A big part of how I keep up with all the latest developments in my adopted country is, of course, living here. I organize almost a dozen monthly business and social events and am always learning how to integrate more … Continue reading
Life in France
Journées du Patrimoine (Skip the Elysée)
Around this time last year I made plans with two friends to visit the Elysée Palace. Once a year, in September, the French celebrate Heritage Days (les Journées du Patrimoine) and many places are open to the public which are … Continue reading
No, I Don’t Have a French Driver’s License (And Probably Never Shall)
I hadn’t written about this before, but a number of people have emailed me about it more recently and I also just finished a book called French License by Joe Start which chronicles just how challenging it can be to … Continue reading
Osteo & Chiro in France
“We’re not covered by the French insurance system.” I was only slightly surprised when my osteopath said this to me at the end of our visit. As someone who has spent most of his life outside of a single-payer healthcare … Continue reading
Gas Pains
“Do you want an electric stove, a gas one, or a hybrid?” My (new) landlady asked me this question over the telephone as we were negotiating deal points on the new lease. We had found the current stove to be … Continue reading
Troubleshooting: Internet, Leaks, and Hot Water Heaters
There are things that are very simple in France. One of my favorites is the “set it and forget it” auto-debit for most of your recurring expenses: your EDF (electricity bill), UGC pass, or your mobile phone, just to name … Continue reading
French Work Benefits Are Truly Unbelievable
We were in line to pay for our portions of the meal. It was in Grenoble and many of my native French companions had opted for raclette, the delicious and hearty mountain food of the Alps. I wanted to encounter … Continue reading
August in France
It is quiet. Wonderfully quiet. Not just in Paris but everywhere you go in France. On July 15th, after some national holiday that will go unnamed, the French decide that it’s been a solid 10.5 months of work, and that … Continue reading
The Clothing Inventory: How I Escaped the French Sales Season
The “official sales dates” in France are roughly January 6-February 16 and June 22-August 2. SOLDES! The all caps scream out at you from all the shops in Paris — then there’s the deuxième démarque, and the dernier…at each stage … Continue reading
Picard: a Dirty Little Secret of the French
So before we arrive in La France, we non-French perhaps imagine that all French people have an advanced knowledge of wines and cheeses, and while we don’t expect the full Julia Child/Jacques Pepin experience, we expect that most native French … Continue reading