Rouen - Daily Living

1. Accommodation 

Paid S$2000 for my 4 months rental (inclusive utilities bills) to stay at Pleaide and S$18/month for internet. Also entitled to S$300 CAF housing rebate. France social welfare system ftw. Unlike Anglo where exchange students throw parties almost every other night, Pleaide is much quieter as most residents are international students staying for longer semesters to pursue their MBA.  There is a common laundry/dryer area and trash collection point located a short distance away from my building. The only downside is that internet connection here is pretty slow so download shows in school if you have to.

Clockwise: Kitchen-Toilet-Shower-Study/Dining Area-Wardrobe-2 Bedrooms

Locals' residence located right opposite the bus-stop

Bus Stop 

Roads outside Pleaide

Season Change

2. Transportation

The bus fare paying system is similar to London's oyster card/ Singapore's EZ-link car's. You can top up your card at the machine located at the bus stop behind the book store or at Rouen rail station counter. Tops up are based on the number of bus trips and ten is the minimum. You tap your card when you board and alight from the bus. Regardless of the distance, one trip will be deducted from your card.

If you board another bus within the 30 minutes time frame, no further deduction will be made from your fare card. I didnt encounter any bus conductor during my entire 4 months but our friends saw this dude getting handcuffed off the bus by the bus conductor as he didnt pay his fare.

Waiting time for buses averages 20mins so its necessary to check the bus timing schedule. To read the bus schedule, you have to first spot the color of the date (1st photo below) and then check within that color for the desired time frame (2nd photo below).  It is good to arrive 5 mins earlier as buses don't run on the dot. I prefer to walk to school (10mins) from Pleaide.

3. Grocery

We usually do our grocery shopping at Carrefour and buy rice and eggs in bulk. There is also a Chinese store located at the Rouen city's central. It sells light soya sauce (no dark soya sauce), oyster sauce, beansprouts (crazy expensive), frozen wantons, frozen glutinous rice balls, canned Thailand green curry, curry spices, vietnam food, hotpot sauces, Yeo's drinks etc.