Wondering what life is like in France? Whether you are planning on living abroad or just dreaming about the French way of life, get ready to hear about our adventures in daily life, family life, and learning French. The mistakes expats make, the cost of living, we uncover the truth about living in Paris.
If you are not sure where to start, I recommend starting here:
Once upon a time, the French tried to change time. Or rather how we tell time. You might think it was at a time when people thought the world was flat, but it was actually to embrace logic and coherence…
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…
Christmas may be celebrated in many parts of the world, but in France, that celebration may involve hot wine and oysters. And a lot of other things that you may or may not consider unusual. Here are 16 French Christmas…
The expression "faire le pont" probably happens in everywhere around the world, but the reason it is a notable expression is that it happens so often here in France. Or at least in the life of the average French office…
You know it is soon going to be Christmas when you hear the carols playing on the radio and see the decorations go up. Whether you are in Paris in winter or elsewhere in the world, there is always a…
Full confession: we may be "Snippets of Paris", but my OH is a born and bred Marseillais (pronounced mar-say-ay). And he is none too pleased that our kids are born and bred Parisians. The roots of Paris vs Marseille go…
There has always been a bit of debate as to whether the French National anthem should be taught in French schools. This might sound surprising to foreigners until you hear the lyrics and their translation. In effect, you might say…
France has always been concerned about encouraging French women to have large families. Having been the battlefield for centuries for the wars with England, Prussia (Germany) and more, there has been a constant need for young soldiers. Over the years,…
There are 11 public holidays in France. But there are a lot more French national holidays, celebrations, and traditions during the year that don't necessarily come with a day off. And having lived in France for over 10 years now,…
It is the middle of March and there was a mad scramble this week chez nous, to try to find a fancy dress costume for one of my little Frenchies. It isn't Halloween of course, that would be too simple.…
She has been called the saddest "Queen of France". But I suppose that is a lot better than what she was called during her lifetime. Marie Antoinette, the heartless foreign Austrian, who is purported to have said "Let them eat…
There are times when you just want to get rid of someone. Ok, maybe not. But since we had a bit of fun with the Bonjour in French (how did you do on the quiz?), you knew we had to…
Does news travel across oceans? You bet it does, sometimes with a charming French accent and sometimes not. Can you spot your local French celebrities? The French are renowned for their culture and artistry, and are gaining a reputation worldwide…
Time to brush up on your French Geography! Now, first of all, I should note that France consists of much more than just the land that the Eiffel Tower sits on. Just as "the sun never sets on the British…
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…
Do French kids eat everything? My toddlers would lose their citizenship if this was the case. It is a given, children all over the world hate what they don't know. The trick for French parents is how to push those…
You may think you know the basics, but I bet there are certain ones that will you up. After 10 years in France, even I still sometimes get caught on the rules of saying hello in French. I imagine you…
Do things sound better in French, or is it just in my imagination? Will you have more success if you use pick up lines in French, rather than in English? French might be the language of love, but some of…
The French monarchy used to be among the most prominent in the world. As one of the earliest monarchies in Europe, the French royals used to be one of the most powerful on the Old Continent. The rulers of France…
You might have seen the pictures on Instagram: a grassy spot next to the river Seine, with a laughing couple or a group of young people, lounging around with a sparkling glass of wine. A romantic picnic in Paris is…