Study Abroad Manual for Lyon, France

Study Abroad Manual for
Lyon, France
Lyon, France is located in south-east France in the Rhône-Alps region. (Département: Rhône(69)) It is the
country’s second largest city with a metropolitan population just under 2 million people.
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Things to do in Lyon
Preparing to Study Abroad in Lyon
Studying at the Univeristy
CIEF Language Program
International Office in Lyon
Banking in France
Housing
Transportation around Lyon
Health Insurance
Cell Phones
CAF
Travelling
Where to Stay while travelling
Things to do in Lyon
Take some time to
get to know the
city before you
arrive in Lyon!
Tourist Office:
The tourist office is located in Place Bellecour. You can pick up maps and ask them what there is to do around the city.
VISIT: http://www.en.lyon-france.com/
Also Visit: http://www.petit-bulletin.fr/lyon/index.html
Some starter ideas:
 Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière
 Tête d’Or Park (There is a zoo with free
admission)
 Vieux Lyon (the old part of Lyon)
 Place Bellecour (City Center)
 La Confluence (Neighborhood and
Shopping Center)
 Musée des Beaux Arts
 Musée d’art contemporain de Lyon
 La Croix Rousse (Vintage Shops!)
 Food Markets are held in Vieux Lyon and
Quai Saint Antoine throughout the week!
Visit this Website: http://lyoneats.blogspot.com/2009/02/lyonmarkets.html
 Indoor Ice Skating Rink by the Confluence
 Go to a Soccer Game http://www.olweb.fr/en/
 Eat at a Bouchon (Traditional Lyonnais Food)
http://www.en.lyon-france.com/Restaurants/Lyonnais-Bouchon-TraditionalRestaurant/?page=2
 Fête des Lumières: http://euronews.com/2012/12/07/light-artists-commemorate-thesaving-of-lyon/
 Christmas Market (Marché de Noël): http://www.lyon.fr/actualite/cultureloisirs/marche-de-noel.html
Preparing to Study Abroad
In order to study abroad there is plenty of paperwork to be done, so get an early start.
You have the option of studying abroad for the summer or doing a semester or year-long program. Be sure to go to an
information session held once a week at the Study Abroad Office in the Student Success Center Room 120.
To learn more about the summer program, VISIT: http://cas.umkc.edu/foreignlanguages/french/Lyon/
Contact:
816-235-5759
Kate Wozniak: wozniakkj@umkc.edu
Emma Spong: sponge@umkc.edu
Visit: http://www.umkc.edu/international/
Semester/yea
r students
have to go to
Chicago to
apply for a
long-stay
**The Chicago Consulate only offers weekday appointments.
Studying at the University
There are three main universities in Lyon: Lyon1, Lyon2, and Lyon3.
VISIT: http://www.univ-lyon2.fr/international/etudiant-international/programme-d-echange/venir-en-programme-dechange-449294.kjsp?RH=WWW47
Université Lumière Lyon2 is UMKC’s partner and is where the CIEF language program is held. Lyon2 has two campuses,
one in the 7eme arrondissement, right by the Rhone River, and another campus in Bron, a suburb about 30 minutes away
by streetcar from the first campus.
DIRECTIONS to the Bron Campus:
1. From Lyon2
a. Take the T1 direction Perrache, get off at Perrache, and then hop on the T2 direction Saint Priest Bel Air
about 30 minutes to the Porte des Alpes stop
2. From Perrache Train Station
a. Take the T2 direction Saint Priest Bel Air about 30 minutes to the Porte des Alpes stop
The program does
costs about$1,500
on top of UMKC
tuition.
CIEF Language Program
CIEF stands for Centre International d’Études Françaises and is the French
language program for international students.
*** If leaving for the fall semester, you must sign up for classes before June!
Before classes start, you will take an entrance exam in Lyon to be placed in the correct level: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, or C2.
Courses are held at the Quai du Rhone Campus
To Apply, VISIT: http://cief.univ-lyon2.fr/
International Office in Lyon
Lyon2 also has an international office known as the DRI (La Direction des Relations Internationales) and is located at
the Lyon2 Quai du Rhone Campus in the Claude Bernard Building, 1st floor, office E 157.
The people in this office will be able to help answer questions about enrolling in courses at the university, student
housing, etc. They also organize day trips for international students throughout the year.
