Living in Lille

Home to the Université Catholique de Lille since 1875, Lille is a vibrant and dynamic university city at the centre of Western Europe. With swift connections to Brussels (35 minutes), Paris (60 minutes), and London (80 minutes), Lille is perfect for students planning to visit and study Europe. And there is always much to see and do in Lille itself – a welcoming multicultural haven.

Getting to know Lille and its region

Lille Tourist office

Open 7 days a week.
From Monday to Saturday: 9.30 am – 6 pm.
Sunday and bank holidays: 10 am – 4.30 pm
Closed January 1., May 1. and December 25.
3 rue du Palais Rihour 59800 Lille Cedex – Metro Rihour
lilletourism.com

More information on cultural events

"Le Chti", a guide of Lille metropolitan area edited every year by the students of EDHEC Business School

Regional Tourist Office

 

Living expenses

Estimated monthly expenses for 2021/2022

Accomodation (university dorms) from 240€ to 550€
Meals (university restaurant) around 300€
Phone & internet from 30€  to 100€
Electricity/water (in university dorm) about 60€
Transport within Lille Metropolitan area (pass including metro, tramway and bus) from 30€ to 60€
V’Lille pass (Public bike system) around 3,5€ (40€/year)

 

Information provided is only indicative. We recommend that you visit specialised websites as well as links provided in this section to accurately estimate your living expenses. 
 

 

    Money & Banking

    Opening a bank account

    Anyone staying in France for more than 3 months can open a bank account at the main banks.
    For shorter stays (less than 3 months), you will have to go to “Caisse d’Epargne” or to “La Poste” which offer the same service as banks.

    Documentations to provide: student card, passport and an accomodation certificate in French

    Banks situated near the Vauban Campus:

    Loss or theft of your credit card: inform as soon as possible your bank agency.

     

    Health Care
    • Health insurance 

    Students from outside the European Union spending more than 3 months in France are required to register to the national health insurance scheme, the « Sécurité sociale » (even if they come to France with their own health insurance). The registration is free of charge.

    More information about the registration and refunds

    Centre hospitalier Saint-Vincent
    Boulevard de Belfort – 59000 Lille
    Tel. (+33) (0)3 20 87 48 48 – Metro Porte de Douai

    Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Lille (CHR)
    2 rue Oscar Lambert – 59037 Lille Cedex
    Tel. (+33) (0)3 20 44 59 62 – Metro CHR B. Calmette

    In emergency cases, call SAMU (Emergency Medical Assistance): 15

    • Medicines

    Medicines are exclusively sold in Pharmacie (drugstore) recognizable by its green cross sign.

    Nearest pharmarcies in the Vauban area

     

    Post Office

    Mail boxes are yellow with the logo “LA POSTE”. Logo La PosteYou can stamp letters or parcels at the post office. Letters can be dropped of in any street mail box (check collection hours on the mail box) or sent from the post office. Parcels can only be sent from the post office. 

    You can find stamps at the Post Offices and at tobacconists’ shops.

    Nearest Post Office on the campus: 129 rue Colbert – 59000 Lille

    Operation hours:

    Monday-Wednesday: 9 am -12.30 and 1.30 to 5.30 pm
    Thursday : 9am- 12pm and « pm-5 :30pm
    Friday : 9 am -12.30 and 1.30 to 5.30 pm
    Saturday : 9 am- 12 pm.

    For further information, check this website and type « 59000 Lille » in the research bar. You will have access to information on all post offices in Lille. 
     

    Cell phone

    If you already have a cell phone, you can buy a French sim card from the following operators : Orange, Bouygues Telecom, SFR, Free.

    • Orange: 10 rue Neuve – 59000 Lille
    • Bouygues Telecom: 157 rue Léon Gambetta – 59000 Lille
    • SFR: 280 rue Léon Gambetta – 59000 Lille
    • Free : 6 rue des Manneliers – 59800 Lille 

    If you want to buy a mobile phone, operators propose two kinds of offers: monthly rates or pre paid cards. You can get the prepaid cards from the tobacconists.
     

