Week 1 Discussion topic: Expectations of Angouleme

Write at least 50 words about your expectations of Angouleme before you arrived and what are your first impressions of the City now that you have arrived. Also what should everyone visit in the town of your birth/where you went to university.

Before I arrived in Angoulême, I didn't know that much about the city... I already knew that it is a city known for its cultural aspect, especially for the comic books. I also knew that there is the Charente river going through the city. I thought that, since the city is quite in the south part of France, it was going to be a bit more often sunny and warm... Now that i'm here, what I like is the size of Angoulême, it's a small town and I like this. What I don't really like is the fact that the city center is on a hill, I didn't know this before. I have to admit that it is quite annoying for me to walk to the city center because I am living on the bottom of the hill.
I was born in Brest. What a tourist should visit there is definitly the castle of the city, it is really impressive. A tourist should also go to the sea ; there are a lot of lighthouses for example, it is really nice.

I made a lot of research prior arriving to Angouleme to discover the city better. I knew that it was a small city with a nice city center and restaurants, and the river is called Charente. I was only concerned that it might be colder than my hometown in Lebanon in the winter, I guess I'll be discovering more about this in the next few weeks.
Now that I have arrived here, I like the calmness and the peace in the city. I believe that living in Angouleme as a start after leaving my country was a great decision.
Lebanon has a lot of nice places to visit. But I would definitely suggest visiting the Cedars of God as they reflect the beautiful nature of the country and its history; as long as Baalbek Roman Ruins and of course Jeita Grotto.

Before arriving in Angoulême I didn't even know where this town was. After some research I had a few preconceptions, I thought it was a city with an older population and not necessarily a student population. Also, I'm not a big fan of comics and Angoulême is the capital of comics, so the city and the activities of the city were for me oriented towards comics.
Since I arrived, I noticed that there is a lack of parks in the centre, I also miss the sea. I don't really like the city, and I'm surprised that the buses don't run after 9pm.
Before being in Angoulême I was studying in Angers, which is a very student town, there is the castle and the tapestry very well known to visit, but also nice places to walk like the garden of plants.

When I was accepted for the master degree in Angoulême, I started to search for an apartement and to look at some videos about the city. I talked to my friends, I asked them if they know about the city and it was always the same answer "Angouêleme is the comics's city". When I moved into the city I finally understood what they were talking about. I didn't really have the time to visit Angoulême but I can say that it is a small city.
I'm from Reunion Island, a really beautiful island there are a lot of beaches, volcanoes and you can have picnics in the forest. I advise you to test the local dishes for example "rougail saucisse" or "civet zourite".

Before arriving in Angoulême, I had many preconceived ideas : the city was too small, not very lively, far from everything... The first time, when I came to visit flats, I found the city greyish and I didn't feel good. However, today my opinion has changed. It is rather lively, with students, the city center is cute, there are shops that we can't find everywhere, nice gardens along the Charente river, but also special cultural activities such as the comic museum or the paper museum.

Native of the Centre-Val de Loire region, I think that everyone should visit the Loire castles. My favourite is Chambord. I studied in Caen and visited the Memorial. It is very interesting to trace the history of Normandy. In Paris, I could not visit many things because of the pandemic.

I didn’t really have high expectations before arriving in Angoulême. I knew it was kind of a small city, so i was a little bit scared about the student life. But, i guess i was wrong. It’s a lovely city, no need to take the bus, you can easily walk or bike to reach the city center. One thing i like about this town, is that you’re not that far from the west coast so you can spend your week-ends accross the beach, feeling like you’re in vacations.
Last year, i studied in San Diego. Why should you visit the town ? Cause it’s in California, home of sunsets, beaches and tacos 24/7. If one day, you get the opportunity to travel there, i’ll definitely recommend ocean beach ; hippie vibes, bonefire and last but not least, the dog beach.

3 consecutive Amandines. My life is complete.

I didn’t know a lot about Angoulême before I knew I had to come here for my master’s degree. For the moment, I like this city because it’s quite small so it’s easy and not too long to walk to go somewhere (even if Angoulême is not a flat city).
I didn’t visit that much I only go three of four time in the center of the city during the last month but I think I won’t change my mind for the next 2 years.

I come from Poitiers and there are beautiful church to visit like "Notre-Dame-La-Grande". There is a park named "Blossac" with animals (goat, birds) and it's a nice place to sit and drink with friends in the Blossac café.

Before settling in Angoulême I didn't have high expectations, I knew it was a small town, I thought that there were not many activities to do and I also expected to feel a bit lonely since I'm not in the same town as my friends anymore. However, so far so good, Angoulême is quite pleasant, calm and actually there are way more things to do than I thougt (loads of restaurants, gardens, thrift shops, themed coffe shops, hiking trails...). Also, i'm not really upset about being far from my friends and family, I still see them often and I made one here lol.
I attended University in Poitiers, the river called Le Clain cross the region and there are some really good spots by the river where you can spend time and chill in the summer, I definitely recommend.