Directions to the Office:
1. From Tram stop in Perrache Train station- take the T1 direction IUT Feyssine/ Part-Dieu, 1 stop
2. From Part-Dieu Train Station - take the T1 Direction Hôtel de Région Montrochet. Get off at Rue de L’Université
Contacts at the Office:
Julie Rouaud
incoming@univ-lyon2.fr
+ 33 (0)4 78 69 70 42
Julie Tareriat
incoming@univ-lyon2.fr
+ 33 (0)4 78 69 70 52
Rachel Bernard
alter-ego@univ-lyon2.fr
Visit this website to find out more about being a student in Lyon
http://www.univ-lyon2.fr/international/etudiant-international/programme-d-echange/
Banking in France
The easiest way is to use an American bank that partners with
French banks. Bank of America (BOA) is great and is partnered
with Banque National de Paris (BNP).
You can withdraw
money from any ATM;
however, there is usually
a large fee each time. By
using BOA there is NO
fee when you withdraw
from any BNP ATM!
You will most likely have to open a BNP account in order for the CAF (Government Aid for Rent) to be directly
deposited and to pay rent.
VISIT:
www.bankofamerica.com
www.bnpparibas.net
Housing (On-Campus vs. Off-Campus)
There are several options to find housing in Lyon. The main one, which many international students take advantage of,
is the university housing.
Another option is renting an apartment from a company, such as Nexity. They have buildings
designated just for university students, which are usually in walking distance to the campuses
around Lyon.
Nexity: http://www.nexity.fr/immobilier/particuliers/louer/essentiel-sur-la-location/locationetudiante
You can also find private accommodation such as home stays and other private shared apartments (you would have
your own bedroom, but share the kitchen, living room, bathroom, etc. Talk with UMKC French professors or contact
students who have already studied abroad in Lyon to get their views on where to stay!
** Be prepared to spend some money on furnishing your new apartment. Even though
most student housing options come furnished, this only includes: bed, mattress, desk,
bookshelf, and fridge. Everything else you will have to purchase. Luckily there is an Ikea
one stop further on the T2 line from the Porte des Alpes stop on the Bron Campus.
http://www.ikea.com/fr/fr/
André Allix University Housing
Location: 5eme arrondissement
Directions from Lyon2 Quai du Rhone Campus: Take the T1 to Perrache.
Walk up the stairs where the buses are located and take either Bus 46 or
49. Both will stop right in front of the André Allix Housing Complex.
SOMETHING TO KEEP IN
MIND!
Most students will agree that the
university housing is dirty and
inconvenient. Most buses STOP
going up there around 10pm and
they don’t run much later on the
weekends.
Here is a helpful Blog
http://erasmusu.com/en/erasmus-lyon/erasmus-blog/lyonnais-life-residence-andre-allix-getting-around-town-138896
To view the selection of apartments through the university, VISIT: http://www.crous-lyon.fr/html/
One UMKC Student found her private apartment with this website: http://www.salengro-immo.fr/
Suggestion: Start looking for an apartment as soon as you can! Ask UMKC’s French professors, email students who
have studied abroad in Lyon before, and get in contact with the International Office at Lyon2.
Transportation around Lyon
YOUR OPTIONS:
1. TCL: You can purchase a transportation card at a student rate
(about 28 Euros per month) allowing you to take the Bus, Metro,
and Tram. You can buy the card at the TCL office in
the Bellecour Metro station, Perrache Train Station at the
main Part-Dieu Train Station.
www.tcl.fr
This website tells you
which lines to take and
how often they run.
Click Me Déplacer and
then Toutes les Lignes.
** Make sure to bring proof that you are enrolled at Lyon2 (ask the DRI to print off your proof of enrollment), photo id,
and a picture that you would like to have on the card.
Suggestion: There are photo booths around the city, but it is much cheaper if you print off a several 2’’by 2’’ headshots
before you leave for Lyon.
2. Velo’v: This is a great way to get around
the city on bike without having to buy one.
There are stations all across Lyon and even
though it is sometimes hard to find an open
station to park your bike, it is a great way to
see the city and enjoy an alternative method
of transportation we don’t use too often in
the States! It is also extremely convenient
once public transportation stops running at
night. It’s the thing I miss the most. If you
have purchased the TCL card, it is only an
additional 15 euros for an annual activation
fee.
