Practical guides for American expats navigating life in France from someone who's lived every step of it.
I’m Sarah – over 20 years in food service & restaurant management, before trading Ohio for Paris. That operations background is exactly what it takes to survive French bureaucracy: I moved to France in March 2020, became a French citizen in 2024, and this site is where I document navigating visas, healthcare, parenting, and life in France as an expat – the paperwork, the systems, and everything nobody tells you.
New · Élection présidentielle 2027
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Immigration & residency
From your first visa to French nationality; practical guides for the French immigration process demystified by someone who’s lived every step.
Pregnancy & birth in France
What to expect when you’re expecting in France: prenatal care, giving birth in a French hospital, and navigating the system as an American.
Getting around Paris
Metro tickets, airport transfers, EES wait times, and strike survival tips; everything you need to get around Paris without losing your mind or your wallet.
Latest from the blog
CAF Family Benefits in France: PAJE, Prime à la Naissance, and CMG
Expecting or raising a baby in France as a non-French parent? This guide breaks down CAF family benefits: the PAJE, the prime à la naissance, the allocation de base, and the CMG childcare supplement. See who qualifies, how residency status matters, and what to do first. Written from lived experience.
How to Vote in France: 2027 Presidential Election Guide
A step-by-step guide for first-time voters in the 2027 French presidential election. Check that you’re on the electoral list, register before the March 12th deadline, vote by proxy if you can’t be there, and learn what happens at the polling station on voting day and how the two rounds work.
What to do in your first 90 days in France
Nobody hands you a manual when you move to France. After years of learning this the hard way, I’ve put everything into one honest guide: what to do, what has a deadline, and what can wait. Includes a free printable checklist to keep you on track.