Former American Expats Share Eye-Opening Truths About Living In France That Everyone Should Hear
As if visiting another country isn't stressful enough, moving to another country can be a thousand times more difficult. Learning a new language can be intimidating, adjusting to the culture, and getting used to a new way of life are some things to expect when moving to another country.
These Redditors reveal the surprising truths they learned when they moved to France:
Inflation Isn't As Bad As America
"Inflation and energy prices have remained very manageable. Our grocery bill hasn't spiked half as bad as what I saw on a recent trip to the US. We can still enjoy dining out affordably."
There's A Range Of Different Cuisines
"I've found a wide range of cuisines available in the South. You can now get more genuine Mexican food, made by restaurants started by Mexican immigrants. Near my home, within a few hundred meters I have Vietnamese, Chinese, Mexican, Spanish, Georgian, Lebanese, Moroccan, Corsican, Israeli, Indian, American, Cuban, Brazillian, Turkish, Japanese, Russian, Quebecois, and various regional French and Italian cuisines. I can pretty much find any cuisine in the city center."
Bakeries Use A Lot Of Butter
"The bakeries are very fattening. Everything seems to have 5x more butter than necessary. For example, croissants are extraordinarily rich in France -- when I moved to the Netherlands, eating a croissant was a whole new experience because suddenly I wasn't shoving whole sticks of butter in my mouth. Also, French bakeries are really terrible if you want something savory. Baguette sandwiches are great, but you are out of luck if you want literally anything else. (Serbian bakeries in Belgrade were better in this regard.)"
Strikes Happen Often
"French people go on strike a lot. It honestly felt like public transportation ground to a halt every few days while we were staying there. It made getting around the country a huge pain."
Eating Is Seen As A Social Gathering
"You can eat pretty much anywhere, but French people see lunch/dinner time as a social gathering, not just an excuse to eat. So, if you start a job, one of the best ways to be included socially is to have lunch with your coworkers (or join them for a drink after work). Try mimicking what they do. Don't hastily gobble a sandwich alone at your desk if you see other people taking a lunch break. Join them."
Making An Effort To Speak French Goes A Long Way
"What French people do not like is the caricatural "American tourist" who asks a question in loud English (assuming that everyone everywhere must speak English) and, if the French person shows that (s)he doesn't understand English, just repeats the question in English but much louder."
Greetings Are Important
"A few key rules: 1. greet people when you enter a store or room. It’s rude not to recognize them with a simple 'Bonjour.' This is what (in my opinion) usually starts things off on bad footing: recognize them as people and not wallpaper!"
Your Home Might Not Have Internet Access
"In a smaller city or village, you may be stuck without fiber/high-speed internet. (Make sure you check on this if you need high-speed internet when choosing an apartment because it can take 6 months to a year to get it installed in an apartment building.)"
French People Work To Live And Don't Live To Work
"I find people here to be very non-judgmental. All in all, nobody cares what you’re wearing, what you’re doing, or how you’re living. The way of life seems to be very laid back and I can definitely say the French “work to live, and don’t live to work”. They are hardworking, mind you. But it’s not necessarily the focus and center of their lives. It’s extremely common for people to gather in groups in the park or along the river in the evening to share a bottle of wine or a few beers on the grass, sitting in circles and talking."
The Job Market Is Tough
"The job stuff does pale here in comparison to the US. It’s just a tough market even for French people, even under normal circumstances. I think your best bet is setting up an English-speaking job in France before arriving. It will be tough but it helps you don’t need to be sponsored so there is a possibility for you!"
Restaurant Culture Is Different
"Restaurants. This is easily the biggest IMO. Their employee culture is much more business-focused than customer-focused. Calling a waiter can easily be seen as rude if you’re too informal about it. Free refills don’t normally exist except for water. You are not expected to tip, so don’t expect them to work for one"
Kissing (la bise) Culture Has Changed
"The kiss on the cheek you’re talking about is called ‘la bise’ (pronounced ‘la beez’ more or less). If somebody says ‘on fait la bise?’ they are asking you if you want to do that. You can say no, especially post Covid."
A Low Carb Diet Is Difficult
"One weird very difficult thing for me at first was I always did low carb and it's very difficult here. Just a weird fact I had to deal with. Sure I could buy meat and veggies like normal, but more like the random protein cookies, etc from the US just weren't available here. In general, some brands are familiar, many are not, but becomes normal quickly."
Driving Can Be Intense
"You don't really need a vehicle in Paris, and you can take the trains places, but if you really like driving keep that in mind. Speaking of driving, if you are not an aggressive driver Paris may seem really crazy because everyone is super aggressive and won't wait for you to be slow. If it's the case for you, just don't drive here."
Vacation Culture Is Different
"Vacation culture is different. By law, employees have at least 5 weeks paid vacation each year, and many have more than that. Plus 11 holidays. So families take long vacations, often to the beach somewhere. (The French are called to the sea...) Since other countries are near, it's often to other countries. In August, a lot of shops and things simply close because everyone's off for most of the month."
Homes Are Much Smaller In Size
"Homes are smaller. Even suburban homes have smaller rooms and less open spacing than US homes do. A lot of kitchens have doors to keep smells from filling the place. Many homes are floored in tile, which would be very peculiar in the US. Most heating is by radiator, and most homes do not have (or need) AC. Also, nobody has screens on windows or doors."
There's A Lot Of Diversity
"I’m Black and in southern France. I love it. Never leaving. No issues regarding race. I was actually shocked at the amount of diversity. There’s a lot of Black people… a lot of Africans, Haitians, and Brits. I mean everyone seems comfortable. I just don’t feel like racism is the same here as it is in America. But that’s just my experience and observation."
Life Is Slower Paced
"There’s also a slower pace of life here (specific to outside Île de France, I’d imagine). Paperwork gets done slower, people take lunch breaks, and vacations are a bit more sacrosanct. I like that a lot."
It's Worth It!
"Difficult, but worth it. Every time I wake up on a beautiful spring day, all it takes is a glance out my window across the blue horizon of Paris to recall that I'm among the luckiest people in the world. If I'm particularly grumpy that morning and don't feel especially appreciative, a fresh pain au chocolat from the corner bakery with a generous mug of hot coffee will usually get me there."
H/T: /r/paris, /r/france, /r/AmerExit, r/expats, and /r/AskFrance
