Has anyone moved from LA to Paris?
Posted by New_Block5360@reddit | expats | View on Reddit | 116 comments
I am 39 y/o and moved with my spouse and young kid from LA to Paris less than a year ago and I try to convince myself almost everyday that it was not a bad decision, but I am not yet enjoying life here. Has anyone made this move? What was your experience? Would you be able to share any positive / negative feedback?
Life was way more comfortable back in the US, salaries much higher, cost of living is lower, people are more friendly, and the weather… I don’t even need to talk about this last one. We moved because of my French spouse’s job opportunity. I am also fluent in French so I thought it wouldn’t be as challenging of a transition. We kept thinking about life quality, culture, food, schools… etc were better in Paris but it actually isn’t. It’s about the same with much lower salaries and higher taxes. There is no actual “free” healthcare here, it is just Sector 1 doctors that can me truly mediocre and it takes months to schedule appointments. I had amazing PPO health insurance back home with an HSA account and almost never paid anything out of pocket. Here, it’s been really bad even with a mutuelle if I wanted to target the same great specialists I used to go to with my family. Transportation is also difficult, the metro during rush hour is no joke… and driving your car takes you much longer with aggressive drivers that honk at nothing. Gas prices are extremely high, rents per sq.m are ridiculous. Work culture is very hierarchical and nowhere near how friendly and informal it can be in LA. And lastly.. waiters and anywhere customer facing is not a stereotype, it is really bad. I didn’t realize all that when we used to come here and for short vacations twice a year, and now I am waking up to a different reality.. Is there anything I am not seeing? Is my regrets and sadness after moving here, making me miss the positive aspects of living here?
Expensive_Ad925@reddit
Moved from Miami to Paris in January. I really have not had the terrible experiences you cite with customer service folks - maybe it’s the area you’re in? We live in the 10th, close to the 9th. Cost of living as well - groceries are way way cheaper than the states.
We work remotely and not in an office which may change the way we view Paris. All in all, really very happy we made the move. But happy to chat more with you. I know the struggle can be real - I have a 3 yr old as well. ♥️
MuchAnt24@reddit
I'm considering moving to Paris in the next couple of years, and I'm thinking what was your experience with having little kids in Paris, do they enjoy it? Did you have a hard time getting them into the creche? Poussette in the metro/small streets? Raising a kid away from a support system (such as grand parents etc)?
WorkJaded5425@reddit
My parents moved to Paris before I was born. So coming from the daughter of expats, I absolutely loved growing up in this city and agree that it is a great place for kids! It is so nice to look back on going to the various parks around Paris such as Monceau, Luxembourg and Tuileries as a little child. I learned French in public school and became bilingual and eventually trilingual (spanish) because it is mandatory to take a third language in middle school. I feel very grateful for my french education. I will say that the way it is structured pigeonholes you. Overall though it is such an enriching part of my life. I live in LA now and the culture shock is strong...
MuchAnt24@reddit
That's very nice to hear, thanks! If you don't mind me asking, did you miss the extended family while you were growing up away from grandparents/cousins/uncles etc? Or was it something that you didn't mind or just thought about on vacation? Did you feel alone? Did you leave France because your parents left too or you just got good opportunities in LA?
Expensive_Ad925@reddit
IMO Paris is great for kids. People are really nice to my son and have a lot of patience with him as well. There are a ton of free activities for kids and good parks, depending on where you live. Happy to chat more on schools etc if you like.
Ok_Philosophy4894@reddit
Do you have any advice on moving your things? I have a kid and I’m trying to figure out if we did it- how much we’d bring and how.
Expensive_Ad925@reddit
9 suitcases and paid for them on the airplane. Cheaper than shipping for sure.
Complaintsdept123@reddit
OP is a fake engagement bot. Their numbers and general comments make no sense at all.
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
Are you ok? You’re all over my comments saying I’m fake. How can a bot 🤖 live rent free in your mind all this time? You neither have to understand my personal life choices nor agree with them. Relax dude 🧘🏻♂️
Complaintsdept123@reddit
Because you are. You provide ridiculous numbers and zero details.
