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PARIS

Tell us: Is Paris really such a bad city for foreign residents?

Yet another survey has ranked Paris as one of the worst cities to live in as a foreign resident. But does the French capital have any good points? We want you to tell us.

Garbage bags line the street of the French capital.
Garbage bags line the street of the French capital. Foreign residents in Paris have ranked it as one of the worst cities to live in. We want your thoughts. (Photo by Geoffroy Van der Hasselt / AFP)

The Expat City Ranking 2021 placed Paris 51st out of 57 cities. Only Rome, Milan, Johannesburg, Istanbul, Tokyo and Istanbul ranked lower.  

Respondents in a global survey of more than 12,000 people judged the French capital to be dangerous, expensive and full of rude people.

But tens of thousands of foreigners move here and stay, so surely the city has some redeeming features?

We want to know your thoughts on this:

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LIVING IN FRANCE

Retirement, inheritance, and taxi scams: 6 essential articles for life in France

This week’s must-reads from The Local feature reasons to retire to France, how the residency language test is marked, important rules on inheritance, burglary rates across the country, avoiding taxi scams, and a short-term visa that some of you may find useful 

Retirement, inheritance, and taxi scams: 6 essential articles for life in France

We’re not suggesting that anyone do this on a whim – moving to another country is a big step and one that requires some advance planning. But if you’re considering it, here are a few good reasons to retire to France.

6 reasons to retire to France

If you’re one of many foreigners in France faced with taking a French language test in order to secure residency or citizenship, it might be helpful to know how the test is marked and what examiners are looking for.

Reader question: How is the French language test scored?

France has both strict laws on inheritance and high rates of inheritance tax for certain groups – but what’s the situation if you live in France but receive an inheritance from another country?

Reader question: Do I have to tell the French taxman about an inheritance from overseas?

The number of recorded home burglaries in France rose three percent to 217,600 in 2023, according to figures from the Interior Ministry. But where in the country has the highest rate?

Which parts of France have the highest (and lowest) rate of burglaries?

When taking a taxi in Paris, it is important to be prudent in order to avoid being overcharged. These are some of the things you should be aware of.

How to avoid taxi scams in Paris

Did you know … Depending on your age and nationality, you may be entitled to apply for a one-off ‘working holiday’ visa that allows you to live and work in France for a year.

EXPLAINED: What is France’s ‘working holiday’ visa?

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