, so try to select from smaller courses (find this out from French students). Teachers may sometimes tell you that your French is not good enough for their courses, but persevere - you're there for a year so you should expect to make rapid progress and you will be able to cope by the end of the year. |
|
When preparing to go: Remember you may have to spend some time and effort finding appropriate accommodation. You may end up sharing accommodation and adjusting can be difficult. Consider hall of residence accommodation if you don't want the hassle of finding your own. |
|
Advice: Live with French students if possible - it helps enormously with the language but also with general cultural awareness. Talk to as many tutors as possible before choosing courses. |
|
What will the experience give you? Much improved French language ability. Better knowledge of the country and the people. More confidence to deal with a wider variety of situations. Independence |
|
| RETURN TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE | |
Rennes, Photo TU Berlin |
Université de Haute-Bretagne: Rennes II: Département de Langues Étrangères Appliquées (LEA) Website: http://www.uhb.fr/ Portsmouth link person: Emmanuel Godin Contact person:
Mr Robin Spittall International relations: Mme Gwénaelle Lemeur gwenaelle.lemeure@uhb.fr Address:Service des des Relations Internationales, Université Rennes 2, Place du Recteur Henri Le Moal , CS 24 307, 35043 RENNES CEDEX, France Academic year: October-June Tourist information: http://www.tourisme.fr/tourist-office/rennes.htm |
NOTE: A general introductory guide to Rennes II is available on the L;Drive (humanities/ students/ slas/ E.Godin/ Rennes. |
|
Courses: The diet of courses available to students may vary from year to year but usually Rennes II offers the following units.
|
|
Accommodation: Mr Spitfall will advise you on how to proceed to find accommodation. Some places are available in Halls of residence, but you need to apply as soon as you know that you are going to Rennes. You need to fill a ‘Accomodation Application Form’ and send it back with your registration file. Your tutor in Portsmouth will advise you on how to proceed. Sharing accommodation with other French students is better for language acquisition. Cost of shared accommodation: around 500 Euros per month. As an Erasmus exchange student you may be entitled to receive some financial help (Aide Personnalisée au Logement) towards the cost of your accommodation. To see whether you qualify, check first the CROUS site (CNOUS: Centre National des Œuvres Universitaires et Sociales: http://www.cnous.fr/_vie_33.htm ) |
|
Transport: Rennes is a dynamic city with good local transports including a brand new underground system linking the University campus with the city centre. There are also regular bus services criss-crossing the city and good student reductions on all public transports. (for further information on transports in Rennes and around Rennes: see Metropole Rennes: http://www.rennes-metropole.fr/internet/ ) |
|
Good things about the town: Rennes (550,000 inhabitants), the historical capital of Brittany is a picturesque yet very dynamic city, with an excellent good student life. Famous for its cultural and entertainment scene, notably for its numerous festivals: le festival des Transmusicales (music), le festival Mettre en scène (theater and dance), le festival Tombées de la Nuit (spectacles de rue), le festival Travelling (cinema), le festival de la parole Mythos (poetry, slam), le festival Rock 'n Solex (concerts, gigs and motorbikes racing), le festival l' Un Des Sens (multicultural) etc...Good range of restaurants and bars. The largest food market in France every Saturday. Paris is only two hours away by TGV. Direct and cheap flights are available between Rennes and Southampton airports. St Malo is only one hour away from Rennes by train and from there you can board daily ferries to Portsmouth. (for further information on Rennes, see the city’s official site: http://www.ville-rennes.fr/ ) |
|
Good things about the courses: There is a substantial number of units offered to exchange students. Not all of them are available each year and some of them might not be appropriate. If in doubt, seek advice. |
|
Things to bear in mind: Rennes II is a fairly politically active campus. Strikes are not uncommon. Lessons may be cancelled at short notice. You need to be aware of this. However, this is also a great opportunity to observe a hallmark of French student culture (strikes, demonstrations, occupation of buildings, militancy etc...). Past students learnt a lot from these social conflicts. They kept a diary of events, recorded new vocabulary ( notably slang), interviewed people on strikes, collected posters and flyers, compared and summarised newspaper articles, attended meetings with officials, learnt about French trade-unions and understood better the so-called French social model. |
