Feature photo by untipografico / Above photo by malias
To Americans who’ve been scared by the wannabe expats who call Paris unattainable: have faith.
Paris is possible. You do not need a French relative or a dowry of millions. You only need ingenuity and thirst. If you’ve got those, this storied city, the matron saint of expatriation, will be yours.
This guide is for Americans with insufficient funds and little tolerance for endless preparation (or any preparation), for those who rely on that special brand of luck crossed with tenacity and patience. Here’s how to begin: Save no money. Make no plans. Just get on the plane.
Once you get there, as an American passport-holder you’ll have 90 days before your tourist visa expires, so you’d better hit the ground running.
1. Find a place to stay.
Start your sojourn with free accommodations through CouchSurfing. Beyond being completely free, CouchSurfing also guarantees that you’ll meet people who physically live in France, who have a roof, and who pay rent.
You’ll avoid the pitfall of befriending only transients and hobos. Not only will you emerge with a set of Parisian friends, you will gain passage behind the doors of the city and into the lives of its locals. You’ll dispel the stereotypes that keep the timid at bay and grow wiser for it.
Still, finding the right people via Couchsurfing is never guaranteed. Here is an in-depth guide to improving your odds.
Cheap transportation. Photo by austinevan
2. Make money.
For short term employment without papers, you’re restricted to working under the table. France respects its bureaucracy and finding work for cash will take some pavement pounding.
Check the bulletin boards at the American Church, American Library, American University in Paris, and the Real McCoy Cafe. They all post job opportunities for teachers, tutors, nannies, babysitters, and day laborers. For more stable income and to stay legally for more than 90 days, you’ll need a visa.
3. Get a visa.
Multiple types of visas enable you to work. You can become a student and get a student visa, which will allow you to work for 20 hours per week (full-time for an English teacher).
You can become a student by signing up for French classes at any of the many language schools, or you can take a regular course at one of the universities, many of which are surprisingly affordable.
If you don’t want to be a student, you’ll need a work visas.Normally, employers will not expend the energy to get you a visa. But, if you are an American between the ages of 18 and 35 and you want to work in the French private sector (including ESL teaching at a private language school), the French American Chamber of Commerce will sponsor your work visa.
Once you receive a job offer, the FACC will guide your visa application from start to finish. It’s surprisingly easy. Once you get this visa, you’ll be able to access the French national health system, too.
Note: Once you arrange a visa of any kind, you will have to fly to your home consulate to get them to stamp it into your passport. If you are from San Francisco, you’ll have to fly all the way there. Home consulate means home consulate. New York or Boston will not suffice.
4. Find long term lodging.
The bulletin boards are also great for lodging, especially if you want to work in exchange for a room. Otherwise, expect to pay an absolute minimum of 350 euros per month. FUSAC, both in its biweekly print publication and on its website, offers the most apartment listings aimed at foreigners.
The print publication is available for free at English speaking establishments across the city. By advertising to the Anglophile community, landlords are prepared for people who cannot provide multiple guarantors or a year’s rent up front.
Craigslist is a good source for international roommates, while Colocataire will connect you with French roommate seekers. Scared off by high prices? Sharing small spaces here is no faux pas. Get creative.
5. Minimize all expenses.
Lunch. Photo by malias
Lastly, make your dollar count, but stay healthy. The cheapest lunch in Paris is a 150 gram bag of peanuts and a carrot salad from Franprix (a convenience store with locations all over Paris). For about 1.50 euros, you’ve got over 1,000 calories, nearly 40 grams of protein, and all the vitamin goodness of carrots.
You won’t have to eat the poor man’s lunch for long. If there’s one thing you’ll do in Paris, it’s learn how to live right. No matter how broke you are, you’ll find a way to eat the food that perfumes the air and drink the wine that colors cheeks. Not sure how that’ll happen? Don’t worry. The city will help you. That’s why you’re here.
