Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.
— Oscar Wilde.
This is the first post on our new blog. I’m just getting this new blog about life in University of Limoges and how to survive in there, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.
For an international student, you must definitely understand about how to register to University of Limoges. 🙂 First, there is an office, which is responsible to help students like us, BAI (Bureau International des Etudiants) – International Reception Office.
We with the vice president of University of Limoges and professors in the Christmas party. 😛
You will be welcomed and get great supports from the International Reception Office (information, help with administrative paperwork, help with finding accommodation, learning French, integration …). BAI will help you fill in any additional documents necessary for your stay in Limoges. BAI will also organize an appointment with a bank so that you can open a French bank account and take out the mandatory insurance covering your civil liability and rental risks (you cannot enter your room in the residence hall without it). BAI can help you with the procedures related to residence permits, if needed.
The BAI aims to many different goals all related to your future student life.
1. Find accomodation: Your own CROUS room is booked. Being an exchange student or doctorant (PhD student) is like being an honored guest.
2. Open a bank account: The BAI will guide you if you need help on this.
3. Get a visa: The BAI knows who to contact within the Campus France and the consulates.
4. Obtain a residence permit: Working with the OFII, the BAI can assist you in this matter.
This will be detailed later in this guide.
5. Learn French: The FLE formation is offered. See more details on this later.
6. Organize cultural events: Discover the French culture with the BAI. You will see many important cultural spots in Limoges and in Le Limousin, such as La gare des Bénédictins or Le lac de Vassivière. You may also be guided in the visit of the BFM, an important institution of French Literatture, Arts and Culture.
BAI – 88, rue du Pont Saint-Martial (Campus des Jacobins), 87000 Limoges – France
Tel: 05 55 14 90 96 or 05 55 14 92 74 or 05 55 14 90 85
Email: accueil.international@unilim.fr
Website: http://www.unilim.fr/international
The members in BAI, they are so friendly and helpful 😛
For enrolling to university, you must become a candidate and then register to your faculty which you want to study. Don’t worry because the university allows you to do these steps onlines. Following this link to be specific:
https://www.unilim.fr/education/practical-information/become-a-candidate-and-enrol/?lang=en
After you have been accepted, you should come to school 1 week in advance to complete the admission process. You will receive a student ID, student card, insurance, … at building F.
Each year for almost 25 years, the network of graduates (more than 500 graduates) and professional contacts Cryptis is enriched. It is an essential asset for the search for internships and the professional integration of young graduates. The Master’s Degree is organized in 4 semesters, each semester validating 30 ECTS credits. Obtaining the master requires the validation of 120 ECTS credits. Each semester, a certain number of teaching units (UE) are offered, some being compulsory, others to be chosen from a set of options.
The first year master’s degree program is very difficult and heavy. You must take 30 credits for each semester. You can see the subject’s details in the link below:
For general information about the Cryptis program:
http://www.cryptis.fr/index.php
For the MCCA program:
http://www.cryptis.fr/master-mathematiques-presentation.html
For the Information program:
http://www.cryptis.fr/master-informatique-presentation.html
The exams in each term are divided into two categories: midterm exams and final exams. If the course has a project then you don’t need to take the midterm exam. Depending on the subject, the final exam will account for a different percentage of scores, but usually it accounts for about 70% of the total score. You are considered to be graded if your total average is above 10 points. For each subject, you must ensure that the average score is not below 7, otherwise you will have to retake the session 2 at the end of the 2nd semester.
To pass the semester, it is not easy, 😦 you must follow the lectures of the professor in the class, take notes and study by yourself. The teachers at Limoges are very enthusiastic and kind, always give students the opportunity, especially for international student. They are available to provide help and advice on the choice of orientation, reorientation and on all issues relating to university life. If you are not good at French, you can ask professors to translate it into English. It will help you pass the exam easier.
The first year master of the MCCA and Information programs are responsible by professor Dusart and professor ConChon respectively. In faculty Technology and Science there is a very famous and “powerful” Vietnamese teacher, Professor Phan Duong Hieu, you can contact the professor when you need help. The contact information of the professors is below:
M1 MCCA: Pierre DUSART, pierre.dusart (at) unilim.fr
M1: Emmanuel CONCHON, emmanuel.conchon (at) unilim.fr
M2 MCCA: Duong Hieu PHAN , duong-hieu.phan (at) unilim.fr
The picture of us with professor Phan Duong Hieu 😛
As for materials, there are many good books that are similar to the classroom curriculum, you can borrow them at the library or ask the professors for a pdf book.