|
When selecting courses, remember: Sample classes and go to see the tutor and tell him/her that you are an Erasmus student before finally selecting courses. Find out about the assessment. You can change your options in the first three weeks of your course. Always contact the link person in Portsmouth to seek advice before committing yourself. |
|
When preparing to go: Remember you may have to spend some time and effort finding appropriate accommodation. You may end up sharing accommodation and adjusting can be difficult. Consider hall of residence accommodation if you don't want the hassle of finding your own. |
|
Advice: Live with French speaking students if possible - it helps enormously with the language but also with general cultural awareness. |
|
What will the experience give you: Improved confidence to speak and write French and your other foreign language(s). Improve your cultural awareness and cultural understanding of other cultures. Develop core professional skills (notably communication and negotiation). Increase your desire to learn. |
|
| RETURN TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE | |
|
Université de Poitiers Address: 15, rue de l'Hôtel Dieu - 86034 POITIERS Cedex - FRANCE Website: http://www.univ-poitiers.fr/ Contact person: Dr Stephen Morrison, Département d'anglais, Faculté des Lettres et Langues, 95, avenue du Recteur Pineau, 86022 POITIERS Cedex. Tél: (5) 49.45.32.02 (secrétariat). Email: Stephen.Morrison@univ-poitiers.fr Tourist Office: http://www.ot-poitiers.fr/public/pages/gb/accueil/index.php |
|
The Place: Poitiers is a historic university town situated less than two hours by TGV to the south-west of Paris. It has a beautiful old city centre, built on the top of a hill, with narrow, pedestrianised streets, many resored medieval houses and a tree-lined central square in front of the city hall with fountains and café terraces. The main university campus is three kilometres from the city centre and has the Faculté des Lettres, the Faculté de Droit (where politics and European Studies courses are taught) and the halls of residence all within easy walking distance of each other. The university has a wide range of courses in applied languages, literature and area studies. It is especially renowned for linguistics and translation, with two of the leading authorities in these areas in France teaching in the department. It also one of the few universities in France that has courses in cinema, although these fill up quickly as they are very popular so you need to sign up early. Although Poitiers is a relatively small town, it has a good student life. There is an excellent choice of bars, cinemas and restaurants. Some films are premiered in Poitiers before opening in Paris. Getting around town is easy as the town has an excellent and incredibly cheap bus service. The coast (La Rochelle) is under an hour away. |
||
Arrival: It is a good idea to arrive in time for normal registration (usually about 10 September). Otherwise, you may miss important meetings. There is also a language course that you can take before the term begins, to help you get your French up to scratch. It’s a great way of meeting people and brushing up your French before starting your regular University courses but quite costly. |
||
Service des Relations Internationales (SRI) http://www.univ-poitiers.fr/international/. Address: 40 Avenue du Recteur Pineau (CRIUP Building), 86000 Poitiers, tel (5) 49 45 30 87, fax (5) 49 45 30 39. Contact: Mme Herouali. When first arriving in Poitiers, do not arrive at a weekend as the university services will be closed and you will not be able to take up your place in Hall. If the SRI is unable to help, either CROUS or the CRIJ (see below) may be able to. |
||
Travel : EUROSTAR is the best method of travelling to/from France. Cost: 750-820F depending on availability of Special Offers (approximately £80 return). If you have a lot of luggage, it is best to travel via Lille as you only need to change platforms at Lille whereas you need to change stations at Paris and a taxi costs between £10-£20. When in Poitiers, the cheapest place to buy Eurostar tickets is at the CRIJ. In France, the Carte SNCF 12-25 gives 25% reduction on train travel and is valid on TGVs, which are a brilliant way of getting around: if you’re used to British trains, be prepared for a pleasant surprise! Tickets are exchangeable and refundable if problems occur. |
