The reality of life in France

Countryside of the Gers AKA Gascony — *The Gers, copyright © Sue Aran*

Long term American expat in France and host of French Country Adventures, Sue Aran shares her thoughts on the reality of life in France.

It’s no secret that I love France. For over 40 years I dreamed of one day moving to France and for the past 18 I have lived in the very rural southwest of the country. Needless to say, it took a long time for my dream to become a reality. Looking back, I realize I was wearing rose-colored glasses, seeing only the best parts of the country and ignoring its not-so-rosy flaws. While it’s good to be optimistic, it’s important to have a more balanced perspective which time has given me, and I hope to share with you.

Francophilia

The love of France, and the French culture.

Simply put, an affordable cost of living, a low crime rate, and a better way of life are just a few reasons why so many people, like me, choose to call France their home. I live in a small village with 150 people and 15 cows. There’s a mayor’s office, 2 public toilets, a church and a mailbox. However, amenities such as a bakery, pharmacy, organic grocery store, gas station, winery, Armagnac distillery, and a Michelin-starred restaurant are just 15 minutes away.

Quality of life

The French excel at l’art de vivre, the art of living, enjoying simple pleasures like spending time with family and friends. They are passionate about their traditions and heritage, because their history is long and rich. There’s beautiful scenery, fine arts and remarkable architecture in big cities and small medieval villages alike. The countryside is bucolic, the beaches pristine, the snow capped mountains majestic, and the rivers navigable.

Quality of food

There is an emphasis on eating fresh, seasonal foods and purchasing them locally, typically at farmers’ markets and small neighborhood stores. The mastery of techniques, regional diversity, high-quality ingredients, and culinary education all contribute to France’s reputation as masters of cuisine. Vendors are required to indicate where their goods come from and country-of-origin labelling is mandatory for all meats served in restaurants and institutional catering. And there is a large list of food ingredients what are banned in France because they are considered unhealthy. Meal times are sacrosanct rituals, a time to gather with loved ones and celebrate the joys of life. In France, food is more than just sustenance; it’s a way of life.

Quality of Healthcare

France has one of the best healthcare systems in the world, available to everyone. There’s a strong emphasis on preventive care. French government health insurance covers 70–100% of necessary treatments like doctor visits and hospital stays. Low-income and long-term sick patients typically receive 100% coverage. Members are charged a small fee to see a general practitioner and slightly more to see a specialist. These fees are set on a national level by the government. Patients who are not part of the system will pay for a GP and specialist visit in 2025 So, the cost of health insurance for 1 person who is in the system averages €10 per month (2024), and the average cost of private health insurance for 1 person is €40 per month (2024). When I lived in the States I was paying $600 per month.

Francophobia

A strong dislike of France and the French culture.

There are so many unwritten rules and customs that even if we spoke the same language we still wouldn’t understand each other.

Bureaucracy

The French state has been mired in bureaucracy since 1789 and it doesn’t seem to be getting any better as whole forests of trees are still sacrificed for its onerous paperwork. Every official form needs to be filled out perfectly or you have to start over. Every official visit will need a rendezvous, and you will most likely meet with someone who either cannot nor will not help you. There are certain documents that you must keep for a minimum period of time – and you may be fined if you don’t. House deeds, notaire fees, and property transfer documents, etc. should be held onto forever. The general rule is: if in doubt, keep it.

Technology

France has been slow in transitioning to technology, so websites aren’t regularly updated or simply don’t work, therefore navigating them is time consuming and sometimes frustrating. When I first moved here I would have to travel 45 minutes to a Wi-Fi (Internet) café to use my computer. Last week I just had fiber optic cable installed. Cultivating your patience will minimize feelings of annoyance, will help you to tackle stressful situations, and will ultimately allow you to flourish in a country where “slow living” is a way of life.

French drivers

The French make driving rules to break them, almost all 311 pages of them in the Code de la Route instruction manual. They are illogical, contradictory and sometimes dangerous. Posted speed limit signs are just suggestions. Tailgating feels deliberate and passing the car in front of you can seem as if it’s mandatory whether you’re on an autoroute or a national road. It’s worse while driving on small departmental or communal country roads because locals have their way of doing things. Many a car has found its way into a roadside ditch while trying to avoid oncoming traffic.

Post Office

A trip to the post office, La Poste, is never quick nor efficient. When I first arrived in the southwest the euro had recently finished its 5 year transition period from francs, but that didn’t stop older residents from offering them to buy stamps at my local post office. Counting out centimes felt like an eternity. My local post office recently had a makeover. A self-serve machine was installed which rarely works. One counter was removed so that postal clerk wanders around with no counter to lean on. If you’re mailing something out of the country which needs a customs form, you’ll still need the wandering postal clerk to package the forms and place them on the box. If the machine isn’t working that day you’re told to go home and fill out customs forms on your computer, then bring back the QR code to have the forms printed on the machine which still isn’t working.

Suggestions for helping you settle in France

Try to create a list of everything that is required to be done in order to create a successful transition to another country to everyone who applies for a 1 year, or longer visa. It would be great if, as someone moving to France, this could be handed to you. As it is, you’ll have to go searching on the internet and you’ll find information is scattered but that list is needed, there’s lots to do.

Get a guide to understanding basic French driving rules and road signs – it will help you.

I think the hardest part about living in France was letting go of the romantic image of France that I fell in love with. Life is just life in the southwest, as it is anywhere in the world, it just comes with a whole different set of problems. Yet – there is still that irresistible je ne sais quoi that you won’t find anywhere else in the world.

Sue Aran is a writer, photographer, and tour guide living in the Gers department of southwest France. She is the owner of French Country Adventures, which provides personally-guided, small-group, slow travel tours into Gascony, the Pays Basque, Provence and beyond.