In the continuation of the rubric “The food of Saclay”, recently, our journalist team visited the crous restaurant “les cèdres” in the Valley of Paris-Saclay area and as always rated it using the following criterias:

• Quality of food
• Quality of food
• Amount of food
• Restaurant staff
• Their speed
• Their kindness
• Time spent in the queues
• Location

Before we dive in, let’s understand what a crous restaurant offers.When visiting a crous restaurant, students have two meal options

• Casual crous meal
• Pizza/BBQ/Burger meal

Let’s start with the first one. For the given 6 points that cost 3.30 euros (1 euro for the students benefiting from a scholarship) a student can choose:

• Main course – 3 points
• Soup – 1 or 2 points
• Supplementary course (e.g: yogurt, salad, dessert) – 1 or 2 points

For the second option, the choice varies from day to day. For 5.30 euros a student can have:

• BBQ
• Pizza
• Burger
• Etc.

Now that we understand the concept of a crous restaurant, let’s continue our review.

Now, moving on to the “cèdres” restaurant itself. The first thing that can be noticed is the very long queue where you can spend more than 30 minutes just to enter the building; this is due to the fact that it is the only restaurant available in the valley that has to handle more than 10,000 students daily.

The second issue that stands out is a group of horrible students who enter the restaurant by the exit to avoid the long queue. For journalism purposes, our team met those disrespectful students and avoided the queue as well.

The first advantage of the “Cédres” restaurant is the presence of delicious soup, which is available with the following ingredients:

• Fish
• Mushrooms
• Vegetables

For the main course, it depends on the luck of a student. One day you can have some unbelievable meat with well-cooked rice and tasty vegetables but the next day it can be disgusting, and unfortunately, the choice is not wide.

The same rule applies to the supplementary courses, but most of the time there are yogurts and apples available in the restaurant.

The personnel of the “cèdres” are very kind and welcoming, but in the evening you can encounter a cashier that students call “Chief Freshness Officer.” As we discovered, the reason for this name is her passive-aggressiveness and gloomy demeanor.

Moving on to the study of the interior of the restaurant. There are two halls where visitors can eat and spend their time:

• The first one, and the biggest one, with more than 350 sitting seats, well decorated, has huge panoramic windows around and with a nice audio system. The room also includes a piano where quite often students show their music skills. Sometimes, a group of students organizes a concert in the hall and lifts the mood of the whole university.
• The second hall is hidden deeper inside of the building and less decorated but also offers around 400 seats. However, there is less natural lighting inside due to the lack of panoramic windows compared to the main hall.

Last, but not least, the recycle bins and the place to leave dishes are conveniently positioned to manage the flow of students, which gives this restaurant a big advantage.

In conclusion, let’s return to the criteria used to grade the restaurant:

• Quality of food: 8/10 - in most cases, it’s tasty and well prepared with rare exceptions.
• Amount of food: 8/10 - with 1 point soup, you’re likely to eat even more than you should with exceptions (often in the evening).
• Restaurant personnel: 7/10 - during the day, the personnel of the restaurant are fast and kind, but in the evening not so much.
• Time spent in the queue: 2/10 - at 12:30, it is the worst place on campus, with the possibility of spending more than 40 minutes.
• Placement: 9/10 - the restaurant is in the middle of the Paris-Saclay campus having 2 bus stops and 1 metro station nearby.

Final mark: 6.8. Our newspaper recommends that you visit this restaurant in the valley campus of the Paris-Saclay University.

Paris-Saclay University is famous for its quality education and research center, attracting students from across France and the world. Although the campus area is vast, finding quality accommodation at appropriate pricing can be challenging. From affordable dorms to high-end private studios, the variety is extensive—but so is the competition. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of the available housing options, categorized by price, type, and location, to help students find a suitable solution.

CROUS Housing: Government-funded student residences run by the French government. Dormitories are the cheapest option, providing small furnished rooms or studios (9 to 18 square meters). They're ideal for students who wish to live independently on a limited budget.

Private Student Residences: Built especially for students, these offer modern and comfortable options compared to CROUS dorms. They usually feature private studios or shared apartments, along with common spaces such as gyms, study rooms, lounges, laundromats, and even bars. These residences typically have larger rooms but come at a higher cost.

“Colocations” (Shared Flats): Renting a private bedroom in a shared apartment or house with other students balances affordability with more space and community living. While less structured than residences, “colocations” can offer a homier feel and allow students to split costs. However, there’s no guarantee your neighbor won’t be a “challenge” (or maybe you will be).

Private Studios or Apartments: These are suitable for students seeking independence and privacy. Found on rental markets, they typically come with higher rent and more responsibilities.

Housing Options Under €400/Month: The most affordable options consist mainly of CROUS residences and “colocations.” While some inexpensive CROUS dorms, like “La Pacaterie” in Orsay and "Le Bosquet" in Les Ulis, receive negative reviews regarding cleanliness and pest issues, here are two recommended by our team:

• CROUS Résidence de l’Île:
  • Address: 14 Rue du Docteur Collé, Bures-sur-Yvette
  • Studio size: 18 m²
  • Features: Kitchenette, private bathroom, laundry, parking, secured access
  • Rent: €354–€398/month
  • Proximity: 10 minutes to Vallée campus, 30 minutes to Plateau de Saclay, 12 minutes to RER
  • Note: If you’re lucky, you might even get a balcony.
• CROUS Residence Les Rives de l’Yvette:
  • Location: Near Vallée campus along Yvette River
  • Studio size: 12–19 m²
  • Features: Kitchenette (microwave, fridge), private bathroom, game room, study area, laundry
  • Rent: €309–€384/month
  • Proximity: 3 minutes to Vallée campus, 25 minutes to Plateau de Saclay, 12 minutes to RER
  • Note: Wi-Fi can be unreliable in some rooms.

