Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris (Paris International University Residence) — A Green Oasis in the Heart of the Glorious City
I visited Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris (also known as the Paris International University Residence) at 17 Boulevard Jourdan, and I was truly overwhelmed right from the first step into here.
This location just celebrated 100 years since its establishment — and just looking at the scale and architecture is enough to understand its enduring vitality. The campus is open freely to the public, so I leisurely strolled around without worrying about entrance tickets.
What impressed me the most is the unique architectural diversity from 40 different countries. Each dormitory building carries the distinctive style of a country: Japanese house, Mexican house, Italian house, Swiss house, Norwegian house, Spanish house, Brazilian house, Moroccan house... I went from one building to another feeling like I was "traveling the world" right in one campus. Even the "Maison internationale" — the main building constructed in 1936 with contributions from the Rockefeller family — also has a surprisingly historical and luxurious beauty.
As for the space, this place is truly a rare green oasis right in the middle of Paris. There is a large park for strolling, plenty of sports spaces, a library (though the space inside the library is a bit limited), a theater, a bar, and a cafeteria. I saw many people coming here just to relax, sit and read books, or walk their dogs — not students at all.
In particular, this is also a venue for regular events and exhibitions — I encountered a very interesting art exhibition during my visit. The magnificent houses are also used to host conferences, specialized seminars, and even some spaces with an extremely strange and captivating Asian temple style.
If you are staying or in the dormitory here, I heard that a 24m² room costs about 990 euros/month — a bit high but with a private kitchen and quite convenient facilities. Inside the main house, there is also a communal kitchen to mingle with students/researchers from all over the world — a completely free cultural experience in the literal sense!
How to get there: Take the RER B line to Cité Universitaire station is the most convenient, or take metro line 3 as well.
In summary, whether you are a student, local, or tourist, Cité Universitaire deserves to be on the "must-visit" list when coming to Paris. Not noisy, not commercialized — just the quiet beauty, green, and multicultural that makes me want to come back forever.