||
Cités universitaires:Descartes & Rabelais are situated at the 'nouvelle fac'. Both are mixed, modern (although there is only one washing machine and one drier between 900 students!), and each has its own 'restau-U'. Of the two, Rabelais has a reputation for being noisier. Marie-Curie is also outside the town, but not at the 'nouvelle fac', and is popular with the students. It is friendly and has a student bar. Roche d'Argent & Jeanne d'Arc are in the town centre, are 'girls only', and seem less popular. They are in old buildings and are said to lack the friendly atmosphere of some of the others. However, as they are in town they are conveniently situated for Poitiers' nightlife, as the 'nouvelle fac' is situated approximately 3 miles from the centre of town and the buses stop running at around 10.30pm, although there is a late-night bus on Saturday nights until 2am. It is worth noting that, especially at the beginning of the year, students often want to exchange their room with one in another Hall. Each restaurant universitaire has a noticeboard where notices like this appear regularly. |
||
Renting a room : Average rent outside halls is approx. 300 euros per month (but you can get about 40% of this back as rent rebate [CAF]). Nb. A deposit of 200-300 euros is usually required. |
||
Restaurants universitaires :Meal tickets can be bought in books of 10 and may be bought at the RU between 11am & 1pm each day. Meals can be bought without a meal ticket and are only slightly more expensive. They are generally passable, although Marie-Curie, which has a separate brasserie (try the crêpes and galettes!) , and Rabelais, which has a good pasta section and also a separate salad bar, have in the past been considered slightly better than the others. At weekends, only certain restaurants are open - usually on a rota basis. Marie-Curie is closed at weekends. Flunch (good plat de légumes for vegetarians), Rallye & Leclerc also offer a good, cheap meal. NB Cooking facilities in the Halls are very basic, but it is useful to have a saucepan, plate and cutlery for the weekends. Student Card: A Carte Jeunes, available at the CRIJ, is more useful than an ISIC card in Poitiers. It gives reductions in restaurants, cinemas, bookshops and for various sporting activities, as well as for Eurostar. The ISIC card (available from CROUS) gives reductions with some travel companies. University: The Faculté des Lettres & new Faculté de Droit are situated next to each other at the 'nouvelle fac' just outside the town (Ave Recteur Pineau). Registration : At registration you will not be required to produce 'A' Level certificates. However you will have to provide 2 passport-sized photos, 2 stamped addressed envelopes and your E111. Socrates: Erasmus grants are usually paid into your bank account by March. Most 1st & 2nd year classes take place at the 'nouvelle fac', while others (History, for example) mostly take place at the old 'fac' (the Hôtel Fumé) in the centre of town. The compulsory courses in language (which include translation from and into French) must be followed at licence level for translation into English. You will normally register in the Faculté des Lettres (LCE), but may also attend certain classes in the Faculté de Droit. In smaller classes you should first of all, as a matter of courtesy, ask the lecturer's permission. Mme Chuquet’s second-year translation class (and parallel translation classes) may also be of particular. Other recommended classes in this field are: 3rd year linguistics in the English Dept (Mme Chuquet) and Expression écrite et orale, which involves some theory of translation (for details, see below). Mme Wass’s ‘Méthodologie’ class is highly recommended for improving your vocabulary. Also try Vie syndicale et professionnelle: M Champagne. (M Champagne is the former link person for Portsmouth students and his course, which usually runs in the second semester, has been highly recommended by students in the past. He can also often help with dissertations in the politics field. If you have difficulty contacting him, try asking the appariteur in the foyer of the Faculté de Droit where he is teaching and catch him as he is leaving the classroom!) It is up to you to ensure that you have a suitable timetable that will enable you to obtain the necessary credits. NB ECTS credits are half the Portsmouth ‘tariff’, ie 30 per semester. |
||
