Living in France and Remaining Level Headed

The reality of living in France actually differs from the dream greatly!  You may dream that the French are a people who eat fine foods and consume fine wines and where you, as a gastronomic connoisseur perhaps, will fit right in.  But in truth, the French eat as much junk food as the rest of us!  You may dream that the French will be fair and treat you respectfully because they are a fully signed up member of the EU whose fundamental policies embrace equality – but as the recent upset in the health system for expats should show, the fundamentals that guide the French may actually be far from upholding equality.

In this article we’ll look at how you should be thinking about living in France and remaining level headed at all times – avoiding the dream scenario and instead, embracing the realities of this stunning but complex, appealing yet sometimes annoying nation!

France – a leading cultural example to us all with its film festivals, film industry, wealth of famous artists in all disciplines and its trashy and terrible mainstream television.  The French – innovators and inventors with the fastest trains and the greatest numbers of days wasted in strikes and disputes.  France – a land of contradictions where the people are as contrary as the weather can be on a Bank Holiday weekend in Britain.

The realities of living in France compared to the dream that vast numbers of Britons have are sharply contrasted.  Yes, France is a beautiful country with a decent housing market where one can find affordable homes and achieve a decent standard of living for not too much money.  But there is far more to France that one has to try and accept before determining if it is indeed a place one wants to go and live.

For example, many say that the French are like they are because they live in a very controlling state where all aspects of ones life are governed and controlled carefully.  Moving in to a nation like this from one like the UK where we believe that the government is attempting to take more and more control from us is frightening.  And things are worse in France than in the UK on many levels – as an expat you are slightly immune to the depths of feeling that the French have about their government needing to know everything about you…but you will still have to abide by the many rules, fill in the many forms and live by the many laws that France is governed by.

If you want to work in France do not expect fair competition where jobs are open to all, if you want to start a business, expect an uphill struggle where you will be headed off at the pass by many a bureaucrat with yet another form to fill in for yet another license. 

But on the positive side of things, social security and health care in France are excellent, schooling is free and of a high standard, the transportation network is brilliant, the people are largely friendly and welcoming, the number of national holidays and the amount of holiday you get from work in France is high, the climate is attractive and there is still very much going in France’s favour…but don’t be naive about it!  Research the realities of living in France before you commit to making the move.