Before living in Angouleme:



After getting your CEPE Masters:

When I moved in Angoulême I'v already known what to expect because I was born in Castres which is a city with exactly the same order of magnitude.
My first impression is quite good, I like the cultural dynamics and the industries evolving around here. However, I find the weather and the overall humidity a bit depressing.
In my home town, I would recommend you to visit the Jean Jaurès plaza  and the Évéché garden downtown and take tour at Sidobre Stone River, a geological curiosity close of the city.

Before I came in Angouleme, I thought the weather would be really nice in this town. Also I thought to find a beautiful town, with beautiful buildings.
Now I open my eyes. Because the streets between my home and my school (the CEPE) are very dirty. There are wastes everywhere. My apartment have troubles, it's moist. The buildings are delabreted, except in the center of the town.
I didn't live in my birth town, so I can't talk on this town : Villeneuve d'Ascq. But I did live in Chartres and I will tell you to go see the Chartres' Cathedral. Then, I studied in Tours and I will tell you to go in the streets because is beautiful and clean, as not Angouleme.

Before, I didn't know Angouleme. I looked pictures on the web. On the pictures, Angouleme looked like a cute town, but very small. Finally, I am not disappointed because there are activities to do. But, it's really a small town.
I did my bachelor's degree in Nancy and Madrid. I loved studying in Nancy and Madrid because they are very nice cities. Nancy is a very student city and there is the most beautiful monument in France (place Stanislas). And in Madrid, there are a lot of activities to do like eating tapas or shopping.

When I learned that I was accepted into the CEPE master in Angoulême I was happy because I had been accepted into a master and didn't think much about the city. I had no expectations. Now that I'm here, I still managed to be disappointed. I like big cities, with a lot of activities and cultural things to do, where there is a lot of traffic, and noise and people on the streets, and Angoulême is the exact contrary of that. I miss making spontaneous encounters and friends while hanging out in the city. This might be because I've always lived in somewhat big cities (after my high school) where it was always easy to meet new interesting people. It's much more difficult to find people to connect with here. Hopefully, it's just the beginning and it will evolve.
As for my home city, Perpignan, I would recommend to visit the Castillet and go swim in one of the beaches near by because there's really not much else to do.

Before I move to Angoulême, I read a lot of testimonies about this city. A lot of them said that people were not very welcoming and friendly. I don't know if it's true because I haven't talked to many people since I am here (except to a baker and, yes, she was rude, so it's may be true). Moreover, I come from Normandy, in the North of France where it's always raining... So I was hoping for some sun in Angoulême. Now I'm here, I think it's difficult to move in the city, especially when you want to go to the city center. But I think it's a great small city, with a beautiful view and a lot of beautiful buildings.
If you come to Rouen, you can visit the Beaux-Arts museum and go shopping in the Gros Horloge street (there's also a great all-you-can-eat sushi, it's not really normand, but it's reaaaally good).

When I was accepted in the CEPE, I was so happy that I didn't mind having to move to Angouleme. I talked about my move to some of my friends and they all had the same reaction "Why do you want to study in a godforsaken place ?!". So before I came to Angouleme, I didn't have a lot of expectations ... and then I discovered the city. I was thinking the same thing than Dewey "I expect nothing, and I'm still let down". Why are there slopes all over the city ? Angouleme is a pretty town, but one day these slopes are going to kill me .
If you come to Bordeaux (a city without slopes ^^), you should definitely go the Grosse cloche disctrict and take a break at the "Books and coffee". It's one of my favourite places.

During my interview for the Master 1, I asked for the one in Poitiers, but wishing to do the M2 design of Angoulême, so the teachers redirected me to the Master 1 in Angoulême. I was a little disappointed to leave my hometown, especially since I had some reservations about Angoulême. However, since I arrived, despite the weather, which is the same as in Poitiers and which I still don’t like, the city is quite pleasant and the fact of being in a small class of 30 people allows us to quickly meet and discover the city together.
Being born in Poitiers, I think the most famous place is the Futuroscope. However, the city itself is quite nice to discover, there is plenty of history around the buildings of the city. Also this town has very nice bars.

When i was accepted at the CEPE, i already knew where was Angouleme because i come from Limoges and those two cities are pretty close. But, i didn’t really know that city. Like everyone else i knew the cultural influence of Angoulême thanks to The international comics festival, but that all. Now, the town looks small to me but i think Angoulême has various culturals visits to do. What I like the most, are car parks because they are free most of the time.

