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Living and Studying in Lyon, France

A Sophisticated International City at the Country's Gastronomical Heart

Article and photos by Christopher Dalton

A picnic with friends on the Rhone River in Lyon.

The hardest part is clicking the button. That little inviting yet ominous “submit” button on your study abroad application page. It takes nerve to commit to a year abroad away from family, friends, and familiar surroundings. But taking the plunge gives rise to so many opportunities: the ability to live and travel in a country different from your own, to meet new people, be surrounded by a foreign language, and a new way of life. However, living abroad is more than learning a new language and meeting people; it forever changes your worldview and perceptions of the global community.

Deciding to Study in Lyon

As soon as I settled in as a freshman at the University of Oregon, I knew I wanted to spend my junior year abroad. Luckily, the UO has a great study abroad program, with several locations in France, French being the language I began studying when I came to college. My family and I had hosted several French students in high school, giving me my first exposure to their language and culture.  I chose to study abroad in Lyon because it is a large city (the second largest in France, after Paris) and has a rich cultural history (it was once the capital of Gaul during the Roman empire). It is centrally located in Europe, allowing for easy traveling. The city is quintessentially French: a gastronomy center and historically a silk manufacturer for fine French clothing. The city’s distinctive red roof architecture is unmistakable: you’re in France.

Jet Lag or Culture Shock?

The phenomenon of jet lag is unfortunate because when you arrive at your new destination, you are entirely and utterly exhausted, and yet those who greet you after awaiting your arrival are eager to show you their culture. When I first arrived in Lyon, the family I was staying with wished to shower upon me every facet of French cuisine. Literally, every meal was something new: small, unidentifiable bird? Check. Massive leg of pork hanging from the ceiling, ready for bits to be shaven off for each meal? Nothing out of the ordinary.

I distinctly remember lying on my bed a few days after arrival, tired and still not entirely over my jet lag, with awful stomach pain. My head was spinning after speaking nothing but French day in and day out. The unrelenting wave of new food was getting to my system. I sat there, upset, wondering how they could eat all of this! How were they not experiencing what I was? I began questioning my decision to live here for a year, wondering how I would ever leave France alive. But I told myself I would adjust. It will get better. And it does. Within a month, I felt utterly comfortable in Lyon. Everything that was once unfamiliar and bizarre was now second nature, and speaking French at shops, restaurants, and on the metro was now natural: Lyon became my home.

Settling into Lyon

Before you arrive, if your university’s study abroad program is anything like mine, you will have a plethora of forms to fill out, meetings to attend, and things to take care of, such as going to get a student visa (at the embassy in San Francisco, if you live on the West Coast). Fortunately, your study abroad office should have program directors to help guide you along the way.

During the first few months in your French host city, you encounter quite a bit of paperwork and other hoops to leap through, both expected and unexpected. When you first arrive, you will probably want a cell phone, which is difficult to buy when your French still needs to improve. Additionally, if staying for an extended amount of time (I have a year-long visa), you need to get a medical checkup in France for immigrants, called OFII. Once you pass the examination, a sticker is placed next to your visa in your passport. Little things need to be done: initial expenses for your apartment, buying a public transportation card and getting a student card for the SNCF train network. It can seem overwhelming, but once you have all of these things, you are truly settled in at home and feel like one of the locals.

Additionally, you meet many people when you first get into town. I was lucky enough to have 32 people in my program, Centre Oregon, which has ties to the university I attend here (Université Lumiere Lyon 2) and comprises study-abroad students from various colleges in Oregon. These people will quickly become some of your best friends, and your year abroad will become unforgettable as you share many new and diverse experiences.

Our program's first travels on the Côte d’Azur — here in Nice, France.

Traveling in Europe

For many, studying abroad in Europe brings notions of backpacking around the continent and enduring hardships as a poor college student. While the romantic notions of traveling cheaply still exist, it, fortunately, has become easy to travel quite comfortably while still on a budget. One of the great things about living in Lyon is that its airport, Saint-Exupery, is a hub for Easyjet. This low-cost British airline offers short flights around Europe. While they have strict baggage limits and no free peanuts, traveling on Easyjet is like any other airline. Flights are routinely 20 to 50 euros to neighboring countries, and its free baggage limited to one carry-on is actually a blessing in disguise — it helps you keep your load light when you are traveling, quite helpful and necessary unless you want to be lugging suitcases around the tiny canals of Venice.

