How to Move to Paris

Moving to Paris is a dream many people have, including myself. Maybe you fell in love with the café culture, the walkability of everything, how every street feels like a museum, its beautiful architecture, or the slower pace of life. After going there several times, I began to wonder if living there was actually plausible, and I realized that it most definitely is. I could see myself living there, and maybe you could, too.

Relocating to France is very different from visiting for a week or two on vacation. It’s absolutely magical to wander along the Seine, perusing the bouquinistes, taking photos of the Eiffel Tower in the background, and eating a croissant or pain au chocolat. The reality is that moving to Paris properly requires extensive planning around visas, housing, finances, language, healthcare, and learning how to navigate the infamous French bureaucracy. It’s all fun and games until it’s not.

As I’m making my own move to Paris, when posed with the question “Are you so excited,” I have to admit that I’m actually quite nervous. The excitement of being there is only the first part of the equation; the rest of it is a lot of logistics, all of which have to execute within strict timelines and guidelines. Having a successful international relocation only happens with proper planning and attention to detail. My move has gone very smoothly, and my goal is to help you prepare for an equally well thought-out and executed transition to the most amazing city in the world.

If you’re wondering how to move to Paris, this guide walks you through most everything you need to know before making one of the most profound and rewarding decisions of your life.

When I first started to think about seriously moving to Paris, it was about a year in advance. I wasn’t necessarily actively doing things each day in preparation for the move for an entire year, but the decision was made to move by the next year, and mentally I started to envision what that would look like. Gathering information from others who have moved, researching how to move my pets, obtain housing, and more were sprinkled in my weeks. Before booking a flight on a whim, you’ll want to have a decently clear plan for each stage of the move.

Some of the biggest things you’ll need to prepare include:

• Understanding which visas are available and choosing the right one
• Completing your visa application (by you or by an immigration attorney)
• Finding housing, either short term or long term
• Having a clear financial plan
• Learning French (at least some)
• Having an understanding of the French healthcare system
• Obtaining a French phone number
• Preparing for cultural differences
• Planning your first few months in Paris

France is a country that loves paper and paperwork, so you have to know that it will be a major part of the process. The more organized you are before you leave, the easier your transition will be upon arrival.

The Moment I Knew I Had to Live in Paris

My answer would be “Why wouldn’t you move to Paris??” That’s my personal opinion because I love the city so much. There are many reasons why people relocate to Paris, and every person’s journey is a little different. For me, it was my dream to live in Paris for many years. When the opportunity became more feasible, I jumped on it and made it happen.

Some of the most common reasons people move to Paris include:

• The culture, simply enough. I frequently say that the city of Paris is a whole museum. Aside from all of the buildings, there are the actual museums, galleries, concerts, architecture, and historic landmarks that are part of everyday life.
• The exceptional food scene. No matter where you buy food, it feels so much fresher than in the United States. Between their boutique style grocery stores, fresh markets, boulangeries on every corner, cafés packed with people, and world-class restaurants, eating feels like a work of art.
• Rich history. When you envision your life in Paris, you see yourself in the Haussmann buildings, sitting on your French balcony, sipping a cup of coffee or glass of wine. Your walks include views of some of the most iconic landmarks in the world…and that’s just your normal stroll down the street.
• Career Opportunities. Perhaps you were fortunate to apply for a job in Paris and obtain a work visa to pursue a career at an international company. For me, I am growing a travel writing business and knew Paris would be a perfect place from which to write. Paris has so much to offer in terms of work opportunities.
• Central European location. Another reason I am thrilled to be living in Paris is its easy access to so many other countries. There are trains and flights constantly out of the two airports and many train stations. You’re going to be looking for me like it’s the Where’s Waldo game.
• Excellent public transportation and walkability. One of my most favorite things about Paris is the ability to get around without a car. Whether you take the metro, a bicycle, or your feet, it’s easy to live in Paris on the transportation they provide.
• A slower lifestyle. Paris has this fascinating juxtaposition of having a very active social scene while also feeling like the pace is easy and slow. It’s something I haven’t experienced in any or many other cities.
• Personal Growth. Moving abroad really shows you what you’re made of, and you can take that straight from this horse’s mouth. The personal growth that comes out of the preparation of the move alone will change you for the better forever. Living in a foreign country with everything unfamiliar is next level, and you’ll be growing like a weed.

