Comments on: Tips for Moving to Paris from Someone Who Just Did It

By: Aaron

Aaron — Thu, 03 May 2018 16:50:27 +0000

This is a good guide for those looking to get settled in Paris. I agree 100% with the “neighbors” point. It doesn’t matter if the house/apt is nice if the neighborhood isn’t good.

By: Nathan Hailey

Nathan Hailey — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 14:13:14 +0000

Paris is nice place for move. I like this place. Moving in Paris is sometimes a difficult work. your blog gives a lot of valuable information for Paris moving. Thanks for sharing this so interesting post! I really want to be thankful for the way you have put it here.

By: Charli

Charli — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 13:24:51 +0000

In reply to Sarah Woods. Thanks for reading Sarah—Happy it helped, always tough to get rid of things but it feels good after I promise!

By: Sarah Woods

Sarah Woods — Wed, 21 Mar 2018 21:34:10 +0000

Getting rid of thngs is such a pain for me, but I guess that is the right way to make place for new things in your live. THank you for the wonderful tips that you shared!

By: Charli

Charli — Sun, 18 Feb 2018 22:57:16 +0000

In reply to Richard Omea. Hi Richard, thanks for the comment. Yes, everyone’s situation will be very different depending on your immigration status, language skills, how much money you have, etc. I was hoping to give tips anyone could use whether you are coming as a student or retiree or anything in between. Since I can’t provide advice for actual immigration status or legal contracts beyond my own experience, I defer to those who have been in other situations to provide that advice. Much of the advice on this blog is focused on spouses of french citizens because that is my experience and what I was looking for when I was moving here. Hopefully some people still find this information useful even if not exactly pertinent to their particular immigration situation. Thank you for reading!

By: Richard Omea

Richard Omea — Sun, 18 Feb 2018 11:57:43 +0000

Dear Charlianne,
While I am very happy to hear of your rather easy move to a new life in Paris, I think the picture you paint as one who moved based on a marriage to a French man portrays a path that is an unrealistic representation for anyone who is not. In doing so, you have glided over many of the problems others encounter: you already have an existing bank account to share, an existing residential address, a credit history, a French person who will run point on all of the more difficult fundamentals of life in Paris, a free French tutor at home 24/7, etc, etc, etc.
Hence, some of your claims resulting from the privilege of your experience do not translate into reality for anyone who doesn’t step off a flight at CDG with those advantages. By example, bank accounts and legal leases represent a Catch-22 in France that is both legendary in both its rigidity and absurdity. On top of a long-term carte de sejour, one must have proof of have a legal residence – a signed lease plus a bill in your name at that exact address (if the batiment is missing a letter or apartment number it may not be accepted) from EDF to open a bank account. But few to no proprietors will give you a lease, nor will EDF give you an account – without an EXISTING bank account! Plus proof of income acceptable to a French proprietor which means income in France, as props care not a fig about how much income you have in the USA.
Should you be refused a bank account (as the current IRS/DoJ laws discourage many French banks from taking US citizens), the Banque de France – the FR central bank akin to the US Federal Reserve, FDIC and state banking regulators all rolled into one) will not force the bank of your choice to give you an account. Once you are refused you must ask for and obtain a “Lettre de refus” often mailed to an address (!), and you can then apply to the BdF with that and another form, le driot du compte. After what can be several weeks you will then be assigned a bank that will accept you – BdF chooses it for you and it can be some small bank with one or two branches in Paris, which then takes weeks to give you a fully functional account. What do you do in the month or two interim without a bank account? With no Pin/chip card to buy Metro/SNCF tickets, etc? Because finding a decent affordable apartment is hard enough for French citizens who know the rules, have jobs and years of quittance de loyers in their application file – without a complete and acceptable ‘personnelle dossier de location’ IN HAND when you show up it is impossible.
Anyone without it better have a friend’s sofabed, or a lot of money for an AirBnb, hotel or furnished apartment to rent by the month until the escargot pace of French bureaucracy plays out in their favor!
I could go on as there are many other pitfalls presented to those who move to France without a corporate relocation service or husband to create an easy landing. And please, do not take this criticism personally or be offended as that is not my intent. However, if you wish to paint and accurate picture of what moving to Paris from NYC (something we did on our own 11 years ago)? Best to use brushes and colors that are available to everyone – or rename your blog “Marrying Into France” so your readers fully know in advance the prerequisites to your advice.
Soyez bien, bon courage, bonne chance et bienvenue en France!!

By: Carolina

Carolina — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 20:01:49 +0000

In reply to Charli. Thanks a lot. I've been reading al your stories and I feel totally alike with so many things while I get to know more about the city, culture etc Regards

By: Charli

Charli — Mon, 05 Feb 2018 19:29:14 +0000

In reply to Carolina Ruiz.

Hi Carolina, thanks for reading! Bank accounts are a tricky in France. You will definitely need a French account because so many elements of life (health care reimbursements, getting paid by work, etc) require one. I opened a normal joint account with my husband at a major French bank. He already had a banking history with them so we opened a new joint account which wasn’t too difficult. We also use online banking out of Germany which is better for fees. Check if the French online banks work for the Carte Vitale, Navigo, your work and other times you’d need to link the account to something. Also how you would pull out cash. If that isn’t an issue I don’t see why the online bank wouldn’t be fine.

Banks are legally required to open your account as long as you have a passport with a valid visa and proof of residency. I’ve heard a lot of people say banks refused to serve them, in which case you need to go to a Banque de France location (it’s a banking union/regulator of sorts) to report it and get help opening one.

Good luck!

By: Carolina Ruiz

Carolina Ruiz — Mon, 05 Feb 2018 18:26:26 +0000

Hello Charlianne
I feel so related with your stories. I am Colombian and just married my french boyfriend in November 2017 and starting to feel so many thing you mention. I was wondering if you decided to open a normal (traditional) banking account or if you were more for the new online banking ?
I am still relying on my saving in Colombia and an US account I have since I also Studied worked in the US, but still don’t know if going trough the traditional paper work or just for the new online banks in France. I will call myself more “millenial” type on this subject, since I am not familiar with checks at all hahaha, so that why I am not sure about what to do.
Any advice from your part and experience will be helpful. Hope your are having a nice evening. And congratulations for this blog and for embracing your new life in Paris.
Best regards, Carolina