FRA9 FILE · Society & lifestyles
Living in France: daily life, budget and practical steps
Housing, budget, working hours, banking, transport, school, health and administration in one practical guide.
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key points: Budget local · 35 heures · Housing · France Services
Daily life depends first on place and status
Living in Paris, a regional metropolitan area, a medium-sized town, a village or an overseas territory does not create the same budget or timetable. Start with immigration or work status, actual address, household members and the services reachable from the home. Then separate national procedures from local rules: communes organise certain services, transport depends on the network and school on catchment or allocation. A general story about “French life” can never replace the rule, fare or opening time attached to a specific address.
Build one life-admin file before opening many accounts
Prepare a secure file containing identity, applicable visa or permit, proof of address, lease or hosting certificate, work or education contract, entitlement certificates, bank details and contact information. Evidence accepted for vehicle registration is not automatically valid for every procedure; check the requested document and its permitted age with each authority. Keep originals, upload only through the official portal and name copies with a date. FranceConnect helps identify the user, but it neither submits every application nor guarantees acceptance.
Read opening hours instead of applying a national stereotype
The legal duration of full-time private-sector work is 35 hours a week, 151.67 hours a month or 1,607 hours a year, but collective agreements, contracts, overtime and actual organisation can change the schedule. Long lunch breaks, a weekly closing day or appointment-only service are not universal. Sunday and public-holiday work varies by activity, commune and agreement, while 1 May has a distinct regime. Check the exact venue or authority website, then confirm the day and time shown on the booking before travelling.
Build a local budget, not an imaginary average
Insee reports that housing services represented 27.8% of household final consumption in 2024, ahead of food at 15.6% and transport at 12.7%. Those national shares describe all households; they do not provide a personal budget or an available rent. Price rent, recoverable charges, energy, insurance, deposit, transport, phone, food, healthcare, childcare and taxes separately. Compare them with genuinely available net income, keep a start-up reserve and test the journey at the time it will be made before choosing a cheaper but remote home.
Housing, energy and moving: preserve evidence
Before collecting keys, read the lease, deposit, charges, energy rating, required insurance and notice rules. Complete a detailed check-in inventory with meter readings, keys, defects and dated photographs; at departure, normal wear is not treated like damage. Arrange electricity or gas, water, internet, insurance and mail forwarding without assuming a contract moves automatically. Changing energy supplier is free and does not change the meter, but compare the price, duration, revision method and service. Then report the address to the authorities and contracts that actually need it.
Bank account, payments and direct debits
A foreign national legally resident in France may apply for an individual bank account, subject to the bank’s checks and evidence requirements. Compare account fee, card, withdrawals, international transfers, overdraft, insurance, non-euro payments and closure; a free offer may still charge for inactivity or incidents. After a refusal, a person without an individual account may use the Banque de France right-to-an-account procedure with refusal evidence or proof of an unanswered request after the specified period. Review each direct-debit mandate and retain invoices, cancellations and bank details supplied.
Work, transport, school and health shape the week
A private employer reimburses at least 50% of eligible public-transport season tickets based on the shortest route; individual tickets are not covered by that duty. Peak hours, last services, disruption, cycling and parking differ by city. School holidays in 2026-2027 follow zones A, B and C or separate overseas calendars, so use the school’s department rather than a parent’s address. For everyday health, distinguish a doctor, pharmacy and emergency service; in serious danger call 15 or 112, use 18 for fire and rescue, or the accessible 114 service.
Resolve a blocked procedure without starting again
Record the responsible authority, case number, submission date, acknowledgement, response and appeal deadline. A screenshot alone may omit the URL, time or uploaded document, so retain the file and confirmation message too. Reopen the address through Service-Public or the official directory rather than an advertisement. A France Services office can assist with everyday procedures involving national partners, but it does not replace the authority making the decision. For a dispute, first request a written answer, then use the complaint, mediator or appeal route that applies to that subject.
Frequently asked questions
Does everyone in France work exactly 35 hours?
No. Thirty-five hours is the legal full-time private-sector duration, but contracts, collective agreements, overtime and organisation can change the schedule.
Does a public holiday mean everything is closed?
No. Rules vary by holiday, activity, agreement and place. Check each service or shop before travelling.
What monthly budget is needed to live in France?
There is no reliable national amount for everyone. Price housing, charges, transport, household size and city against genuinely available offers.
What if a bank refuses to open an account?
Request or retain evidence of refusal. If eligible, file a right-to-an-account application with the Banque de France.
Does France Services decide an application?
No. Its advisers can assist with the procedure and direct the user; the responsible authority or organisation still decides.
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