Two Lives in One Country

If there’s one thing I’ve learned after 8 years in France, it’s that life here can feel like two completely different worlds depending on which chapter you’re living.

When I first arrived in Clermont-Ferrand as an Erasmus student, I thought it would be all croissants, French cinema, and chic study sessions at the café.

Instead, I got a crash course in survival French, late-night architecture projects, and the tough reality that French professors don’t go easy on foreign students.

Fast-forward to today, I’m an architect in Toulouse, married, and navigating the joys (and paperwork nightmares) of French working life.

The contrast between my student year and my career life couldn’t be sharper.

That’s why I’m breaking down what it’s really like to live in France as a student versus as an expat worker.

If you’re considering making the move, this side-by-side guide will give you the clarity you need.

Want to dig deeper? Read my detailed posts about living in France as a student and living in France as an expat worker for all the real-life examples, prices, and personal stories.

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Living in France as a Student

The Language Barrier Is Real

I came to France without speaking a word beyond “Bonjour, je m’appelle Ersilia.”

My naive hope was that people would understand how tough French is to learn. They didn’t.

For many French people, the idea of someone moving to their country without speaking French feels shocking.

Coming from Transylvania in Romania, where Hungarians and Romanians have coexisted for over a century — sometimes without even speaking each other’s language — this attitude was surprising to me. In France, speaking French is a non-negotiable part of integration.

Tip: Start with lessons before you arrive. Even basic conversational French makes housing, paperwork, and daily life infinitely easier.

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Affordable Education (Mostly)

One of the biggest advantages of studying in France is how affordable it is compared to other countries.

Tuition at public universities is a fraction of what you’d pay elsewhere.

• My architecture degree was essentially free.
  
• My husband, however, had to take out a €20,000 loan for his marketing degree at a private school.
  

It really depends on your field, but overall, France remains one of the most accessible destinations for higher education.

On top of that, students benefit from:

• Discounted transport passes for buses, metros, and trains.
  
• Reduced-price museum and cinema tickets.
  
• Student housing (CROUS), where rent is lower and paperwork is simplified.
  

Tip: Apply early for CROUS housing — demand is huge and spots disappear fast.

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Housing Struggles

Renting an apartment in France is complicated even for locals, but as a student, it can be downright discouraging.

Landlords usually require a French guarantor and several months’ rent upfront.

This is why student residences and CROUS are lifesavers. They streamline the process and don’t expect you to already have local connections.

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CAF: Your Secret Weapon

CAF (Caisse d’Allocations Familiales) is France’s system of housing aid, and yes — even Erasmus students can apply. The catch? Aid only applies from the moment you apply, never retroactively.

That means:

• Get your housing documents quickly.
  
• Open a French bank account right away.
  
• Submit your CAF application as soon as possible.
  

It can shave a significant amount off your rent — a huge relief on a student budget.

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Healthcare for Everyone

Even as a student, you’re entitled to France’s universal healthcare system.

Signing up may involve a bit of bureaucracy, but once you’re in, you’ll only pay a fraction of what medical care costs elsewhere.

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The Academic Culture

Most Erasmus students underestimate that studying in France is demanding.

Professors don’t lower their expectations for foreign students.

For me, this meant long nights working on architecture projects, memorizing presentations in French, and fighting to keep up with my classmates.

Compared to the relaxed Erasmus experience friends had in Spain or Italy, France was academically intense.

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Student Life and Tourism

Of course, it’s not all stress.

As a student in France, you still get the chance to explore the country — though usually on a tight budget. Cheap buses, trains, and low-cost airlines make weekend getaways possible.

But don’t imagine you’ll spend all your time traveling. Between coursework and finances, you’ll need to plan trips carefully.

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Eating Healthy, the French Way

One of the most surprising parts of student life in France is how much food culture shapes your habits.

Even students learn to shop fresh, cook with seasonal ingredients, and eat balanced meals.

A trip to the local market is not just about buying vegetables — it’s part of your education.

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Living in France as an Expat Worker

Finding a Job: Easier in Big Cities

If you’re hoping to work in English, your options are limited.

Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon, and maybe Nice have international workplaces.

But in smaller cities, like Toulouse (France’s 5th largest), it’s almost impossible to find a job without French.

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The Importance of Contracts

In France, your work contract defines your entire situation:

• Alternance (student/apprenticeship)
  
• Interim (temporary work)
  
• CDD (fixed-term contract)
  
• CDI (permanent contract) — the holy grail
  

Even with a CDI, you’ll usually face a 3–6 month trial period where either side can walk away.

Without a contract, renting housing is nearly impossible, so your career stability directly impacts your personal life.

