{"id":224709,"date":"2026-01-09T08:36:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T08:36:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/224709\/"},"modified":"2026-01-09T08:36:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T08:36:09","slug":"the-realities-of-moving-to-france-is-it-such-a-good-idea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/224709\/","title":{"rendered":"The realities of moving to France \u2013 is it such a good idea?"},"content":{"rendered":"

READ MORE: Where to go in Paris that\u2019s not a tourist trap<\/a><\/p>\n

\"MovingMoving to France can sound like a fairytale. Photo \/ 123rf<\/p>\n

You think you know French, but you probably don\u2019t<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve found learning conversational French to be quite challenging, despite the four years of French I took in high school. Your perfect grammar won\u2019t matter when you\u2019re getting rapid-fire questions at a boulangerie with a long line behind you.<\/p>\n

Phrases are clipped, subtext missed, and full sentences are lost in translation. As we\u2019re in an expat-friendly community, the majority of those around us do speak some English and switch as soon as they hear that whisper of indecision.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve become braver about asking them to continue in French to help me practice my own skills, but it can depend on the recipient. They\u2019re not here to teach you, after all, although we have found that people are much warmer with you when you lead with French.<\/p>\n

\"PeoplePeople are much warmer with you when you lead with French. Photo \/ Mihai Halmi-Nistor on Unsplash<\/p>\n

Manners are a HUGE deal, until they aren\u2019t<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve gotten an icy reception from French locals, you\u2019ve probably ignored a rule about manners.<\/p>\n

By now most visitors know that they should offer a \u201cBonjour\u201d upon entry to any establishment in France. They also expect a \u201cMerci, au revoir\u201d when you exit that establishment, even if you only spend a minute inside browsing, and that you greet strangers as \u201cMonsieur\u201d or \u201cMadame.\u201d<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve found a few exceptions to societal norms, though. The stereotype about the French not wanting to pick up after their dogs is true. As dog owners who always worry about how we\u2019re perceived as we navigate the world with our pup, this one is irksome. We\u2019ve seen some locals fighting the good fight and offering bags to those who forget that last step, but leaving the piles behind is more common here than anywhere else we\u2019ve been.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe stereotype about the French not wanting to pick up after their dogs is true. Photo \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

They eat so much more bread than you think<\/p>\n

It\u2019s rare that a day goes by where we don\u2019t see at least half a dozen people walking the streets with at least one baguette in hand. We like to joke about the kind of day they\u2019re having if they\u2019re holding more than two in their grasp.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also typical to find the end of the bread missing by the time the person gets home. Eating while you walk isn\u2019t taboo here, no matter what you\u2019ve been told.<\/p>\n

The little ones are in on it, too. The usual after-school snack is a brioche slathered in Nutella or any one of the delicious pastries we\u2019ve come to know and indulge in on a regular basis. Access to the best bread you\u2019ve had in your life at an affordable price is something we\u2019ll truly miss when it\u2019s time to head back to the US.<\/p>\n

\"DeliciousDelicious pastries we\u2019ve come to know and indulge in on a regular basis. Photo \/ Ahtziri Lagarde on Unsplash<\/p>\n

The French love to walk<\/p>\n

This is a simplistic way of saying they value movement. It makes sense. The food here can be indulgent and you already know the French love their carbohydrates.<\/p>\n

Sometimes they walk with purpose and destination in mind. Sometimes they\u2019re out in the woods foraging for chestnuts or wild mushrooms (this is as whimsical as it sounds). Oftentimes, they\u2019re just walking to walk. They\u2019re not on their phones as they do so, either, even if they\u2019re walking solo. We\u2019ve done our best to do the same, but I envy the mindfulness behind the act that seems so effortless for locals.<\/p>\n

\"WalkingWalking for mindfulness. Photo \/ Johan Mouchet on Unsplash<\/p>\n

They buy into the stereotype of rude Parisians, too<\/p>\n

Whenever we travel elsewhere in France, we\u2019re often asked about our perceptions of the French in Paris. Even when we insist we haven\u2019t had bad treatment on any trips into the city, we get incredulous looks from locals who think we\u2019re holding back.<\/p>\n

Parisians seem more no-nonsense compared to elsewhere, but we haven\u2019t encountered the level of rudeness they\u2019re known for by tourists and, apparently, other French people. The French seem to resent the idea that they\u2019re cold and unwelcoming to outsiders, but they also buy into that same idea when it\u2019s targeted at Parisians. There is definitely a divide there.<\/p>\n

It really doesn\u2019t matter what you wear<\/p>\n

Despite our proximity to Paris, we\u2019ve seen it all. Locals wear shorts in the summer. (How could you not, when air conditioning isn\u2019t a thing?) They also wear sweats, track pants, and baseball caps, although we\u2019ve found that leggings are still reserved for fitness.<\/p>\n

Dressing very casually is less common in Paris, but with so many tourists visiting the city, you\u2019ll see anything and everything there. When you\u2019re here, dress for comfort and the seasons. If you\u2019re really worried about fitting in, throw on a scarf. They\u2019ll wear them in the summer and the winter to not only look chic, but to ward off illness.<\/p>\n

\"DressingDressing very casually is less common in Paris. Photo \/ Laura Chouette on Unsplash<\/p>\n

No topic is too taboo for discussion<\/p>\n

Before we moved to France, we were told that it\u2019s bad manners to discuss things like what you do and how much money you make. The French love to talk about their hobbies and what they like to do in their free time, as that\u2019s where they place the most value.<\/p>\n

At least, that\u2019s what we were told.<\/p>\n

Now that we\u2019re here, we\u2019ve found that there is no topic off the table when you\u2019re conversing with locals. I\u2019m not even referring to conversations with friends. We\u2019ve had small talk that dug into the depths of our political and religious beliefs, and certainly about what we do for work. If you\u2019re lucky enough to make deeper connections here, the questions get even more probing.<\/p>\n

It can be hard to make connections<\/p>\n

You really need to put yourself out there to make friends with locals. That can be intimidating if you\u2019re just learning the language, even though they love it when you humble yourself and throw out as much French as you know. Many of them are just as uncomfortable practising their English as their \u201cschool English\u201d has likely left some gaps in their knowledge.<\/p>\n

Even with fresh connections, you will miss loved ones back home and the comfort of navigating more familiar terrain. That\u2019s expected. We still don\u2019t have any regrets and for now, continue to embrace the quirks and consistent stream of sweet treats involved with living in France.<\/p>\n

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