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
🤗❤️
No_Lime5241@reddit
Thank you so much for Sharing your Experience I’m moving from La to Paris soon and your perspective gives me great insight
Complaintsdept123@reddit
Proving my point. Only bots use emojis on reddit. tu dit rien de ton contrat, ni la mutuelle, et ce n'est pas du tout crédible qu'une "personne" marié(e) avec un français(e) ne connait rien du système de santé en france ni même que tes "spécialistes" n'ont jamais rien dit. t juste un menteur(euse)
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
Let me give you my social security number, a copy of my passport, my employer’s address and why not access to my investment accounts 😊
Complaintsdept123@reddit
si tu étais français tu saurais que le type de contrat et la mutuelle ne dévoile rien de ton identité. La vérité c que tu ne connais rien de tout ça parce que t un bot.
tripletruble@reddit
i am not sure if there is a reading comprehension issue, but OP never claimed to be french
No_Lime5241@reddit
Please ignore Him
Reddit can be toxic
Neverland__@reddit
Why do you many Americans think Europe is some utopia? Or even better for that matter?
Your take is the same as it would be for 99.99% of people
Little_Creme_5932@reddit
I must be the .01%. OP wants to drive in Paris. But hardly anybody drives there, and driving doesn't work there. So of course OP isn't happy. But this American thinks driving is stupid. Give me Paris over LA anytime.
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
I don’t want to drive here, I never said that. Please don’t make assumptions on my behalf. I love to use public transport for many reasons but when it gets to a point you can’t breathe inside the train/bus because it is too congested then I’d like to find alternatives. Cycling 11km each way to get to work under some great weather conditions and the Paris traffic isn’t a safe or realistic solution either. Taking taxis and Ubers is too expensive, and at the end of the day I’m left with public transport which doesn’t increase my life quality or even keep it at the same level it was.
Complaintsdept123@reddit
Taxis and ubers are NOT EXPENSIVE when you supposedly are living on 230k a year and assuming you have assets in the US since you were making nearly half a million there. Why are you lying?
No_Lime5241@reddit
Bro leave her alone and stop commenting on every post she makes
Complaintsdept123@reddit
Wow this was 2 months ago and you're chiming in now? pathetic
ibitmylip@reddit
Yeah Paris is a great walking city, I couldn’t imagine driving there or even trying to superimpose socal life onto Paris.
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
I found myself a job and work here as well, I commute to work 3-4 days a week and cycling 11km each way isn’t ideal.
FinishCorrect545@reddit
11km?! Do you know that’s larger than Paris’s diameter? Absolutely no local would do that, there are plenty of easier options (metro, RER?!). rush hour can be hard in public transports in big cities, but come on OP. You don’t live in Paris
ibitmylip@reddit
the diameter of the Périphérique is about 33km
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
16eme to République is 11km. Both are inside Paris.
Little_Creme_5932@reddit
How long does that take?
Complaintsdept123@reddit
What is your job and where
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
Not sure where it comes from exactly, but mainly my spouse continuously talking about home as if it was the best place on earth. My spouse left France (South France) 15 years ago to come back to a culture he himself has hard time re-adapting to, probably because he never tried Paris and it seems very different from the rest of France.
Complaintsdept123@reddit
What country are you from? Your English is interesting.
FinishCorrect545@reddit
Russia
DefiantSock6417@reddit
OP’s English is just fine. You’re the weirdo
Korkikrac@reddit
Bah c 'est normal je suis Français et jamais je n irais vivre à Paris, c est pas pour moi non plus, trouve toi un petit village dans le sud de la France et tu découvriras une qualité de vie tout autre.
Toute les grandes villes en France ne sont plus adaptées au nombre d'habitants qui a explosé en quelques années.
Il faut te poser la question de ce que tu es venu chercher en France, si c 'est la qualité de vie Paris n 'est surement pas le 1 er choix.
C 'est dur de s 'expatrier dans tous les cas je pense il faut un temps d'adaptation.
Courage à toi
marianneouioui@reddit
J'ai vraiment du mal à croire qu'une personne habituée à la vie à LA va se plaire dans un village. Et dans le sud de la France, elle va rencontrer les problèmes similaires à ce qu'elle décrit.
