Housing in Montpellier
Skidmore offers students the opportunity to live in one of three housing options - with host families, in a shared apartment with other program participants or a studio apartment.
Homestays
French majors and minors are required to live in homestays. Living in a foreign country
is exciting, enriching, interesting, and sometimes, frustrating. It is a fascinating
experience in which one learns about different customs and how to speak another language.
For this reason, the home-stay experience is one of the program’s most valuable aspects,
as it allows students to fully participate in French culture on a daily basis.
As the family experience is so important, we take it very seriously. The UMN staff
in Montpellier pay special attention to the personal welfare of the students, and
as a result, evaluate each host family regularly to ensure that our families continue
to be appropriate for our students. Each applicant completes an extensive Housing
Questionnaire, which the staff in Montpellier use to match students and families to
the best of their ability.
The student's preferences concerning personal comforts, eating habits, health requirements
(smoking, allergies, etc.), and family composition are all taken into consideration
during family selection. Once the student has been placed in a French home, the Montpellier
staff is in regular contact with both the student and the family to assure that the
adaptation continues to go smoothly.
Each student has single room with a family (single woman, mother with children, a couple, or a couple with children at home). Most likely these will be in apartments. The rooms will have study space and a bed and laundry facilities will be available. You might have a shared bathroom or an ensuite, depending on the housing. Most homestays are located within a 1 hour public transport (tram and/or bus) commute of the program center and/or University Paul Valery.
The best part about living in a homestay was the support I felt from my host parents as well as the opportunity to improve my language skills and experience cultural immersion outside of a classroom or internship setting. Most nights, we would have home-cooked dinners together where we would share and check in about our days. Our conversations ranged from my host parents' favorite music groups and art to French grammar and their thoughtful advice about living in Montpellier.
Ella Provost '25,
Shared Apartments
Students share apartments with 1-2 other program students rented by UMN in and around the city center. Most apartments have shared bedrooms. Students will be able to cook for themselves in the apartment and live independently in the city.
Studio Apartments
Small studio apartments are located in a single building with small private bathrooms and kitchenettes. Students will have a single bed and desk. The building is about a 20 minute walk from the Program Center.
Housing is provided during breaks and holidays. Most students use this time to participate in a UMN sponsored trip (cost is NOT included in your program fee) or travel independently in France or the region.
MEALS
Depending on which housing option you select, your meals will either be provided or you are responsible for providing your own.
The host family will provide breakfast daily and dinner each weekday, as well as all meals during the weekend. Students will also receive a stipend to be used toward the other meals not provided by the host family and local transportation in Montpellier. Students will have access to kitchen facilities and storage in their homestay but will need to discuss with their host family what the rules are for the house. Students often grab a baguette and cheese for lunch, or eat at a local cafe. There are plenty of affordable eating options for students and the UMN staff can help students figure out how to eat on their budget. Skidmore students are provided a small stipend to assist with additional meals, mainly lunches, outside of their host family.
In shared apartments or studio apartments, students are responsible for grocery shopping and cooking their own meals, or eating out/take-away. Basic kitchen supplies are provided but cooking in the studio apartments is more limited. Skidmore students receive a stipend to help with meals throughout the semester.
