The Local France is written by foreigners who are resident in France – which means we have all made that move and know exactly how daunting it can be.

Whether you’re coming to France to study or to work, moving for love or to enjoy a well-earned retirement, there’s a lot that you need to know.

If you’re moving from non-EU countries such as the USA, Canada, Australia or the UK you will likely need a visa, and all new arrivals will need to organise French healthcare – as you’ve probably already guessed, the move will involved a significant amount of paperwork.

Then there’s the issue of finding somewhere to live – whether that’s the difficult process of persuading a landlord to rent to a foreigner or navigating the French system of property purchases.

And finally there are the cultural challenges – from learning the language to making sure you don’t accidentally upset a French person and navigating the thousands of small differences between France and your home country.

That’s why we’re launching a new monthly newsletter aimed at people who are moving to France, or just thinking/dreaming about making the move.

We will look at all aspects of the practicalities of upping sticks and moving countries, and offer some insights in the culture shocks you might expect when arriving in France. We’ll point you in the direction of all our essential articles geared towards people moving to France.

For paying members of The Local, our team will also also be on hand to try and answer your questions and dig into the topics you need to know more about. 

You can sign up for the monthly newsletter by clicking on the link below or by visiting your newsletter options via the “My account” page. If you are reading on the app and the sign up box does not show for you please email [email protected] and we’ll add your email address to the list.