Expat Services France / Relocation / Homestays

28/05/2026

Sometimes, the most beautiful relocation stories begin with something very simple… a walk through Lyon and a photo taken in front of our office on Quai Tilsitt 😊
A few months later, this American couple contacted Expat Services France from upstate New York with a dream: relocating to Lyon and starting a new chapter in France.
Today, they are happily settled into their dream apartment in the heart of Lyon, and reading their words honestly means so much to me.
Thank you for your trust and welcome again to Lyon ❤️🇫🇷

Here is their review :
"After visiting Lyon in the fall of 2024, my wife and I began to dream of moving there. On one of our walks along Quai Tilsitt, we spotted the offices of Expat Services. The office was closed, but I took a photo of the window with all of the contact information.

Fast forwarding to this past winter, we found ourselves freezing our butts off in upstate NY and reached out to Expat Services to begin planning our relocation. Initial email exchanges led to online meetings with founder Sophie Dord whom we hired to help us find housing and to set up a French bank account. Sophie also connected us with those who could guide us through the long stay visa process.

Before arriving in Lyon, Sophie had met with us several times online and gathered information on our needs and interests. The day after our arrival, she welcomed us at her office and outlined our upcoming day of apartment hunting which included accompanying us to five apartments.

By the end of the day, we had made our selection and let Sophie know of our interest in a beautiful, one-bedroom, furnished apartment in the heart of the city. Within hours she let us know we had been accepted and over the following days, Sophie took us through the entire process of leasing, including being present for the final inspection and handing over of the keys to our dream apartment in Lyon.
Might we have been able to do this on our own? Perhaps.

But certainly not without a lot of headaches given language and paperwork. Expat Services thus proved invaluable to us in realizing our dream to settle here in Lyon.
Merci Sophie and Expat Services France!"

27/05/2026

Thinking about making France your next chapter?

From the lively streets of Paris to the Alpine shores of Annecy, France offers something different to every person who chooses to call it home. But knowing where to start — the right city, the right neighbourhood, the right visa — makes all the difference.

We've put together an honest guide to 5 destinations worth considering, with real budgets, real communities and no false promises.

📖 Read the full article: https://www.expat-services-france.eu/5-inspiring-destinations-to-start-a-new-life-in-france/

At Expat Services France, we've been helping individuals and families settle in France since 2009. 17 years on the ground. 45 nationalities. One dedicated team.

Reach out if you'd like to talk through your situation. 🇫🇷

Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Montpellier or Annecy - which French city is right for your retirement? Real budgets, healthcare access, expat community and quality of life. A relocation expert's honest guide.

13/05/2026

12/05/2026

Sometimes, relocation is not only about housing.
It’s about reassurance. 🤍

Today, I received this message from a future client:

“I am incredibly grateful for your positive response and your willingness to help me. Hearing that you can assist me brings me so much relief…”

Reading words like these reminds me why I created Expat Services France more than 16 years ago.

When people prepare an international move, they are often dealing with uncertainty, stress, paperwork, housing pressure, schools, visas, language barriers… and sometimes simply the fear of starting over in a new country.

Yes, we help with housing searches, administrative procedures and settling-in services all over France.
But beyond the practical side, our role is also to reassure, guide and support people during a major life transition.

And honestly, that human connection is probably the most rewarding part of this job.

Thank you to all the expatriates, families, retirees and students who trust us with such an important chapter of their lives. 🇫🇷

07/05/2026

Today, back out in the field for a wonderful day of viewings in Lyon with a lovely retired American couple who are in the midst of planning their new life in France 🇫🇷🇺🇸

And honestly… I was very pleasantly surprised by the current market in Lyon: plenty of properties available, all of very high quality, with great features and plenty of choice. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a day where I viewed… 7 apartments in a row!

One of them really caught their eye 🤞✨

And as always, these days are also an opportunity to work hand in hand with trusted partners. Thank you to our favorite real estate agents for their professionalism and responsiveness 👏

A well-deserved little break at the Brasserie des Brotteaux before heading out for more viewings ☕🥐

22/04/2026

If you are planning a move to France and feeling overwhelmed by how complex things can be… you are not alone 😊

At Expat Services France, we support expatriates, international families, students and retirees in making their move to France as smooth and stress-free as possible.

We are a relocation agency based in Lyon, working all over France through a strong network of local consultants who know their cities inside out.

What we do in a few words:

We help you find and secure a long-term rental in a very competitive French market, by preparing a strong application file, organizing viewings (in person or remotely), and guiding you all the way to the lease signature.