**You CAN’T use American debit/credit cards at the actual stations; you must apply on the website below. Your Velo’v
account will be activated on you TCL card and then you will use your TCL card to pull bikes out with a password.
http://www.velov.grandlyon.com/
** You can also look into purchasing your own bike on leboncoin.fr. It’s like the French craigslist!
Insurance
UMKC requires all students studying abroad to enroll and pay for health insurance with HTH Worldwide Health
Insurance Plan. The fee is $35.25 per month you intend to study abroad and must be paid in full before leaving.
What it covers:
 Repatriation of Remains
 Medical Evacuation
 Regular Health Care Coverage
VISIT: http://www.umkc.edu/international/healthinsurance.aspx
Even though you will pay for the HTH student health insurance through UMKC, ALL international students in Lyon are
required to pay for an additional health insurance (Sécurité Sociale)
 207 Euros: You must pay for this at the international students’ enrollment day at the University.
 There are 2 student mutual/agencies to choose from: SMERRA or LMDE.
VISIT: http://www.univ-lyon2.fr/formation/s-inscrire/securite-sociale-et-mutuelle-etudiante-519780.kjsp?RH=WWW47
** Civil Liability Insurance (Résponsabilité Civile): Required and can be purchased for 15 Euros at the mutual you chose.
** If staying for a semester or year long program in Lyon, you will be required to go to the OFII for a general check-up
exam and an X-ray. OFII stands for l’Office français de l’immigration et de l’intégration. You will receive a letter in the
mail about a month after arriving with more information about you scheduled time and date. At the end of the exam,
they will administer your long-stay visa in your passport, so DON’T forget to go to the appointment! There is a 58 euro
fee.
Vocabulary for Doctor’s visits
Here’s a helpful site:
http://www.languageguide.org/french/vocabulary/medicine/
Cell Phones
There are a few cell phone companies in Lyon to choose from: SFR, Orange, and Bouygues.
** If you plan on bringing your iPhone, be sure to check with your current phone company about the oversea rates.
SFR: http://www.sfrbusinessteam.fr/espace-client/index.jsp
Orange: http://boutique.orange.fr/mobile
Bouygues: http://www.bouyguestelecom-entreprises.fr/
CAF (La Caisse d'Allocation Familiale)
The CAF is government aid to assist with rent expenses given to virtually every French citizen, even international
students!
University housing will help you fill out the application and send it.
**The CAF office in Lyon is located about a five- minute walk from the Part-Dieu Train Station. It is always busy, so be
prepared to wait.
Suggestion: You are guaranteed to receive aid, but the amount varies. Don’t depend on what your CAF could be
and find an apartment for what your budget allows!
VISIT: www.caf.fr
Traveling
By Train:
Traveling throughout Europe is very convenient by Train. The TGV is France’s high speed train that travels throughout
France. From Lyon to Paris it only takes 2 hours!
http://www.voyages-sncf.com/
Carte Jeune: If you think you are going to be travelling by train quite a bit, think about purchasing the Carte Jeune. It is
a 50 Euro annual pass for students, and provides deals on high speed and regional trains in France. You can purchase
the pass at Perrache or Part-Dieu Train Stations.
By Bus:
You may also consider travelling by bus. You will find very cheap fares, but it will most likely take you 3 times as long to
get where you want to go!
https://www.eurolines.com/en/
Where to Stay when Travelling?
Hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts? There are so many options and you can spend hours looking for a place to stay.
Hostels are a great way to meet other young travelers and hotels also have great deals. Airbnb is another great website
where you can stay at someone’s home, and usually for a very reasonable price. www.airbnb.com
To learn more about travelling abroad and helpful safety tips, VISIT: http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/tips_1232.html
Feel free to contact any of these previous UMKC students who studied abroad in Lyon:
Alana Bruner (2013-2014 academic year) - acbn96@mail.umkc.edu
Lisa Green (2012-2013 academic year) - lmgktb@mail.umkc.edu
Alec Martens (2012-2013 academic year) - atm54b@mail.umkc.edu
Shannon Adkins (2011-2012 academic year. She still lives in Lyon! ) - Estelleilove@gmail.com