A big difference in visiting Paris and choosing to live in Paris is that everyday life replaces the sightseeing eventually. While you get the benefit of nuance at every corner for a while, you’re still grocery shopping, walking your dog, making doctor appointments, commuting on the metro, and spending time with friends. Building your own routines eventually makes Paris feel like home instead of a dreamy getaway.

An Open Passage

Life in Paris is quite different from living in the United States. It’s inconvenient in the most beautiful types of ways. Instead of weekly grocery hauls or delivery services, Parisians hit the markets a few times per week from the freshest of foods. There’s a lot of eating what’s in season versus getting anything you want at any time of the year.

The transportation is also a bit different in Paris. Instead of hopping in your car for any and every errand, you’re often walking or taking public transpiration. The buses, metro, regional trains, and trams make it easy to get all over the city. If you’re thinking of moving to or visiting Paris, I also have a guide on how to get around Paris that covers the transportation system in more detail.

One of my favorite things about places outside of the United States, particularly in France, is that work is not life, and there is a nice balance between the two most of the time. In fact, most of the time you won’t be asked what you do for a living because they don’t feel like it defines you. You’ll experience longer lunches, lots of vacation time, and personal time being respected.

Each neighborhood has its own vibe and personality. Where I am living, in Montmartre, could be its own city, and that’s just one arrondissement in Paris. Some people love the Marais, the Latin Quarter, or the quieter residential feel of the 16th arrondissement. As you get to know Paris better, you’ll know where you’re meant to live.

While you can get away with not speaking perfect French, it’s a good idea to learn, as French people do enjoy your efforts and will speak in French to you. Sometimes they will switch to English if they feel like it’s the more efficient choice, but learning French is a good idea, as it’s used in daily life and makes things significantly easier when you know and understand it.

Yes, moving to Paris can be challenging for several reasons. However, it is absolutely doable and manageable, and if you really want to live there, you can find a way. They make you jump through hoops, but it will show you if it’s worth it or not.

Some of the biggest challenges are:

• Completing the visa application
• Understanding (or trying to understand) French bureaucracy
• Finding long-term housing (though I got very lucky in this one)
• Navigating language barriers
• Adjusting to cultural differences
• Opening bank accounts and setting up utilities (there are companies that can help with this)
• Building a new social network

The application process can be a bit discouraging, particularly when gathering paperwork for the long stay visa or entrepreneur visa, or whichever you go with. What I can tell you from experience is that each challenge/hurdle becomes a little easier when you approach the move one step at a time. I started months in advance gathering documents and organizing files so that when it came time it didn’t feel so daunting. As the saying goes, an elephant can be eaten just one bite at a time. It’s the same with moving to Paris.

The Views Alone

Honestly, it’s impossible to know every single detail of what to know to move to Paris because each person’s experience and needs are so different. Some people move with pets, some move for a job, some retire in France. I’ll give you a basic rundown of the highlights of what you’ll need to know before taking the plunge.

Your Visa Determines Everything

Prior to arranging your entire life in Paris, you’ll need to determine what type of visa you’re going to get. If a company is hiring you in France, you might get a work visa. For me, I got a long stay visitor visa because my blogging/writing is not considered a French job, as I get paid from companies in the United States and my audience is primarily American. People who want to start a business in Paris, like a food tour company, might get the entrepreneur visa. There are all kinds of visas that one could potentially get, and if you’re not sure, the best thing to do is consult with an immigration attorney to determine this.

Start the Visa Application Early

I’m not suggesting you do this, but one evening I was losing my mind, ready to move to France, and filled out the visa. When it started to get “real” by asking me to book the visa appointment, I quickly exited and didn’t revisit until I was actually ready. However, I did see what it looked like and felt like, and that was months before I finally was ready to make an application that I was going to stand behind. It also prompted me to start gathering the documents needed, such as:

• Passport
• Financial statements
• Health insurance
• Proof of residence/accommodation
• Passport photos
• Employment documentation
• Anything else your visa might ask for

Your nearest French consulate or visa center will be the best resource to provide current and accurate requirements, and I also used ChatGPT for my organization of which documents I needed. You don’t want to miss anything.