Korkikrac@reddit
Mais pourquoi avoir quitter L A pour Paris si c 'est pour vouloir vivre comme à L A alors, c est la vrai question qu 'elle doit se poser ,un village pas loin d'une grande ville c'est l'idéal de mon point de vue.
Complaintsdept123@reddit
Je suis sure à 99 pourcent que OP est un fake.
Korkikrac@reddit
Pas compris désolé
Complaintsdept123@reddit
OP n'est pas un vrai expat qui vient s'installer à paris. C'est un compte à faible karma et si tu regardes bien ce qu'elle dit, ça n'a pas de sens. Elle dit avoir touché 400k€ aux US, et 230k€ à Paris. Déjà pourquoi faire le choix de perdre autant d'argent? Puis elle plaint de devoir prendre le metro au boulot. Elle dit qu'elle a suivi son époux et ils voulaient juste" tenter l'expérience" de vivre à paris. Alors pourquoi elle se prend la tête à bosser avec un tel salaire? Elle se plaint des couts de la vie à paris....encore une fois.... quand elle touche 230k EUROS. Cette "personne" se plaint du système de santé sans même connaitre le site de doctolib, sans même savoir que non, ce n'est pas un système universel comme le NHS en angleterre. Ce n'est pas crédible. Elle vient ici avec un époux FRANCAIS, ils sont riches, ils ont une mutuelle, ils bossent j'imagine avec des français, ils croisent des français à l'école, et pourtant PERSONNE ne leur ont expliqué ce site? elle dit devoir voir des "spécialistes" et aucun de ces soi disant spécialistes ne l'ont dit de prendre un rdv sur doctolib? c'est du foutage de gueule. En plus, elle ne dit rien sur le type de contrat de travail, sa mutuelle, etc.
C'est un bot c'est tout.
No_Lime5241@reddit
People need to Stop calling everyone bots. It sounds like she’s just relaying her experiences and wanting others to bounce her experiences off of, if shes not informed on some topics like healthcare than give her tips
Korkikrac@reddit
Élémentaire mon cher watson belle démonstration !
Merci en tous cas pour ton enquête minutieuse bravo !
Complaintsdept123@reddit
LOL de rien :)
marianneouioui@reddit
Se poser la question sur un choix du passé ? Elle l'a déjà dit, son mec est français et ul a trouvé un taf à Paris.
Korkikrac@reddit
Alors tout va bien c 'est cool
Default_Dragon@reddit
Pas forcément. LA, c'est pas comme à New York ou à Londres. C’est un mode de vie dominé par la voiture, les grandes maisons, la nature, etc. Certes, il y a beaucoup de consumérisme (magasins et tout) qu’on ne trouverait pas dans un petit village du sud de la France, mais vers la Côte d’Azur ce n’est pas impossible non plus.
A_Quiet_American@reddit
Paris is horrible.
Working there 2 years made my life miserable and I had plenty of money to go around.
Once you have finished the touristic part of moving, you wish no longer to be there.
FinishCorrect545@reddit
If your experience was horrible, it doesn’t make Paris objectively horrible.
Paris is just not made for everyone to live in. It’s a global metropolis: extremely busy, dense, noisy, sometimes dirty, competitive, and stressful. It works well for people who like culture, constant social interaction, walkability, and high stimulation and who are ok with tradeoffs.
A lot of Americans move to Paris expecting a slow, romantic “European lifestyle.” That’s a misconception. Paris is not Provence. It’s much closer to New York on a smaller scale: packed, intense, expensive, and not particularly gentle with newcomers. But lower salaries indeed and lower rent as well.
If what you’re looking for is calm, space, friendliness, I recommend smaller cities like Lyon, Bordeaux, Nantes, Toulouse. Or even Marseille if you’re ok with the messiness !
EastManufacturer3099@reddit
I am originally French. After 15 years of my adult life in the US, I moved to Provence for a year, and moved back to the U.S. for similar reasons to yours. Once you experience the comfortability, ease of bureaucracy in the U.S. it's really hard to downgrade in France. The overall inefficiency in France was very frustrating because I used to a move efficient system. Why make things complicated when they can be simpler? Current France is also drastically different from France 15/20 years ago, where doctors from secteur 1 and 2 were outstanding, there was plenty of medical availability, less insecurity as well.
