Welcome to the City of Le Havre!!! Don’t panic 
Located in Haute Normandy, just a 2-hour train ride away from Paris, Le Havre is a city of unique history. Entirely rebuilt by a single civil architect, the city was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2005, and it has been serving as a major maritime gate of France.
Unfortunately, there are some negative connotations attached to the name, Le Havre, and some French people might wonder why you chose such a city as your destination. Although there are a few dark areas – as with almost all other cities around the world – Le Havre is also home to renouned museums, beautiful gardens, scenic beaches, and historic landmarks.
Thanks to its proximity to other beautiful citites and towns, like Rouen, Etretat, Féchamp, and Caen, as well as the grand capital of Paris, you will have many opportunities to escape Le Havre and explore the Normandy and Ile-de-France regions.
Getting around:
Some students, who live further away, buy a 25-euro (per month) student bus card, which can be used in the entire bus network of Le Havre. If you live close to the campus and the city center, you can easily walk to most places within Le Havre. But, if you prefer a quicker way of getting around, another mode of cheap transport would be bicycles. The university rents out bikes, but there is also an association called SABINE, which sell used bikes for around 60 euros.
Nightlife:
There are several nightclubs in Le Havre, but don’t expect a high quality nightlife comparable to big cities like Paris, HongKong or Mumbai. However, there is a rather excellent variety, and most of the clubs are even free to enter. If you prefer hanging around in bars, there are several good joints near the beach and the City Hall.
Shopping:
There are several supermarkets, like Champion, where you can take care of your food needs. On Saturday mornings, there is a local market within a 3-minute walking distance from the student residence Labédoyère, and you may be able to buy fresh vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, and even exotic spices. You may also go to Espace Coty, a large shopping mall located near the City Hall. Inside, you will find a bit more upscale supermarket, called Monoprix, as well as an electronic appliance store, called FNAC; a sports equipment megastore, called GoSport; and a famous French bakery chain, called Paul. Within the vicinity of Espace Coty, you will also find Darty, another large electronic appliance store. There are some clothing stores, like Hugo Boss and Gant, and a cosmetic store, Sephora, on the other side of the City Hall.
More recently, a new shopping mall has oppened: les Docks. You can find a cinema, and every kind of shops (plus a laser game!!).
Restaurants:
For an extravagant meal, you may head to La Taverne Paillette, the oldest restaurant in Le Havre, founded in the 1580′s. There are also other upscale restaurants near the beach, like Mira Mar, but most students will resort to less expensive meals at local spots, serving French, Japanese, Chinese, and Middle Eastern meals. For a quick bite, you may also find refuge at McDonald’s and Dominos. You will also discover KEBABS that seem to be Le Havre’s favorite fast food !
