Looking to go on a student exchange? Go for it, it will be an amazing experience and a great way to improve your language skills. If you want to learn French, here are some of the best cities to experience a real Francophone student exchange!
The Best Francophone Cities to Go on a Student Exchange
Going on a student exchange during your university years is one of the best things a young 20 something can do. You learn so much about various cultures, about living in a new city and you also learn a lot about yourself. You make new friends, you experience various traditions, etc. It is a great way to travel if you’re interested in seeing the world. There are so many different countries you can choose as your exchange country. If you’ve always wanted to learn French or you wished you were still taking your high school, French classes, you should spend your university exchange in a Francophone city.
Lyon, France
Lyon is the third biggest city in France. This cosmopolitan and rich in history city is perfect for someone who loves the city but doesn’t want to feel overcrowded. The École Normale Supérieure de Lyon is the 5th best University in France, so if you’re looking to go to a prestigious school so you can boast about it later, this is the place for you. You can take a train to almost all the major European cities from Lyon and easily get to Paris. If you’re a fan of French wine and wish to visit as many vineyards as you can, then Lyon is a great base camp.
Montreal, Canada
Montreal is much cheaper than European cities (especially if you are American or European because of the exchange rate) but it is still full of beautiful architecture, history and happy people. The city has three great French universities (Université de Montréal, HEC and UQAM). Montreal has tons of festivals all year round, you’ll get to experience snow (!!!) and it is still easy to get around if your French is not so great. Since it’s cheaper than being in France, you can keep your money to travel to the Laurentians, the Eastern Townships, Québec City, etc.
Geneva, Switzerland
Geneva is part of French Switzerland. It is located at the southern tip of the Léman Lake and is surrounded by mountains and the Franco/Swiss Alps. If you’re a nature lover who enjoys hiking and boating, this is a great city to explore during your student exchange. You can easily visit all of Switzerland by train since their train system is so developed and easy to understand. Geneva is quite small so if you don’t enjoy the hustle and bustle of big cities, you’ll feel right at home here. If you want to become a diplomat, you can visit the United Nations headquarters and feel inspired there!
Strasbourg, France
Ever wanted to live in a fairytale city like in those Disney movies you watched when you were young? It can happen! Doing a student exchange in Strasbourg will have you singing corny songs and even maybe meeting a prince charming (anything is possible). Located right next to the German border, you can even practice your German and hop into Germany in no time. This city has one of the best French universities: The University of Strasbourg. If you love small cities, nature and you love European history, this is the place for you.
Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe
Do you love the warm wind of the Caribbean Sea? You can study in Guadeloupe and wake up every morning with that beautiful, seawater breeze. Studying in Basse-Terre will feel like you’re on a permanent vacation. Guadeloupe is still part of the European Union so you will pay in euros but with an average year-round weather of 30 degrees Celsius, you’ll truly found heaven. If you’re studying marine biology or you’re interested in French and Caribbean history, this is the best place for your student exchange.
Rennes, France
Ever wanted to visit Brittany in Northwestern France? Here’s your change! A student exchange in Rennes will be a great way to get immersed in the French culture. This is a very historical city, there are great museums, medieval architecture, a beautiful river, etc. The schools are great and the nightlife is well-known so if you enjoy partying and meeting you people in bars and various festivities, this will be a perfect place for you. This city is smaller than Paris and Lyon but you still feel like you’re in a city and not a village. You can easily get to other European cities, to the UK and you’ll finally understand the real difference between France and Brittany.
Marrakech, Morocco
If you’re someone who enjoys adventure, visiting out of the ordinary places and new cultures, Marrakech is a great place for your student exchange. You might learn a little bit less French since even though this country does have French-speaking people because of its French colonial past, it is still an Arabic country. It is a great student exchange country this it is the gateway between Europe and Africa. You can easily visit Spain, Portugal but also Algeria, Tunisia, etc. Yes, you have to think of all the different cultural differences but you won’t regret spending some time in this rich country.
Montpellier, France
Montpellier is located in the south of France and is a very historical French city. If you love being warm and enjoy beaches and outdoor activities but still enjoy cultural activities like going to museums, this is a great place for your student exchange. Nice, Cannes and Saint-Tropez are all nearby as well as Spain but you can also visit beautiful museums in the city like the Fabre museum, and look at its beautiful architecture that dates back to the 14th century. A quarter of the population in this city is students so you know you’ll get to meet tons of young kids from all over the world.
Québec City, Canada
Québec City is like the quieter, well-behaved little sister of Montreal. The city is smaller, the nightlife is a little bit less large but here, the (large) majority of people only speak French at school, work, in the streets so if you’re really looking to improve your French to become bilingual, this is a great place for you. The Université de Laval is the main university in Québec City and is located in Sainte-Foy, very close to the city centre. You have great skiing near there and hiking, biking and other sporty activities available. The city has two huge festivals: one in the winter called the Quebec Winter Carnival and the Quebec City Summer Festival so whether you choose to do a fall or spring semester, you’ll get to enjoy at least one of them.
Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Louvain is south of Brussels. This city has a great French university called Université catholique de Louvain. This is the largest French-speaking university in all of Belgium so it is a great place for you to learn French. Again, this is another very central European country so if you’re planning on travelling a lot during your student exchange, you can easily get to Brussels (Belgium’s capital) and go to France, Germany, Holland, England, Switzerland, etc. Louvain-la-Neuve is a small city so this is a better choice for people who enjoy quaint university towns with lots of history.
Which city would you choose for a student exchange?