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Social Security and Mutuelle

One of France’s greatest advantages is its social security system.

It covers healthcare, pensions, family allowances, and unemployment benefits.

On top of that, every job requires you to subscribe to a mutuelle (supplementary health insurance).

For example, I pay €45/ month for mine and it covers for:

• One dental implant per year.
  
• A full set of glasses every two years.
  

These are the options that I use the most, but it can also cover months of hospital care, maternity care and even IVF.

It’s a major safety net that reduces the stress of medical expenses.

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Work-Life Balance: The French Way

If there’s one thing the French do well, it’s balancing work and life. A few highlights:

• 5 weeks paid vacation per year (minimum).
  
• RTT days (extra days off if you work over 35 hours weekly — I get 8 per year).
  
• Right to disconnect: Companies with over 50 employees must set boundaries for work communication outside office hours.
  
• Paid leave for life events: weddings (4 days), parental leave, or bereavement.
  
• August shutdown: Many businesses slow down or close for part of August.
  
• 35-hour work week: Anything beyond that often gets compensated with RTT.
  

It’s a system that encourages rest and values family time — a stark contrast to more work-driven cultures.

We even get questionned every year to ensure that these rules are followed.

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Cost of Living

Here’s where things get tougher. The minimal wage in France is, in 2025, €1425.

Most jobs pay a little more than that. Most middle class people in France would earn around €1800-2200 Net (what you have once you paid the paxes).

• Rent: €600+ for a small apartment outside Paris; €1,000+ in Paris.
  
• Food: €100–150 per week for two (excluding restaurants).
  
• Gyms: €35–60/month; specialized classes (Pilates, boxing) €20–35/hour.
  
• Childcare: A nanny can cost up to €1,000/month. Daycare is a bit cheaper.
  

Add to this the reality that the more you earn, the less aid you receive from the state.

In France, you either qualify for significant support or you earn enough not to need it — the middle feels squeezed. And 80% of France is considered to be “the middle class”, earning between €2500- €4900 / month/ as a couple. This article explains it in detail.

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Taxes: Brut vs. Net

French salaries are often advertised in brut (gross), which is misleading if you’re used to seeing take-home pay.

• Around 25–33% of your salary goes to social charges.
  
• Then comes impôt à la source (income tax at source), which is recalculated annually.
  
• At the end of the year, you may owe extra. This year, I had to pay back the equivalent of 1.5 months’ salary.
  

It’s frustrating, but it funds the services that make life in France comfortable.

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Bureaucracy: A Test of Patience

France is infamous for slow administration.

• My nationality request took more than 2 years to even be opened.
  
• My French husband once waited 6 months for a passport.
  

Paperwork is unavoidable, and deadlines are long. Patience is essential.

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Social Life and Culture

Here’s the harder truth: French people aren’t as socially open as in some other countries.

Friendships often come from school, work, or family circles.

As an expat, it can be tough to be invited into those spaces. My life would have been much lonelier without my French husband.

But the rewards are endless:

• Food culture that teaches you to eat well, shop locally, and talk about ingredients.
  
• Vibrant local stores and markets that keep neighborhood life alive.
  
• Architecture and culture so abundant that even after a decade, I’ve barely scratched the surface.
  
• A location, in my case, that lets you reach Spain in 4 hours or Italy in 8.
  
• Strikes — frustrating, yes, but also part of what keeps society evolving.

Curious how French humor or marriage talk works? I wrote an in-depth piece on the subtle cultural shocks I lived through.

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Architecture and Everyday Beauty

Living in France means being surrounded by history.

From medieval towns to Haussmann boulevards, every city corner is a small museum.

Even after 10 years, I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface of what’s worth seeing.

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Strikes: Frustration or Freedom?

Strikes are a constant part of life in France.

Yes, it’s annoying when your train is canceled at Christmas, but it’s also proof of a society that doesn’t accept unfairness quietly.

In a way, it’s part of the rhythm of living here.

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Conclusion: Do You Belong in France?

At the end of the day, whether France feels like a dream or a challenge depends less on the bureaucracy, the taxes, or even the cost of rent — and more on your personal affinity for French culture.

If you love the rhythm of long meals, the endless discussions about cheese, the August holidays, and the quiet beauty of village markets, you’ll find yourself at home here despite the frustrations.

But if you can’t see yourself navigating a new language, waiting months for paperwork, or adapting to a culture that takes its time, you may struggle.

For me, love — for the country, its culture, and yes, my French husband — made all the difference.

Want to dig deeper? Read my detailed posts about living in France as a student and living in France as an expat worker for all the real-life examples, prices, and personal stories.

A bientôt, Ersilia