Student housing in Lyon: Discover the new "Maison Saint-Bernard"

This UCLy student residence has been reinaugurated after two years of work and a thorough renovation. "This renovation project was UCLy's real estate priority in Lyon", explains the Rector of UCLy. The Maison Saint-Bernard offers 150 rooms just a few minutes' walk from the Saint-Paul and Carnot campuses. 

A modern student residence

Moving to Lyon, finding accommodation, making friends, learning to live on their own... For young students discovering a new city, the workload goes far beyond academic requirements. The renovation of Maison des Étudiants Saint-Bernard, UCLy's student residence, has been designed to make life easier for them, both at university and beyond, with rents still below market prices in Lyon.

Work on the Saint-Bernard residence was more than just a renovation. The building was redesigned from top to bottom. It now comprises 150 10m² rooms, all air-conditioned and furnished (bed, fridge, closet, desk) with private bathroom facilities. Charline, a student at ESTRI, says: "It was a nice surprise to move in here, and I quickly found some friends."

The friends are Adeline and Nina, who have not regretted their choice either. They particularly appreciate the residence's proximity to the two UCLy campuses. " Being on the campus within a 10-minute walk, we couldn't have dreamed of anything better," explains Nina, an ESTBB student. Where they had only considered the Saint-Bernard residence as a temporary solution, the three students would now like to stay there for the duration of their studies at UCLy. "It's hard to find anything closer, especially for this budget. The 10m² rooms may seem small, but they're very well appointed," explains Charline. "But above all, we spend a lot more time in the kitchens, in the common rooms or in each other's homes...We look out for each other, and when we arrive in the evening we're happy to go home." 

5 million euros

This is the total cost of the renovation. “This work has been UCLy’s main property priority in Lyon,” explains Rector Olivier Artus. The building has benefited from funding from the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region to the tune of 9% of the total budget, and from the support of numerous UCLy patrons.

 

A meeting place

Each floor of the residence includes two communal kitchens, where students can get together to share a meal. On the first floor, the residence also includes a library, study and co-working rooms, a gym, a games room (table tennis, table soccer…), a chapel and a private garden with terrace. Workshops and activities are also offered to students outside the building (rock climbing, visits, etc.). Whatever your preference, there's always something to share!

27 nationalities

The Saint-Bernard residence now welcomes students from 27 countries – a truly international experience! “The fact that we have international students encourages dialogue, and we learn a lot from each other, discovering different cultures and different opinions. It’s very enriching,” says Charline.

UCLy housing department

"Providing quality student accommodation is a matter of social responsibility for UCLy," explains the Rector of UCLy. "Housing impacts the quality of life, and therefore the success of our learners. It's a parameter that we need to consider more and more and integrate into our overall support."

UCLy's housing service offers individual support for students looking for accommodation. The housing solutions on offer include UCLy's two university residences (Saint-Bernard and Saint-Laurent), as well as intergenerational solidarity housing, homestay and assistance with renting.

More than 1000 requests per year

Our university’s housing service manages around 1,000 requests for housing assistance every year, for more than 11,700 UCLy students and auditors.

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