Here are some good ideas so that, as a student, you can make the most of your stay in the city. Because there are a lot of things to do in Nice with a small budget. That is why it is absolutely necessary that you get a student card or a certificate of studies proving that you are studying in the city, because in Nice – and really everywhere in France – this card will only give you advantages in your day-to-day life.
You will also be able to take advantage of transportation in Nice, where sometimes you will have very good offers. There will also be grants and discounts for cultural or sporting activities, as well as housing subsidies paid by the CAF. Take advantage of these bargains!
Discounts for students
As a student you can get many discounts, especially discounts in fast food restaurants, movie tickets, museums, etc. For this, it is important to always carry your student card (or school certificate).
You will always have access to preferential rates for students in all activities in the city: libraries, theater, opera, discotheques… Never forget your student card, it will considerably reduce the cost of your expenses in Nice!
Transportation
The bus, tramway and any public transport pass will be cheaper for students. The same goes for bike rentals.
If you live outside Nice and your town or village is served by train, the SNCF has created the ZOU card for students, which offers unlimited travel between the station near you and the Nice station. This ZOU card subscription costs only 15 €… per year! You just have to be a student and under 26 years old. Documents required are: school certificate and proof of residence.
CAF (housing allowance)
The CAF (Caisse d’allocations familiales) is an economic plan for housing, a financial aid provided by the government that helps you pay your rent. The amount varies between 90 and 180 €, depending on the person’s financial situation. This housing assistance does not exist in all countries and it is a great advantage to have it in France, so you should take advantage of it, as you are entitled to it whether you are French or not.
Subscription to SUAPS
The SUAPS (Service universitaire des activités physiques et sportives) will give you access to all sports facilities and activities in the city during the school year. In Nice there is a wide range of almost 90 different sports activities! You can practice almost all the sports that exist. There are sports infrastructures in the city, as well as access to the sea and the mountains, which allows you to develop other outdoor activities. The price of the SUAPS subscription is only 30 € per year. Some of the activities offered are: swimming, surfing, kayaking, hiking, tennis, dance….
There are usually a limited number of places for each activity, so it is best to sign up beforehand, so be quick and ask about the available activities!
Museums
You will see in more detail in the part dedicated to museums, but let me tell you that, on presentation of a student card, almost all museums in Nice are free of charge. There are museums of all kinds, you will inevitably find an exhibition you like! The same goes for some theaters and other types of shows – it’s worth going to have a look!
Loyalty card
The loyalty card works in many places, and it costs nothing to ask for it. Life is expensive in France, and even more so in Nice, so get as many loyalty cards as you can and take the opportunity to save money.
When you go to eat at fast food restaurants or kebab shops, the locals often have a loyalty card with promotions like “after so many meals bought, we give you one free”. Offers like this will allow you to eat sometimes for free, which is wonderful for a student!
Obviously, in any clothing, shoes and accessories store you can also get loyalty cards, which will offer you bargains, discounts, free products, etc. after a certain number of purchases.
And there are also cards for shopping in supermarkets! If you have to do your shopping several times a month, or even several times a week, don’t forget to ask for a loyalty card from the supermarkets you visit regularly. In general, you will benefit from bargains, in-store promotions, discounts… You will have money accumulated on these cards and your next purchases will be cheaper. It’s a great way to save money. Think about it!
Similarly, if you go to the cinema, theater or sporting events regularly, look for season ticket offers, monthly passes and other benefits that can give you unlimited access, rather than paying full price every time you go.
Where to get the best deals in Nice
Expenses are frequent for students, especially when they come from abroad and cannot bring many things with them, having to buy everything on the spot. So it becomes almost an obligation to look for good deals and places to save a little.
Buying food, clothes, accessories for the apartment (because there is always something missing), the best prices for alcohol, eating out, etc. Here are some tips to help you with your shopping in Nice.
Food
As for food, I advise you to avoid buying everything all at once in the supermarkets or stores in town. As you will see, there are many stores in Nice to do your shopping, so do not hesitate to compare prices a bit. The supermarkets or small supermarkets in town, like Carrefour or Carrefour Express, or Casino, are still good, but I think it is better to go there just for some products when you need something to eat, in fact they can help you a lot, but still everything is more expensive than in the big supermarkets.
