French Learning Community and Resources

Hi there! I believe you are about to start your mobility to France. Lucky you! I am sure it is going to be a wonderful experience! Here are five things you should know before moving to the « Hexagon ». 

France Is Not Just Paris  

Even though « Paris is always a good idea », France is a very diverse country, with many regional sceneries and cultures, that has a lot to offer. After you visited the Musée du Louvre, said hi to the Eiffel Tower and enjoyed a Café Crème on one of Paris numerous terrasses, make sure to jump on a train and explore other areas of France. It is definitely worth it!  

About a two-hour drive South-West from Paris, is located the Loire Valley, the world’s largest concentration of castles, registered on the UNESCO world heritage list. The Loire, France’s longest river, is very famous for its 3000 (!!), well preserved, castles, including the famous Chambord Castle and Chenonceau Castle. The Loire Valley is definitely a must do when visiting France!  

The Mediterranean coast of France is also worth a visit (or five). The French Riviera, known as the « Côte d’Azur », goes from Toulon to Italy. Its most famous cities are Nice, its capital; Cannes, home of the famous « Festival de Cannes », and Saint Tropez, recognized for its fancy atmosphere and nightlife. The Côte Bleue, located in the North of Marseille is also very beautiful, just as Marseille’s Southern area, Cassis. Make sure to check out the « Calanques de Cassis », small coves located between rocks and cliffs, accessible by foot or by boat, you won’t be disappointed! Last but not least, Corsica, the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and France’s jewel, offers Seychelles-like landscapes with some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and crystal-clear turquoise water.  

Did you know that France has quite a decent surfing culture? If you’re fond of riding waves, make sure to check out the coastal cities of Biarritz and Hossegor, home of the Quicksilver Pro and French Surf Open. If you are rather a fan of winter sports, the French Alps, home of the largest ski resort in the world, will blow your mind.  

To name only a few other beautiful French regions: French Brittany (« Bretagne »), with areas such as Belle-Île-en-Mer and Douarnenez offers beautiful UK-like sceneries; « Les Landes » is home of the highest sand dune in Europe, the Dune du Pilat, located in the beautiful Bassin d’Arcachon; Normandy houses the picturesque Mont-Saint-Michel and Alsace has many beautiful villages (Kaysersberg, Éguisheim, Mittelbergheim, Ribeauvillé, etc.) and hosts every year the world famous Christmas Market of Strasbourg. Definitely a must-see!  

Interested in some of these areas? Leave a comment in the Living Abroad Forum I’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have and to give you with more information about France’s beautiful regions.  

It is ok to move to France with limited French knowledge. Indeed, most day-to-day tasks are manageable in English, especially in large cities and touristy areas. In addition, new generations and university students tend to have a quite decent level of English.  

However, you will only be able to immerse fully into the French culture if you learn French. French can be difficult to learn but it is an incredibly rich language. The more French you can learn, the better! By learning French, you’ll be able to have deep conversations with French people and to get to know the locals in rural areas, where English is usually not widely spoken.  

The good news is that there are plenty of resources in OLS to help you work on that goal!  

In the « Spotlight » section of the French Learning Community and Resources, you will find the placement test/ assessment. Once you complete the assessment, the platform will recommend the course and learning materials that suit you best. As your level of French will improve throughout the year, feel free to take the test as many times as you want.  

Make sure to join the Practice your French Forum. There, you will be able to practice your French by having conversations in French on different topics with other members of the forum. 

In addition, do not hesitate to reach out to me or to other members of OLS through the Ask the Community Forum if you have any questions. Happy learning! 

In addition, six cities have a metro system (Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Paris, Rennes and Toulouse) and 28 metropolitan areas have a tram system. Each city has its own transportation network (RATP in Paris, Tisséo in Toulouse, RTM in Marseille etc.) so make sure to check out their websites when visiting a new city. Many of them also offer students discounts. Another way to get around in cities is to rent bicycles, commonly called « Vélib » or scooters. Here also, each city has its own network of bicycles and scooters, that are linked to a smartphone app through which you can locate and rent them.  

You may have also heard about BlaBlaCar. BlaBlaCar is a carpooling company that connects drivers and passengers willing to travel together from one city to another. It is very popular in France and sometimes even cheaper or faster than taking the train.  

Finally, for budget travel, you may want to check bus companies such as FlixBus or BlablaCar Bus, that operates in France but also in many other European countries. It is not uncommon to travel for less than 20€, even outside the country.  

It is impossible to talk about France without talking about food. French people love their food, and, most likely, you will too!  

Let’s start with breakfast. A typical French breakfast usually involves half a baguette with butter and/or jam, « viennoiseries » such as the famous croissant, a hot drink (coffee, tea or hot chocolate) and a cold drink, usually orange juice. So, forget about bacon and scrambled eggs and think « continental breakfast ». 

When it comes to lunch and dinner, French cuisine has a lot to offer. Each region has its own specialties: when Mediterranean cuisine involves olive oil and sun-kissed vegetables, Savoyard dishes, enjoyed in the North, such as Tartiflette and Fondue, are usually rich in cheese and cream. Here are some very famous French dishes you may want to try out, to name only a few: Foie Gras, Quiche Lorraine, Raclette, gratin Dauphinois, Boeuf Bourguignon and steak tartare. When visiting France, make sure to check out the local specialties, you won’t be disappointed! 

After the main course, comes the cheese. Did you know that there are more than 1200 varieties of cheese in France? From hard cheeses and soft cheeses, to cow, sheep and goat cheeses, there is a cheese for everyone. The most popular are Camembert, Emmental, Conté, Saint-Nectaire, Reblochon and Roquefort.  

Now, the best part: the desert! You might have heard of Crème Brulée, which literally means « Burnt Cream »; Tarte Tatin, a delicious apple pie usually served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream; Crêpes, enjoyed in February for the « Chandeleur » celebration and Macarons, that goes perfectly well with black coffee. Do not hesitate to share in the Living Abroad Forum which French desert is your favorite and why. I’d love to know!  

Last but not least, France is undoubtedly the country of wine. In regions such as Bordeaux or Bourgogne, you’ll be able to enjoy some of the finest wines in the world. Do you want to hear some good news? French wine is actually quite affordable. In France, a cheap wine doesn’t mean a bad wine, as there are many affordable good wines at your local supermarket. Finally, France is always the birth country of the famous Champagne, which is produced in the eponym region of Champagne.  

Bon appétit!  

Source: Unsplash

Each country has its own habits and customs. French customs and traditions may be different than those of your country. Here are some things you should know about the French way of life. 

French people usually work from Monday 9am to Friday 5pm. Weekends are therefore Saturday and Sunday. Sunday is a rest day when the vast majority of shops are closed (except in Paris). In addition, it is not uncommon that shops and public institutions close between 12 and 2, especially in rural areas.  

When meeting people in a formal environment, French people tend to do rapid yet polite handshakes. In more casual contexts, when most cultures tend to hug, French people usually do « La bise ». This tradition consists in doing an air kiss on each cheek when greeting a person. The number of kisses can go up to four times depending on where in France you are.  

Are there things in this article that surprised you? Or some that you already know? Feel free to share your thoughts by leaving a comment in the Living Abroad Forum.  

It is now your turn to explore this beautiful country and enjoy its landscapes, food and culture. The whole OLS team and myself are wishing you a great mobility to France!