We Didn’t Expect This After 5 Years in France
Five years ago, we left our Florida life behind and moved to France. In this video we share how living in France changed us after five years, honestly and without selling a fantasy. If you have ever dreamed of a slower life with better food and wondered what it would really do to your daily routine, your relationship and your outlook, this one is for you.
The five ways France changed us
- Food and daily life: no more big monthly shopping trips. We shop for the week or the day, at the butcher, the cheese shop and the local markets, and we eat with the seasons. We have also adopted the 4 pm snack and the apéro.
- Home and consumerism: French homes are much smaller, our first fridge was dorm-sized, and we have become far more selective about what we buy. Recycling and composting are part of everyday life, and there is much less advertising.
- Work-life balance: weekends are sacred, people take five to six weeks of vacation, and lunch at a desk is almost unheard of. Here, people define themselves by what they enjoy rather than their job.
- Politics: campaigns are short, with posters on official boards instead of endless ads, and multiple parties work in coalitions. Taxes are high, but we see where they go.
- Health care and getting around: the pharmacist is a first stop, a regular doctor’s visit was 30 euros when we filmed, mostly reimbursed, and we barely use our small electric car thanks to trains and the metro.
What is harder
France is far from perfect. The bureaucracy is everything you have heard and more, and our first six months were frustrating. You also give up a lot of American convenience: shops close early, nothing is open around the clock, and getting a reply from a business can take several emails, especially on a Friday afternoon.
Thinking of moving to France?
One of our biggest regrets is not hiring professional help when we moved. If you are serious about relocating, you can start with a personal relocation assessment from the company we mention in the video, which helps with visas, housing, banking and more.
And if you are planning a visit first, our Paris Guide Bundle covers hotels, restaurants and itineraries by arrondissement, and our Paris hotel guide lists 125 picks by neighborhood.