Whether you are planning a move to France or you are already here, there are a few websites and publications that you are likely to find helpful. In no particular order:

1. Expatica France. (https://www.expatica.com/fr/). This is a free website, in English, with regular updates on the logistics of life in France. Check here for everything from the cost of living in France to driving in France.

2. The Local France. (https://www.thelocal.fr). The Local is not free, but for about €35 a year, it’s a great source of information for English-speaking expats. You will find regular updates on new bill and laws coming into force, popular French news stories in English, special features on any changes to French visa programs, and even a “word of the day” column to improve your informal French. It’s updated daily and can speed up your sense of being part of things in your new home country while keeping you informed of issues specific to expats.

3. The Connexion. (https://www.connexionfrance.com/French-news). With updates throughout the day, the Connexion gives you all of the big daily headlines in France in an English-language format. You will find less emphasis here on expat-specific issues like visas and French language learning. But for an extra fee, the publication makes available a few special editions every year on a topic of interest to expats (French taxes, French healthcare, etc…). The fee for a digital subscription is currently running at €4.50 per month, while a special edition runs somewhere around €14.

4. Portal for Foreigners in France. (https://etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr/accueil). This is the French government page provided by the French Ministry of the Interior and l’Office français de l’immigration et de l’intégration, commonly known as OFII. Over the past few years, the Ministry has been working to put almost all administrative functions for expats online, a process that means we will all eventually have the ability to renew visas and titres de séjours (residency permits) without a trip to the local préfecture. The page has an English-language option and a “General Information” tab that leads to articles on some of the administrative systems you will be encountering.

5. The Good Life France. (https://thegoodlifefrance.com). This is another free site in English. And you will find some practical tax and housing tips for expats. But overwhelmingly, this site does just what its name suggests: it offers inspiration for enjoying the sites, sounds and tastes of your new home. Look here for picturesque villages to visit near you and for French recipes in each season.

Have a suggestion to add? Let us know in the comments!