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're quite excited to announce a new perk for our members: free French flashcards with English translations! We cover all sorts of topics and add more regularly. So head on over to our partner site Ainsi-Hardi.com. Let us know what you think. …
Hourra, it is les vacances d’hiver in Zone C! You’re probably wondering, huh? I will explain: it is the school winter holidays for little frenchies. With top ski resorts just over 3-4 hours away in the Alps, the "place is to…
You may not think that the French Birth certificate is anything to write a blog post about, but you would be wrong. It sums up the love of paperwork that the French government seems to have, and has passed on…
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…
I never knew where the Post Office was near my old home in Canada, or even where the postbox was. I never mailed anything. It was always by online, email or over the phone. In France, I have a mini…
Imagine you have recently moved to France, and put your darling child in a well-reputed French School. You are expecting your sweet little one to become immersed in French culture, speak French fluently, and well, become French. Well, nothing is…
"Sois sage!" as French parents regularly tell their kids, usually when they are being little terrors. Even the fondest parents will agree, little kids can be down-right little savages. But we just don’t expect anybody else call them that to…
I'll admit it is a bit grey and dreary at the moment, that's Paris in winter for you! But it is actually when Paris is at its finest when the streets are buzzing, people are hustling, and the lights twinkle…
Being introduced to people in France can be quite a formal affair. There is a proper way to say Bonjour and Nice to meet you in French. When you walk into a party, you do not just walk in and…
If you have small children, especially if you have more than one, you've probably had to try to resolve a few arguments. Even French kids fight a lot, and mine certainly do. "C'est mon tour! It's my turn!" "C'est à moi!" "It's…
French people have a lot of holidays. And many beautiful beaches. As wonderful as this might sound, there is a dark side. Too many French children drown every year in swimming pools and beach-side holidays. This is especially the case for…
Picture the scene, my first day at a new job in a new country. I had the usual first day butterflies, but nothing I thought of as too unusual. Until lunchtime that is, when I came across what us North…
The French take their food very seriously. They also take Christmas very seriously. And so, as you can imagine, out of the many French Christmas traditions, eating is one of the most important! I'd venture to say that in France…
Every culture has its own rules of etiquette, and the French are no different. What works in other places, may not work in France. French social etiquette has its particularities that you will want to be aware of if you…
The first time I came across it, I was baffled. And then irritated. We were at a beachside hotel near Saint-Malo and they seemed to be missing a few cups and mugs at morning breakfast. My husband helpfully pointed me…
If there was ever a word to give you that warm fuzzy feeling, Coucou in French is it. The informal French hello, it could be slang, but in a soft and gentle way meaning bonjour. An informal “my darling” kind of thing. …
After living in a foreign country for several years, it’s funny how suddenly you notice something that you never noticed before. With hindsight, I realized that being an etranger no one will tell you “Oh that’s rude!”. They just put it down to you…
When I got married, a lovely French friend offered me an elegant set of cloth table napkins. I'm sure I looked at her oddly, but she let it slide. Weren’t cloth napkins just for restaurants? I put my observation skills to…