Housing Can Be Competitive

This is actually where I ended up shining because I did a lot of work on the front end. I interviewed several real estate agents, reached out and asked people who live in Paris for advice, and more. Finding long-term housing can be very challenging, and when I interviewed an agency that specializes in working with expats, I knew that they were the right choice for me. Many people take temporary housing when they arrive in France, but since I have 3 pets, I knew I wanted to slide right into my long term apartment. Within a day my real estate agent found my apartment in Montmartre. I had sent him examples of apartments I liked, and he was able to quickly zero in on the right fit, and voilà.

I’m not saying it’s that easy, because it’s not usually. But he and I did a lot of prep on the front end, where I had to send him multiple documents in my dossier. He had to essentially sell me to the landlord, and that is why he got my business. Some of the documents required were:

• Proof of funds or income
• Identification
• Employment information
• Financial records
• A guarantor (I used GarantMe) in some situations

There’s not one way to do this, and you simply have to get clear on what you want and be flexible when you have to be. Take it from me, it all works out in the end.

Budget for More Than Rent

If you want your stay in France to be more than to just live and work, then you must budget for rent plus, plus, plus. You’ll want to enjoy your time there, be able to go out on occasion to eat or do nice activities, take day trips, or buy a coffee. Some things to budget for when moving to Paris are:

• Utilities
• Internet
• Groceries
• Transportation
• Insurance
• Mobile phone service
• Healthcare
• Entertainment
• Travel around Europe

Having some financial cushion gives you some flexibility during your transition time and the first few months of being abroad.

Learning French Makes Everything Easier

While you don’t need to be fluent in French when you move, I would highly recommend taking French lessons and using some basic French to interact with your fellow Frenchies on a daily basis. They may switch to English for efficiency, but you can always request to continue speaking in French. Being able to order food, ask questions, make basic greetings, and communicate for appointments is a real confidence builder. After all, you are living in France, so you may as well integrate yourself as much as possible.

Cultural Differences Are Real

French culture is unique, and it’s something all expats have had to get used to. They have their own social expectations, and they expect visitors or new residents to respect them. For example, when you walk into any store or establishment, it is expected to greet the person working there with a simple “bonjour.” If you’re eating at a restaurant, meals generally take longer and the servers don’t hound you every five minutes. In fact, getting l’addition (the bill) can feel like it takes half the meal because you are left alone. These are just a couple of examples of how things are vastly different than how we do things in the United States. It’s good to look around and see how others are doing things and go from there. Essentially, read the room.

Cafe Culture is the Best

This is somewhat of a hard question to answer because everyone’s situation is so different. It’ll depend on where you’re moving from, if you’re shipping your furniture, taking pets with you, getting long term or temporary housing. Several factors affect the total cost of moving to Paris, and here are a few to keep in mind as you’re thinking about making this move.

• Visa fees
• Passport expenses
• Flights
• Accommodations (temporary or long term)
• Real estate agent fees
• Rent and deposit for rent
• Health insurance
• Moving/shipping costs
• Getting pets over there, if applicable

You’ll inevitably have unexpected expenses during your first few months, so it’s a good idea to budget for that. Being on a very tight or strict budget may make your time in Paris uncomfortable or unpleasant, so plan accordingly.

From my experience, it felt like I was bleeding money. At every turn I was paying someone else to do something for me. From packing boxes to clearing my house to paying someone to travel with me to be a third person for my third pet, it adds up very quickly. I had to create a financial plan, and it was created years in advance. Things shifted and changed between then and when I moved, but I started the money planning well in advance. It’s the most prudent thing to do.

The Day I Applied for My Visa

Research Your Visa Options

Make the first thing first, and that would be to start doing some research on visa options. You’ll want to know what is the best fit, and see how you can live and work in France. If you’re retired, that’s a different story. I toyed with a student visa, entrepreneur visa, and settled on the long stay visitor visa. I was open to whatever was the best fit, and it took me months to figure it out.