*IMPORTANT: Please let me have any updates to the above information after your stay* (Click here to mail me). |
||
|
Université Robert Schuman, Strasbourg Institut d' Etudes politiques de Strasbourg, University's Address: 1 place d'Athènes, BP 66, 67045 Strasbourg Cedex Websites: http://www-urs.u-strasbg.fr/ http://www.iep-strasbourg.fr/ Contact person: Francis Fratani Tourist information: http://www.ot-strasbourg.fr/htm_uk/accueil.htm |
The Institut is a prestigious academic institution and Strasbourg itself is at the heart of Europe. The Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights and the European Parliament are located here. Previous students benefitted from educational visits opportunities to hear about and observe how these Euroepan bodies function. Some also had the exciting opportunity to do work-placements for MEPs and the Council of Europe. |
|
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE IEP CLICK HERE |
|
TO SEE A BROCHURE OF THE IEP CLICK HERE |
|
|
|
|
IEP Rennes Address: 104, Boulevard de la Duchesse Anne Website: http://www.rennes.iep.fr/ Contact person: Academic year: Tourist information: http://www.tourisme.fr/tourist-office/rennes.htm |
![]() |
Université de Toulouse II-Le Mirail Address: 5 allées Antonio Machado Website: http://www.univ-tlse2.fr/ ICP coordinator:Mrs Jean Robertson jean.robertson@umh.ac.be Contact person: Irène Coustel Academic year: October-June Tourist information: http://www.toulouse-tourisme.com/english/ |
Courses Students who have followed French 4B are expected to do 4 weekly hours of French related courses, 4 hours of translation and 4 hours of other languages or Area studies.
tudents who started French at grade 1 will find it easier to follow courses dedicated to French as a foreign language (DEFLE courses). |
|
Accommodation: Irene Coustel will help you find shared Logements or places in Halls of Residence. Sharing with native speakers is better for language acquisition. If you are staying for a full academic year you have the The university is situated in the suburb and easy to reach by metro, direction Basso cambo. You can find out more about Toulouse a: http://www.cict.fr/toulouse/EBienvenue.html |
|
Good things about the town: Friendly and a lively. Good restaurants and bars. Not far from Spain. Coach trips to Andorra and Pas-De-la-Case from the town centre. |
|
Good things about the university: Very international |
|
Things to bear in mind: Contact Irene Coustel as early as possibleto help find accommodation. Staff/student relationships are more formal than in the UK. IT facilities are not as good as in Portsmouth. |
|
When selecting courses, remember: Sample classes and go to see the tutor and tell him/her that you are an Erasmus student before finally selecting courses. Find out about the assessment. French students spend far more time in contact hours than the nominal 12 hours appearing in the recommended ‘menu’ above. If you find 25 hours of classes per week daunting, find a compromise and do as much as you can. You will adapt throughout the year. Always contact the link person in Portsmouth to seek advice before committing yourself. |
|
When preparing to go: Remember you may have to spend some time and effort finding appropriate accommodation. You may end up sharing accommodation and adjusting can be difficult. Consider hall of residence accommodation if you don't want the hassle of finding your own. |
|
Travelling to Toulouse : Low cost flights from Gatwick, or Eurostar to Paris and then TGV (fast train) from Gar Austerlitz to Toulouse. |
|
Advice: Live with French or other French speaking students if possible - it helps enormously with the language but also with general cultural awareness. Talk to as many tutors as possible before choosing courses. |
|
What will the experience give you: Improved confidence to speak and write French and your other foreign language(s), you will experience what a multicultural city is like. |
|
| RETURN TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE | |
![]() |
|
Courses: Some courses last for two semesters, therefore special arrangements regarding credits need to be made for students staying one semester only. Please contact Ms Renato early on. Proof of continuous assessment could be considered if you cannot be in Mons for the relevant examinations. This centre is for students who intend to go into language related careers such as Interpreting, Translation, Language Teaching. Most courses are Language based. You are expected to do 4 weekly hours of French related courses, 4 hours of translation and or interpreting, and 4 hours of other languages or Area studies.
