Hi, I’m Steffan Jones and I’m currently enjoying the tail end of my year abroad spent in Aix-en-Provence, France as part of my MLang degree in French and Linguistics. Presented with the potential option universities for the year abroad in French-speaking countries, Aix-Marseille University stood out to me immediately due to its well-placed location and respected worldwide standing. Thankfully, I can say with certainty that my experience here has surpassed my expectations that I had for my time abroad and returning to Southampton to finish my degree will definitely take some readjustment! This blog explores a few of the most important points about my time in France and can hopefully provide some useful advice to those undertaking their year abroad in the future.
Aix-en-Provence is a city with slightly over half the population of Southampton, though it feels even smaller than that and possesses a constant vibrancy and liveliness in spite of its size. It is a beautiful city with a gorgeous old town and is dotted with museums and galleries that reflect its rich history. Aix is a 30 minute coach ride from Marseille, France’s second-biggest city which is also a hive of activity though more cosmopolitan and culturally diverse. Anyone spending time abroad in Aix will vouch for the fact that their experience has been enriched by time spent in Marseille, just as students and tourists staying in Marseille are drawn to Aix and its comparable small-town feel.
Aix is a major student city, home to the humanities faculty of Aix-Marseille University though only a fraction of students are able to live in Aix. I had the pleasure of living in CROUS student accommodation on the outside of the city, just a 20 minute walk to uni or a 10 minute bus to town. In contrast to prior warnings, the accommodation ended up being very modern, clean and spacious although living in a studio means more effort has gone into making plans to avoid feeling isolated. I was lucky to be placed in the same accommodation as 2 other Southampton students which was a comforting first stepping stone to making other friends.
People here have, in general, been friendly and welcoming – I think the popularity of Aix as a location for tourists and students alike means that locals are accepting and grateful to those learning their language rather than snooty as I thought may be the case initially. One big scare was in our arrival meeting at Aix-Marseille – this didn’t set the best precedent for how the rest of the academic year would go and suggested that there was very little room for error when it would come to exams and having your uni work in order. In reality, regulations were not enforced as strictly as it first seemed, and most lecturers were engaging and appreciative of contributions from international students. The international student community here is huge and it was easy to integrate and find your own people – I most enjoyed the first few weeks getting acquainted with people and meeting new faces that you’d continue to see throughout the experience here. Without a doubt, it does take more effort to speak to locals but having a group of people you chat to in the local language is super important and enriched my sense of the local area.
To finish, I have a few tips for students looking to study in Aix that I wish I knew before coming out here:
1. Do everything within your power to secure CROUS accommodation – a certain number of places are reserved for international students and you don’t want to miss the chance to stay in this beautiful city. The alternative is likely commuting from Marseille or a neighbouring town which left some students feeling isolated.
2. Brush up on cooking without an oven – although I was lucky to secure a studio and en-suite, this did mean that I had to learn to cook with just two hobs. Make sure you go over with a few meals that you know you can cook for yourself!
3. Lectures in French can be tough but participate as much as possible – you will not always understand a lecture, or even begin to understand a topic (Ancien Français was my downfall). In spite of this, engage as much as you can – as bad as it sounds, some lecturers will pick their favourites and this can stand you in great stead later down the line.
4. Travel as much as you can, you may never have this opportunity again! – look at local trips with BlaBlaCar, FlixBus etc. In my last few weeks here I’m looking to visit places within a few hours drive such as Montpellier, Nice, Monaco, Nîmes and Toulon. Do as much as you can because this really is a great area and absolutely worth exploring!
A Year in Aix-en-Provence