OVERVIEW
Saint-Etienne is not the most famous French city except for its football team and the warm welcoming people. There is though a quite important university with a lot of activities for students, living here is quite cheap and not far from Lyon for those who prefer bigger cities. It's the perfect city for students who like countryside sport, and being outside.
Stéphanois (people living in Saint-Etienne) have always worked like beavers: they are farmers, collier, lace marker, gunsmiths.
The “gaga” is the local language with a local accent. Some of the expressions: beauseigne: oh y poor / cacasson: to kneel
Football: it is famous for its color (green) and the team’s name is ASSE or “Les Verts” = the greens. It is the most famous French football team from the late sixties which still embodies the stéphanoise identity. The fans are also famous for livening things up and cheering in the stadium (ask your host to sing you the famous song!!). For the fans of football a museum exists (=> the best from Saint-Etienne => museums)
Food:
La rapé is a potato galette with eggs and fried
La patia: mash potatoes cooked for hours with cream and butter (so healthy and so good when it’s cold outside)
Potato with Sarasin (cheese)
Chocolate Weiss: it ‘s a worldwide famous dessert
UNIVERSITY AND HOSPITALS
Saint-Etienne has got its own medical university. Since 2015 the building is brand new and right next to the hospital. The hospital is quite important it has got many departments.
RESEARCH PROJECTS AND LABS
Not SCORE active (yet).
BOARDING
- The lunch is at the cost of the Hospital Restaurant
- The breakfast and the dinner are at the cost of the French Host
LODGING
The old Outgoings welcome the Incomings in their flat/house.
TRANSPORTATION
To come to Saint-Etienne, the easiest way is to take a flight to Lyon "Airport of Saint-Exupery" and then take the train to Saint-Etienne's train station "Chateaucreux". The other way is to arrive at "Paris' Airports" and take a train to Saint-Etienne. Then, at Saint-Etienne, you should take a monthly ticket which will allow you to take daily the tramway.
MUST SEE
To appreciate the culture of Saint-Etienne :
- Coal mine
- Design museum
- Opera
- Stadium Geoffroy Guichard
- Countryside
Lyon, Vienne and Le Puy-en-Velay are really nice cities nearby which were very important in french history. (In September, Le Puy-en-Velay hold a large medieval festival, and the whole city delve into the past)
- Coal mine
- Design museum
- Opera
- Stadium Geoffroy Guichard
- Countryside
Lyon, Vienne and Le Puy-en-Velay are really nice cities nearby which were very important in french history. (In September, Le Puy-en-Velay hold a large medieval festival, and the whole city delve into the past)
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION
You must come with a certificate of vaccination for Hepatitis B / diphtheria/ tetanus/ polio/ tuberculosis.
You will be given malpractice insurance at your arrival for no charge.