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.
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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
Raising a Bilingual Child in France: What Actually Works
Raising a bilingual child in France means navigating OPOL, code-switching, and the shift that comes with starting an assistante maternelle. This post shares real habits from a French-American household: what’s worked, what hasn’t been a struggle yet, and how a simple card game became part of our daily bilingual routine.
How to Hire an Assistante Maternelle in France
Hiring an assistante maternelle in France means more than finding great childcare; it makes you an employer under French law. This guide covers the contract, Pajemploi, CMG, pay rates, and indemnitiés, plus the surprising rules around signing, ending and everything in between that catches the immigrant families off guard.
Getting a Crèche Place in France: What Nobody Tells You
Struggling to get a crèche place in France? Here’s how to apply, what to expect, and your backup options if you don’t get in.