12 Cultural Differences Between America and France

Hey Au Pairs,

We hope you’re all safe and doing well.

This week Gabrielle Alys (aka Wannabe Parisian) created a video for the APOP YouTube channel all about the differences between American and French culture.

If you’ve moved from the US to France (or vice versa) and have some interesting insights into this topic, please leave a comment below the video! (And don’t forget to like and subscribe.)

In Gabrielle’s video, you’ll find SIX cultural differences. Below, we’ve added six more French/Anglophone cultural divides that we’ve also noticed… That culture shock is rough when you first arrive.

1. Lunch Times Are Drastically Different

When you’re working in an office in the Anglophone world, the expectation is that you run out for a sandwich or salad and bring it back to your desk to eat WHILE you’re working…

This does NOT fly in France. If you try it, your colleagues will be giving you funny looks, or they’ll be telling you to come and enjoy lunch with them.

Both have their pros and cons. We’ve BOTH found ourselves STUFFED after a meal with French colleagues, unable to focus on work as the carbs (and wine!) hit in the middle of the afternoon.

But, we also know the sadness of looking at the sunshine outside, while cramming post-lunch biscuits into our faces…

2. Smokers, Smokers, Everywhere, and Not a Drop of Fresh Air

All we can say is, if you hate smokers, get yourself ready to be breathing in lung-fulls of second-hand smoke. Omg, this took us SO long to get used to…

It can’t be denied though, French people look great while smoking. You may find yourself wondering what it’s like to try it, we recommend you don’t bother.

3. Say Goodbye to colleagues and french friends during august

This is one that is very confusing for many of us in the Anglophone world. When August hits, the whole city of Paris empties and many businesses shut. I actually love this idea now, especially as it meant going on interesting trips with my host family throughout the summer. But, it did mean that friends who I’d recently met would disappear for over a month.

I wouldn’t trade it for the alternative in the UK which is to head to the office throughout August, sweating (due to the lack of air-con) to then only enjoy a week or two off. But, I shouldn’t moan as I recently found out how little paid holiday Americans get! WTF. The French can expect around 30 days of paid vacation per year, Brits get up to 28, while Americans get 0?! Correct me if I’m wrong via Instagram.

Anyway, while you’re in France, enjoy your time at the beach in August and make sure you take lotsss of photos to make everyone back in your home country very envious.

4. FORGET TIPPING IN FRANCE

This is a great cultural difference for many broke au pairs! Edwina and I would sit in French coffee shops for hours, sipping on single espressos (that we absolutely hated btw) and only spending €1 for the privilege. Luckily, it’s French custom to sit over one drink for hours without being pestered by waiters too.

When we were in the US, Edwina would get irritated every single time I had to ask her about the tipping culture. “Wait, WHAT percentage again? And how much do you tip if you order at the bar? Do I have to pay the people at the drive-thru? Also, why are there SO many drive-thrus - can’t we just walk?”

5. University/college is freee (or at least a lot cheaper)

You may be expected to pay around €200 per year for an undergraduate degree in many parts of the EU (apart from Britain…) so it’s not technically free, but compared to the cost of education in the US, we’re pretty happy with this figure.

As always, if you’re considering this route, it’s worth doing a lot of research on whether the university you’ve chosen is a good one and whether your degree will get you where you want to go! But, other than that, why not au pair and study at the same time? It’s a ton of work, but it could save you THOUSANDS. If you need any help, check out our Open Forum where au pairs chat about everything from how to get kids to behave to studying abroad.

6. expect your alcohol preferences to change

In France, wine is just too good to miss! While you’re out with friends, you’ll notice that the wine option is always cheaper than beer. If you’re not keen on wine yet, by the end of your year in France, we guarantee that you will be.

While travelling around France during your time here, it’s fun to sample to local wines too and see if you can spot any differences too… (We absolutely can’t!)

Do you have any cultural differences to add to this list? Let us know in the comments of our latest YouTube video and we’ll add them in!