Should I study abroad in Paris or Lyon?

Question

Hey folks. I'm a soon-to-be college freshman, and I plan on studying abroad in France during my junior year. We all know that Paris is the quintessential French city, but I also have an interest in Lyon. I'm just wondering which would be better to study in. I'm nearly fluent in my French, so that won't be a problem.

Also, I'm really into public health and epidemiology (if you even know what that is), so I've thought about maybe studying in Geneva, Switzerland instead. That's where the WHO (world health org) headquarters is located, y'know.

So where should I go? Paris, Lyon, or Geneva? Which city is best for a young student? Please help! :]

Answer 1

That is a tough decision to make. I would say Lyon. I studied abroad in Lyon for a year and absolutely loved it. I also went to Paris at least once a month because that is where my boyfriend is from and we would visit his family. I absolutely love Paris, but I was always happy to come back to Lyon. Lyon has a lot of history and is very close to Switzerland and Italy and is only 2 hours by train from Paris. The student life is great, there is always something going on. Paris is a wonderful city, but Lyon holds a special place in my heart. Good luck with studying abroad! You are going to love it!

Answer 2

I don't know that many French cities other than Paris, though I enjoyed my short visits to Bordeaux, Montpellier, Dijon, Lille, and Reims. I've never been to Lyon so I can't really comment. As for Genève, while I was only there for an afternoon (some two decades ago, to boot), I seem to recall that the cost of living there is rather prohibitive for those of us who aren't part of the jet set. Case in point, the price of a sandwich from a street vendor was comparable to what one would pay for a full meal in a restaurant across the border in France. I was born and used to live in France, but my schooling there was limited to two years of école maternelle followed by two years of école primaire.

Answer 3

I love Paris and Lyon but if you have an interest for Lyon then go for it. It is nearly as exciting as Paris but far less stressful and cheaper. People are friendly, relaxed, and the city is dynamic, beautiful and full of history. Oh and it's the French capital of gastronomy. Since it is also famous for its chemical, pharmaceutical and research industries it should match your interests.

It is only 2 hours to Paris by train so very easy to enjoy Paris too while living in Lyon. Mediterranean beaches and Alpine skiing resorts are also within two hours.

Now you may not realize that Geneva is very small, there is not much to it (one day will be enough to visit it) and people there have a very small town, bourgeois conformist and suspicious mentality. (I have two Swiss friends who hated living there and were so relieved to move to France for one and the US for the other). Spend a weekend there, it's pretty enough but don't live there unless you want to die of boredom.

I lived in Grenoble for 9 months and I would often go to Lyon to party with friends. I can feel you already love Lyon and I can only tell you you won't be disappointed.

Answer 4

As between Paris and Lyon I'd say its something like the choice between New York City and say, Atlanta. Both great cities to be sure but NYC is something very special. Same with Paris and Lyon. Lyon a great city, has, in fact, better food than Paris (which is high praise indeed), but its still not Paris.

As for Geneva, I second the remarks which say its dull. I travel there as an NGO delegate to the UN Economic and Social Commission which means that I have some access to the diplomatic scene with its champagne and caviar receptions and such and even with that I find it painfully boring, bourgeois and banal.

Answer 5

I've been to a few towns and cities in France (though never Lyon), and I've never been happier than in Paris. But if you really think you'll like Lyon a lot then follow your heart (and your budget since Paris is more expensive)...I wouldn't even bother with Geneva. Good luck though. You'll have an awesome time either way!

Answer 6

I suggest Strasbourg (Alsace, the crossroad of Europe) over Lyon, tons of students there, many speak English, German

Oh, check its faculte de medecine:

http://www-ulpmed.u-strasbg.fr/

Answer 7

I would suggest Lyon, The Claude Bernard campus in Villeurbanne is excellent... Both my children studied there.

Lyon is less expensive than Paris. There are several student residences (one is on Ave. Albert Einstein adjacent to the campus). My children were lodged there, and made friends with young people from many countries while living there. (We still keep in touch with a wonderful young ethiopian man from Addis Ababa!)

Once you have your degree, you could try for a specialization in Geneva, if you are still interested... (Geneva is also very expensive, best for a shorter stay).

Lyon, besides being a beautiful city, is also a historic and culturally wonderful city... AND the gastronomical capital of France! A lovely place to spend your university years...

Answer 8

I am originally from Lyon but I have been living in Paris for 2 yrs now.

I really like both cities. The choice would depend on what you expect from a city : do you want to go out and party every night, visit museums, go to many concerts? then go to Paris. If you prefer smaller cities with a more relax attitude, less stress, less expensive living, easy access to the countryside... then choose lyon.

I wouldn't recommend Geneva either.

Also, as you are into public health and epidemiology, you might know that it's a big industry in Lyon with a lot of labs and   companies like aventis, merial, pasteur-merieux. It might be useful if you need an internship some time...

Answer 9

lyon, most definitely. i studied there for six months working on my masters, it was absolutely an amazing city. its got beautiful architecture, lots of history, and the people are a lot more patient than in paris. its very easy to get around and you can go from one end of the city to the other by metro in about 35 min. its a lot safer and a lot cleaner.

geneva's a nice city, but there's not much to do there. paris is always a must to visit, but i personally wouldn't want to live there.

also, you may want to look into strasbourg, its as close to a college town as you'll find in france. there's lots of students, and its a really nice place to live/study.