Bulletin Board Locations
The American Church of Paris
65, Quai d’Orsay
75007 Paris
Metro: Alma-Marceau, Invalides
American Library in Paris
10, rue de General-Camou
75007 Paris
Metro: Ecole Militaire, Alma-Marceau
The American University of Paris
6, rue de Colonel Combes
75007 Paris
Metro: Alma-Marceau, Invalides
The Real McCoy Cafe
194 rue de Grenelle
75007 Paris
Metro: Ecole Militaire
Community Connection
Looking for free cultural events in Paris? Check this guide. And for shorter-term travelers to Paris, here’s a guide on how to travel for $100 a day.
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15 Comments... join the discussion!
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Hi,
Your post has made me much less stressed about moving to Paris in September with only $5,000 to my name!
I am very interested in what you wrote about a work visa from the American Chamber of Commerce in France – can you give me any more information on this? I have scoured their Web site but didn’t see anything about this.
Thanks so much!
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I’m a couchsurfer and don’t like it that you suggest couchsurfing as a “crashing” option. Couchsurfing is intended for members from around the world to meet one another and not just an option of free housing.
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that’s a good point, and a point taken. there have been a variety of other articles at matador which look at couchsurfing more in the context of a community.
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I’ll admit, I had the exact same reaction when I read that too. I’m an active host (about to turn guest) and totally agree.
As a host you can usually ferret out those that are simply seeking a free place to stay.
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plz sir send visa and job full time work one chise
rehmanyousaf54@yahoo.com↵ -
Thank so much for this information. I am ready to move to Paris. I so love the way you make it easy yet very realistic. thank you! thank you!
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Great article, I wonder how long one can live on carrots and peanuts!
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It is remarkably easy to make cash money in Paris if you’re a native English speaker! Between tutoring, teaching, and babysitting, my year in Paris was the “richest” year I’ve ever had. For example the going rate for a French babysitter is between €8-10 an hour. But I was an English-speaking babysitter… one family paid me €15 per hour.
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Great article! In preparation to move to Paris all my research has returned doom and gloom, thanks for the unique perspective, anything is possible!
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thank you for your great article. I am a french citizen who lives in the us. I been here since the age of 15 and now 30 i’m thinking on going back. your article was very helpful and I would like to know do you have any more recommendation for me or advices thank you.
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I would like to emphasize – whether you are a student to be or a future employee in France, you MUST return to your native country and file for your visa there, wait the 4-6 weeks, then come back to France. Depending on where you are from, it can be quite costly. You must also be medically insured for the time that you are in France, and you must prove it. Not to mention, only three percent of work visas given every year are to Americans.
Without a visa you are not entitled to open a bank account, and a bank account is needed for the most essential services here. And don’t count on your ATM/debit card always working here – French cards have microchips in them that allow them to be easily scanned which most countries have not yet implemented. If you notice above on the picture of the Velib bike, there is a scanner station next to it – it only accepts cards with chips. If you don’t have that, you have to go to the Velib office. Good luck finding it. The metro isn’t “cheap” either, it will cost you anywhere from 1,60 per trip to about 20,00 a week.
The cost of living is high, very high. France’s goal is to keep foreigners out. It is not easy to live in Paris without a plan or some type of support. Trust me, I am writing this from Paris as a million doors close in my face and not a single window opens.
Good luck.
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I don’t think anyone wants to trample on people’s dreams, but it is very difficult to permanently move to France and make a living as a non-EU citizen. This article does make it sound deceptively simple–truth is that you will be competing with a LOT of other Americans for the very few jobs on the bulletin boards, and it is very hard to get a visa to work legally. And as many people have mentioned, it’s very expensive in France, particularly for any sort of decent housing. It might be more realistic for most people to consider living there for a limited period–maybe six months to a year. That’s what I did in Italy and it was wonderful!
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I totally agree with Anne and HK, but don’t like life is easy for EU citizens either when it comes to work. The French market is really difficult to break into and it’s more a matter of luck than anything else. Still, that shouldn’t put anyone off, it’s a great place to be.
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I love this article. But I have 3 cats, which I cannot abandon. How do I move to Paris with 3 cats ? I couldn’t couch surf, I’d need to find an apartment for myself and my pets, it seems….
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