Complete Your Application Process

Whether you are doing this yourself like I did or getting an attorney to help you, you must complete the application process to live in France. You’ll need both digital copies and physical copies of everything you’re presenting. This is something I worked on for months in advance, if for no other reason than to familiarize myself with what they were asking.

Submit Your Visa Application

When you submit your visa application, you’ll have to schedule an in-person appointment with the French consulate or designated visa center. Make sure to bring the required documents, even if you think it’s overkill. They are helpful and will print things out if something isn’t right or you’re missing something, but be as prepared as you can be on the front end.

Find Housing

I’ve got somewhat of a different take on housing because I knew I didn’t want to land in Paris in a temporary housing situation, then have to run around finding housing. Interviewing real estate agents and choosing the right fit for me was crucial to how I wanted this move to go, and I happened to get exactly what I wanted. With pets, the thought of jumping around was too much, but if I didn’t have pets, securing temporary housing was reasonable and feasible.

If you’re looking for a stellar real estate agent who works with expats, please contact Raphaël with Guava Partners. Tell him I sent you. He is absolutely awesome.

Build Your Financial Plan

Moving anywhere is expensive, and moving abroad is somewhat staggering. Many times during the process I had to take some deep breaths about how much it was going to cost me. I always gave myself the option to back out if it got too much, but who on earth wants to back out of moving to Paris. Not this girl. Make sure you have enough money to be comfortable and for any emergencies. That could include having to fly back to your country (for me, the US) or move to another apartment. It’s a wise idea to be financially secure.

Learn Everyday French

Learning some basic and everyday French is très intelligent. You’ll feel better about your community and connections that you start to make there. And look, you’re an immigrant. You’re not supposed to be perfect at being all things French, but they certainly appreciate you making the effort. Don’t be shy, but do be aware that they will correct you - not to be rude, but because they genuinely want to help. That was another thing I had to get used to.

Organize Your Belongings

It’s so hard to decide what to do with your things. Do you sell them? Take them? Ultimately, I chose to start fresh and give away or sell all of my belongings, except for a few things like cooking tools, clothes, and art. Everything else was just too much of a hassle, and since I was moving into a furnished apartment, I didn’t need much. Do what makes the most sense for you - you’ll know in your heart.

Prepare for Daily Life

Visiting Paris and living in Paris are very different. Daily life involves things like doctor appointments, getting around, grocery shopping, figuring out how to get packages delivered, where to buy dog food, and more. I did a lot of research to see what was around my apartment before arriving so I would be as familiar as I could be when I got there. You can’t plan for everything, but you can plan for some things.

Embrace the Adventure

You’re going on an adventure of a lifetime. There is no perfect move, and expecting the unexpected is a good approach to what you’re going to do. Each thing depends on another thing to move, but somehow it all works out. Trusting the process is the key. You’ll get overwhelmed, want to quit, slam on the brakes. But then you realize you’re going to live in the best city on earth, and things somehow become less of a burden. Eventually you’ll find your favorite boulangerie, food market, place to sip wine, or watch the sunset. And you’ll wake up one day feeling like you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be, at home, in Paris.

Luxembourg Gardens

Learning how to move to Paris starts long before buying your plane ticket. It requires patience, planning, flexibility, and a willingness to embrace a whole new way of life. From choosing the right visa to finding housing to obtaining your residence permit to adapting to French culture, the challenges are great. The reward of living there, however, is even greater.

The process isn’t always easy, but you can take it from me that it’s completely worth the effort. How many people in your life do you know that actually did this thing? You’re amazing for making it happen, or even thinking seriously about it. With a little planning, some strategy, maybe some tears, a lot of wine, and an open mind, you’ll be on your way to living that Parisian lifestyle you’ve always dreamed of. Paris is waiting, and I believe this move is closer than you think. À bientôt, and see you in Paris.

If you liked this blog, you might also like the one I wrote about what to wear in Paris, France or how to enjoy Paris at a slower pace.

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