Moving to France and need to furnish a new home? Start at a recyclerie — France’s thrift stores hide incredible bargains, from armoires to antique pianos.

If you’re an American planning to live in France, your driver’s license situation depends entirely on where you’re from back home.If your home state isn’t on the exchange list, you’ll need to take the full French driving exam — written and practical — just like every French teenager does.

When we came to France, we thought it would be for a year. I’m not sure what we would have done differently knowing what we know now — it all worked out, and we’re happy. What I can say is that for the past three years, I’ve lived without knowing exactly what comes next.

Of course, that’s always true. Even if we don’t admit it.

A better translation tool exists, it’s free, and once you try it you won’t go back

Short and sweet this week — but genuinely useful. If Google Translate is your go-to for French, it’s time to switch. We prefer DeepL, and once you try it side by side, the difference is hard to ignore.

Have you heard of France Services? Because when we first learned about it, our minds were genuinely blown — and we think every expat and newcomer in France should know it exists.

Making Friends in France: What Nobody Tells You
City vs. small town, French vs. international — and one surprisingly useful trick involving English bookstores.

Beyond the farmers’ market: a guide to the marchés nocturnes, gourmands, brocantes, and vide-greniers that make French community life so special.

Shocked by French renovation quotes? We break down why costs are so high — materials, skilled labor, décennale insurance — and what to budget per square meter.

This week we saved €650 on three train tickets to Paris. Here’s exactly how we did it. The Sticker Shock We were booking a round trip from Bordeaux to Paris for a holiday weekend in May — still several months out, just over two hours each way, multiple trains running daily. We expected reasonable prices. […]

Have you ever caught a story about France in the American press and wished you could hear the French perspective on it? Or maybe you’re already living in France, mentally exhausted by newspaper articles en français, but still want to stay informed?

Here are our go-to sources for French news, straight from French outlets — in English.

If you’re dreaming of owning a home in the French countryside, there’s one thing that trips up nearly every first-time buyer: the septic system report. Before you panic at that “non-conforming” label, read this.

One of the first things that surprises people about Easter in France is that the Easter eggs aren’t delivered by a bunny — they come from bells.