Moving to France: Everything You Need to Know

Most of us dream of visiting the city of love, so it’s unsurprising that so many Americans decide to make the move more permanent.

From the local boulangerie with its daily baked pastries and bread to the incredible amount of cheese – literally, cheese is EVERYWHERE – the food is enough to tempt you by itself, let alone the 35 hour week, the higher average salary…

…And don’t even get us started on the wine.

But before you do jump on the next plane over to France, we’ve got some tips on how to make the process to the land of berets and baguettes as easy as possible, ooh la la:

The Regions

Most of us know that France is roughly the same size as Texas, but the weather variant is actually more extreme from north to south. The north of the country is extremely close the UK (you can actually sometimes see France on clear days from Dover), whereas the south is on the Mediterranean.

Obviously, the climate differs, but so does the culture, the people, and to some extent the dialect.

In Northern regions, such as Brittany and Normandy, you can expect to find architecture which reflects neighboring Germany and across-the-channel-Britain. Old, brick houses on winding roads, with century-old castles and fortified towns.

Further south, Provence and the Pyrenees offer castles and homes influenced by the Roman empire, the renaissance period and hilltop villages which continue to reflect the Italians influence.

Each region is very different and very proud of their origins.

The Work/Life Balance

The French have truly got the work/life balance right, with 5 weeks vacation time per year.

The minimum wage is objectively higher than that of the US and the UK, despite the working week only being 35 hours. (The US is 40, the UK 37.5)

And all of that alleviated stress is clearly working, as the French, on average, live longer, healthier lives than Americans. If you do fall ill though, don’t worry, as according to the WHO (World Health Organisation), France has the best healthcare system in the world.

In terms of healthcare, it’s actually a legal obligation to have health insurance in France in order to access the system. Most people will automatically qualified for the state French health insurance, but you’ll need to register with CPAM (Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie).

You can also purchase private healthcare, as CPAM doesn’t actually cover 100% of medical costs, but it does reduce them significantly.

French isn’t the only language of France

Whilst it is the official language of the country, the borders of the country dictate the dialect and languages spoken. In the north, it’s not uncommon to hear German, Flemish or Breton, whilst in the south-west, the ‘Basque Country’ (on the border of Spain), speak Catalan and Basque.

In fact, the likelihood is most of the people you come across will speak more than one language – which puts a lot of us to shame. Wherever you are in France, French will be the most widely understood language, so ensure you know the basics.

Renting will be hard

A heads up for those renting before moving. If you don’t have any French family or friends, you’ll find it extremely hard moving.

French laws around renting are also reflected in neighbouring countries, in that basically, once you’re in, it’s almost impossible to get you out.

Because of this, landlords will expect references of a certain calibre, almost always from a French individual and/or company. If you’re moving for a job, talk to your work about this.

On top of references, as an expat, don’t be surprised if you have to pay 6 months up-front for rent, it’s the landlord’s assurance that no matter what happens, you’ve already paid and won’t be doing a runner.

In cities like Paris, this makes renting extremely difficult and expensive. The competition for apartments and your disadvantage in being from the US will make things even harder. For this reason, it’s strongly advisable to look into the Paris suburbs, commuting by public transport is extremely common across all of Europe and is the preferred route to work in big cities – even if you can drive.

For this reason, it can be extremely hard to know where or when you’ll be moving into a home with your belongings. But with a great international mover, you’ll be able to change your shipping address once you know where you’re headed!

The Paperwork

Unsurprisingly, it isn’t as simple as settling into your new place and boom! becoming French.

On arrival, it’s a legal requirement to register with the French authorities within three months. Because of the procedure, which includes an interview and a medical, it’s advisable to register with the OFII (Office Français de l’Immigration et de l’Intégration) asap.

Setting up a French bank account should, in theory, be easier, but to do so you’ll need to have with you your ID, proof of French address, and a residence permit if you have one. This will take a week to 10 days to open, which means in the meantime, you’ll be needing your US PIN number, and some euros in cash.

The French Life

Maybe the most obvious of them all – learn the language!

The French have a bit of a rough reputation as being rude or blunt, but the truth is, when you live there you’ll understand it’s just like any country, there are some nice people and some rude ones.

The translation of French to English often leaves out the niceties, so whilst people may sound like they’re being rude, they’re usually just directly translating what they’d say in French, which doesn’t hold as well in English.

There will be other culture shocks you’ll need to adjust to, almost all restaurants are closed between 2-6, between lunch and dinner. All grocery stores shut down on Sundays and Public Holidays, and their breakfast often consists of cold meats and cheese.

However, the lunches are long, the food and wine are great, and you’ll be supporting two of the best national soccer (sorry, football), and rugby teams in the world. We don’t think you’ll regret it for a second.

Don’t forget, if you’re looking to move to Europe, it’s important to find a reliable international mover with no-hidden-fees to take you through the paces of emigrating.