As a new student in Limoges, when you come to a new land, the new environment may be a little difficult to get started with, integrating and have lots of questions about studying and official procedure. So we hope that the information about community find information and advice to help their new student settle into life as an Limoges student. 😛
We are in the first day in Limoges 😛
\ 1. The Vietnamese Students Association in France
The Vietnam Student Union in France (UEVF), a group of Vietnamese students and trainees living and studying in France, was established on March 26, 2004 in Paris according to the Law of 1901 of the French Republic.
The Association’s activities aim to:
• Unite, help each other in life, study and research.
• Representing, protecting and caring for the legitimate and legal interests of Vietnamese students in France.
• Build, strengthen and develop cooperative relationships with French student organizations, students from other countries in the world.
• To cooperate with other associations, friendship groups and other social organizations in order to strengthen the organization and implementation of friendship activities towards the country.
Contact
16, Rue du Petit Musc, 75004 Paris, France
The Association’s official website: http://www.uevf.org/
Fanpage: http://www.facebook.com/uevf.org
E-mail: mailto:contact@uevf.org
2. Vietnamese Students Group in Limoges
Vietnamese students at Limoges had created a Facebook group address:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1434574746818282/
You can connect with on this site and join group. The advantages of this group are connection and communication. You are new student, you have many questions, so you can ask questions and if anyone knows the answer can help you solve the problem. Former students can share their experience of studying and living in Limoges.
An academic year in Limoges is divided into two semesters: according to the course pursued, the first semester starts in September or October and ends in January of the following year; the second semester begins in February and ends in May or June. Each semester ends with a period of exams.
The academic year is split up by several periods of holiday:
2 months in July and August.
There are a lot of attractive destinations near Limoges. You can travel to some big cities in France such as Pars, Bordeaux, Strasbourg and also some countries: Italia, Polland, Spain… These lists below are where our group has opportunity to visit.
Bordeaux, a small port city in southwestern France, is best known for being a wine lover’s paradise. But even if you are not here for the wine, a visit to Bordeaux is still worth it because it’s a beautiful city with a lot of cool things to do around the area.
It’s not popular on the backpacking France or budget travel trail because it’s not the cheapest city in the country but, over the last few years, they have expanded their “free” options and a budget traveler can make their way through here without breaking the bank too much.
The Dune of Pilat, also called Grande Dune du Pilat is the tallest sand dune in Europe. It is located in La Teste-de-Buch in the Arcachon Bay area, France, 60 km from Bordeaux. With more than one million visitors per year, the Dune of Pilat is a famous tourist destination.
For the walkers and the shoppers, this pedestrian shopping street is about one mile long (1.6 kilometers). The northern part of the street is filled with French chains, while the southern part has more local shops and restaurants. A lot of students hang out here as well, so it’s always busy, but especially on Saturdays.
Home to one of the largest 18th-century architectural urban areas in all of Europe, the Old Town is now on the UNESCO World Heritage List thanks to its amazing preservation. Two famous attractions are the Grand Théâtre, which was built in 1780, and the Cathédrale Saint-André de Bordeaux, built between the 12th and the 14th century.
Bordeaux has a handful of wine museums that dive deep into local history. There is the Vinorama, a talking wax museum that chronicles the history of Bordeaux wine, or the Bordeaux Wine Museum, which exhibits the history of the city’s wine merchants. Admission to the Vinorama is €10 EUR ($11 USD), while entry to the Bordeaux Wine Museum starts from €6.40 EUR ($7.15 USD). Both museums offer tastings.
The Quays of Bordeaux follow the shores of the Garonne. The platforms here used to be a harbor, but have been since renovated for visitors to walk, rollerblade, or bike along. This 2.8-mile (4.5-kilometer) stretch is a scenic place to walk with some amazing views of the landscape and the unique Aquitaine bridges. This is also a popular nightlife and club area.
Bordeaux’s Water Mirror (Miroir d’eau) is a giant reflecting pool in front of the Place de la Bourse that people can actually walk across. It’s made up of thin granite slabs covered in just two centimeters of water, and it covers over 37,000 square feet. It’s more like a lake! In the summer, mist is created from special effects hidden in the granite.
Hostel prices – Bordeaux only has three hostels – that’s how upscale it is. Hostel dorms with eight beds run from €31.50 EUR ($35 USD) a night, and that’s about as cheap as it gets. Private rooms with shared bathrooms start at €54 EUR ($60 USD).
Budget hotel prices – Prices begin at about €54 EUR ($60 USD) per night for a double room at a two-star hotel. From there, prices go up quite a bit. A budget-friendly two-star hotel will have basic amenities like free wifi and air-con.
On Airbnb, you can find shared rooms in apartments starting at €31 EUR ($35 USD) per night. The average private room is €45 EUR ($50 USD), while the average price for a full apartment starts at €98 EUR ($110 USD) per night.
