Because, it’s isn’t always easy to approach and meet people when you aren’t speaking the same language, Be My Nounou helps you to make new friends in Paris by exploring 5 way and their tips to socialize.
Leave your house
Try to get out of your home as much as you can, out of your comfort zone but without changing yourself. The goal is to make authentic encounters, to create links and, why not, lasting friendships.
Going to a bar is the most obvious solution to interact with other students, Parisians or Erasmus:
- La Fontaine de Belleville, the typical Parisian bar,
- the L’Ours Bar and its hipster atmosphere,
- the Rosa Bonheur nestled in the Park des Buttes de Chaumont,
- the Paname Brewing Co perched on the waters of the Quai de Loire,
- or Le Perchoir and its rooftop overlooking Belleville, in the heart of Oberkampf’s district, the most popular students area.
But if you prefer communication, head instead to a themed bars:
- A literary bar like La Belle Hortense,
- a literary coffee shop like Paul and Rimbaud,
- or a piano bar like Closerie des Lilas and Le Relais de la Huchette.
Frenchy atmosphere and atypical meetings will be on the program!
You can also practice a sport or a leisure activity. Avoid individual sports as much as possible, prefer group activities. If you want to make so pals or « potes » as we say in France, join a sports club, a choir, a music or reading group. It’s an opportunity to meet people who have the same passion as you and the same interests. It is therefore an easier way to connect.
And because it’s essential to make local friends, you can also join the Greeter Paris Association that offers to expatriates and foreign students walks free of charge all around the most hidden Parisian streets.
In addition, trying cooking classes like WICE and open mic parties in Paris will offer you the best chance to meet other internationals.
For the shy ones, know that you can live your entire life in Paris in English. Go to pubs like the Frog or Corcoran, see a comedy show with anguish speaking comedy scene such as Le Paname, and laugh in a franglish performance Chez Georges.
Frequent these places regularly and make appointments there. Do not hesitate to ask the town halls of your borough to know which activities, outputs, and events are organized by month near you.
Tip: Avoid tourists spots, and prefer places less known like the banks of the Seine, the neighborhoods of Belleville or Batignolles where the “French cool kids” meet. You will discover French cafes, bakeries, independent galleries and small concerts venues frequented by the “bobos Parisiens”. Hang in cafes around a “café au lait”, and remember that even a simple “can I borrow this chair” can be the start of a friendly conversation.
Take French lessons
Even if it is very good to socialize with foreign students or expatriates, remember that to make the 100% experience of the “french way of life” you have to hang out with French people, and therefore to make French friends.
The best way to make friends and integrate is obviously to practice your French. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself or make mistakes (even native French do!). To improve your French, you can take classes in a French university such as the Cours de Civilisation Française at La Sorbonne, one of the best-known institutions for learning French in Paris.
If your budget allows it, you can join a paying organization that proposes foreign language courses such as Language Studies International (LSI) Paris, near the Place Vendome and the Louvre. Ideal when you want to combine the useful with the pleasant!
If you prefer a less formal setting, take a look at Let Them Talk, which helps you progress in French through conversations and workshops in French. Even more fun ? The Franglish where you have 7 minutes, in turn and around the table, to express yourself either in French or English. A fun way to meet French natives and anglophones in Parisians’s bars.
If you have a more social spirit, you can also learn French for free with volunteers by joining associations, or by taking advantage of the municipal language courses in Paris to find on www.paris.fr
At least there, you will not be the only one who will have trouble speaking French. And everyone knows it: difficulties bring it closer 😉
Sign up to friendly dating apps
It may seem a bit like a way to force socialization and meet people, but friendly dating apps remain one of the most updated ways! With Meetup or JumpIn you can meet Parisians, discuss, exchange with them about your common points, your passions … despite the language barrier!
You can also check out websites such as My Little Paris, Le Bonbon, À Nous Paris, and TimeOut which offer daily promotional codes and good outing events plans in Paris.
Join a community
As a digital native, you know that many events are organized on social networks. Join one of the many Facebook group such as:
- American Expats in Paris,
- British Expats in Paris Group,
- Run in Paris,
- Franco American events in Paris,
- Aussie Expats in Paris Meetup Group
- or Young Americans / Aussies / British / Canadians / Irish in Paris.
This is an opportunity for you to go out, to meet your peers but also to practice your French! Become a member, read what is said, and you’ll see!
The Be My Nounou’s agency also has a multicultural babysitter community. Every month we organize gatherings, meetings with our nannies to share their experiences, their feelings around museum exhibition, wine events, restaurant, yoga classes, treasure hunt …
And because we strongly believe in the spirit of community and solidarity, the agency is committed to helping you find a roommate, fill in administrative papers, find you a student network …
Plus, our friendly staff is always available to help you for any questions or comments. You can count on us!
Get a job
And why not take a student job? The company is a place where you can easily make friends because you work with the same people every day.
Lunch breaks, afterworks, farewell are great time for creating links between colleagues. Don’t hesitate to bring a cake, to participate to the secret Santa, to invite them to your home to strengthen the bonds and create a true friendship.
You may discover between you and your colleagues some commonalities, and thus to look a little more into your personal life. These professional moments can be extended outside the work…
At Be My Nounou, we offer all-year part-time jobs that fit perfectly with your student schedule. If you are looking to meet and immerse yourself into French families, whether you are an English native speaker or bilingual, and even if you are not fluent in French, join our fun community and become one of our BAE * (Babysitter Awesome and Enthusiastic)!
Apply for an English speaking nanny position, it’s the easiest way to experience French life with those who represented it best! #JoinTheFun