How to live the French dream: Visit, move, live, study, work in France: Stories about frustrations, achievements & celebrations.
Reflections: Here you'll find my reflections on moving to France and my new French life after my first year.
We know that we will miss you, Anne and a few of us have already paid tribute by raising a glass of Champagne in her memory - "Merci mille fois Anne, tu vas nous manquer" - please join us.
Vernice Klier: an inspiring creative who has overcome hardship to have an impressive and diverse career
But I think my most memorable celebration was the first year I went to live in the city of Paris. Being in the 1st arrondissement, just near the Louvre, we thought the best plan was to go to the Pont des Arts, devoid of love locks at the time, and watch the Eiffel Tower shimmer and shake at midnight.
One day... I noticed a small square of graph paper taped to Pool Keeper’s ticket window. The handwritten lines indicated a verse of poetry followed by the words “Identifiez le poète et obtenez une entrée gratuite.” If you guessed correctly, you would receive a free pass for the day.
Pool Keeper shook his head, exasperated at our stupidity. He growled, “slip de bain obligatoire pour le monsieur”, ... I wondered, what could that be? Uncomprehending, we stared back at him through the plexiglass window.
We had been eating our way through France... and our waistlines were thickening despite all the walking we did... Because gyms and jogging were out, we got the idea of swimming.
Are you clueless about French waiting room protocol? Learn these top tips and become an expert in no time!
Read about Jacqueline's experience of aqua-cycling in Paris: make French friends whilst exercising!
No one makes plans, which means everyone has got time on their hands. Time to visit, time to eat. Time to sleep if you want to. Sunday in France is a time for everyone to just 'be', which often means 'being' together. I think that I’m starting to like it.
Come with us to experience French life beyond the cliché.
Magazine – Events – Experiences
Wherever you live, if you’re a francophile or French and you’d like to join our team of Contributors then we’d love to hear from you – check out our submissions page. We’re also constantly seeking savvy interns – please check on available internships
