Expatriate, Practical tips
You have signed your lease, you get the keys, and you arrive in a flat with no electricity. It is easy to avoid. Setting up your energy contract is one of the first practical tasks of a move to Paris, and it is faster than most newcomers expect. Here is how it works,...
Expatriate, Practical tips
Many newcomers to Paris assume they will rent a furnished flat, because it is simple. Others prefer or need an unfurnished one: a longer stay, a family, more space for the same budget, or the wish to settle for good. In French this is a location vide, an...
Expatriate, Practical tips
When you rent in Paris, the landlord or the agency decides who gets the flat, and they choose among many applications. A complete, well-organised file is the first thing that makes a difference. When you arrive from abroad, the question I hear most is: “What...
Expatriate, Practical tips
Last updated: October 2026. In short: if you own a Paris flat and live abroad, you can take part in your building’s yearly general meeting by proxy, by postal vote or, if the building allows it, remotely. Three dates matter: the convocation (sent at least 21...
Expatriate, Practical tips
Last updated: October 2026. In short: you can relocate to Paris on your own, and many people do. A relocation agent is most useful when time is short, when you are moving from abroad, when your profile makes the housing file harder (for example no French guarantor),...
Expatriate, Practical tips
Last updated: October 2026. Rules checked against Service-Public.fr, ANIL and ADIL de Paris. In short: these are the French words you will meet when renting a home in France, with the key rule for each. The terms follow the order in which you usually meet them. The...