    Getting around

    Public transportation

    • Buses run from 5:00 am to 9:00 pm (for night service, check the Ilévia website).
    • Metros run from 5:30 am to 0:30 am
    • Tramways run from Lille-Flandres or Lille Europe stations, to Roubaix or Tourcoing from 5 am.

    Tickets and passes for buses, undergrounds and tramways are sold in automatic machines inside each station and in buses. Passes can also be bought online. More information on tickets and passes

    Maps and timetables are available at Ilévia Information Centre and on Ilévia website

    For it to be valid, don’t forget to « tap » your card in the bus, at the control point in the tramway or metro station. A single card is valid for one hour from the first validation, it allows you to travel at will: connections, interruptions and returns included.


    Train

    The SNCF (national railway company) has an important rail network in the Hauts-de-France region. TGVs (high-speed trains) from Lille serve 60 towns every day. Reservation is compulsory on TGVs. The price for a ticket can greatly vary depending on the class, the time and the day of your departure and time of purchase.

    Swift connection to major European cities:

    • Lille - Paris: 1 h
    • Lille - London: 1h20
    • Lille - Brussels: 35 minutes
    • Lille - Cologne: 3h15 
    • Lille-Amsterdam : 2h30

    For more information: www.oui.sncf 

    Discounts are possible for students and people under 28 with the “Carte jeune 12-27 ans”. It is valid for a year and offers reduction from 25% up to 50 % for trips in France and abroad. More information on "Carte jeune"


    Bus

    Bus connection to other cities in France and Europe


    Taxi

    • You can get a taxi at the stations marked by a taxi sign or you can book one by phone. Extra charge is made for luggage. Fares can be higher at nights and weekends.
      Please note that some taxis may not accept credit cards. A ride from Lille train stations to Université Catholique de Lille will cost you from 10 to 15 Euros, depending on the time of the day and your luggages.
      • Gare Taxi: Tel. (+33) 03 20 06 64 00
      • Taxis Rihour: Tel. (+33) 03 20 55 20 56
      • Taxis Union: Tel. (+33) 03 20 06 06 06
         
    • You can also get an Uber, mostly for short rides and inside the metropolitan area.

     

    Food stores

    Open Air Markets

    Going to open air markets is a French tradition. There you will find a variety of fresh products like fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish. Some suggestions in the close neighborhood of the university, or in the historic city center:

    • Wazemmes market, place de la Nouvelle Aventure. On Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, from 7 am to 2 pm.
    • Place du Concert market in Vieux-Lille, near « Conservatoire de Musique ». On Wednesday, Friday, Sunday, from 7 am to 2 pm.
    • Place Sébastopol market On Wednesday and Saturday, from 7 am to 2 pm.

    Grocery store & supermarkets

    Usually open from 8 am to 8 pm, except on Sundays. Supermarkets often offer an organic food sector.

    Near the university:

    • Carrefour Express: 298 rue Nationale
    • Petit Casino: 204 rue Nationale (at the corner of rue Colson)
    • Carrefour Market: 281 rue Léon Gambetta
    • Match: 97 rue Solférino

    EURALILLE shopping mall (near Lille Europe station): Carrefour (hypermarket, open till 10 pm).
     

    All-organic stores

    • Biocoop Saveurs et Saisons: 98 rue Solférino (It is the nearest grocery)
    • Bio C’Bon: 154 rue Solférino
    • Naturalia: 342 rue Léon Gambetta


    Options for vegetarians and vegans, as well as gluten-free and dairy-free diets

    Traditional supermarkets often offer vegatarian and vegan options, as well as some gluten-free and dairy-free products. Hypermarkets tend to have a higher supply for specific diets. 

    All-organic stores traditionnaly offer a very extensive choice for vegetarians and vegans, as well as for gluten-free and dairy-free diet.