Planning on moving to Paris? Tips on moving to France as an expat, where to live in Paris and more.
If you are not sure where to start, I recommend starting here:
If you are looking for a rental apartment in Paris, I should warn you now you are in for a big uphill battle. It is not just that Parisian landlords tend to prefer local French residents, there is also a…
As anyone with children can attest, finding good childcare for your little one is one of the most complicated and stressful decisions that new parents have to make. Just who are you going to leave your sweet little baby with?…
If you have small children and are thinking of moving to France, you may be curious to know what the French education system is like. It may seem a little alarming, but schooling for all French children is compulsory in…
If you are going look at French taxes and spending in France, you have to start with a single astonishing fact: approximately 57% of GDP comes from France's Public sector spending. That means more than ½ of the spending in…
When we think of France, we think of art de vivre, (meaning "the art of living"). France is renowned for its wine, cheese, culture, and most importantly, quality of life. Its famous 35-hour week makes headlines around the world, along…
Ahh Paris. The City of lights in France, the city of art, history and culture. One of the most romantic cities in the world, Paris is a fantastic place to live. But there are some downsides. And the biggest amongst…
When you start to look into the French education system, you are immediately hit with an alphabet soup of initials: CP, CM, CE1, etc. French people refer to the school years with these acronyms, which to an outsider makes no…
Figuring out what is the cost of living in France is like figuring out how long is a piece of string. The answer is "it depends". The reality is that the cost of living across France varies as widely as…
You may have heard of reverse culture shock: the strangeness that you experience upon returning to what you thought was "home". Reintegrating into your own culture is not as easy as it sounds. After 10 years in France, there are…
So I have a secret to confess: I am completely addicted to home renovation shows. There is no French version of HGTV, so that is definitely the one thing I binge-watch when I visit North America. All this to say,…
There comes a point in every Parisian's life when he or she starts to wonder: Should they maybe move out of Paris, and into the suburbs? Move out of Paris, you say! Why? The charm, the culture, the museums! If…
So you want to stay on the west side of Paris, but you want a house! And you perhaps want to send your kid that very famous public International school in Saint-Germain-en-Laye with its multitude of foreign language section. Welcome…
Living in Grand Paris is all about transport. Where do you need to travel to, compared to where you live? And this is where Val de Marne comes in. There's a saying in Paris "Metro, Boulot, Dodo", meaning "Commute, Work,…
The Hauts de Seine, one of the most popular suburbs of Paris, isn't particularly "green" or particularly "cheap" (although it is slightly cheaper than Paris). And if you are looking for a house, you will keep on looking. Most of…
We the North! This is Seine Saint Denis, just north of Paris, the unloved suburb that tourist are afraid to go to. But this was a royal town, with its famous Cathedral holding to tombs of Marie Antoinette and other…
Yes, I know you're an expert driver, with many years of driving experience. But each country has its own set of rules and driving in France has its own laws and specificities. And more distinctly, the French have their own…
Ahh, the famous myth of 35-hour French work week. And combined with France's legendary holidays and work benefits, no wonder so many overworked North Americans dream about moving here. But if you are dreaming of moving to France to achieve…
In France, visits to the Doctor are paid for by the State. Like most other first world countries, you say. (I'm looking at you, U.S.A.) Basically, the French healthcare system covers all legal residents for medical costs as long as…
It used to be every two years. It was changed recently (in 2018) to every 5 years: employees forced into visiting the bl$%£y French Médecin de Travail. There are certain quirks of French life that you don't really cross until…
So you have just moved to France, dreaming of la vie à la française, croissants in the morning, strolling along the Seine for lunch, and delicious little apéros in the evening. You have set yourself up in a hotel near Place…