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
Thank you for sharing! My spouse is French as well and he is experiencing similar frustrations to the ones you shared, although for him this should be “going back home” but it’s been a little disappointing. So we decided to enjoy what we missed about France when we listed in the US and make our way back next year ☺️
EastManufacturer3099@reddit
Yeap. I think that once someone has experienced who simple/straightforward bureaucracy and every day life can be, it's hard to tolerate the opposite. I also didn't want my daughters to be exposed to the abusive and demeaning education mentality, which they experienced a bit there even in a private school 🤗
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
I hear you, my daughter is still young and although in a private school but I clearly see how traditional/strict education is here in comparison to her previous school in LA. You took a great decision for you family!
doglovers2025@reddit
Well if you haven't been following USA, insurance is beyond worse now, many won't be able to afford to keep it soon. I'm in NM and only reason my insurance hasn't gone up thousands like others is due to Governor in this state
girl_engineer@reddit
I made a similar move for career reasons (which worked out well for me, I'm a scientist so things in the US were becoming untenable) and yeah I think this post is fair. Particularly with the healthcare, which is hard to get my American friends to understand. They just hear "free healthcare" and go starry eyed, but honestly I really, really miss my American doctors. I haven't had a decent dental cleaning in two years because I keep trying out dentists in my city and they all just tap my teeth and go "all done, looks good." The medical situation in France post-COVID is really dire. No one I know, even the French, are able to get specialists right now.
That said I have come to like a lot of things in France and I'm also glad to be missing the craziness of the current administration. Plus I think I've grown a lot being an expat, it's an experience not that many people have had and it really does expand your life. Your child will definitely benefit from a more flexible cultural perspective.
If I can give some advice for transportation, depending on where you are you might try an e-bike. Biking in Paris has gotten a lot better in recent years and it will get you out of the metro.
For the cultural aspect, especially customer service, well, it's Paris....I think you'd have a similar experience in New York. Us West Coasters are just a very friendly kind of people, there's going to be a clash for sure.
Less than a year is not really enough time to know how you'll like France. You're still in the depths of culture shock and even your body probably doesn't really know what happened. If you really, truly loathe it, you can pull the plug, but I'd give it another six months and really think through what can change that will make you happier. When I felt this way I indulged in a lot of rather hedonistic things I rarely did at home---buying really nice foods, seeing the ballet, taking an entire Sunday to just lounge in the park---and it helped me keep my mood up.
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
Thank you sooo much! You can’t believe how your words made me feel. Someone going through the same pains and still enjoying what Paris has to offer. It makes me feel less alone. I’ll give it more time, it definitely is an enriching experience that truly few people can understand the reasoning behind.
DefiantSock6417@reddit
Why did you get downvoted for this? Ridiculous sadists
makemekhant@reddit
This is amazing advice 🫶🏽 I will take a page out of your book! I’ve been in France since last Christmas and it seems like my life just never had a chance to start and you’re right about the body not even knowing what the heck happened. Im still dealing with the fallout — mind body and soul but I’m determined to make it another two years to really see if we can make it here. It’s really hard to stay hopeful or see a promising future when you’ve been suffering for so long. Oh well.. I try to drown myself in my kids to cheer me up in the meantime.
Oh_the_Walrus_1@reddit
Anywhere is better than LA
OkWinter5758@reddit
I don't like LA but it's certainly nowhere near the bottom of the list, especially if you're set on income.
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
That’s what I use to tell myself for the past 4 years in LA. The grass is always greener on the other side I guess.
Oh_the_Walrus_1@reddit
How about somewhere else. LA is one of the noisiest cities in the US. The homeless population is one of the highest. Not to mention the pollution and traffic. There's better options.
OkWinter5758@reddit
Jeeze, aside from the weather it's almost like you described my experience moving to LA years ago.
spacedog8015@reddit
I moved from LA to London and I feel the same especially about healthcare and general unfriendliness.
