So you’ve decided to study in Normandy? After choosing your course and institution, it’s time to think about how you’ll spend your free time! Whether you’re into sports, culture, volunteering, day trips, or nights out, the region is packed with opportunities to enjoy and make the most of student life.
Staying in Normandy over the summer? We’ll guide you through all the summer events and must-visit places.
Maybe you’re looking for accommodation? We’ve got all the tips you’ll need to find your new home sweet Normandy home!
Cultural, sporting and community activities
Being a student shouldn’t be all work and no play! Here in Normandy you can take a beach trip, go out on the town, enjoy all sorts of festivals and the student carnival… you definitely won’t get bored!
Alongside its vibrant nightlife and other student entertainment options, the region boasts a cultural wealth that could rival the French capital. Enjoy performing arts, music, contemporary art, local heritage, and historical sites. Many museums, theatres, concert halls, and art & literature libraries offer a wide range of events throughout the year.
Did you know? Caen is the most cinema-loving of student towns, boasting four cinemas, two of which are arthouse.
As the saying goes, “A healthy mind in a healthy body.” Which is just as well, because whether you prefer to exercise on land or on water, on a bike or on a horse, you’ll find an abundance of original and varied sports on offer in the region. The SUAPS (University Sports Services) in Caen, Rouen and Le Havre offer hundreds of activities throughout the year. The Normandy University Sports League organises competitions in Caen and Rouen.
Get involved with a society while you’re studying! The different departments and professional courses often have their own societies, as does the Bureaux des Etudiants (Student Union). You could also join a local group focused on social, sporting, cultural, ecological, international, or political activities. There are over 200 student societies in Caen, 100 in Rouen and around fifty in Le Havre.
Spending the summer in Normandy
Lectures have finished, exams are over, and school’s out for summer… Here’s what you can (and really should!) do if you spend the summer is our beautiful region (or any other season!).
The affordable cost of living
Still not convinced? Of all the major university towns in France, Rouen, Caen and Le Havre have the lowest cost of living for students: €899 to €936 of average monthly spending, including rent (UNEF annual study – 2022). And towns such as Cherbourg, Evreux and Alençon offer even more value for money.
Useful links
- The CROUS helps students with everyday issues such as grants, accommodation, catering, social support, campuses and student jobs. You can find a wealth of information on their website – the perfect toolbox to finding your way around student life!
- The Region of Normandy offers a wide range of support for young people in Normandy, whether for higher education, sports and leisure, international mobility or community service.
- The Atouts Normandie scheme offers discounts on leisure activities and training programmes in the region and abroad to 15-25 year olds.
- Normandy’s Plateforme Emploi lists all job vacancies in the region, including internships and apprenticeships, as well as student jobs! You can send your application on the online platform.
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