Living in France runs on documents, and the same sequence applies to everyone. Your residence permit, your validation on arrival, your bank account, your social security number, your housing file and your tax registration arrive in that order, and each one tends to be requested by the next. Where people diverge is settling in, and a family adds schooling and childcare to the list. This guide sets out each step in the order you will meet it, with separate settling-in advice for individuals and for families.

Living in France in 2026: What to expect

France offers strong public services, comprehensive healthcare and a working culture that protects personal time, alongside an administrative system that rewards organised paperwork. Processes have moved online through the national platform for foreign nationals, though supporting documents are checked closely and delays are common at renewal. Two things define the first year. French is the working language of administration, housing and schooling, and even modest ability changes daily life considerably.

Our expat checklist covers everything to organise before and after the move in a structured, phase-by-phase format.

Work visas and residence permits for France

A residence permit is your legal basis to live and work in France, and the category depends on your qualifications, your salary and your employer. Citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland do not need a permit.

For a detailed breakdown of each status category, eligibility requirements and application timelines, see our work permits for France guide.

Route	Who it is for and what to know
Talent Passport, qualified employee	The main route for graduate-level professionals with a French employment contract. The minimum gross salary is 39,582 euros a year in 2026, indexed to the national average wage, and the permit runs up to four years with no labour market test.
EU Blue Card	For highly qualified professionals, with a minimum gross salary of 59,373 euros a year in 2026 and a master’s level qualification or equivalent experience. Allows onward mobility within the European Union after a qualifying period.
Intra-company transfer	For employees moving from a group company abroad, issued as a seconded employee permit. The employer and its immigration lawyer usually select the route and manage the application.
Standard salaried permit	For roles below the Talent Passport thresholds or outside the eligible categories. Subject to a labour market test and initially issued for one year.
Accompanying family	Talent Passport holders can bring a spouse and minor children on a family permit granted at the same time, with the spouse holding full work rights.

Validating your permit, social security and banking

Your long-stay visa must be validated online within three months of arrival, and this step is easy to overlook and difficult to recover from. Validation converts the visa into a residence permit and is checked whenever you travel or renew. Your employer registers you for social security, and you receive a permanent social security number followed by a carte vitale, the card presented at every medical appointment. A French bank account is needed for salary, rent and utilities, and the account details, the RIB, are requested constantly.

Finding somewhere to live in France

The rental market is decided on the strength of your application file, the dossier, and landlords in Paris, Lyon and Bordeaux receive many for each property, so assemble it before you start viewing. Landlords generally look for net monthly income of around three times the rent and a guarantor based in France, and where you have neither, the state-backed Visale guarantee is free and widely accepted. A deposit of one month of rent is standard for an unfurnished property and two months for a furnished one, and agency fees are capped by law. Listings appear on SeLoger, Leboncoin and PAP.

For a full breakdown of how international household goods moves work, see our guide on moving household goods internationally.

Healthcare and insurance in France

Healthcare in France is funded through the national system and covers everyone in stable residence, including employees from their first day of work. The state reimburses a substantial share of medical costs, typically around seventy per cent of a standard consultation, with the balance covered by a top-up policy. That top-up, the mutuelle, is commonly provided by employers and is worth confirming as part of your package, since it covers the remainder along with dental and optical care. Registering a médecin traitant, your declared general practitioner, is what secures the higher reimbursement rate and gives you access to specialists on referral.

For a broader guide to the full range of insurance products expats need when living abroad, see our guide on insurance for expats.

Understanding French tax basics

Income tax in France is deducted at source through the prélèvement à la source, and an annual declaration is still filed each spring to confirm the position and settle any difference. Tax is assessed on the household rather than the individual, so a spouse and dependent children change the calculation materially. Social contributions are significant and are visible on your payslip alongside income tax, which is why net pay differs sharply from gross.

For a detailed guide on how expatriate tax compliance works across jurisdictions, see our expatriate tax compliance guide.

