France: Living

Welsh diplomatic representations

The Welsh Government overseas offices aim to grow the economy by increasing exporting and attracting inward investment, raising Wales' profile on the international stage and establishing Wales as a globally responsible nation. Details on the offices in France are below:

Paris: +33 1 44 51 31 36
Open from 9:00am to 5:00pm local time

Communities of Expatriates

The Number of Expatriates: The population of expatriates in France represents 6.3 million people. (National Institute of Demographic Studies). Leading nationalities of expats living in France can be consulted here (latest available data from Statista).
For Further Information: French entrée
Immigration Authority: Immigration, asylum, reception and support for foreigners in France (Ministry of the Interior)
Transportation Companies For Moving/Removals: List of international movers
Contact the Embassy: Contact the Embassy of Francein the United Kingdom.
Contact Your Embassy: Contact the British Embassy in France.

Ranking of Cities

Cost of Living: Paris is the 44th most expensive city in the world according to the Mercer Index 2016.
Quality of Life: Mercer's 2017 Quality of Living Survey ranks Paris 38th out of 231.
For Further Information: Quality of Living Worldwide City Rankings –Survey - Mercer
Cost of Living Worldwide City Rankings –Survey - Mercer

Renting an Apartment

Description of apartments: Studios are apartments with one main room. Some of them are let furnished.
Other apartments are called T (or F) with a separate kitchen, or T bis (or F bis) if the kitchen is not separate, followed by the number of rooms (kitchen excluded).
Normal Lease Term: 3 years, renewable by tacit agreement. Notice of leaving is 3 months.
Rental Costs: A deposit (given back when you leave the apartment) equal to 2 months' rent is required. At the beginning of the rental period, a third party is often required to stand guarantor.
Agencies or Private Rentals: Going through a rental agency may be more convenient; but the fees are often sizeable (once or twice the monthly rent).
Renting directly from an individual is less expensive, but value for money often varies from one apartment to another.
Rental Agency Websites: Century 21
Orpi
Fnaim
Private Rentals Announcements Online: Individual to individual
To buy-to rent
Other Possibilities For Accommodation: French league of youth hostels

School System

School Level: It breaks down into 5 levels of education: nursery school from age 3; elementary school from age 6 (for 5 years); secondary school (collège) (for 4 years); high school (lycée) leading to the baccalaureat (for 3 years); then higher education (for 2 to 8 years).
International Schools: For further information, consult:
- the School Education in France;
- the list of schools by course chosen.
For Further Information: The Ministry of Education website
Studyabroad.com France

Health System

Quality of Healthcare: The health system offers good quality care. It is accessible to everyone all over France. Health care personnel are very well trained and competent. Problems of levels of staffing sometimes arise according to region or medical establishment.
International Hospitals: The American hospital in Paris

The British hospital at Levallois
Health Insurance: Yes
Accessibility of the Health Insurance Network to Foreigners: Possible
Health System Insurance Body: Social Security
Health Ministry: The Ministry of Health

Tourism and Culture

Different Forms of Tourism

Historical: 40,000 monuments to visit among which 10,000 châteaux, abbeys and manor houses, the landing beaches, etc.
Cultural: 6,000 museums, 1,000 festivals.
Sculptures, paintings, theatre, concerts, cinema, literature, etc.
Nature: Many protected natural parks. See also the French UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Religious: Lourdes, Chartres, Lisieux, Mont Saint-Michel
Thermal: Consult the balneology in France website
Beach: The Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the English Channel. 5,500 km of coastline in all.
Winter Sports: The Alps have some of the most pleasant (and most expensive) ski resorts in Europe, such as Chamonix. The Pyrenees or the Massif Central offer less expensive alternatives.
Outdoor Activities: Hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, mountain climbing, rafting
Shopping: France is well-known for being the greatest destination in the world for shopping, especially for fashion (website of the French Federation of Haute Couture), culinary specialties or wine (guide to French wines), in small specialised boutiques or in the large department stores (Galeries Lafayette, Printemps), etc.

Top Highlights in the Main Cities
The Louvre
The Sacré Cœur Basilica
The Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysées
The Château of Versailles
The Invalides Museum
Boat trips on the Seine (Les Bateaux mouches)
The Cathedral of Notre Dame
The Paris Opera

Top Highlights of the Country
The Châteaux of the Loire
Strasbourg Cathedral
The Palace of the Popes in Avignon
Stanislas Square in Nancy
The Amphitheater of Nîmes
Camargue
The Aveyron gorges and the Valley of the Lot
Reims Cathedral
The Mont St Michel
The Lourdes Basilica

Tourism Organisations: Explore France
Cultural Organizations: Ministry of Culture and Communication
For Further Information: The culture portal

Individual and Civic Freedoms

Political Freedom: Extensive
Civil Liberty: 2/7
: World Ranking of Freedom of the Press According to "Reporters sans Frontières", 2021 report : 34/180
Free Access to the Internet: Extensive
Rule of Law: Guaranteed
Personal Autonomy and Individual Rights: Extensive
Women's Condition: Despite of having equal status and freedom, women are paid 25% less than men.
For Further Information: Political Rights and Civil Liberties Country Scores by Freedom House
The world ranking on freedom of the Press by Reporters without Borders

Religion

Degree of Freedom: Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the Constitution, and strict anti-defamation laws condemn attacks motivated by religion. A law of 2004 prohibits the wearing of ostentatious religious symbols at school.
Beliefs: Catholics 62%, Protestants 1%, Jews 1%, Muslims 6%, without a religion 26%.
Role of Religion in Society: Slight

Any comment about this content? Report it to us.

This content is provided by Business Wales, an agency of the Welsh Government, and is intended to Welsh individuals and companies for information purposes.