This page may not contain all the information that you might be waiting for if you are a student planning to go to France...

As I am French, with family in the country and going there regularly most of this was quite straight forward for me:

• I have the French nationality and therefore did not require any resident permit or authorisation
• I already had a bank account set up with "Le credit Agricole". I'm with them because the rest of my family is but I believe that "Societe Generale" offers some special deals for students
• As far as insurance is concerned, I went through "La MAAF" for my room and for public liability insurances for the same reason as above
• Health Insurance is different if you are French. For me it was compulsory to pay the "securite sociale" to have basic needs covered (meaning reimbursed). On the top, you then can add a mutual company that will reimburse some cost further. I don't think that this applies to Erasmus students and the E111 form might be enough
• Everyone is entitled to government help for rent as a student. The organisation is called "CAF". There is an online form to fill and then follow up. The process is to be done when you arrive as it takes a bit of time but it is worth it! I was receiving slightly less than 100 euros (it reduced my rent to 185 euros)