Cost of living in France in 2026

Cost of living in France is driven by housing, and Paris sits far above every other city. Mercer, ECA International and AIRINC publish cost of living research that mobility teams use to compare locations, and the ranges below are indicative for 2026.

Cost area	Indicative monthly range in 2026
Rent, one-bedroom in central Paris	Around 1,300 to 1,900 euros, the most expensive market in the country
Rent, one-bedroom in Lyon, Bordeaux or Nice	Around 800 to 1,200 euros
Rent, one-bedroom in Toulouse, Nantes or Lille	Around 650 to 950 euros, noticeably more affordable
Groceries, single person	Around 250 to 400 euros, with markets often cheaper than supermarkets
Public transport	Around 60 to 90 euros a month, with half commonly reimbursed by employers

Language and culture in France

French language ability is the single factor that most changes daily life, and this holds even in international workplaces where English is the working language, since administration, housing, healthcare and schooling are conducted in French. Politeness follows clear conventions. Saying bonjour before any request, in a shop, an office or a lift, is expected, and the formal vous is the default with anyone you do not know.

For more on how organisations can support expatriate wellbeing throughout an assignment, see our guide on promoting work-life balance for expatriates.

Settling in as an individual

Settling in alone comes down to city, cost and how quickly your French improves. Paris offers the deepest professional market and the largest international community at the highest cost, while Lyon combines a strong employment market with a lower cost of living and easy access to the Alps. Bordeaux, Nantes and Toulouse are markedly more affordable and popular with younger professionals, and Nice and Montpellier suit those prioritising climate.

Settling in as a family

Settling in as a family brings schooling forward in the planning, since education is compulsory from the age of three and places are allocated by the local mairie according to your address. For a full breakdown of how dependent visa applications work and what rights family members hold in Japan, see our guide on what happens to your dependent’s visa when you relocate for work. Public schooling is free and of a high standard, with lessons in French and additional language support available for new arrivals in many areas. International schools and bilingual sections within the public system offer continuity in English, with fees varying widely and places limited enough to warrant early application. Nursery places, the crèche, are heavily oversubscribed in the larger cities and applications are made through the mairie well before a place is needed.

For a broader look at how organisations structure family support within a relocation programme, see our guide on expat relocation: supporting employees and families abroad.

Moving to France as a company assignee

Where an employer relocates you to France, most of the steps in this guide are coordinated rather than left to you to arrange alone.  If you are still weighing whether to accept the offer, our guide on should you accept an international assignment? covers the questions worth raising before you decide.

Companies commonly work with a relocation management company that brings together the immigration lawyer, the tax adviser, the destination services provider and the household goods provider, so that your permit, dossier, school application and shipment connect in the right order. The MOVEPLUS™ platform gives the mobility team a single view of key dates, documents and approvals through our relocation service coordination and the MOVEPLUS™ dashboard shows where each step sits at any point. The sequence itself is the same one set out above.

Get in touch to find out how MovePlus can support your France relocation.

Frequently asked questions

1. Do I need to speak French to live in France?

Many international workplaces operate in English, but administration, housing, healthcare and schooling are conducted in French. Even conversational ability changes daily life considerably, and making the effort is generally received as a mark of respect. Language classes are widely available and are also a practical way to meet people.

2. What is the first thing to do when I arrive in France?

Validate your long-stay visa online within three months of arrival, since this converts it into a residence permit and is checked whenever you travel or renew. Then open a bank account, confirm your social security registration through your employer and apply for your carte vitale.

3. What do landlords in France ask for?

Landlords assess a documented application file, the dossier, and generally look for net monthly income of around three times the rent plus a guarantor based in France. The state-backed Visale guarantee is free and widely accepted where you have no French guarantor, and an employer letter carries weight.

4. How does healthcare work in France?

The national system covers employees from their first day of work and reimburses a substantial share of medical costs, typically around seventy per cent of a standard consultation. A top-up policy, the mutuelle, covers the balance and is commonly provided by employers.