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EXPATS

Why expats are still happy about life in France

Despite the fear over the heightened risk of terror attacks, expats are still very much content with the quality of life in France, a new survey has shown. Although there are drawbacks as well as positives.

Published: 29 August 2016 13:35 CEST
Why expats are still happy about life in France
Photo: Dennis Jarvis/FLickr

Looking on from abroad France may seem like a country in turmoil right now given the terror threat, the community tensions in certain areas and the often poisonous political debate shown in the recent burqini row, but expats still rate the quality of life on offer, according to the new Expat Insider survey by expat network InterNations.

Overall France ranked a lowly 41 out of 67 countries in the Top Destinations for Expats in 2016, with Taiwan, Malta, Ecuador topping the table, although this was a rise on last year’s position of 47th.

But there were plenty of positives to take from the report, which is based on the views of expats.

For a start even with its political instability and the ongoing terrorist threat, 77 percent of participants in the latest InterNations survey said they still felt safe living in France, although this was down from last year’s figure of 84 percent. 

And despite being ranked 41st overall, France did score highly in certain areas, which can explain why the country continues to be attractive to those who move here – particularly pensioners.

The Positives

Quality of life

France ranked 15th out of the 67 countries when it came to overall quality of life.

Some 78 percent of expats surveyed by InterNations were satisfied with the quality of life in the land of cheese and wine, with opportunities to travel around the country and healthcare options being amongst the main perks.

Expats reported satisfaction with the country’s infrastructure and 83 percent of them said they were particularly happy with the transport infrastructure. Anyone who has whizzed across France on a TGV train will no doubt vouch for that.

The country’s healthcare also got a positive rating, with four out of six expats finding the price of healthcare to be very affordable. 

One American expat said: “I love the joie de vivre, the appreciation of nature, food, and culture. I like that healthcare is affordable for all and I’m not sure I can ever get used to US healthcare costs again after living here. 
 
“I love the six to eight weeks of vacation time my husband has, so we can travel a lot more than we ever
could back in the US.
 
Leisure time

French are known for being better at getting the work/life balance right and for prioritizing their joie de vivre. 

With comparably less working hours than their global counterparts (just 36.3 hours a week as a opposed to the global average of 41.4 hours) employed expats in France have more time to have fun.

The InterNations survey found that expats in France particularly appreciate this aspect of French life, 84 percent of them were happy with their increased leisure time.

Family life

With better and more affordable childcare, expats in France consider the quality of family life as a big advantage to living in the country.

Some 69 percent of expat parents in France are satisfied with childcare options in the country, which is above the global average of 60 percent.

Whilst it has been knocked of the top ten this year in the Family Life Index (it's ranked 11th), France is still viewed favourably among parents with costs and options for childcare and education all receiving positive opinions from expats. 

But being ranked 41st out of 67 suggests there are drawbacks…

The Negatives

The economy

France’s fragile economy is pointed out as a problem for expats in France, with only one in twenty feeling “very good” about the state of the economy (compared to a worldwide average of 17 percent).

Some expats find they are financially worse off upon starting a new life in France, with their incomes decreasing.

Money worries are also some of the biggest potential disadvantages for expats, including the levels of taxation and the cost of living in France.

Difficulty settling in

The French get a bad reputation for being rude to visitors, and while many of The Local France's readers will fiercely dispute this, the expats who responded to the InterNations survey suggested the perceived lack of warmth from the hosts was an issue.

Many expats reported the lack of a warm welcome in France as being one of the more difficult aspects of life there.

The friendliness of the French is rated as below average by expats, with only 14 percent of them happy with the general friendliness of the population (compared to the global average 29 percent).

“It is difficult to make French friends, they tend to have closed, tight-knit communities,” said one respondent to the survey.

The language

Most expats also agree that it is hard to settle in without being able to speak the language, with some even complaining about the lack of English spoken in everyday situations.

In a comment that will no doubt rile many who have managed to master the language, one expat said: “The language barrier is a pain. A real pain that I would change if I could. I came for an English MBA, but outside of my school, no one speaks English. It is hard to shop for food, go to restaurants, get a mobile plan, etc. The basics are tough, even going to see a doctor.”

Essentially expats concluded that it is vital to speak French if you want to be happy in France.

There may not be many expats who would disagree with that.

A typical expat?

The survey revealed that in France the average age of an expat in France is around 44, but France is also a favourite amongst retirees. Some 12 percent of expats in France are retired, which is significantly higher than the global average.

There are more female expats than male in France, with 60 percent of the expat population being female. Women are also more likely than their male counterparts to move to France, with 13 percent of female expats stating that as their primary reason for relocating. But whilst moving to be with a partner or for a new job are among some of the popular reasons for expats coming to France, a better quality of life appears as the top reason for making the move.

CLICK HERE for a look at the full survey.

by Fatima Al-Kassab

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EXPATS

Expat stories: How I made my closest Danish friend

Many foreigners living in Denmark struggle to make friends with born-and-bred Danes. We spoke to five who have successfully made the connection.

