Paris for Students

Paris is an amazing place to be an international student – provided that you enjoy big cities. Life here is busy and exciting, and there are opportunities to meet people from all over the world. It has lots in common with London, New York, Berlin, Barcelona, and other popular cities – they’re both bustling with tourists, business people and commuters and full of theaters, museums, bars, restaurants and so on. But of course, it’s also very different…

Coffee, clubs, and cuisine

The tearoom at the Petit Palais is one of the most popular student's spots to visit, although the Musée Jacquemart André is also great for a coffee.

In terms of shopping, a visit to one of Paris’ markets is a must – the quality of the product is superb and often very reasonably priced. The Grande Épicerie, a food hall in the seventh arrondissement, is also a favorite of mine.

The music is overwhelmingly house/trance/techno-based, so people who enjoy these styles will be spoilt for choice. Favorite clubs and bars that students visit are Showcase, Batofar, Rex and Social Club. If you’re a jazz fan, the rue des Lombards has to be visited: there’s great quality live jazz there every weekend.

If you enjoy restaurants, visit the Grand Colbert in the second arrondissement or, if you’re on more of a budget, the Bouillon Chartier in the ninth offers a very ‘French’ dining experience. (Be prepared to drink lots of wine if you move to Paris!)

Out and about in Paris

A popular walking spot for students is Bois de Boulogne, which is located on the western side of the city and many bars and restaurants that are popular by students. Its narrow winding streets are a refreshing get-away from the grand boulevards which are so commonplace throughout much of the rest of the city.

Paris’ Metro is considerably affordable public transport, but not as clean or as well-looked-after,  and taxis are much less costly.

Overall it would be fair to say that Paris is a more conventionally beautiful city and the majority of the buildings in the city center are remarkably well-preserved. 

Get off the 'tourist trail'

There are the usual drawbacks to living in a large urban area – dirtiness, crime, and so on. But the positives easily outweigh the negatives.

One thing to dislike is the seemingly unnecessary administration and bureaucracy which is so ubiquitous in French life – there’s a lot more paperwork here! However, this is part of living in a different culture and so, in a strange way, adds to the experience.

Another drawback of Paris is the French ‘assimilation’ method of dealing with immigration; for all its problems.

English-speakers should be careful not to take the ‘easy option’ and turn to speaking English every time a situation gets tricky. French people are generally eager to practice their English, and it’s easy to fall into the trap of always reverting to your ‘comfort zone’.

Aside from this, it would be advisable to encourage people arriving in Paris to try, as much as possible, to get off the tourist trails and delve into true French culture. And the best way to do this is to make French friends who know the cafés, clubs and restaurants which aren’t mentioned in the tourist guides.