9 Things People Miss From France (and 9 They Don’t)
Some people leave France and discover new countries, new jobs, new lives… and then one random day a song by Brel or a whiff of good butter hits them so hard they question every decision they’ve made since 1998. Others swear they’ll never miss anything… until they try to find a decent baguette, a walkable street, or a conversation that doesn’t involve six lanes of traffic.
So here it is: the unfiltered list of what people genuinely miss from France -and a few things they’re honestly relieved to leave behind.
1. Markets That Actually Feel Alive
People abroad talk about “farmer’s markets”… but most of the time they’re once a month and half the stalls sell candles. In France, markets are the weekly backbone of life. Real produce, real cheese, real smells, real shouting. Travelers get hooked fast.
2. Bread That Doesn’t Taste Like Packing Foam
Nothing prepares you for the global baguette crisis until you leave France. Some end up baking their own while others just suffer. Even a pain au chocolat becomes a childhood memory that no airport pastry can replace.
3. Mealtimes That Last Longer Than Your Phone Battery
The apéro, the long dinner, the way conversation takes over the table. Abroad, meals feel rushed. In France, the whole day bends around food. Travelers notice it immediately: nobody eats in the car unless life is falling apart.
4. Walkable Towns, Streets That Don’t Try to Kill You
People abroad talk about “downtowns” that require a car. In France, you step outside and: bakery, café, tabac, square, random 17th-century building. No six-lane roads, no death by parking lot.
5. The Culture That Pops Up in Random Places
Two retirees debating punctuation at the bar in l’Ain. A Cuban film festival in a tiny cinema. A queue for an arthouse screening in a town you’ve never heard of. This is the stuff people miss because it just happens without trying.
6. French Humor and the Fast, Dry Comebacks
People abroad miss the teasing, the sarcasm, the half-serious debates that turn into jokes. Travelers often look confused the first time they hear it, but it grows on you.
7. Music That Feels Like Home
Brassens, Hardy, Ferrat, Dutronc, Brel. People rediscover them abroad and suddenly feel rooted again. French radio apps like FIP or Nostalgie become survival tools.
8. Architecture That Gives You Something to Look At
People abroad describe their surroundings as empty or purely functional. France gives you layers: old stone, crooked streets, hidden courtyards, sudden cathedrals. Even first-time visitors sense it immediately.
A Few Things People Don’t Miss From France
1. The National Sport: Complaining
People abroad love coming back for vacation… until they’re reminded that complaining is a competitive discipline. Travelers clock it within 48 hours.
2. Politics That Never Give Anyone a Break
The political atmosphere in France can feel tense and exhausting. Travelers often stumble into strikes, heated debates, and posters everywhere.
3. Social Sharpness in the Streets
Directness is great at the table, not as great in the metro! Abroad, some people enjoy softer interactions.
4. Language Rules That Feel Like an Exam
People abroad laugh about strict spelling rules or endless arguments about punctuation. Even travelers learning French feel the pressure.
5. The “It Was Better Before” Mindset
Those away from France say this is one thing they don’t miss. The grip of old references. The suspicion toward change. Travelers catch it in discussions without even trying.
6. The Sudden Americanization
People don’t miss seeing French friends sipping Starbucks, eating healthy bowls, streaming U.S. hits, and adopting trends at high speed.
8. Paperwork and Admin Mazes
People abroad don’t miss navigating forms, waiting rooms, and processes that seem designed by a committee in 1974. Travelers might get a sample when trying to buy train passes.
9. The Pressure to Fit a Social Mold
Abroad, people say they feel freer to be themselves. France has invisible codes that visitors notice too, even if they can’t name them.