GGSB Student Life

I am trying to provide my insights and experiences as a student in Grenoble. They might not be of universal consensus and are subjective in nature. :)

Phone
You can get Lyca sim for free from any shop. I usually buy a 10 euros recharge with it and enable code *139*1240#. This code helps me with 6 hours talk time and 500 MB internet for 1 month. The pack cannot be recharged twice in a month. So be careful to check your talktime/internet pack on *137#. Without the pack, you will end up spending a lot on Lyca. And yes, you can make calls even to India with this pack. Lyca to Lyca calls are free. Me and my friends all bought Lyca so that we can enjoy the free calling within the group.The only problem with Lyca is you would not receive bank updates on your phone. It also means that you cannot make online payment if your security setting uses code sent by SMS.

Other Sim cards used are Free ( name is free. it isn't free). This shop is near Victor Hugo and this is a post paid card unlike Lyca. 20 euros will be deducted every month from your bank account. But you will receive lot of calling talk time and internet offers. Since I never used it, I don't have any more information.

Food
Ask for cards in any shop you go. These are visit cards. I dont remember the name exactly but after 10 visits they give you a free meal.
CROUS Canteen near the school offers wholesome meal in 3.50 euros.
O'Naan near school is an Indian fast food restaurant. You will get really awesome Chicken Biryani and Cheese Naan here! 5 euros for a meal.
School Canteen: Not so impressive for me. But it works out when you are late for the classes. 3.50 euros for a panini sandwich. 
Very Food: A small shop in Saint Bruno. You will get really good french fries as cheap as 50 cents. A veg wrap is for 2 euros. Cheapest so far.Really good quantity.
Punjabi Dhaba: You will get almost all north Indian cuisine here. I like the taste. Average spending: 15 euros.
Indian Tandoori: Another Indian restaurant. A small place. Cheaper than Punjabi Dhaba. 10 euros per meal.
Vietnamese Restaurent on Alsace Lorraine: Value for money. 10 euros a meal ( Appetizer, Main course, Dessert)

There are lot other small shops to try and experiment.

Cooking
I  mostly cooked my food. Its very cheap that way. On an average I spent 90 euros per month on food if I cooked at home. I usually used to cook at night and carry my lunch because usually the classes keep you quite busy. There are simple options. I can share a few easy recipes on demand :)


Groceries
Try to shop before 6pm. Take free membership cards. They offer you fair discounts every time you give them those membership cards before billing.
 Dia near Alsace Lorraine: By and far its the best place to buy groceries especially vegetables, fruits and chicken.Closes at 7.30pm.
Saint Bruno Market: Every morning except Sundays at Saint Bruno. Good enough. 
Casino near Alsace Lorraine: Good to buy Staples and larger variety of products. closes at 8.30pm
Carrefour: Costly. Didnt like it.
Geant Casino near Fontaine La Poya: Best for groceries and fish. Huge variety. cheapest fresh fish. (Tram A) Closed on Sundays. Other days closes at 8.30pm.
Geant Casino towards Echirolles(Tram A): Huge Hypermarket. Many shops. Crazy shopping for brands. I think it closes at 9pm. Don't forget to try a Thai Food place there. Its yummm!!
EuroAsia is a small indian grocery shop near Alsace Lorraine. And you will get most of the Indian cuisine item here. I used to buy wheat flour 4 euros for 5kg. Quite cheap!
Indian Bazaar: Another indian grocery shop. A bit costly than EuroAsia.

Household & other Items
Keep a watch for discount seasons in December and July. 
Sunday Markets at Fontaine La Poya: Sunday markets for buying second hand items. You will be surprised to find items really cheap. Don't hesitate to bargain. There are other Sunday markets too around the city. But this one is the one I used. It starts at 9am to 12pm.
GiFi at Fontaine La Poya: Ohh I love this place! You will find all new household items here at good prices. Take membership card!!
H&M: Cheap and good deals on clothes.
Old items on forum: There are many online forums that sell old items at good prices.

Travel
Buy Carte Jeune from train station for 50% discount on your train tickets. It costs 50 euros and is valid for 1 year.
Train has a luggage delivery service ( door to door service) every time you want to shift from one French city to another. They charge you money depending on the number of pieces of luggage. You have to call 0980983635 to book the details once you have paid money at the train station.
Trams are the best way to travel in the city. Your tram pass is valid for 1 hour after you validate it. You can use the same in the bus. If you buy tickets in the bus they charge you 2 euros but from the vending machine its 1.5 euros. You can buy a tram card if you think you will travel a lot. If you are 26 or above 26, you can get a tram pass for a year by showing your CAF document. It costs you 5 euros per month or year.
Bikes/Cycles: Grenoble is infamous for bike thefts. Even if you lock your bike or even if its a day, there is no guarantee your bike won't be stolen. So I decided not to get one. But if you are planning to get one, a second hand bike could cost maximum 60 euros and a new one minimum 100 euros.

French
Learn basic French before your arrive. Not just Bonjour!
Especially introducing yourself, asking for directions, asking for location, saying you cannot speak French, asking people if they can speak in French and crying for help :)
Use duolingo.com 

Accommodation
Always opt for furnished flats.
Washing machine in a flat is always a better option. 
Co-locations (min 90 euros) get lesser CAF than studios(max 175 euros) but at the end you end up paying the same in either case.
Your total monthly budget before CAF on rent, electricity, gas, water, internet should not exceed 460 euros and after CAF should be still less than 350 euros


Search flats on:
1) Facebook Group
2) Appartager
3) Leboncoin
4) Student Residences: Marie Curie, Europole, Botticeli, Savoie:  I am not a fan of these places because they most probably do not return your deposit money or behave really rude.
5) CROUS : Good on pockets. Need to book earlier.