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:
We like to have a bit of a laugh once in a while, so I thought I would explore that oh-so-elusive concept of the French "Je ne sais quoi" and its meaning. It is used to describe something that is…
Even if you've never read the comic books, you will still be swept away into the world of Asterix and Obelix, the mighty little Gauls fighting the evil Roman Empire. Parc Asterix, the French theme park just outside of Paris,…
Growing up in Canada, we had "snow days", when so much snow had fallen the snowplows couldn't get to it on time. For my kids, on the other hand, it is "Strike day" in France. It is going to be…
This topic has been swirling around for some time, until last week it all came to a head. I was offered the chance for a feature on another site; the catch was they wanted a picture of me with my…
Paris, the city that was known in ancient Roman times as Lutece. It was not as important a city as Lyon (more central) was at the time, or Marseille (with its natural harbor). But Lutece was none-the-less important enough to…
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…
You are not going to run into royalty when you visit France (the French have chopped off all their heads), but if you're planning to eat during your trip, you should probably brush up with some tips on French dining…
It is called the Paris Syndrome: the severe culture shock that tourists experience upon realizing that the Paris of one's dreams is not the reality. And that is for visitors, imagine if they lived here! I don't intend to dash…
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…
If you've lived in France for a while, you will notice that there are certain "words" your French teacher didn't tell you about: all those weird and funny French words in French that don't sound that they are actual words.…
Everybody likes babies. Ok, maybe not everybody, but most people. Most people like other people's babies, even if they don't want any themselves. The French Government likes French people's babies. And they want them to have more. All of which…
One of the biggest things when learning another language is replying within context. Parisians have a reputation for being rude. A gallic shrug, a sigh and a "c'est comme ça Madame" and French people are ready to wash their hands…
Ahh, Paris in the summertime. The sky is blue, the birds are chirping, and the rosé is on ice. All is well until you go to take the famous Parisian Metro. Goodbye joie-de-vivre, and hello smelly-armpit that you are desperately…
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…
If you are wondering what the heck "guillemets" are, you have come to the right place. French punctuation is not exactly what you might expect. English and French may both use the Latin alphabet, but the French writing style is…
I was surprised to see that someone kept statistics on this, but it is nonetheless interesting: Over 50% of French parents (link in french) go on vacation without kids. Anecdotally, I knew this was common from my own circle of…