FR-DE-ES@reddit
I moved from San Francisco/Silicon Valley to Paris (12th year resident, C1 in French), some aspects are upgrade while other aspects are downgrade. In San Francisco/Silicon Valley, I had bigger/better apartment, never had to wait more than 3 days to see any doctor, no ugly winter, no bureaucratic headache. I find Parisians as pleasnatly chitchat-inclined with strangers as Californians. I had previously lived in countries with the same customer service style & crowded public transport, so I am accustomed to it. Paris is an upgrade for me in terms of quality of museums/opera/architectural beauty/cultural events and the ease of jetting off to another European city for cultural events. Overall, it's a worthwhile trade-off for me (but I live in sunny Southern Spain in November-March when Paris is unattractive&dready, and I go to Germany when I need an appointment with specialist within the next few days)
Immediate-Dream-7832@reddit
How odd. I live in SF, and use UCSF for my medical care. I have an excellent primary doctor, and an excellent cardiologist. And .... to get an appointment with the former, requires at least three months' wait. For the latter, over six months. I have an excellent PPO (unsubsidized Obamacare, pretty expensive) and I routinely pay lots of money for tests. From what I've seen in my recent visit to Paris, apartments are about the same price per square meter as in SF. I know a couple with a -very- centrally located 2BR/2BA 1022 sqft apartment (nicely furnished, too!) for which they pay .... $4k/mo. Which is about what I'm expect to pay in SF.
Greedy_Reflection_75@reddit
The cost being the same is ok if you're still making 6 figures USD.
Immediate-Dream-7832@reddit
Ah true. A fair cop.
Complaintsdept123@reddit
OP is fake.
Neverland__@reddit
Yeah so unrealistic lifestyle for 99.99% of people that aren’t you. It sucks except for the parts you’re able to escape
mikehamp@reddit
you can't compare la to paris. you are too high. try valenica, or malaga or anywhere really in spain. that's a fairer comparison for weather and similarity to la.
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
The reason we moved is work, and Paris seems the only giant hub for international companies and bilingual school options. Otherwise the choice would be for me to be a stay at home mom and live in a remote village which in theory sounds amazing but is far from my professional ambitions.
mikehamp@reddit
Madrid and Barcelona are also pretty giant hubs for international companies. Just saying, worth a try if you're not happy in Paris.
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
Thanks you! I will start looking into it.
Complaintsdept123@reddit
What are your professional ambitions
OkRub3930@reddit
We made the move from LA to Paris (in the 5th) with our kids last year and definitely go through the same feelings as yourself. Feel free to DM me but I found what didn’t work for me was trying to re-create what we had in LA to some extent in Paris. Most of my anxiety is based on the kids. On one hand The reality is that we will not get a great English program without crossing our fingers hoping the kids get into a private school or the British section -and if they do it’s a trade-off between getting the English vs having an excellent general program in French. These tradeoffs are the same as in LA but I know how to navigate the “consequences” down the line in terms of college etc but completely blind in terms of what it means for the kids if they were to get into grand école vs not. Or if they’d be prepared for college back in the states if they wish. On the other hand, being part of a community here, walking everywhere, immersed in books and clubs and people who are genuinely passionate about different hobbies is lovely. The kids used to love going to school at our little private school in LA and here they don’t want to go to school-only because they feel like they can’t be themselves due to communication. But I gotta hope they’ll get over the hump. We came on a startup visa and I’m finding starting a business even after paying someone else to deal with all the paperwork is tough-there’s a small network which I’m not tapped into and I’m struggling with accepting that living here might mean stepping away from the job market which is difficult as a woman such as myself where I worked hard at school and work to get to senior management positions. All this to say, I empathize with you. However, for me, LA is so incompatible with my personality. Yes the weather is nice but I find myself indoors and driving everywhere which is fine for some folks but not great for me. I also like the French social project and coming back to LA with the stark inequalities (not to say it doesn’t exist in Paris) feels hard to escape.
Plastic-Leading-5800@reddit
Accurate description. Except for the cost of living!
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
Cost of living came surprising to me as well, mainly because we are in Paris city center. I am sure the rest of France is completely different..
Complaintsdept123@reddit
What are you talking about? Rent is WAY lower in Paris compared to LA. You're a fake account.