|
|
Accommodation: Ms Isabelle Renato will help you find shared Logements en ville or places in Halls of Residence. Sharing is better for language acquisition. Cost of shared accommodation: around 500 Euros per month. In the past, students have also chosen to live in France, just across the French-Belgian border, and travel by train. This might be cheaper but obviously less convenient. Contact isabelle.renato@umh.ac.be |
|
Transport: Mons is a small town and you can walk anywhere from the station to the University to the Town Centre. There is also a free bus shuttle (navette) during peak hours |
|
Good things about the town: Friendly but small town and a lively campus. Good restaurants and the city of hundreds of different beers! Living too far out of the immediate perimeter – marked by the ring road, might mean you will miss out on evenings out as buses are not frequent, so consider your choice of room with this is mind. Mons is about one hour by train from Brussels and also not far from Lille in France. |
|
Good things about the courses: Mons is the only centre in Belgium, and the only specialist Interpreting School. It is an opportunity to study in a place which is usually expensive to register at. If you are not a native speaker of English, this is the place where you should be more likely to find translation and interpreting courses between French and your own language. Many languages available in ‘IWLP mode’ such as Polish, Hungarian or Arabic. Very good to make international friends. |
|
Things to bear in mind: Make it easier for Ms Renato to help you with your accommodation by giving her as many indications as possible rather than wait to be allocated a room and then turn it down, for example say you don’t want other English speakers, or no men/women, or within 2 miles of the EII, or only self catering etc. If you don’t like the idea of a small town and come from a city like London, you will need to find the courses sufficiently attractive. There are many English speaking students in Mons. Also, like in many other towns and cities, you are not advised to walk back home on your own at night if you live outside the centre. Make sure you explain from the outset that you are in Mons for one or for two semesters. Mons has recently adapted its courses to the 3 years + 2 years model and semesterisation is not always approached in the way you would expect from experience in a British University. . Staff/student relationships are more formal than in the UK |
|
When selecting courses, remember: Sample classes and go to see the tutor and tell him/her that you are an Erasmus student before finally selecting courses. Find out about the assessment. Belgian students spend far more time in contact hours than the nominal 12 hours appearing in the recommended ‘menu’ above. If you find 25 hours of classes per week daunting, find a compromise and do as much as you can. You will adapt throughout the year. Always contact the link person in Portsmouth to seek advice before committing yourself. |
|
When preparing to go: Remember you may have to spend some time and effort finding appropriate accommodation. You may end up sharing accommodation and adjusting can be difficult. Consider hall of residence accommodation if you don't want the hassle of finding your own. Mons is easily accessible from England. If you go by car, you can use motorways which are free in Belgium. By Eurostar, change at Lille or Brussels. You could also fly to Brussels or Charleroi but this could be more expensive |
|
Advice: Live with Belgians or other French speaking students if possible - it helps enormously with the language but also with general cultural awareness. Talk to as many tutors as possible before choosing courses. |
|
What will the experience give you: Improved confidence to speak and write French and your other foreign language(s), if you have not done Interpreting before, you will get initial grounding and feel much more confident (and better) when you do it as an option in your final year. This applies to Translation too. You will find out whether Interpreting is the career for you. You will make many interesting contacts. If you have visited France and lived in France already, you will get the experience of another Francophone country. |
|
| RETURN TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE | |
![]() University Library |
Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar Website: http://www.ucad.sn/ Contact person in Dakar: Dr Bathie Samb Contact person in Portsmouth: Prof.Tony Chafer Academic year: October-June Tourist information: http://www.senegal-online.com/anglais/index.html |
|||
Courses/Work Placements |
![]() City of Dakar |
|||
Placements may vary from year to year. |
||||
|
At the University courses in Translation and French language courses at the IFE (Institut Français pour Etrangers) have been especially recommended. |
|||
Accommodation |
||||
Travel to Dakar |
||||
Transport |
||||
|