We also assist with your settling-in process, including setting up utilities (electricity, gas, internet), helping you understand how things work locally, and making sure you can move into your new home with peace of mind.

Beyond housing, we can guide you through the essential administrative steps of moving to France, such as opening a French bank account, navigating healthcare registration, and connecting you with trusted partners for visas, tax, and legal matters.

Over the years, we have supported clients across many cities including Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Nice, Marseille, Lille, Nantes and more — and we are particularly experienced with American retirees relocating to France, as well as corporate employees and international students.

Our approach is very practical and hands-on: we don’t just give advice, we actually do things with you and for you.

If you are considering a move and would like to understand how it could work in your situation, we usually start with an initial consultation to answer your questions and map out the next steps.

Feel free to reach out or visit our website : expat-services-france.eu

We would be happy to help you make your move to France a success 🇫🇷

On the pic :
Sophie Dord
Founder of Expat Services France
Relocation & Homestay Specialist
Supporting expats across France for 17 years

16/03/2026

𝓑𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓶𝓪𝓷𝔂 𝓻𝓮𝓵𝓸𝓬𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼, 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓼𝓽 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓵 𝓭𝓮𝓬𝓲𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓲𝓼 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓱𝓸𝓶𝓮… 𝓲𝓽’𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓬𝓱𝓸𝓸𝓵.

🎓 𝙄𝘽, 𝙊𝙄𝘽, 𝙁𝙇𝙀, 𝙁𝙇𝙎, 𝘾𝙖𝙢𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙜𝙚, 𝘿𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝘿𝙞𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙢𝙖…
Quand une famille expatriée arrive en France, la première difficulté n’est pas toujours de trouver un logement.
C’est souvent… 𝙙𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙚 𝙨𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚̀𝙢𝙚 𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙚.
Les écoles internationales utilisent une multitude de sigles qui peuvent rapidement devenir un casse-tête pour les parents.
Petit décodeur rapide 👇
• 𝙄𝘽 – 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝘽𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚
Diplôme international reconnu mondialement.
• 𝙄𝘽 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙎𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙡
École autorisée à enseigner le programme IB (un label, pas un diplôme).
• 𝙊𝙄𝘽 – 𝙊𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙙𝙪 𝘽𝙖𝙘 𝙛𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘̧𝙖𝙞𝙨
Bac français renforcé avec une section internationale.
• 𝘾𝙖𝙢𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙜𝙚 (𝙄𝙂𝘾𝙎𝙀 / 𝘼-𝙇𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙨)
Programme britannique délivré par Cambridge Assessment International Education.
• 𝘿𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝘿𝙞𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙢𝙖
Programme permettant d’obtenir un diplôme américain en parallèle du bac français.
• 𝙁𝙇𝙀 – 𝙁𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘̧𝙖𝙞𝙨 𝙇𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙪𝙚 𝙀́𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚̀𝙧𝙚 Le français est enseigné comme langue étrangère.
• 𝙁𝙇𝙎 – 𝙁𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘̧𝙖𝙞𝙨 𝙇𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙪𝙚 𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙚
Dispositif permettant aux élèves internationaux d’intégrer progressivement le système français.

Mais au-delà des sigles, la vraie question est :
𝙌𝙪𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙘𝙖𝙙𝙚́𝙢𝙞𝙦𝙪𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙡’𝙚𝙣𝙛𝙖𝙣𝙩 ?
Certaines familles envisagent des études en France.
D’autres visent les universités américaines ou britanniques.
D’autres encore souhaitent une intégration durable dans le système français.

Et très souvent, 𝙡𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙞𝙭 𝙙𝙚 𝙡’𝙚́𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙚 𝙙𝙚́𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙨𝙞 𝙡𝙚 𝙦𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙧… 𝙙𝙤𝙣𝙘 𝙡𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩.
C’est pourquoi, en relocation, nous commençons par parler éducation avant de parler immobilier.
Parce qu’une installation réussie est toujours une stratégie familiale globale.

𝓑𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓶𝓪𝓷𝔂 𝓻𝓮𝓵𝓸𝓬𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼, 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓼𝓽 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓵 𝓭𝓮𝓬𝓲𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓲𝓼 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓱𝓸𝓶𝓮… 𝓲𝓽’𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓬𝓱𝓸𝓸𝓵.

́internationale

13/03/2026

Thinking about retiring in France?

Every year, more and more Americans choose France for their retirement — for the lifestyle, the food, the culture and the quality of life.

