Living abroad is a very special experience. Discovering a new country, a new city, a new culture is a great way to enrich oneself as a human being. In other words: an unforgettable moment of your life which will more than probably make you grow and let a deep impact in your life. But all these knowledge is not possible to be made without people. Before mobility, a mix of excitement and apprehension can be felt. It’s a big step, leaving home and friends for a semester or two, with the important question: Will I integrate myself, and most of all make new friends there? But no worries, Bienvenü is here to give you some good advices to meet people in Lyon!
Share a flat
Well, it isn’t specific to your new city. It even applies to all places in the world! By sharing a flat with people, you’re directly building connections. Even better, share a flat with locals will let you dive into the culture and bring some benefits from the start of your experience: improve your French, eat French (it is a benefit!), or explore the french student way of living. Below, an overview of the most useful platforms to find a flat or flatmates. Please note: The best to do is to search for it after the arrival, to avoid bad surprises!
La carte des colocs
Website: https://www.lacartedescolocs.fr/colocations/auvergne-rhone-alpes/lyon
Le bon coin
Website: https://www.leboncoin.fr/colocations/offres/rhone_alpes/?th=1&location=Lyon
Appartager
Website: https://www.appartager.com/rhone-alpes/rhone/colocation-lyon
Sign up for a Buddy System
Taking part in the buddy system is a good and easy way to build a connection with a local. According to the time and expectations of your buddy, he/she will show you the campus or the city; and maybe introduce you to some friends and start hanging out with you in the student night life. So where to find a buddy?
In your university
Some universities are taking place the system. French students are up to offer a bit of their time, some of them also wishing to improve their English skills. Just get in touch with your contact in your welcoming university to get more info!
Cosmo Lyon
ESN Cosmo Lyon, an association organizing different events for Erasmus students, let you find a buddy on their platform. You just have to fill in a form to take part:
Website: https://lyon.ixesn.fr/le-buddy-system
Be a part of events
Hobbies… parties… as we say in France: the end justifies the means (this was just literally translated!). Don’t just stick to the university and leave your flat and your comfort zone. If you are a music enthusiast, love knitting, or playing chess try to find people with the same taste as you and go practice! Where to find them?
Meetup Lyon
Meetup Lyon is a very smart platform (and app). Just go through the different events (Yoga, theater, discovering Lyon) and sign up! You even can offer your own event and connect with people sharing your tastes.
Website: https://www.meetup.com/fr-FR/cities/fr/lyon
Intercultural meetings
We already wrote an article about the intercultural meetings with a language exchange as a medium. Those events happen often during the week, partly because several associations organize them, and they let you meet people in a nice environment, having a drink together and chatting in several languages.
Article: https://bienvenu.international/en/improve-your-french-skills-and-meet-new-friends-in-lyon/
Get the French accent!
Let’s end this one with a little joke. French people aren’t the best English speakers in the world, and in order to approach them and try to connect, maybe a tutorial about how to understand the French accent could be helpful. Enjoy (and maybe practice!)!
All those means are of course non-exhaustive, stay aware of opportunities, and you will certainly hear about some integration events such as the «Nuits des étudiants du monde», designed to welcome the International students. On the 12th October, concerts/bar/Dance Floor at the Transbordeur concert hall.
Any question ? Please don’t hesitate to contact me on Whats App, I will be delighted to answer you!
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