The Expat Reality Check: 10 Things Nobody Tells You About Living in France

Because moving to France isn’t all sunshine, wine, croissants and long lunches. Although, to be fair, those bits aren’t bad.

Let’s get one thing straight. Moving to France can be one of the best decisions you ever make. The lifestyle, the food, the scenery, the markets, the slower pace of life and the opportunity to do things a little differently.

But there’s another side to expat life that doesn’t always make it into the glossy relocation brochures.

And after six years of living in France, I’ve discovered a thing or two.

So, if you’re thinking about making the move, have recently arrived, or have been here long enough to know exactly what I’m talking about, here’s my reality check.

1. The paperwor

You thought you’d sorted everything? Think again.

Just when you think you’ve finally got your head around one system, another form, certificate, registration or official document appears.

You’ll become very familiar with scanning documents, downloading PDFs, finding old paperwork and wondering why on earth they need the same information you’ve already supplied three times.

My advice? Keep everything. And I mean EVERYTHING.

2. French administration operates on French time.

We’ve all heard about the French love of bureaucracy, but experiencing it is something else.

Things take time. Sometimes lots of it.

You might send an email and hear nothing. You might make a phone call and be directed somewhere else. You might finally get an appointment only to discover you need another document.

Patience isn’t just a virtue here. It’s a survival skill.

3. Google Translate will become your best friend.

Unless you’re fluent in French, there will be moments when you haven’t got the foggiest idea what’s going on.

Letters from the tax office, conversations with the plumber, instructions from the bank and the occasional very confusing supermarket label.

Technology is brilliant, but don’t let it become an excuse not to learn the language.

Even a little practical French makes an enormous difference. And locals generally appreciate the effort, even if you murder the pronunciation occasionally.

4. A good local tradesperson is worth their weight in gold.

Need a plumber? Electrician? Builder? Someone to sort out your internet?

Welcome to the wonderful world of finding reliable local businesses.

Recommendations are worth their weight in gold, particularly in rural France. The person your neighbour recommends might just save you weeks of frustration.

This is one of the reasons local connections matter so much. Knowing who to call makes life considerably easier.

5. Sunday really does mean Sunday.

Coming from the UK, you might be used to popping out for something on a Sunday afternoon.

Not so fast!

Depending on where you live, you may find shops closed, businesses taking a break and very little happening.

You learn to plan ahead. You also learn that forgetting something essential on Saturday evening can make for an interesting Sunday.

On the other hand, there’s something rather lovely about a country that still values taking time off.

6. Making friends takes effort.

Moving somewhere new as an adult can be surprisingly lonely.

You might have imagined yourself surrounded by new friends, enjoying long lunches and being invited to every village event.

Reality can be a little different.

Building friendships takes time. You need to get out, meet people, support local events and make an effort.

Join a club, visit the local market, go to the village fête or strike up a conversation over a coffee.

You never know where your next friendship might come from.

7. You really do need to plan your journeys.

If you’ve moved to a rural part of France, you’ll quickly discover that having a car isn’t a luxury. It’s often a necessity.

The nearest supermarket might be a 20-minute drive. The doctor could be in the next town. And that lovely little restaurant you’ve discovered might be somewhere you wouldn’t want to walk home from after dinner!

You start thinking about journeys differently and combining errands becomes second nature.

8. Healthcare is something you need to understand.

France has a healthcare system that many people speak very highly of, but you need to understand how it works.

Registration, health cards, top-up insurance, doctors, prescriptions and appointments all come with their own processes.

Don’t leave it until you need medical attention to start figuring things out.

Get organised early and make sure you understand what you’re entitled to and what arrangements you need in place.

9. There will be days when you wonder what on earth you’ve done.

Let’s be honest.

There will be days when the paperwork is driving you mad, the internet isn’t working, the builder hasn’t turned up and you’ve just discovered that something else needs repairing.

It rains. Things go wrong. You miss family and friends back home. Sometimes you just want to pop into a familiar shop and not have to think about anything.

That’s normal.

Moving country is a big adjustment, even when it’s something you’ve desperately wanted to do.

Don’t mistake a difficult day for a bad decision.

10. And then France reminds you why you came.

And just when you’re questioning everything, something happens.

Perhaps it’s a beautiful morning, a trip to the local market, an unexpected invitation from a neighbour or a lovely evening sitting outside with a glass of something cold.

Perhaps it’s the village fête, the local night market or simply having the time to enjoy a lunch without constantly checking the clock.

You look around and think, actually, this is rather wonderful.

And that’s the thing about expat life. It’s not perfect, but it can be pretty special.

So, would I do it all again?

Absolutely.

But I would probably tell myself a few things beforehand.

Be patient. Get organised. Learn some French. Make connections. Support local businesses. Don’t expect everything to work like it did back home.

And most importantly, don’t spend all your time comparing France with the country you’ve left behind.

You’re building a new life, not trying to recreate the old one.

There will be challenges, surprises, frustrations and plenty of laughs along the way.

But there will also be moments when you stop, look around and realise just how lucky you are.

And if you’re already living here, you’ll probably recognise at least a few of these!

A little question for fellow expats:

What’s the one thing nobody told you about living in France that you wish you’d known before you arrived?

We’d love to hear your stories.

Biz Où? – Helping you discover the businesses, services and places that make life in France that little bit easier.