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When the Mountains Listen: A Solo Hike to Col de la Bâthie in the French Alps
Some hikes are about reaching the top. Others are about finding enough silence to hear yourself again. There are moments in life when you do not necessarily need answers. You simply need space. Space away from conversations, expectations, decisions and the constant noise of everyday life. Space to walk, breathe and allow your thoughts to arrive in their own time. For me, that space is increasingly found in the mountains. And living in Savoie, in the French Alps, means I am surrounded by an extraordinary number of them. This time, my feet took me into the Beaufortain massif in southeastern France, for a solo hike from Le Planay to the…
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Chasing Cool Air: Following an Ancient Mountain Pass Above France’s Heatwave
Another heatwave.By now, the warnings have become part of everyday life in France. Every radio station reminds us to stay hydrated. Electronic road signs flash messages urging people to avoid the hottest hours of the day. Communes check on elderly residents. Windows remain closed, shutters drawn against the afternoon sun. It is remarkable to think that summer has barely begun. As temperatures climbed once again across much of the country, my children and I found ourselves asking a simple question that many families across France were probably asking too: Where can we find cool air? Living in Savoie has one enormous privilege. The Alps are never far away. So we packed our camping…
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The Long Road to a French Driving Licence: A Guide to Exchanging Your Foreign Licence in France
There are certain parts of moving to France that no one romanticises. Very few people warn you that one day you may find yourself sitting in front of a computer, staring at the France Titres website, trying to upload the same document for the fourth time, wondering whether a driving licence can become a test of patience, identity and endurance. For many, a driving licence is not just a card. It is freedom. It is the ability to take children to school, accept a job outside the city, attend an interview, visit friends, shop without carrying bags across three bus connections, or simply feel like an adult again in a…
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Moving to France Isn’t What You Think: 13 things I Learned the Hard Way
Moving to France is often imagined as something beautiful and effortless. Food, culture, travel, a certain elegance of life. And while parts of that are true, what is less often spoken about are the quiet adjustments, the unexpected costs, and the emotional shifts that come with building a life here.
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Healthcare in France- What Newcomers Don’t Expect And What You Should Know
Living in France comes with the promise of one of the best healthcare systems in the world. But for newcomers, the reality is more nuanced. This piece explores the experience of navigating care, understanding the Carte Vitale, and learning to adapt to a system that offers security, but requires patience.
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Finding a house without a Guarantor
Finding a place to live in France sounds simple when you say it out loud. Until you actually start.
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Childcare in France,Creche, Nounou, Garderie….. explained
It usually begins with a simple question, but one that carries more weight than you expect. Who looks after the children when you have to work?
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Winter Break Between the French Alps and Alsace
When I first moved to France, winter felt like something I was observing from the outside. Snow was beautiful, yet unfamiliar. I did not grow up with ski culture or avalanche forecasts. Instead, I grew up under a different sky.
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Understanding the French School System as a parent in the diaspora.
When you move to a new country with children, school quickly becomes one of the most important parts of daily life. It shapes routines, friendships, and how children begin to feel that they belong in a new place.
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Discovering the French Mountains as an African.
When most people think of France, they imagine Paris—cafés, museums, and long afternoons on sunlit terraces. But living in rural France introduces you to something else entirely: the mountains.