But moving to France also means navigating visas, healthcare, housing, banking and many administrative steps.

At Expat Services France, we have been helping international clients — including many American retirees — settle smoothly across France for more than 15 years.

If retiring in France is part of your dream, you can learn more here:

👉 https://www.expat-services-france.eu/retire-in-france-from-the-usa/

We’ll be happy to guide you.

Planning to retire in France from the USA? Our bilingual team guides you through visas, housing, healthcare & daily life. 15+ years helping American expats settle in France.

23/02/2026

𝙀𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙢𝙪𝙨+ : 𝙡𝙚 𝙍𝙤𝙮𝙖𝙪𝙢𝙚-𝙐𝙣𝙞 𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 !
A partir du 1er janvier 2027, le Royaume-Uni réintègre le programme Erasmus+.
Erasmus+, c’est le programme de mobilité de l’Union européenne qui permet aux élèves, étudiants, apprentis, enseignants, formateurs ou demandeurs d’emploi de partir à l’étranger pour :
• suivre un semestre ou une année d’études

• effectuer un stage en entreprise

• participer à un échange académique

• enseigner ou se former.

Le programme prévoit généralement une bourse financière pour aider à couvrir les frais de séjour et de voyage.
Depuis le Brexit, les mobilités vers le Royaume-Uni étaient devenues plus complexes, plus coûteuses, parfois décourageantes.

Ce retour ouvre à nouveau une voie simple, structurée et partiellement financée. Concrètement cela va permettre :
👉 Des échanges universitaires facilités

👉 Des stages avec un cadre européen clair

👉 L'accès aux bourses Erasmus+

👉 Une dynamique académique renforcée entre UK et Europe.

Pour nous, acteurs de la mobilité internationale, c’est une excellente nouvelle.

Parce que derrière les accords politiques, il y a des parcours de jeunes, des projets professionnels, des découvertes culturelles… et des familles d’accueil qui rendent aussi ces expériences possibles.

Et quand les mobilités se fluidifient, les opportunités s’élargissent.

𝓦𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓫𝓸𝓻𝓭𝓮𝓻𝓼 𝓻𝓮𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓷, 𝓸𝓹𝓹𝓸𝓻𝓽𝓾𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓲𝓮𝓼 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓪𝓷𝓭.

09/02/2026

🏡 𝟭𝟲 𝙦𝙪𝙖𝙞 𝙏𝙞𝙡𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙩, 𝙇𝙮𝙤𝙣 𝟮𝙚
𝙐𝙣𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚… 𝙚𝙩 𝙗𝙞𝙚𝙣 𝙥𝙡𝙪𝙨 𝙦𝙪'𝙪𝙣 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙪 !
C’est ici, face à l’église Saint-Georges et à la colline de Fourvière, que nous accueillons chaque jour -avec Maëlys-, familles d’accueil, expatriés, étudiants internationaux et partenaires.

Un lieu chaleureux, vivant… et inspirant avec, osons le dire, 𝙡𝙖 𝙥𝙡𝙪𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙚 𝙫𝙪𝙚 𝙙𝙚 𝙇𝙮𝙤𝙣 !

🎓 C’est en poussant notre porte que des lyonnais sont venus proposer leur appartement à louer, que des étudiants internationaux ont trouvé leur famille d'accueil, que des expats en quête de repères ont été accompagnés dans leurs démarches, et que de nombreux projets sont nés.
✨ Anecdote : le tour-opérateur américain avec qui nous organisons désormais 𝓵𝓮 𝓖𝓸𝓾̂𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓭𝓮𝓼 𝓐𝓶𝓮́𝓻𝓲𝓬𝓪𝓲𝓷𝓼 nous a découverts… en passant simplement devant la vitrine. Une rencontre fortuite devenue une belle collaboration — n’est-ce pas, Adelaide Chaigne? 😉

📍 𝘾𝙚 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙪, 𝙘’𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙪𝙣𝙚 𝙫𝙞𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙚, 𝙪𝙣 𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙩 𝙙’𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙚, 𝙪𝙣𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙚 𝙙’𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙚́𝙚 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙪𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙣 𝙁𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚.
C’est aussi notre petite bulle, où l’on prend plaisir à venir travailler chaque jour.
Et vous ?
Vous avez une chambre à proposer ? Envie d’accueillir ? Envie d’en savoir plus ? ou tout simplement envie de passer dire bonjour ?

𝙋𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙯 𝙡𝙖 𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙚… 𝙡𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙛𝙚́ 𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙪𝙙 ! ☕