If a charcuterie board and Emily in Paris sound like a dream, why not try living in France for a year? As Quebecers, one thing we missed on the West Coast was good cheese and fresh bread, so we decided to spend half of our year abroad in France.
We were extremely fortunate to have friends who owned a gîte and offered to let us stay there for super cheap. Friends we hadn’t seen in six years—so why not pay them a long visit? It sounded pretty easy at first since we already had a place to stay: save money for the plane tickets, leave, and enjoy fresh croissants… Well, it’s not that easy (as you might guess), so here are some things to consider and plan for.
Visa
As a Canadian, you will need a visa if you want to stay in France for more than 90 days. You can remain in the Schengen Area for 90 days within a 180-day period. Basically, if you don’t want to apply for a visa, you will need to leave the area for three months before coming back. See my guide on Visa application for more tips and tricks!
Schooling
If you have an address in France, you can register your kids in school starting at age 3. It’s a great way for your child to learn French and make friends.
The Canadian curriculum moves at a slower pace, so you might consider placing your child in a lower grade—especially if they do not speak French. I found that while the early years were similar academically, kids in France worked harder and had less playtime.
One thing our kids loved was the cantine. Most French schools offer daycare during the lunch break, which includes a proper three-course meal. For a relatively low fee (depending on the school—we paid €4.90), your kiddo will discover French cuisine on an everyday basis.
Another positive side of French schools is that kids don’t have school on Wednesdays (in most schools, anyway). School days are longer (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), but they get a day off halfway through the week—good deal, right?! I kept my kids with me on Wednesdays, and we would explore the city. Many museums offer special activities on Wednesdays.
Driving
Driver’s License
When reading online prior to our trip, it seemed that we didn’t need an international driver’s license… Well, that was not true (at least not for us)! Unlike when we traveled in the U.S. or Mexico, we were asked multiple times for an international driver’s license. Even though some rental companies mentioned that a driver’s license in the Latin alphabet was acceptable, we were told that this only applied to European licenses. I strongly suggest getting one in Canada before leaving.
Standard Driving
Most cars in France are standard, so you might want to practice on your friend’s old car before moving there. When stuck in traffic in the middle of Lyon, about to enter a four-lane roundabout, you don’t want to be worrying about driving stick!
Car Rental
Many options are available, depending on your budget and needs. We originally planned on buying a car, but considering potential mechanical issues and the need for snow tires (we lived at a higher altitude), we decided to rent instead. Here are the options we considered:
- Carrefour – This grocery store chain offers car rentals at decent prices. Their locations are usually in the city, so you can reach them by public transportation. Note that you will need an international driver’s license for all drivers.
- Traditional car rental companies – Avis, Budget, and other major chains are usually available at airports and in large cities. We found that for long-term rentals, they were very expensive.
- Turo – An online car-sharing platform that allows car owners to rent their vehicles to travelers. We chose this option because it was the cheapest way to rent a car. Also, only one of the drivers needed a translated driver’s license.