Average cost of food – Bordeaux has some amazing food and lots of traditional French restaurants. . Cheap sandwiches cost about €6 EUR ($6.75 USD). Most lunch specials will cost you around €10 EUR ($11 USD) for a meal. For dinner, you’re looking at spending around €15-30 EUR ($17-33 USD) for a main dish and around €7 EUR ($7.80 USD) for a glass of wine.
There’s something to delight everyone in Barcelona. If you’re a food lover then the city has a total of 20 Michelin stars, and if you want culture you’ve got an inexhaustible choice of beautiful buildings and events. Add to this clean urban beaches, world-class nightlife and so much great shopping you won’t know where to begin.
Let’s explore the best things to do in Barcelona:
Never mind that a lot of locals shun this sequence of promenades that runs from Plaça de Catalunya down to the Columbus Monument at the waterfront.
In summer you’ll be under the shade of the tall plane trees and shuffling through the crowds that pass living statues, street performers, bird-sellers and flower stands.
Occasionally you’ll catch the whiff of waffles (gofres) being baked.
Once you get to the water you can keep going along the boards to visit the Maremagnum mall or Barcelona’s Aquarium.
This is where to begin your adventure through Barcelona and the dreamlike works of Antoni Gaudí.
His minor basilica is a project of incredible scale and ambition that is still only around three quarters complete more than a 140 years after Gaudí first became involved.
When its spires are finished it will be the tallest church building in the world, and hardly resembles any religious structure you’ll have seen in your life.
The Sagrada Família combines several architectural styles including Catalan Modernism, Art Nouveau and Spanish Late-Gothic, but Gaudí’s masterpiece defies these kinds of definitions when you look up open-mouthed at the ceiling of the nave.
Another of Antoni Gaudí’s most postcard-friendly creations, this apartment block wasn’t created from scratch but was a remodel undertaken at the turn of the 20th century.
You won’t need to have visited Barcelona to recognise the building’s roof, the tiles of which are the scales of a great dragon.
Like all of his work the inside and outside of Casa Batlló has that sinuous quality, with few straight lines, and dazzling attention to detail.
Take the mushroom-shaped fireplace on the noble floor, which like a cosy grotto was designed for couples to warm up in winter.
Also known as La Pedrera, as the front of the building looks a bit like the face of a quarry, Casa Milà was completed in 1912 and is another emblematic Gaudí building.
It’s one of several of Catalan modernist works to be UNESCO listed and was the fourth and final Gaudí building on Passeig de Gràcia.
Architects will appreciate the contemporary innovations here, including the self-supporting stone facade and underground car park.
It was designed for the industrialist Pere Milà i Camps to be his family home, with apartments for rent on the upper floors.
The coherence between the design of the building and Casa Milà’s furnishings is a real joy to see, and it’s all from a time when Gaudí was at the top of his game.
Barcelona’s beachfront boardwalk stretches for miles. It will take a good hour to get from Barceloneta to Diagonal Mar on foot, but it’s a walk that really helps you understand the city.
The westernmost beaches like Sant Sebastià are busier and more touristy, but are backed by Barceloneta’s tight lattice of trendy shops and bars with terraces and outdoor seating.
As you move along the waterfront after the Olympic Port you’ll find a bit more room and more Barcelona locals.
Finally, just up from Platja de Llevant is the massive and new Diagonal Mar mall, revitalising a former industrial part of the city.
if you are a fan of football, don’t forget to visit Camp Nou Stadium when having a chance to go to Barcelona.
Camp Nou may be Europe’s largest football stadium but it’s not a matter quantity over quality.
It’s home to legendary FC Barcelona.
It’s the canvas where Messi paints trophies like Bob Ross painted trees.
It’s also home to the Camp Nou tour, the second biggest tourist attraction in Catalonia behind the epic basilica Sagrada Familia.
– Super U supermarket is near La Borie dormitory, quite affordable, cheaper than small supermarkets in the ville (take bus 8 to Mal Joffre, go down to Corgnac CC, open from Monday to Saturday, from 9am to 8pm).
– Asian food can be purchased at Thoun Asia (take Bus 10 to Serpolet, go down to Beaubreuil), open from Monday to Saturday (09h30 – 13h00, 14h00 – 19h00), there is a Cora supermarket nearby, The food here is very cheap, but taking the bus is a bit far.
– Vietnamese buffet with Tan Sai Gon restaurant, 11 euros per person (take Bus 10 to Serpolet, go down to Serpolet), Opanda (14-17 euros / person, eat not very good, take bus 10 to Serpolet, go down to Puy Ponchet) , chez Ta (take bus 8, go down to Opera).
– Grand Frais supermarket of vegetables and fruits is quite cheap and fresh as Thoun but closer, near Gare de Limoges Benedictin.
