BECOME A CH’TI

Living in Lille: crossroads at the heart of Europe

Only a 15 minute walk from the town center, ESTICE is at the center of Lille Metropole. With 1,037 millions inhabitants and more than 110 000 students, Lille is one of the most lively city of France as it’s the fourth largest urban area and the 3rd student city behind Paris and Lyon.

Located in the North of France, Lille is at the crossroads of European countries and gives easy access to big European cities. Indeed, it is 30 minutes away from Brussels (Belgium), 1 hour from Paris, 1 hour 30 minutes from London (the UK), 2 hours 30 minutes from Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and 2 hours 30 minutes from Köln (Germany). It makes it a real gateway to Europe !

Many significant companies actually decided to have their headquarters in Lille or in its peripheral areas: Auchan, Décathlon, Bonduelle, Castorama, Lesaffre, Boulanger, Kiabi, Leroy Merlin…This favorable context provides multiple job opportunities to our students.

students

min walk from town center

student city

#Culture – What is a Ch’ti?

« Ch’ti » is a dialect from the North of France. It sounds like French but with a strong accent. People started to call each others « Ch’timi » during the 1st World War. The word « Ti » means « Toi/You » and « Mi » refers to « Moi/I ». Soldats used to call their peers coming from the North of France. Now, being a Ch’ti is part of the culture.

How to become a Ch’ti?

Lille is the perfect place to become a Ch’ti. You’ll meet local students who grow up in the area but also others students coming from different regions. In Lille, many activities, dishes, habits and places will help you to become a Ch’ti.

Welcome to the Land of Ch’tis

Get a glimpse to the everyday life in Lille by watching the famous movie « Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis ». It might give you an idea of what you should expect.