The first step to study one year in France is to get a special visa : a long stay visa mention student, which costs around 100 euros. But if you come from a country of the european union you just have to register on Parcoursup as a french student. Parcousup is a website to enroll in higher education, students must make their whishes for their universities. You have to register yourself in march the year before you come.
There a lot of possibilities to pass a year in France, firstly you can use the CROUS (Centre Régional des Oeuvres Universitaires et Scolaires) who set up private student residences, they are furnished and equipped housing like studios, duplex and apartments.and included additional services and options : household, laundry, parking, games and sports room, swimming pool.
The CROUS makes life easier for the students.

More information here :

http://www.crous-normandie.fr

 Also, you can go in host family, many sites link students and family. Family life makes it possible to discover the french life and the mores. Immediatly you will have to speak the language. The family makes it easy to creates links. Everything is included food, laundry...etc
On this website you can find everything you search about an exchange :

www.wep.fr

Here, you can find information about where to stay as a student in France:

www.campusfrance.org/en/student-lodging-in-France