Each country has its unique specialties. France has to offer more than most: beautiful scenery, French pastries, high-quality wines of origin, a variety of cheeses, and some of the world’s most interesting architecture. Magical villages and magnificent nature that you can visit and explore. Be that as it may, even after settling down in this beautiful country, many Americans begin to feel as though something is missing. Each person is different and has their own preferences, but here is a list of the most common things Americans miss after moving to France.
Convenience
Moving from America to a new country is very exciting, but soon enough, you will find out that some of the things you took for granted are not the same in France. You can forget about stores you can visit at any hour during the day or night, restaurants that work 24-hours, shops open on holidays, mail delivered on weekends and such services.
Store operating hours can be very frustrating for newcomers and take some getting used to. Stores, pharmacies and post offices don’t work on Sundays and most local shops are closed during lunchtime for an hour or two every day. In common tourist destinations, stores are modifying their working hours to accommodate tourist’s needs.
If you are accustomed to doing your shopping at large one-stop shops such as Target or Wal-Mart, you might be surprised that mega markets of this kind are not too common in France.