Practical guide · Life on assignment
Just arrived in Thionville, Hayange or Hettange-Grande for work? Your first-week survival guide
Sunday, 9 pm. Seven hundred kilometres behind you, a sat-nav that sent you round the same roundabout twice, and a town whose name you're still not sure how to pronounce. You drop your bag, open the fridge… empty. And you start at 7 am tomorrow.
Everyone who has come to northern Moselle on assignment knows that evening. So here's what the colleague who has lived here for years would tell you over a coffee: where to shop, where it's cheaper, where to train, who to call when things go wrong. The local tips, no fluff.
The Sunday-evening trap
First thing to know: in France, most supermarkets are closed on Sunday afternoons. If you arrive on a Sunday, bring dinner and Monday's lunch with you, or stop for groceries on the way. Always check the store's hours on its website, as they vary by chain and season.
Where to shop: supermarkets near Thionville and Hayange
For the big weekly shop, head to a hypermarket. For bread and quick top-ups, the smaller supermarkets do the job.
| Store | Where | From Hayange | From Hettange-Grande |
|---|---|---|---|
| E.Leclerc (hypermarket) | Fameck, avenue François Mitterrand | about 10 min | about 25 min |
| Carrefour (hypermarket) | Thionville, Geric shopping centre | about 15 min | about 15 min |
| Intermarché Hyper | Basse-Ham, Unicom zone | about 20 min | about 15 min |
| Lidl | Hayange, esplanade de la Liberté | in town | — |
| Lidl | right next to Hettange-Grande | — | a few minutes |
| Aldi | Florange and Terville | about 10 min | about 15 min |
Approximate drive times, outside rush hour.
Local tip: the E.Leclerc drive points (Terville, Basse-Ham) let you order in the app and have your shopping loaded into the boot in five minutes. After a ten-hour shift, that's gold.
On a tight budget? Lidl and Aldi are hard to beat on basics. For choice, go to Leclerc or Carrefour.
Cheaper across the border: fuel and tobacco in Luxembourg
The worst-kept secret around here: fuel is usually noticeably cheaper in Luxembourg thanks to lower taxes, and the filling stations are right after the border. From Hettange-Grande the border is about 10 minutes away; from Hayange, allow about 20 to 25 minutes.
Tobacco is cheaper too. But France sets maximum quantities per person for tobacco brought in from another EU country, and those limits have been tightened. It must be for your own use, you must carry it yourself, and buying for others or reselling is illegal from the very first pack. Check the current limits on service-public.fr or douane.gouv.fr before you go. The fine isn't worth it.
Gyms: Basic-Fit clubs around Thionville
Staying fit on assignment keeps your head straight too. Basic-Fit has several clubs nearby:
- Thionville centre, place Anne Grommerch;
- Yutz, rue des Métiers (about 10–15 minutes from Hettange-Grande);
- Terville, rue du Linkling, open 24/7;
- Fameck, avenue de la Feltière (about 10 minutes from Hayange).
Memberships and prices: see basic-fit.com. On night shifts, the 24/7 club in Terville is your friend.
Laundry
Work clothes need washing every couple of days, so a place with a washing machine makes life easy. For bulky items (duvet, sleeping bag, very dirty workwear), the Wash'N Dry laundrette on rue des Frères in Thionville has 18 kg machines and is open every day.
Health: numbers to save tonight
Save them now, not on the day you need them:
- 15 (French ambulance service) or 112 (EU emergency number): life-threatening emergencies.
- 116 117: the on-call doctor in the evening, at night, at weekends and on public holidays, for things that can't wait but aren't life-threatening. The service is active in Moselle.
- 3237 (or 3237.fr): the nearest on-duty pharmacy ("pharmacie de garde").
- A&E: Bel-Air hospital in Thionville, part of the CHR Metz-Thionville. The CHR also runs a hospital in Hayange.
Coming from another EU country? Bring your European Health Insurance Card. For your rights as a posted worker, read our posted worker guide.
Car: tyres, servicing, car wash
Puncture or warning light? Norauto Thionville (Zone du Val Marie, route des Romains) handles tyres and routine servicing. For washing, you'll find self-service car washes in the retail parks.
Phone and SIM card
On an EU mobile plan? Thanks to EU roaming, it works in France as it does at home, within your plan's limits. Near the border, your phone may pick up a Luxembourg network: that's normal and covered the same way within the EU.
Need a French number? Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom and Free sell prepaid SIM cards in their shops and through some retailers. You'll need ID to activate it.
Getting around: useful apps
- Fluo Grand Est: the region's official app for TER train and regional coach times and tickets.
- Citéline: the bus network of Thionville and the Fensch valley. It serves Hayange and Hettange-Grande, with cross-border lines to Luxembourg. Maps and times on citeline.fr.
- Mobiliteit.lu: Luxembourg's public transport planner. Good to know: buses, trams and trains are free within Luxembourg, but not cross-border trips from France.
Commuting to Luxembourg every day? Read work in Luxembourg, sleep in France.
And that first weekend?
The week flies by; the first weekend doesn't. Thermal baths, indoor skiing, Luxembourg, Metz: here are 10 ideas for your weekend on assignment. For a drink or a village festival: bars, festivals and events around Thionville.
Where to stay so everything is easy
All these tips are easier when you're in the right place. At matcha home, we've been hosting workers on assignment since 2020, in 10 apartments:
- 7 in Hayange, in the town centre with shops within walking distance, in the Fensch valley, about 15 minutes from Thionville;
- 3 in Hettange-Grande, about 10 minutes from the Cattenom power plant and close to Luxembourg. Planning an outage? Read our guide to crew accommodation near Cattenom.
Every apartment has an equipped kitchen (goodbye empty fridge), a washing machine, a Nespresso machine, Wi-Fi, a Smart TV, and bed linen and towels provided. From 2 to 12 guests depending on the apartment, with separate beds (up to 8 beds in one apartment). Self check-in, so arriving at 11 pm on a Sunday is no problem, and WhatsApp support if you need anything.
About 5% cheaper when you book direct on our site than on Airbnb and Booking, whatever the length of stay. Schedule changed? Free cancellation and free changes to dates and number of guests up to 5 days before arrival. 700+ guest reviews on Airbnb and Booking.com.
Just you: book your apartment online. The whole crew: send us a message through the contact form — we reply fast.
Frequently asked questions
Are supermarkets open on Sundays near Thionville?
Most are closed on Sunday afternoons. If you arrive on a Sunday, bring food or shop on the way, and check the store's hours online.
What is the nearest hypermarket to Hayange?
The E.Leclerc in Fameck, about 10 minutes away. There is also a Lidl in Hayange itself.
Is fuel cheaper in Luxembourg?
Usually yes, thanks to lower taxes. From Hettange-Grande, the border is about 10 minutes away.
How much tobacco can I bring back from Luxembourg?
France sets maximum quantities per person, and they have been tightened. Check the current limits on service-public.fr or douane.gouv.fr before buying.
How do I find an on-duty pharmacy near Thionville?
Call 3237 or visit 3237.fr. For an on-call doctor in the evening or at weekends, call 116 117; for emergencies, 15 or 112.
Is there a Basic-Fit near Hayange?
Yes, in Fameck, about 10 minutes away, plus clubs in Thionville, Yutz and Terville (open 24/7).