What to Hope (Not Expect) When Living in France

It’s natural to have hopes and expectations when you make the move to France. If you’re even remotely like I was before moving here, you’ve likely been dreaming and planning for months, even years. You may even have tons of fears of the unknown…that huge adventure that awaits you that seems unfathomable. I can assure you, there will be some unexpected surprises, like baffling cultural differences that could tarnish your dream.

But fear not! Before you even begin to read this Nouvellettre®, tattoo this phrase into your memory: The only thing we have to fear is…fear itself. (Franklin D. Roosevelt’s inaugural speech on Saturday, March 4, 1933) Then, really believe it. The moment you start to feel any anxiety at all, any thought you have whirling around in your head that frightens you, remember that it’s just a “thought” and nothing else nor anything more. It’s just some idea in your head imagining what you perceive to be bad. It doesn’t exist in reality at all.

Now that you’ve done that, there is something else you must take to heart: Remove the word “expect” from your vocabulary. Replace that word with “hope.” If you can really, honestly do that—have no expectations, but only hopes—you will never have disappointments. When you come to France, if you leave your expectations behind, you’ll not only avoid disappointments, but you may also satisfy many of your hopes and without a doubt, you will fall in love with your new life in France like the rest of us have!

Here is a brief guide to removing the fear and expectations to make you feel more at home in your new home in France…

STAYING IN FRANCE LEGALLY

You can be in France up to 90 days on the visa waiver program, so lots of people come for what we call “mid-term” to test the waters without having to apply for a long-stay visa. If you plan on staying longer, then you should apply for a long-stay visa with the French consulate in your home country before your move to France. There are several types of visas, so do some research to find the best for your situation. Consult an immigration specialist for help. Don’t be chintzy about this. It’s too important, so if you think you need help, get the advice of a specialist. It’s worth the price for peace of mind. You can find a recommendation here on our website.

FINDING THE RIGHT RENTAL APARTMENT

Finding a rental apartment for one, two, or three months isn’t so easy, but neither is finding a furnished apartment to rent for longer (up to one year). Long-term rentals are considered to be any furnished or unfurnished property available for rent from one month to three years. Rentals from one to 10 months in Paris fall under the regime of “mobility lease” and are designed for tenants living in Paris for business or education purposes. These rental properties are hard to come by in certain areas of France, particularly in Paris and Nice, and may require an immediate decision because of limited availability. The landlords’ requirements to guarantee rental payments can seem daunting and expensive to foreign tenants, especially if the tenant doesn’t have a set income or salary in France.

Every furnished rental one-year lease (and even unfurnished three-year leases in Paris) comes with a mandatory 30-day cancellation clause. This means that if for some reason you are unhappy with the apartment you’ve chosen, you can easily cancel your lease and move to another. Should you decide to book an apartment online sight unseen, without someone verifying the quality of the property, you risk a variety of problems with both the apartment and the landlord. If you hire us (or another service) to find you a property for rent, we act as an advocate on your behalf. Not only does our team have the know-how and experience to ferret out the best properties, you can trust us to make the right choice for you, so you can move right in, leaving the legwork to us. Plus, the clout we lend to your status, due to our relationships with agents and owners, will put you ahead of the others vying for the same property. You can learn more about this service here.

(Of course, if you are thinking of owning your own home in France instead, we can help you find the perfect property to suit your needs and budget. Visit our website to learn more.)

SETTING UP A FRENCH BANK ACCOUNT

A French bank account is essential if you’re going to live in France for any length of time—whether to secure a rental, purchase a property, set up your utilities (most rental apartments require that you contract directly with utility companies), and/or pay fees or taxes, most everything is done by direct debit (or “prélèvements”).

A bank account in France has never been easy to open and has become increasingly difficult thanks to FATCA (Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act). This is largely because the regulations imposed on foreign banks by the U.S. government make it difficult for these banks—and that makes American clients undesirable. (If you are unfamiliar with FATCA, get familiar.)

You will need to report your foreign account to the IRS, but that doesn’t mean you pay tax on the amounts held. It’s just that the IRS wants to know about them and ensure that your income was reported prior to having transferred it into those foreign accounts.

You must open a French bank account with a commercial bank in person. There are almost no banks willing to do this long distance without seeing the physical person and viewing original documentation, like identification, etc. The good news is that we offer a service that introduces you to a local commercial bank so you can easily open an account without any minimum deposits. You can get a checkbook, a debit card (Visa or MasterCard), and access to online banking.

KNOWING ABOUT INSURANCE, TAXES, AND OTHER FEES

As a renter, your landlord will require that you have homeowner’s insurance. This can be purchased easily with an insurance company or broker, or even your commercial bank. You will only be responsible for insuring your personal belongings as the landlord’s “charges de la copropriété” (maintenance costs) include insurance on the building itself.

You may also be expected to pay the annual “Taxe d’Habitation.” This annual residence tax is paid by the occupant of the property on January 1, whether an owner or tenant. It is calculated on the basis of the “notional rental value of the property”—the rental value multiplied by the tax rate in that locality. There are variations applied if the residence is principal vs. secondary or low income or with dependents. The tax authorities send out the bills for the year in the fall of that same year.

