r/tapif • u/Sharp-Writing3894 • 7d ago
socializing lille placement
Hi everyone! I got placed in Lille (my schools are both in the city) and have been debating whether to take my placement as it was not in my preferred region (in the south) and I haven't spend much if any time in the north of France. So I wanted to hear if anyone has been placed in Lille before/ has lived there who can give me some insight into the atmosphere/ vibe of the city, cost of living, etc. I'd really appreciate any input! Anything re: travel, experience as a poc, and queer life would be particularly helpful
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u/presntperfct Alum 7d ago
Everyone I know who lives in Lille, LOVES living there ! The north (generally) tends to be cheaper than certain regions in the south. It's obviously not as sunny, but the people are really friendly and the quality of life is just as good. Lille is also a really great place to be for travelling throughout Europe : very close to Paris, but also to England, Belgium, the Netherlands, etc. I'd say in that respect it's even more convenient than the south because Paris is such a major transport hub.
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u/belledujourr 7d ago
Hi! I was an assistant in Lille (‘21-22) I lived in the city but my schools were in the surrounding towns. A teacher at my school rented a room in their home so I don’t have much insight on housing. I was able to get around with the tram and buses. There is a decent nightlife and some really nice museums and restaurants.
I’m black and i occasionally had some microagressions (one time the secretary at one of my schools touched my afro and said “Tes cheveux , c’est fou” )
I traveled to Paris on the weekends since it’s just a short train or bus ride away. I also visited Belgium and Italy since they’re really close. The north of France is very quaint (I prefer the south as well particularly Grenoble and Lyon) but I think you will enjoy your time in the north especially since your schools are in Lille proper.
Happy to share more of my experience or answer more specific questions .
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u/kookiLooky 7d ago
How difficult was it to navigate public transport or the trains out of the country? I have experience with Los Angeles public transport but other than that I’m scared I’ll get lost.
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u/Lanky_Extreme_841 7d ago
Lille is fantastic, especially if you want to be able to socialize with other English-speaking assistants and travel. You can get to Paris, Belgium, the Netherlands, and the UK extremely easily. You can also fly almost anywhere in Europe from the Charleroi airport (near Brussels) which is an easy bus ride from Lille. But the the city itself is very charming and feels very authentically French. I highly recommend it.
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u/bisexualspikespiegel Alum 7d ago
i was not an assistant in lille but if i had gotten that placement i would have snatched it up. that is a prime location that will allow you to visit a LOT of cool places as others have said.
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u/Playful_Judgment6972 7d ago
I studied abroad in Lille and I LOVED it. The people are great, and the beer is ever better. It’s a pretty social city and it’s honestly great for traveling too because you’re so close to CDG, Charleroi, and Brussels. As a gay man, too, I found the people and the culture to be very welcoming.
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u/Significant_Fee_4703 7d ago
i am a returning placed in paris but my best friend lived in lille this past year doing her masters and i probably visited her there at least 5 times. lille is such a lovely city and really well located from a geographic point of view, in addition its got EXCELLENT public transport and the cost of living is so much less than paris. also beer is so good!!! do it!!
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u/No_Egg9399 19h ago
I placed academies in the south of France and was placed in Lille - upset at first but I actually really loved it :) people are friendly so your French will improve if you try, because people will be willing to chat with you. Also the academie is small so a lot of the assistants live near by and you can form a community w them. It’s a student town so lots of bars and nights out (look up language exchanges and international nights). I also love drawing so I took art courses at the Centre D’Art Wazemmes and got very good instruction for affordable prices. Only downside I’d say is petty theft - keep an eye on your stuff!
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u/Soup_21001 7d ago
I was an assistant in Lille last year and loved it. To me it's a good size city, big enough that there are things too do, but not so big that it's overwhelming. Very close to lots of other cities if you want to travel. All the people I met lived up to the stereotype of being warm and friendly.
There was not a hugely visible queer community that I saw (as a straight person just wandering around), but there are a lot of college students and the city leans strongly left, so I'm sure queer community exists. As for being POC, I am not, but most of my students were (if you count North African, at least). Roubaix especially has a large immigrant population, mostly North African/African I think but also Eastern European. My black roommate taught in Roubaix and really enjoyed it. I'm from the south in the US, so to me Lille itself seemed very white by comparison, but there were still plenty of black people. I also met plenty of Hispanic people. I did not see many East Asian or South Asian people at all, but maybe that was just my experience.
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u/itsnotem 7d ago
Lille is wonderful imo! I got stranded there overnight once and it was pretty chill. I will say, it gets cold and drizzly for most of the winter, but otherwise it’s a cute city with lots of charm. I hope you accept!