1. Lifestyle and work-life balance
The French are renowned for their attitude of ‘working to live’, not ‘living to work’. Whilst this more relaxed way of life is an attractive prospect for expats looking to relocate for a better work-life balance, those relocating to France should expect everything from different attitudes to different structures to their day. A typical working week in France is 35 hours and lunch breaks tend to be between 1 to 2 hours long. Taking time to dine, enjoying what you’re eating and who you’re eating it with, is an integral part of French culture. Because of this, life in France tends to be less frantic than those relocating from the USA or UK may be used to. 2. Bureaucracy and documentation As the word bureaucracy itself is French, there should be no surprises to discover that the French have a robust bureaucratic system. Unfortunately, this means that certain processes can take a while. When you’re looking to open a French bank account or sign a lease agreement for your new home, be prepared to hand over proof of documentation too. You may need to provide evidence of your payslips, bank details, reference letters, passport, birth certificate, job contract, guarantor information and so on. It may also be worth having some, or all, of these documents translated into French by an official translator ahead of your move. 3. Visas Depending on which country you are relocating from, you may not need a visa to live and work in France. European Union nationals don’t need a work permit or visa, for example. However, a valid passport is necessary. Non-EU nationals will need to apply for a long-term visa (visa long de séjour) and residence permit before arriving. Investigate whether your bank has an associated French bank you can set up an account with before you set off, and if not, look at options for opening an account with an international institution who have branches in both your home country and in France. 4. Healthcare The French healthcare system, known as Protection Universelle Maladie (PUMA), is available to those who have been living or working in France for a minimum of 3 months. Once you are eligible for PUMA, you will be issued with a carte vitale (health card) which entitles you to claim back a percentage of your healthcare costs (usually around 70 percent of the fees). If for any reason you are not eligible for PUMA, you wish to cover yourself for the first three months that you’re in France and are not covered by the scheme or if you wish to top up the difference between what PUMA covers and what you will have to pay in medical fees, you should investigate expat health insurance policies. 5. Everything is different Finally, when talking about anything else that expats may find different about life in France when compared to their home country. Even for those seeking a complete change in lifestyle, adapting to the French way of doing things may present a bit of a culture shock. However, taking the leap and embracing these changes offers expats the potential for a better quality of life, at a far different pace. Source: www.dispatcheseurope.com |
AuthorFrench/Australian. Love travelling and meeting new people. Categories |