Hostels are generally comfortable. They are plentiful throughout Europe, and many offer clean sheets and bathrooms for inexpensive prices. Many are indistinguishable from hotels, apart from many hostels having shared bathrooms.

Combining these two factors makes traveling around relatively inexpensive and straightforward for the wandering college student. It is pretty doable to see a large part of Europe abroad. With limited funds and confined to traveling only on school breaks, I have gone to the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Czech Republic, Morocco, and up and down France (with future trips planned!). It takes some savvy, dedicated searching on hostel websites and for cheap flights — but even on a student budget, you can make your travel dreams happen.

Studying in Lyon

One thing for sure about studying abroad in Lyon is that you aren’t alone — Lyon has one of the largest student populations in France, boasting over 130,000 students, 15,000 of whom are international. The primary university system is named Université de Lyon. There are 4 of these universities, split by various disciplines, throughout the city. My school program goes through Université Lyon 2, which specializes in the social sciences and humanities. Other leading universities are the Université Catholique de Lyon, a private school specializing in literature and philosophy, and IEP, or Institut d’Etudes Politiques, the political science school. At IEP, especially, hearing several different languages in the hallway is not uncommon. Lyon has a wealth of universities to choose from, leading international students to flock to Lyon for its youthful student population.

Classes at French universities are different from those at American universities, and the differences take time to get used to. Communication is sparse, and classes are often changed or canceled without notification. Instead of online course registration, a list of classes is posted in the hallway, and you sign up by going to them. It is sometimes difficult to accept the lack of organization. Nevertheless, you learn to accept these differences as part of the experience.

Making Connections With Families

Without a doubt, the best way to practice your new language is to speak with the locals. You can try practicing with your fellow study abroad friends, but who is to know if you are both making linguistic mistakes? You really need a native to correct you along the way. Additionally, getting to know a family allows insight into everyday French life.

I live in an apartment but rent from a French family living below me. They often invite me to dinner and other occasions and are very gracious and accepting. I try to take them up on every offer because these times let you see the culture in its simplicity and most revealing ways. For example, we often sit and drink, perhaps watching French TV and discussing various issues in the news. When we dine together, we don’t eat elaborate dishes. We eat simple things that they have in their daily diet, not the rich foods you see in expensive French restaurants.

These connections are the kind that last — I have no doubt that if I visit Lyon years from now, they will be equally welcoming. If they ever visit Oregon, I would love to show them around.

If you cannot access a family in your living situation, try to get a job teaching or tutoring English. Regardless of the country you are living or studying in, native English speakers are still in demand (though the country work permit rules should be investigated), and can be an excellent job for study abroad students (it is otherwise hard to get a job as a foreigner unless you are completely fluent in the language). I tutor a little girl in English once a week and have also gotten to know her family. These relationships make your city and experience personal — while Lyon is sometimes a large, overwhelming city, connections with families make the city seem small and intimate.

Enjoying breakfast with the family.

Making the Most of Your Time Abroad

It is easy to settle comfortably in a new country and make life routine. Yet, it is essential not to let this happen — after all, you are only here for a limited time. It might be wisest to make the most of the new experiences available. I cannot stress enough how important it is to have a study abroad “bucket list.” Before you leave (or shortly upon arrival), list all the things you want to see and do in the upcoming months, both in your city and a list of places you would like to travel. Having a tangible list of things to do will help keep you active, and checking them off as you go lets you keep track of everything you have done.

Also, I suggest keeping a journal of your time abroad, perhaps in a blog or social media format if you so inclined — you might think you will remember everything at the time. Yet, the truth is, those little memories or moments so fresh in your mind now become fuzzy in the future. Keep detailed entries about the little incidents and stories, ultimately the moments you want to remember! Of course, a decade from now, you will remember the big things that happened — the countries you visited, for instance. But you forget the spontaneous encounters with strangers, the funny miscommunications arising from mistakes in your foreign language, and the feelings you experienced when you first walked into that foreign grocery store. These are the moments that you will likely want to remember.

While it might seem nerve-wracking to take the plunge and leave familiar territory, living for an extended period in a foreign language will broaden your mind and forever change your worldview. Your travels will shape you, teach you, and let you see what you appreciate most in life. It is not an easy ride. Living abroad comes with hardships and difficulties. But these challenges help you grow at an essential stage in your life. As the French like to say — Profitez!

Chistopher Dalton is a junior at the University of Oregon, a double major in Political Science and French. He grew up in Sacramento, California, and hopes to work in international politics after graduation.