Student accommodation in Bordeaux: the complete guide to successfully settling in Gironde

What type of student accommodation in Bordeaux should you choose?

Before getting started, it’s essential to define your priorities and your budget. Several types of accommodation are available to you in Bordeaux and in the surrounding university towns like Talence and Pessac.

Student residence (Crous or private)

The student residence is often the preferred choice for newcomers thanks to its practical aspect and its range of services.

Crous accommodation: the most affordable option

The Crous of Bordeaux offers rooms and studios often located on the campuses of Pessac and Talence. It’s the most accessible student accommodation in terms of price. Here are the advantages and disadvantages:

• Advantages: Very low rent (from around €200/month), in immediate proximity to universities, simplified formalities.
• Disadvantages: Limited number of places, need to complete a social student file (DSE) very early (between January and May).

Private student residence: comfort and services

Many private residences (like those listed on Studapart) are located near study areas or in the center of Bordeaux. They offer apartments (often studios or one-bedroom flats) furnished with services included:

• Standard services: Internet, laundry, gym, bike storage.
• Security: Secure access, presence of a team on site.
• Comfort: Turnkey accommodation, sometimes with a private bathroom.

These student accommodations offer an autonomous and reassuring living environment. The rent is naturally higher (on average between €450 and €650 per month for a studio).

Private apartment: studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom

Renting a studio or an apartment (one-bedroom/two-bedroom) directly from a private individual or real estate agency offers you more freedom and space for a slightly higher average rent:

• Freedom: You choose the exact location and amenities.
• Average budget: For a furnished studio in Bordeaux, expect an average rent of around €600 to €750 per month (including charges). This price varies greatly depending on the neighborhood and surface area.

Shared flat: the friendly option

The shared flat is an excellent solution to reduce the rent while enjoying a rich social life, ideal for young professionals or students who don’t want to live alone. Here are some key points:

• Savings: The rent per person is often lower (between €350 and €550 per room per month).
• Choice of accommodation: You can access large apartments in popular neighborhoods in the center of Bordeaux.
• Platforms: Sites like Studapart offer listings dedicated to shared flats.

Where to look for your student accommodation in Bordeaux? The ideal location

The choice of neighborhood is crucial and must be made based on the proximity to your place of study, the transport network and the atmosphere you’re looking for. Bordeaux Metropole offers a range of towns and neighborhoods suited to student life.

Neighborhoods to be in the heart of the action

These neighborhoods are perfect if you enjoy entertainment, nightlife and proximity to bars, restaurants and shops:

• La Victoire / Saint-Michel: Very popular, cosmopolitan and dynamic. It’s the epicenter of student life. The rents are reputedly more affordable than in the hyper-center.
• The city center (Saint-Pierre, Place Gambetta): You’re close to everything! Ideal for a young professional or a student whose school is well located. The prices are however higher there.

The campus towns: Talence and Pessac

If you’re studying at the University of Bordeaux (sciences, law, letters, etc.) or at Bordeaux Montaigne university, the towns of Talence and Pessac are strategic:

• Proximity: You’re a few minutes on foot or by bike from the university campuses.
• Supply: High concentration of student residences (private and Crous) and apartments.
• Transport: Excellent service by Tram B, allowing you to reach the center of Bordeaux in about fifteen minutes.

Pleasant alternatives: setting and controlled budget

For a calmer setting or a tighter budget, other areas are worth considering:

• Chartrons / Bassins à Flot: “Boho chic” atmosphere for Chartrons, more modern and rapidly expanding for Bassins à Flot. Well served by Trams B and C. Ideal for those who love the waterfront and trendy places.
• Nansouty / Saint-Genès: Quiet, residential neighborhoods, but near Victoire and well connected to the campus. A good compromise between calm and student life.
• La Bastide (right bank): Rapidly developing, the Right Bank offers new modern rentals with more affordable rents. Access to the center is facilitated by Trams A and C and the Bat³ (river shuttle).

Budget and housing assistance : lightening your rent

The price of a rental is a significant part of the student budget. Fortunately, you can count on assistance to reduce the rent.

Personalized housing assistance (APL)

APL is the main assistance paid by CAF. The amount depends on your resources, the rent and the type of accommodation (studio, room in a shared flat, etc.). Do an online simulation as soon as you have your final address.

Other expenses to anticipate

In addition to rent, your living budget in Bordeaux must include:

• Home insurance: Mandatory, expect between €50 and €100 per year.
• Agency fees: If you go through an agency, capped at €13/m² (file fees, lease drafting, inventory).
• Deposit / security deposit: Equivalent to one or two months’ rent (excluding charges), to be recovered at the end of the rental.
• Transport (TBM): The transport network of Bordeaux Metropole (Tram, Bus) is very efficient. The annual “Pass Jeune” subscription is the most economical option for those under 28 (around €25 per month).

Practical tip: Mobili-Jeune assistance

If you’re a young professional (under 30) on a work-study program, the Mobili-Jeune assistance can cover part of your rent (between €10 and €100 per month), a new opportunity to seize!

Tips for a successful student accommodation search in Bordeaux

The key to success is organization and responsiveness! Here are some tips to help you with your search:

• Start early: Ideally from April/May for a rental in September, especially for Crous residences.
• Be responsive: A quality student accommodation listing in Bordeaux doesn’t stay online for more than a few hours. Send a clear, concise and polite message as soon as the apartment is available.
• Physical vs. virtual visit: Favor an in-person visit if possible. If that’s not possible (especially for foreign students), many platforms offer virtual tours and reliability guarantees to secure the rental remotely.
• Beware of scams: Never pay money before signing the lease and the inventory.

Conclusion: your new student life in Bordeaux awaits you!

The search for student accommodation in Bordeaux is an important step, but it shouldn’t be a source of stress. By organizing yourself, targeting the right neighborhoods (Victoire, Talence, Pessac) and preparing a complete file with solid guarantees (like Visale or Studapart), you’re giving yourself every chance of success.

Bordeaux offers you an exceptional quality of life for your studies and your first years as a young professional. All you have to do now is find the apartment that will perfectly match your expectations to fully experience your student life.

Don’t wait any longer, your future student accommodation in Bordeaux is just a few clicks away!