Dakar Lively, busy and very cosmopolitan. The most westerly city in Africa. Beggars and hawkers can be persistent, but Dakar is generally a pretty safe city (see travel advice for Senegal at www.fco.gov.uk). |
|||
What to take
|
![]() City of Dakar |
|||
What will the experience give you? |
![]() Street scene of Dakar |
|||
![]() Local Transport |
But you need to be prepared for the culture shock. Dakar is not for everyone! |
|||
Internet sites for more information about Senegal
|
||||
|
Photographs of a placement student working with children at a bilingual pre-school in Dakar:
|
||||
|
Université Franche-Comté Faculty for Industrial Sciences and Manegement (STGI) Address: Department of Applied Languages Website: www.univ-fcomte.fr Contact person: Dr Gilles Leroux Faculty's International Coordinator Link Person at Portsmouth: Prof. Tony Chafer Tourist Information: |
The University of Franche-Comté The University of Franche-Comté is a multidisciplinary university with its head offices in Besançon as well as faculties and institutes in other towns of the region. The Faculty for Industrial Sciences and Management (UFR STGI) is actually situated in two different towns in the north of Franche-Comté making it closer to the Vosges, Alsace, Germany and also Switzerland. In 2004 the University of Franche-Comté offered courses to 21,000 students including 2,500 international students from 130 different countries. For general information about the university, you can go to www.univ-fcomte.fr as well as to the website of the local tourist information centre at www.ot-pays-de-montbeliard.fr (tel: 0033/3.81.94.45.60) for information about the area |
|
The Faculty for Industrial Sciences and Management (UFR STGI) in Montbéliard and Belfort The Faculty for Industrial Sciences and Management was created in 1990-91. It is located on two different sites : Montbéliard (110,000 inhabitants with its urban area) and Belfort (80,000 inhabitants). Montbéliard is located about 50 miles from Besançon and welcomes about 1,000 students whereas Belfort, which is located some 65 miles from the university head offices in Besançon, is home to 1,800 students. Some faculty departments are based in Belfort (mostly Technical sciences, Engineering but also Law, Economics and Management). Montbéliard is where the Language Department but also the History and Geography Department, the Natural Science Department and a more recent Multimedia Department are based. |
|
|
The Applied Languages Department (LEA) in Montbéliard The Language department is one of the faculty’s first departments created in 1990-91. It has recently taken advantage of the Higher Education Reform known as the Bologna Process (or LMD in France), to restructure its courses: it now offers a three-year First Degree Course (Licence / Bachelor’s Degree) in Applied Foreign Languages (Langues étrangères appliquées) in the following languages: French, German, English, Spanish and Italian. After the First Degree, most language students can then join a two-year Master Degree course in Languages and E-Commerce on which, in addition to further language classes, they also acquire technical skills to work in the more specific E-commerce and multimedia environment. The First Degree course aims at preparing students with good language skills to work in various international companies or organisations. This is why in a certain number of classes special attention is given to economics or international commerce (in translation classes for example). But since one cannot do commerce in a foreign language without a good grasp of the grammar, without knowing about the history of the country or how national institutions work, foreign language classes are also given in these subjects. Finally, there are also classes in French where the secrets of economics, marketing or international commerce are revealed. Foreign students on a Bachelor’s course can join either the second or the third year; however, for students choosing to come for the whole year, the second year would be more appropriate since third year students go on placements at the end of March and therefore the second semester is shorter (maybe too short to fully benefit from a semester abroad). Students coming for a semester only can pick either of the two second year semesters or the first semester of the third year. The first semester runs from around mid-September to around mid-January and evaluation is based on both continuous assessment and end of semester exams. The second semester then goes from around mid-January until mid-June. Thanks to the relatively small number of students (French and foreign) in the department (around 150 students), tuition is given to small numbers in a more relaxed atmosphere than in crowded lecturing halls. In the language department in Montbéliard, the seven regular members of staff know all the students and are very approachable. But this is just one of the many advantages of Montbéliard. |
|

Placements in France
|