Published: 16 September 2020 13:36 CEST
Updated: 30 May 2023 16:26 CEST
Expat stories: How I made my closest Danish friend
Fernando Secca (right) and her Danish friend Marie Peschardt (left). Photo: Private

Fernanda Secca from Brazil and her Danish friend Marie Peschardt 

When 32-year-old Fernanda moved to Copenhagen at the start of 2017, one of the first things she did was find a place to do pole-dancing, which had been her hobby back in São Paulo. Marie Peschardt, 29, was her teacher, and before long they soon realised they got on well.

“Coming to class a few times a week made us create a bond that was eventually taken to a personal relationship,” she remembers. “We now do everything together. We hang out several times a week. We go travelling together, we have dinner, we go to bars, we go dancing.” 

When The Local interviewed them in 2020, the two still trained together at the dance studio. 

Fernando Secca (right) and her Danish friend Marie Peschardt (left). Photo: Private 

“I think the friendship was possible because we were both open to meeting new people and building connections,” Fernanda says, adding that she doesn’t think Danes are particularly difficult to become friends with.

“There is no secret. Danes are not aliens. I think finding something in common that you can bond around or relate to helps in the beginning, because people are more likely to respond to that than a random request or small talk.” 

“Also taking a chance, inviting a person you feel could be interesting for a coffee or a drink, can be something spontaneous or quick. Some Danes might even appreciate being spontaneous because no one here really is.” 
 
On the other hand, it is important for those from more free-wheeling countries to understand that Danes like to plan ahead, she adds. 
 
“Appreciate that they have their schedules and bookings weeks in advance and you might need to fit into that type of style as well if you want to build a connection.” 
Marcele Rask and her Danish friends Jasmine and Carina
 
Marcele Rask, 36, a manager at Danske Bank specialising in financial crime and sanctions, met her Danish friends Jasmine and Carina at her previous job because they all worked in the same department. She said the three of them shared a similar appetite for adventure. 
 
“One thing that connected us three a lot is the fact that we are all very curious and like to try new things. So we programme ‘adventure days’  where we go somewhere new, or that we like or something and spend some hours there or even the day,” she says. “It doesn’t have to be fancy, or crazy or anything, but something nice to know.” 
 
She said they tend to do this about once or twice a month, either two of them, or all three together.
 
“Just after Denmark started to open from the lockdown, we went to a Gavnø slot for their tulip festival, and afterwards we went to eat MacDonald’s by the harbour.” 
 
She says that both Jasmine and Carina are quite internationally-minded, which she feels made them more open to making friends with a foreigner. 
 
“Jasmin lived some years abroad and was an expat herself. Carina has worked on international companies and is used to the expats’ life, having herself another great expat friend,” she says. 
 
She said they now spoke a mixture of English and Danish together, but were speaking Danish more and more as her command of the language improved. She said she felt her own openness had helped her make Danish friends. 
 
“I think one thing that it is very important to be as an expat is open — open for anything and everything — and not just to sit around bitching about the country, the language, the food, and everything else.” 
 
 
Ashley Norval and her Danish friend Mia Garner 
 
Ashley, 31, met Mia, 28 almost as soon as she arrived in Copenhagen in 2019 from Australia and the two were paired together for a group session during her university course. They have hung out together ever since. 
 
“I hear from her two or three times a week usually, and we do all kinds of stuff together,” she says. “We’ve travelled together, we catch up for dinner, we go to the movies, or just go to each other’s place. Sometimes we go walking or running, sometimes we just go and get an ice cream and sit in the park.” 
 
Ashley Norval (right) and Mia Garner at the Gisselfeld Klosters Forest Tower south of Copenhagen. Photo: Private
 
Ashley believes that many foreigners think, often mistakenly, that the Danish reluctance to impose themselves on others means they are not open to making new friends. 
 
“I think Danish people genuinely don’t want to encroach on your personal space and territory and I’m convinced that once you kind of invite them to something and show them that it’s fine, and that you do want to see them outside of your professional space or whatever, then it’s fine.”
 
She said that foreigners in Denmark needed to realise that they might have to make the move, and suggest going to see a film or get a meal. 
 
“If you make the effort to get to know any part of Danish culture, that is always well received with Danish people,” she adds, although she concedes that Danes might view Australians more favourably than people from many other countries. 

 
Camila Witt and her Danish friend Emilie Møllenbach
 
Camila, 36, met Emilie over the coffee machine when they were both working for a Danish payments company, but bonded over their academic interests. “Emilie and I had a I have a very strong academic background, so we just started to talk about different theories: physics, science and this kind of thing. And we connected over that and I think that the relationship grew from that.” 
 
They go for walks together, make chocolate together, go for dinner, or a cup of tea at a café. 
 
“Nothing really fancy, to be fair, just being each in each other’s companies and I think that both her and I share this perspective that we like we were there for each other and not to be on our phones.” 
 
Camila believes a lot of foreigners wrongly think that when Danes say they’re busy or booked up, that that means they aren’t open to a friendship. 
 
“Danes require more planning. I think that something we need to understand if we come from countries where you’re used to spontaneously say ‘let’ go out tonight, let’s go out after work and just have a beer’. 
 
“It’s really important to you know, proactively invite them and not take them saying, ‘I don’t have time this week’ as them shutting you off because in all honesty, many times they are booked. So it’s about finding that slot of time. It can happen in three weeks, but it will happen you know.”
 
 
 
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