I was born in Limoges but I’ve study in University Of Bordeaux et lived there for three years. This city is so beautiful with so many things to do : the street st catherine, bookshop of Mola, walk on the garonne quay’s... Unfortunately, bordeaux is a big town and that’s why the life there is rather expensive for a student.

Before I move to Angouleme, I don't have expectations. Just I have heard of Angouleme for the cultural side with the drawing, the comic book and audiovisual training. But I didn't look pictures or anything about the city before coming to visite apartments. I think it's a good city for study for 2 years but it's all. I will not stay in Angouleme in the long term.
I was born in Fécamp (Normandy) and they are plenty of places to visit as Le Palais de la Bénédictine. The cities there have an anglosaxon side that I really like. And I studied in Limoges and in this city what’s interesting is history and architecture.

My expectations about living in Angoulême were really low. I didn't know much about the city, I just knew it was really small. Although half of my family comes from the region, I've never really visited this part of France and wasn't really interested. The only reason I was a bit happy was at least having found a master's degree. Now that I'm here, I can confirm that this city is not made for me. I miss the nice weather of the south of France, I feel like there is not much to do and there is a real lack of student life atmosphere.
I come from Aix-en-provence, for someone who would come to visit the city, I would at first recommend to hang out though the city cause it's a really nice one. Then if you like cultural activities I would recommend to visit "l'hotel de Caumont" which is an art museum. If you like sportive activities, then hiking at "sainte victoire" mountain should be a great way to spend the day.

Before I moved here, I knew Angouleme to be “the city of comics”. I've always dreamed of becoming an illustrator or a writer, I've heard about the numerous Game, Cinema and other Art Schools available in Angouleme. It's a bit funny to finally come here, not as a student in Art but as a student in Marketing. I knew it would be a small city so I wasn’t expecting much really but I’ve found its peaceful atmosphere to be quite relaxing. The city center is adorable and the plateau gives a breathtaking sight on the surrounding area, especially when the sun rises and set.  
I am from Reunion Island, it’s a small volcanic island but it’s lovely. Whether you like beaches or hiking, you are assured to have your fill. I prefer hiking or just taking a walk in the forests. Firstly, because there are so many endemic species to discover. But also, because there are various folktales that took place within the 3 cirques that are interesting to share with friends and family while walking the paths.

To be honest i didn't had any expectations of Angouleme, except the fact that the region will be hotter than mine, since im from Amiens. My expectations were real, first day in Angouleme, i was only in t-shirt outside, in september, which is not possible in my region, it's way too cold outisde to do that. And for my first impression, i was pretty surprized how calm it is around where i live, after 8pm none is outside except some old people with their dogs, i really appreciate that. I lived 3 years in Amiens for my bachelor and everyone should visit the Amiens Cathedral, it's really beautifull.

Before coming to study in Angoulême, it’s true that i had some preconceptions about this city. Native of Bordeaux, a big city in the South-West of France, very student, dynamic and attractive, i imagined Angoulême as a small village offering few activities and animations, especially for the student life. However, i had also heard a lot of praise for this city, especially for its notoriety in terms of cinema and its very famous comic book festival.
When i moved here in september, my opinion of Angoulême didn’t really change. Indeed, being used to a big city center, i find that this one is very small and doesn’t offer a great variety of shops. Moreover, in the evening, the few times i went out in the center, i found that it wasn’t very lively. Nevertheless, while walking around, i also discovered that the city has a nice historical center with a small square where cafés are concentrated and beautiful monuments well preserved (church, town hall …).
Respecting the city where i grew up and studied, Bordeaux, it’s rich in both culture and economy areas. Known worldwide for the quality of its wine production, i think that the must-see for any tourist is La Cité du Vin. Bordeaux is also a very beautiful city in terms of architecture (Place de la Bourse) which has managed to preserve its historical heritage while adding a touch of modernity (Miroir d’Eau).

Firstly when I received my acceptance letter for the Master’s degree, I was so happy because it’s a good news after all, but when I realized that I need to live in Angouleme, I was a bit upset and scared for some good reasons like the fact that I had never heard about this city before, and because it’s a small city so I thought it might be boring or dangerous (crimes or delinquency problems), so my expectations were very low.
But now, after a whole month in Angouleme, I am  pretty satisfied. The city is actually not that bad, there is a good atmosphere, beautiful artistic exhibitions on the walls, lively restaurants and too many young people.

I was born in Tangier, a beautiful city in the north of Morocco where the Mediterranean sea can actually meet the Atlantic ocean. So I recommend to enjoy the different types of beaches, to try Moroccan food and to take a walk in the old medina where you can clearly feel the different cultures and civilizations that have influenced the history of the city.