I got tired of the Instagram version of French life.

“I can’t wait to move there! My biggest dream is to live in Paris! The most romantic country in the world is France!”

Sorry, but this blog is not going to reassure you of much. It is going to question a lot of what you thought you knew about France.

My name is Melanie, I am 29 years old, and originally from a small Eastern European country. I am a pianist and piano teacher with 10 years of experience and a Master’s degree. Two years ago, I packed up my life and moved to France. Alone. With no plan except a good financial reserve and a lot of hope.

I have now lived in two French cities — Nice, Paris, and I am about to move to a third, Nantes. That alone should tell you something.

Why did I choose France? Honestly, it was not a very thorough decision. One day, I woke up and told myself — This is not the life I want. My first thought was Canada, but the distance scared me. Then I remembered being in Nice as a kid, climbing the stairs next to La Promenade des Anglais, and thinking — why not? I also had breathing problems, so the south of France actually made sense. I signed up for a French course, arrived at B1 level, started sending CVs everywhere, researched where to post about piano lessons, and had a part-time job at a coffee shop lined up as a backup.

But we don’t live in a fairy tale. We live in reality — and mine hit hard.

So let’s do a quick reality check for all the dreamers out there:

“I want to find a better job in France.” — There is not as much employment as you think.

“I will feel safer there.” — France is not the safest country in the world.

“Healthcare will be better.” — “The health system is not as simple as you think — getting your medical coverage set up can take months, doctor visits are not free, and many doctors feel like puppets taking your money without actually solving anything.”

“At least I’ll eat amazing food every day!” — You will be tired of it within two months. Your most visited restaurants will be Italian, Chinese, and kebab.

“The taxes can’t be that bad.” — They are exactly as bad as you imagine. And the prices — we will get to those.

Why am I so harsh? Maybe you are right, maybe I am. I will let you decide.

I am not here to discourage you. I am here to tell you what I thought it would be — and what I actually got instead. This blog will cover all of it: housing, healthcare, bureaucracy, language, taxes, and everything in between.

Welcome to France — the real one.

written by mlsha in Paris