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
My rent in LA was $4400 for a townhouse 1600sq.ft My rent in Paris is €2300 for an apartment 75sq.m ( both in great neighborhoods) Household salary in LA was $410k Household salary in Paris is €230k Private school cost is the same in both cities around €22000
Complaintsdept123@reddit
Then WHY ON EARTH did you leave LA if you're making half? You can live extremely high on the hog with that salary in Paris. Your post makes less and less sense the more you say.
tripletruble@reddit
if you go by reddit or if i go by some of my peers in paris, plenty believe a euro in paris will get you more than twice as much as in the US. it's not the case and while that might be obvious to you, it sounds like OP is learning that the hard way
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
Because we are experimenting if life in a country/city with rich culture can be enriching even with a lower salary. Something you may not comprehend.
Complaintsdept123@reddit
With 230k a year you can see any doctor you want in France or the EU. So that's a lie. You bought a car in Paris? Why would you do that if you're just "experimenting" especially if you live in the center of paris? What's your job?
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
We bought a “used” car because we love road trips over the weekends! Not because we want to get stuck hours in traffic for daily commutes.
Complaintsdept123@reddit
tu as quel type de contrat et c'est où
Complaintsdept123@reddit
what area in LA?
Salt-Parsley4971@reddit
Yes to all of what you have said but have you found your expat network who can support you? If you have a young kid have you tried message Paris? If not, that should be your first port of call - you will find many others who are adjusting just as you are. It’s not easy and maybe you will decide to move back, some do.
On healthcare however I did not have that issue, if you have a mutuelle they will usually cover the top up for any non conventionné providers.
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
Not really, and mainly because I am an introvert which makes things even harder. Luckily we met some expat parents from my child’s school and have been to many birthday parties which helped building some good connections. It’s not people you choose but at the end of the day, some of them lived the same experience I am living now and that in its own makes it feel less lonely. Mutuelle has covered 60% of what remains to pay which for a specialist I regularly see still seems high. (In comparison to what I paid out of pocket in LA).
Complaintsdept123@reddit
Your insurance in LA depended entirely on you being employed. That's not the case in France.
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
You are absolutely right.
Complaintsdept123@reddit
what's your mutuelle at your job
Complaintsdept123@reddit
You're a ragebait engagement bot. Anyone in Paris knows you can go on doctolib and see a doctor within days or less. Some specialists are harder but it's the same in the US. If you spouse is really French he/she would know better that this is not a universal NHS style system.
So, pretty sure you're fake.
Where in paris do you live? what specialists do you want to see? what's your job?
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
I am as real as you, and I may have zero clue on how to properly use Doctolib and where to go, which I have no idea why is upsetting you so much..
Complaintsdept123@reddit
Non mais c pas possible d'avoir un époux/épouse français et de ne pas savoir quelque chose aussi basique quoi. Il y a des infos partout y compris fournis par la mutuelle j'en suis sure. N'importe quel medecin va te dire de prendre rdv sur ce site. T fake.
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
Dans mon cas, c’est possible. And just relax, it’s not worth getting so upset over a “fake bot”.
Complaintsdept123@reddit
tu es dans quel quartier?
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
16th.
Complaintsdept123@reddit
You've chosen to live in one of the most expensive and boring neighborhoods, so that's on you. What area of LA were you in?
Complaintsdept123@reddit
Comment c'est possible? Explique nous. Vraiment je veux savoir comment une "personne" qui touche 230k€ par ne connait rien de ce site?
jeremy_bearimy_7@reddit
Different place (we were in northern England for two years), but same general experience. I think it's easy to romanticize what daily life in another country will be like, but, at the end of the day, they all have their challenges and you have to decide which tradeoffs are worth it to you. We're back in San Diego now, and we have no regrets about leaving. The sunshine alone has made a huge difference in our quality of life. We traveled to sunny places for every one of the kids' school breaks, but it really isn't the same. It might be that it's worth sticking it out in Paris, or it might be that you call it after a little while and move back. Either way is okay.
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
Thank you, I appreciate you sharing your experience.
lilporkchop_512@reddit
I am an American that moved to Paris once and it took me a full year to start feeling acclimated. But by then I had already decided to come back to the USA. From what I’ve read, most international moves/expats have many ups and downs and take at least a year to feel better about it. I would give yourself at least a full year to decide how you feel about it. I wish I did.
