Thinking of moving and living in France?
Whether you are just starting to dream or already have your boxes packed, the Franco British Network is here to help you navigate the journey. While we are well-known for assisting UK nationals already settled in France, we also have a dedicated resource hub specifically for those of you planning your move! Our “Moving to […]
3 Simple Steps to Start Speaking French Today
Learning a new language can feel daunting, but the best way to get started is to focus on consistency, simplicity, and immersion from the day you arrive. Aim to listen to, and say something in French every day; the most obvious situations are in the Boulangerie, the Tabac, the bank or the supermarket, or at the market, a café […]
Why Your School French is Totally Obsolete (and what to learn instead)
The French love their language – it’s refined and expressive, and is universally admired for its beauty, cultural depth and complexity. It’s a truly global language; spoken by more than 300 million people worldwide, across Europe, Africa, Canada, the Caribbean and parts of Asia. French is a Romance language, descended from Latin along with Spanish, […]
The essential FBN guide to finding a doctor in France
As with the UK, front-line medical services are provided by a Médecin généraliste (General Practitioner) who you should find and register with when you arrive in France. When you’re looking for a GP the place to start is Doctolib, which is an on-line directory of all health providers in France, not just GPs. You can […]
Messieurs Dames
Standing in a pharmacy, bakery or doctor’s surgery you may well hear people say ‘Messieurs Dames’ to no-one in particular as they walk in after you and join the queue. It’s the French way of being polite and acknowledging each other as they go about their daily lives. You can do it too, and it […]
Get Yourself a French Connection
One of the easiest ways of embracing French life is to get yourself a French mobile number There are a number of French mobile network providers fiercely competing for your business (Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom and Free Mobile – to name the most prominent) and prices are often lower than in the UK. A couple […]
Mealtime Rhythm
Think about mealtimes in a ‘typical’ UK household and they might run to a cooked breakfast, or cereal and toast if you’re in a hurry, sandwich, crisps and a diet coke at lunchtime and then a hot meal in the evening – either freshly prepared or pre-cooked from the supermarket. At the weekend, they’ll be […]
Anyone for Lunch?
If you’re in France and try to go shopping between 12.00pm and 2.00pm you may well find the shop you want is firmly shut. And if you happen to be in a shop that’s closing for lunch, don’t worry, they’ll let you know in no uncertain terms and turf you out into the street bang […]