The best thing to do is to go shopping once a week, for example in a large supermarket. You have the Carrefour TNL in the Riquier district, which is a shopping center with a large Carrefour. It’s certainly one of the best places if you’re in town because it’s really not far. If you live in the western part, you have to go out of town to find a large department store. It’s not very practical, but if you have a car or a means of transportation, it’s still much cheaper to buy in bulk there.
Alcohol
The same goes for alcohol. The prices are different if we compare a small supermarket and a large supermarket. The price of a bottle of alcohol may well differ by 1 to 2 € between a large surface of the city and a supermarket, so if you buy in large quantities, it is better to go to a large surface!
Beers and wine also have varying prices, but the difference is less important. The best thing to do is to go to large supermarkets from time to time, and even go with several people, to save as much as possible.
If one day you go to Italy for a walk or a visit, do not hesitate to go to a supermarket before leaving, alcohol is cheaper on the other side of the border, and we are talking about several euros difference per bottle! So if you go to refuel there, you can save considerably on alcohol. Ventimiglia is very accessible by train (just 45 minutes and tickets from 5 €) Combine visiting and shopping!
Clothing
As for clothes, of course there are plenty of stores in and around Nice, both in the city and in the shopping malls, so you will find what you want. The best ways to buy your clothes cheaper are as follows:
- Go to the malls, the prices there are sometimes lower than in private stores, especially in the city center. You can also go to the lesser known stores. Although they are not as well known as the brand stores, the quality is sometimes better and at lower prices!
- Don’t hesitate to go out of town; prices are always lower in the outskirts. There is a huge shopping center between Villeneuve-Loubet and Cagnes-sur-Mer, 15 km from Nice, called Polygone, where you can find many stores, including a Primark. Primark is the best place for clothes near Nice, you won’t find anything cheaper for your shopping, the prices are really amazing!
- There is a very famous market in Ventimiglia. If you shop there you can get it cheap, because it has very interesting prices. The only problem is that the quality is not always certified and sometimes you can find fakes, beware of scams, fakes are illegal!
Housing: furniture, accessories, decoration
Very often we are missing things at home, even when we rent a furnished apartment. At https://karta.com there are some ideas to help you find things at a lower price.
The best value for money in France for furniture is undoubtedly IKEA. Luckily in Nice there is one since 2018, so be sure to take advantage of it. You have other such stores, including a Darty near Jean-Médecin, where you’ll find furniture, electronic accessories, etc.
There’s also Emmaüs in Saint-André-de-la-Roche and other second-hand stores where you can find really cheap things, such as furniture, small accessories, decoration, etc. These are stores that promote recycling, and so when someone moves or has to get rid of something, these stores take things back and sell them at very, very low prices. They are certainly interesting places to shop.
The Leboncoin website is very well known in France. There are private advertisers and traders. Here you can find everything, anything, both new and second-hand items. If you miss a microwave, a bicycle or anything else, take a look at Leboncoin; you will always find your desires at a good price.
There are also students returning home or people moving out who will sell you everything very cheaply or even give you things they can’t take with them. Ask around on Facebook pages or from students.
Go out to party: drink or eat something
You have the right to go out a little. It’s always nice to eat outdoors with your friends or go for a drink – a little social life never hurts! So here are a few tricks to allow yourself these little escapades.
- Bars: going out for a drink in a bar in France is expensive, however you have happy hours. Take advantage of them, they are usually around 17:00, for 2 or 3 hours. Bars lower their prices, so you can afford to have a drink with your friends after school or just before lunch, and there are a lot of young people who go there at that time!
- Discotheques: the entrance to the discotheques and drinks are quite expensive in Nice, it is best to check which days are preferential for students. In general, entry is cheaper or free during the week; parties organized by students are also cheaper options.
- To eat: I recommend fast food, it is the best for a student, the cheapest. You also have affordable pizzas and hamburgers; don’t hesitate to share this kind of meals with your friends, the simple things are sometimes the best!