Special note: You may be exempt from this tax if the property is your principle residence and under certain conditions. See this site to learn more about the exemption.

As an owner, you must also pay “Taxe Foncière,” or property tax, as well as any common maintenance charges for your building.

LIVING IN SMALLER SPACES

Space in most large cities, like Paris, is at a premium and costs dearly. Europeans are accustomed to living in much smaller spaces than North Americans, so an apartment suitable for four people will be quite a bit smaller than a North American home for four. In Paris, for example, 65 square meters (700 square feet) is considered palatial, and you’d be surprised how much one can do a lot with that space. I contend that space is overrated, and as Americans, we tend to accumulate a lot of possessions that fill our large spaces…that we don’t really need or even want! Divest before you move to France. Simplify your life and live lighter with less!

PLANNING FOR STAIRS AND ELEVATORS

Don’t expect to have 20th-century amenities in 17th-, 18th-, or 19th-century buildings. Apartment buildings older than 100 years, which comprise most of central Paris, for example, are unlikely to have elevators. If one does have a lift, it’s likely been wedged into a tiny shaft and may not accommodate more than two or three people, much less lots of luggage. Therefore, if a description of an apartment does not mention an elevator (ascenseur) it likely does not have one.

Even stairwells can be very narrow and steep. The European method of naming floor levels starts with zero (0), then one (1), two (2), three (3), etc., so a second-level apartment means two flights of stairs. Buildings can go as high as five or six flights. Even so, some ceiling heights are higher than others, which can mean more stairs between floors. What really counts are the number of stairs and the height of the rise (numerous low-rise stairs are still easier to climb than fewer high-rise stairs).

If you choose an elevator-equipped building, be forewarned that the elevators are often out of order, and that means you’ll be climbing stairs for a while. So, either choose an apartment on a lower floor or one on a high floor in a building with two elevators (very rare) in case one is non-functioning. Keep in mind that the higher you go, the more light you may have, particularly on narrow streets or small courtyards (if that’s important to you), so you may find climbing stairs a sacrifice worth the pain.

ACCEPTING CONDITIONS OF COMMON AREAS

No matter how beautifully renovated an apartment is, the owner is at the mercy of the collective ownership of the building to maintain the common areas. This means that the standards of the common areas—the entry, stairwell, elevator, courtyard, etc.—in older buildings may not fit your idea of perfect Paris or nice Nice. Don’t let a first impression color your experience of your life in your dream pied-à-terre.

ACCLIMATING TO NOISE

There is a lot of renovation taking place in these old buildings. By law, construction can take place and noise can be made from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Expect to encounter noise and dust as the cities are always gentrifying and improving. There is absolutely nothing you can do about this, and there are rarely advance warnings.

Walls and ceilings may be a bit thin, so it’s also not at all unusual to hear noise from your neighbors, or from people on the street. If you’re in a big city like Paris, in an apartment on a well-trafficked street, you will hear noise from cars, buses, motorbikes, and even the daily trash collectors. Cities with lots of life have lots of noise, so if you’re sensitive, opt for an apartment on the courtyard if you can. But don’t expect only the sounds of birds chirping like you might have in the countryside.

UNDERSTANDING FRENCH PLUMBING

Most buildings in Paris didn’t have plumbing until relatively recently, so consider how bathroom facilities have to fit into the floor plan of a modern apartment. If it uses a hot water tank instead of a “chaudière” (gas-heated instant hot water), the tank may not be large enough to accommodate many long, hot showers coming from modern rain-style shower heads.

Toilets are often separate from the tub/shower and sink. Consider this an advantage as more than one person can use the facilities at the same time (but be forewarned: this small room may not have a sink in which to wash your hands). A tub may have a hand-held shower, but no shower curtain nor a hook on which to prop the shower head. This is less and less the case as properties have been modernized and we find that large showers are increasingly replacing bathtubs entirely. In fact, it’s gotten difficult to find properties with tubs! (I am personally dismayed by this!)

USING FRENCH ELECTRICITY AND LIGHTING

Electrical currents and appliances differ from those in North America. If your apparatus is not dual voltage, don’t bother bringing it. Plugging in a 110-volt hairdryer into a 220-volt plug is sure to blow out even the strongest electrical system, and could easily cause a fire. Phones, computers, and tablets are normally already dual voltage, but you’ll still need an adapter to charge them. Adapters for American-style plugs can be easily purchased just about anywhere in the States or France.

Electricity is considered precious in France. Lighting in common areas is normally set on a timer for economic reasons—just push the button to light the hallway. With that in mind, also be conscious of your usage in your apartment. Turn off lights (and other electricity-consuming devices) when not in use, for your own sake as well as the environment’s.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The bottom line is this: it’s all going to be new to you. Don’t expect it, hope for it! Don’t fear it, embrace it. From the moment you arrive in France, you will have an adventure dealing with the differences and the cultural clashes. It’s going to be challenging and it’s going to be fun. Not a moment will go by that will be boring or uneventful, so look forward to this new life of yours and relish in the excitement. I promise you, you won’t be sorry.

But most important: don’t do it alone. Let us help you. Here’s how.

A la prochaine…