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
Thank you, I appreciate it. We will give it until next Summer and if by then it still feels the same we will move back next December.
Lox_Bagel@reddit
Please accept these virtual hugs from someone who moved to France and doesn’t like it either
New_Block5360@reddit (OP)
I appreciate it and I hope things get better for you as well ✨
Bells9831@reddit
LA and Paris are vastly different.
Paris is great if you want to live in a major European city, value arts and culture, beautiful historic architecture, travel and adventure in Europe, as well as embrace the seasonal weather.
LA is a completely different vibe and lifestyle. If you like the beach and laid back American lifestyle, want warm weather year round, don't mind the smog and notorious traffic and prefer travel within the USA vs. Europe...and not to mention value having your American friends and family close by well then LA seems the clear winner.
Unless you already had friends in Paris, you are starting from scratch, which is probably compounding your culture shock and budding frustration.
Sounds like Europe isn't a good fit for you full-time. Maybe move back to LA and save Paris for vacations? But only you and your spouse can decide.
Good luck!
Affectionate_Age752@reddit
We leftA last year. I had to go back for work 3 months this year m
What a shit hole
I hope I never have to go back again.
kostac600@reddit
I have decided that nice places to visit are just that.
FeatherDust11@reddit
💯
Duc_de_Bourgogne@reddit
You would do much better in a city like Nice. But if your only options are Paris or LA then yeah I think LA will be better.
PapaFranzBoas@reddit
Not Paris but LA/OC to North Germany 4 1/2 years ago for my job with spouse, dog, and 2 year old. I was 32.
world_warri0r@reddit
I moved from CA and lived/worked in Paris for over 1 year, a few years in South of France, and in Germany. I agree with many of your sentiments, especially with Paris. That was my least favorite city and the constant rain in winter was vey unexpected and obviously, not pleasant. I had many UK colleagues and pretty much most of them couldn't wait to finish contract and leave Paris.
VerticalGeophysicist@reddit
I haven’t made that specific move, but I did move countries two times. My advice is to not try to re-create your old habits and life in the new place, but instead lean in to what sets the new pace apart. Also check your expectations.
So if you were driving everywhere in LA (like everyone there lol), don’t expect the same level of highway accessibility and driving culture in Paris. Paris just made a bunch of improvements for bikes, which also made driving harder. Can you try biking sometimes?
Paris is also very well-connected to the rest of Europe. Weekend in Rome anyone?
You also mentioned the culture and food as reasons for the move. Are you taking advantage of all that Paris has to offer in these aspects?
Finally, it will get better with time. It’s up to you to make the most of it. I bet that after a couple of years in Paris, when you go back to visit LA you will be shocked that you were ever thinking about going back.
plcbo33@reddit
Moved for my spouse and while some things are better here I really do wonder if we made the right move. Was just getting some real career trajectory back home and now at almost 40 not sure what to do. We want to try again at having a baby here then decide from there what next moves are. My husband has a condition which may limit his ability to work so wondering if moving back is better as my income would be a lot higher and will have family closer etc. Honestly I think the world in general is kind of a mess and I worry about the future no matter where we end up.
Some-Entertainer-250@reddit
I think this is great, real-life-based feedback. It is important for people in the US to hear that living in Paris is not necessarily like Amélie Poulain or Emily in Paris. Except maybe for healthcare, I think you are exaggerating a little bit. Do you live in Paris city centre or in the suburbs?
cest-moi-qui-conduis@reddit
No great advice for you but I moved from the west coast to the south of France and I'm struggling in all of these domains, too. Curious to hear other opinions.
I have two separate specialist conditions that I'm struggling to find doctors for.
I haven't been able to make friend via running like I did in the US.
I literally had to give up on the bus to a nearby university town because it was impossible to get a place without shoving people.
That all said, I'm sure I am romanticizing parts of life back home and how natural and easy everything felt. At the moment I feel sad for the career I could have there (in healthcare) but I'm in an awkward stage here and trying to wait out 6+ months to see.