The difficulty of navigating French bureaucracy is legendary. Every time I think I finally have a handle on it, something else arrives in the mail that requires my attention. Cue several months of back and forth communication with various government agencies and/or utility providers in an attempt to solve the problem. I’ve asked around, and …

I first arrived in Paris in September. The beginning of September, to be more precise, which meant that I had arrived in time for the annual tradition of La Rentrée. Every year, during the first week in September, the French return from holidays, adults go back to work, kids go back to school, and the …

I first saw Notre Dame de Paris when I was 14 years old, and it was love at first sight. I grew up in western Canada where the majority of the buildings that surrounded me had been built in the past 50 years. To see a building older than 100 years was rare. Over 800 …

When I first moved to France, I didn’t know a single person in Paris and my French vocabulary consisted of “Bonjour” and “Merci.” Not exactly the best conditions for making friends with the locals. I was so worried about my potential friendless future that I did some research into how to make friends with the …

Every February people tend to have love on the brain. Whether revelling in it or railing against it, it’s hard to deny that this month is known for being all about love. Because I live in Paris, I’ve often been asked what it’s like to live in the so-called City of Love. In particular, people …