Article: If you are moving to France, you’ll want to spend some time learning at least a little bit of the French language. You’ll need to be able to talk to people when you rent a property, find a job, order food in a restaurant, and in almost every other aspect of your life in France. Learning the language is crucial.  Try hiring a French tutor, taking a class at a university, using an online program like Rosetta Stone, or a fun learning app like Duolingo. If you move to a major metropolitan area like Paris, it is likely that you will encounter people who speak English quite regularly. However, if you are moving to a more rural area, you will need to speak French to get by in your day-to-day life. The location you move to in France may depend on your job, or it may be a little more open to selection for you. If you can choose, think about where you would like to go to in France.  If you want to live in a city with more job opportunities and that may be easier for a foreigner to integrate, consider Paris, Toulouse, or Lyon. If you want a more quaint French countryside experience, consider moving to a more rural location with a smaller population. You may wish to stay in furnished housing, or if you are shipping some items you may prefer to get an unfurnished flat. There are many options for places to live in France, so consider which one will be the best for you.  The Internet can be a good source of accommodations, especially sites that cater to those emigrating to France. Try searching on sites like SeLoger, PAP, or Lodgis. If you want to find a traditional apartment in France, be aware that there are some things to consider. For example, if you don’t earn an income that is three times the rent, you will be asked to provide a guarantor (like a co-signer on a loan) who will be legally responsible to pay for you if you aren’t able to pay your rent. This person must be someone who earns income in France – so it can’t be your parents back in your home country – which can cause problems for people initially moving to a new country. If you are planning on living in France for a shorter period of time (a matter of months, rather than years), you may want to consider renting a place on a website like AirBnb. This option might be a bit more expensive than obtaining a traditional apartment, but it will save you the hassle of searching for an apartment in person when you arrive in France, securing a guarantor, signing up for renter’s insurance, activating utilities in your home, furnishing your apartment, etc. Search for flights on the Internet and try to find the best deal. Spend some time looking and consider all of your options. You could also go through a travel agent if you are not comfortable booking the flight yourself.  When booking your flight, consider things like layovers and travel time. If you are checking a bunch of bags, the more layovers you have the more likely it is that all of your bags won’t arrive with you. If you are bringing a pet with you on the aeroplane, you may want to pay a little extra for a direct flight to limit your travel time. Keep in mind that return flights are almost always less expensive than one-way flights. So, even if you don’t plan to return to your country of origin, you might want to consider purchasing a return ticket anyway. Ship valuables that you cannot take with you on the plane ahead to France. There are many shipping services you can utilize, but be aware of French governmental restrictions on shipping personal items.  These restrictions may vary, but as of 2010 include: Firearms, ammunition, meat, dairy products, plants, narcotics, psychotropic substances, pets, medicine, precious metals, cash, counterfeit items, and wild animals. If you want to bring your family pets with you to France, you will have to make sure your pet’s vaccinations (especially rabies) are up to date, have your vet complete a health clearance travel form (and possibly get this form stamped by your country’s import/export authority), and ensure that your pet has been microchipped. France may require additional measures to be taken for pets being imported from certain countries.  Before shipping any items to France, check with the French Consulate to be sure that you have the updated shipping restrictions.

What is a summary?
Learn the language. Decide where to move. Find a place to live. Book your flight to France. Get your belongings to France.