– Vietnamese food has Vietnam Express 53 Rue Francois Chenieux, the owners are very nice, often reduce money for students.
– Buy cosmetics, Pharmacie Bernardaud – Pharmacie Lafayette near Jourdan place with the most affordable price.
– Eyeglasses: it is best to bring enough from home, but if increasing / breaking frames, you can buy this temporarily, quite expensive, the cheapest is at Opticien Mutuelist (39 Avenue Garibaldi, 87000 Limoges), they give Do an eye test without a doctor’s note (it can take months for an eye appointment in France), or you can buy near-sighted glasses, which are available at Bernardaud pharmacie.
-Second hand stores in Limoges:
1. Emmaüs 87 (78 Rue Armand Barbès, 87000 Limoges).
– Opening hours: every day except Sunday from 9am to 12pm and from 14h30 to 18h
– Selling everything: clothes, appliances, furniture, ..
– Link: http://www.emmaus87.fr
2. LA RESSOURCE RIT (345 Rue François Perrin, 87000 Limoges, France).
– Similar to Emmaüs 87 but with fewer items
– Link: http://www.association-aleas.fr
3. Cash Express (15 Bis Boulevard Georges Périn, 87000 Limoges).
– Selling mainly old technology goods (TVs, phones, computers, …), household appliances (microwave, oven, …). And all items are guaranteed for 6 months. Pretty chestnut price 🙂
– link: http://www.cashexpress.fr/magasin-limoges,298.html
4. Easy Cash (Zone Nord, Rue de Buxerolles, 87100 Limoges)
– Selling items similar to Cash express
– link: https://magasins.easycash.fr/haute-vien…/ENT33-limoges-87100
5. NOZ (Opposite Easy Cash)
– This store does not sell second hand goods, it is mainly inventory, super cheap price. Everything is available, clothes, books, toys, food, …. Hard work up here can earn a lot of pretty unique items :))
– link: https://www.nozarrivages.com
6. Vide-Greniers second hand market 87
– This market is usually held on weekends at many different locations. Keep track of the calendar to see where the market takes place
– Types of markets: Marché aux puces (second hand market: sell all types, sellers bring home goods to sell, so you can bargain freely, surprisingly cheap). Brocantes (antique market: quite expensive), Vide maison or Vide ta chambre (will be held at the seller ‘s house because this person needs to move house and sell goods). There are also Bourses aux vetements (used clothing market), aux Jouets (used toys), aux livres (used books).
– Link: https://vide-greniers.org/87-Haute-Vienne
7. C’est deux euros (8 bis rue Adrien Dubouché 87000 LIMOGES)
– Shop 1 price (2eurs)
– Full of everyday items (new) super cheap price
They are located on each campus. They allow access to hundreds of thousands of books and 3,600 periodicals. Our university libraries allow you to prepare for your exams in optimal conditions with long opening hours during the academic year and book loan due dates adapted to your needs (access to catalogues and electronic documentation: 40 databases, 6000 journals online, electronic theses and scanned documents). Pleasant working spaces, many IT posts and reader services are made available to each student. You are also provided with a distance learning service via chat and email on the Ubib website.
Central Limoges is small and walkable but the this city also has an excellent public transport. The most common transport for students is trolleybus and bike.
Trolleybus systems
The bus hours in Limoges: Monday to Friday : 9:45 am to 6:00 pm, Saturday: 9:00 am to 12:00 am so you can definitely travel around Limoges by bus.
Point Bus TCL, 4 Place Léon Betoulle, 87000 Limoges.
• You can buy a single ticket (1.60€) that is valid for one hour or an all-day ticket (3.90€).
These can all be bought on board the vehicle.
• You can also go to the tabac to buy a ticket 10 times (10.60€) (without date limitation). Each time you use the ticket must be validate. After validate, on the back of the ticket will specify the number of turns, the time used and the remaining number. This type of ticket can be shared by many people, then you have to valide the number of times the number of people sharing tickets.
• Moreover, if you go by bus usually, you should buy 3-months and 1-year tickets (100€). You just need to your passport and your ID photograph.
To see the schedule of bus online, you can access to website http://www.stcl.fr/en or dowload the app mybus to your mobile phone.
Bike
Transport | V’LIM: 1 euro per month for students.
V’LiM is a long-term rental service for classic and electrically-assisted bicycles set up by the community of the Limoges metropolitan conurbation.
This service is open to everyone throughout the year, with reduced prices for students who undertake studies within the Limoges metropolitan area. The hirer must declare himself or herself capable of cycling and must not have a medical contraindication to riding on two wheels.
Where can bicycles be hired?
At the V’LiM office on boulevard de Fleurus in Limoges.
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