€400–€700/Month: “Colocations” (shared flats) are popular in this range, with prices typically ranging from €450 to €600, depending on room size and the number of roommates. Many good options are available in Orsay and Bures, including houses with gardens for barbecues or studying.

Private residences such as Studefi Pierre-Gilles de Gennes (Orsay) offer private studios for around €447/month. Facilities include a kitchenette, private bathroom, and internet access. Its central Orsay location is convenient for accessing campus and public transport.

Above €700/Month: In this upper range, students can consider ECLA in Massy-Palaiseau, popular among international students. It offers a student-friendly environment with amenities such as a gym, movie theater, coworking spaces, a bar, and even its own football pitch. Costs range from €800 to €900 per month, depending on the room chosen.

Private studios or apartments in Massy or Orsay typically start from €700/month.

Getting the right housing at Paris-Saclay University depends on personal preferences regarding cost, convenience, comfort, and social life. Serious research, reliable sources, and careful consideration of various options are essential to help you settle in and feel comfortable as a student. Start your search early, as many housing options are available in early summer when students leave, but fewer options remain by August. Dedicate some time, and you’ll surely find something that suits you best.

From February 10th to 14th, our university combined sports and partying together in a very original way with the unforgettable 'Tournament of Lights'. During Valentine’s week, the competition took place in Building 225 as an extraordinary experience that mixed competition with a festive atmosphere.

Organized by SUAPS, the event was meant to offer a different perspective on some sports. The lights were turned off, and the only illumination came from fluorescent accessories worn by the athletes and luminous lines that marked the fields. With techno music turned up at full volume, students played reinvented versions of sports such as ping pong, handball, volleyball, and more—all in complete darkness.

Beyond the competition, the event fostered a fun and convivial atmosphere. Whether participants won or lost, a free refreshment bar filled with delicious crêpes and drinks awaited everyone. The combination of competitive games, intense visuals, and high-energy music made this week a highlight of university life and gave sports a new dimension.

The competition was such a success that a dodgeball competition was organized in the dark on the night of March 31, with the same festive and friendly atmosphere.

Recently, one of the most discussed topics amongst students were the wild boars in the forest between the university's two campuses. We have received numerous complaints of boar noises, such as grunting and rustling, from students who had passed through the forest at night. Some students have even spotted boars coming out of the forest onto campus land, which is a safety concern.

Wild boars do not come close to humans, but might attack if frightened or threatened. Their lifestyle raises the chances of an unexpected meeting late at night, especially where visibility is poor.

To address such incidents, we advise staff members and students to avoid walking through the forest after dark.

For individuals who must pass near or through the forest late at night, we strictly advise safety measures such as going out in groups, carrying flashlights for good illumination, and keeping watch on things around them. If you ever encounter a wild boar, you must remain calm, not act hastily, and slowly back off without turning away from the animal.

The university guarantees that student safety is always its top priority. By following guidelines and being cautious, we hope that we will avoid unwanted wildlife encounters, and not have any accidents.

Be safe!

In early October, the Vallée campus experienced severe flooding, leading to the suspension of classes for two days. More critically, the student residences were affected, putting many students in difficult and even tragic situations. The 225 building had to be evacuated by firefighters, and residents were relocated to alternative accommodations (friends, family, etc.). The water level nearly reached the first floor, forcing authorities to cut off electricity and water to all student residences.

Even now, the aftermath of the flooding is still visible. In Residence 233, drainage and sanitation work is ongoing, and common areas remain unclean. Elevators became available again in March, marking months of disruption.

But this wasn’t the first time the university has experienced such an event. A similar flood occurred in 2016, which also led to class cancellations and the relocation of students. The primary cause of these floods is the nearby Yvette River, which overflows when the reservoir is unable to regulate water levels effectively. This year, the reservoir was cleared too late to prevent the disaster. Moreover, due to the campus’s geographical position, water naturally tends to accumulate, making the problem harder to manage.

Even though the situation has stabilized, the effects of the flooding are still visible across the campus, serving as a reminder to everyone of the challenges posed by the area's vulnerability to natural disasters.

Remember that week in August when nothing seemed to work? If you tried to check your emails, access your course pages, or check your enrolment details around the 11th of August, only to be greeted by the message "Website not accessible," you weren't alone. The Université Paris-Saclay was hit by a major ransomware cyber-attack that took down much of the IT infrastructure.

The university's administration acknowledged the attack and started cooperation with France's national cybersecurity agency, ANSSI, to manage the incident and initiate recovery procedures. A temporary website was set up to provide updates and essential information to the university community.

While the systems were offline for an extended period of time, the downtime was not due to the attackers being in control. Instead, the university's IT department kept systems offline to analyze the details of the breach, secure data, and prevent the malware from being spread.

Shortly after the attack, a ransomware group claimed responsibility. It announced that it had stolen approximately one terabyte of sensitive information. This reportedly included confidential student information such as application files, academic transcripts, personal resumes, and even national IDs.

Fortunately, most of the university's systems have now been restored. Students have access to their email and the Moodle platform and have completed the official registration processes. While the recovery process has been largely successful, this incident serves as a reminder of the importance of robust cybersecurity measures and being careful on the internet.