Please, ask your family before making long distance phone calls. Many families have a detailed phone bill and can ask you to pay for your calls at the end of the month. Also, ask permission before giving the home number to strangers. You can also buy cards used in public phones. It’s an easy way to monitor your phone expenses!

The family doesn’t have to lend you a car for your personal use. If the parents give you the keys to their car, they will expect you to pay for your gas and to avoid drinking while driving.

Please respect the family’s wish if they ask you not to smoke at home and especially in front of the children. Being a non-smoker is a plus for your placement.

Avoiding problems

If problems were to arise, we advise you to talk to the family first and try to solve them. If this leads you nowhere, you can contact your us. We ask both sides to respect a 15 days notice in case the family cannot keep you or you want to leave them.

A rematch is possible if the quality of your work and your seriousness are not questioned. If you leave the family without notice, a deduction can be made on your due pocket money.

Your stay will be successful if you are able to adapt to your host family’s lifestyle. Keep in mind that it was your own choice to share the life of a French family and you should be flexible and follow the living patterns of your family. Don’t always criticize food, habits, education… Think positive and respect this new culture!

Most Au Pairs come to France, and especially to the French Riviera, with many clichés of a beautiful, sunny, fun place to live in mind. To a certain extend, it is the simple truth. But life is no fairytale and reality may not be as wonderful as it seems. Nowadays, insecurity has become a problem people deal with on a daily basis. Precautions that are obvious to French inhabitants may seem unnecessary to foreigners.

Here are a few tips girls should take in account when living in France, especially in big cities like Nice:
– No hitchhiking! Keep an eye (or a hand) on your bag.
– Don’t walk the streets and don’t take the bus or the train alone late at night.
– Drink reasonably and don’t drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs…

Insecurity cannot be ignored and, remember: better safe than sorry!!

Au Pair in  France – Au Pair en France

Enjoy your stay

- Take more language classes and get more childcare experience before leaving so you’ll feel more confident once in the country.

- Save some money for your personal expenses and think of bringing a international credit card (Visa) with you if possible.

- Get some information about your placement location. You can ask the consulates or travel agencies for more details… Don’t forget to buy a travel guide as well!!

- You could bring a little present to your host family, especially for the children, representing your region: food specialties, book, local toys… It will help you create a good contact with them right from the start!

- Don’t get bored! We’ll give you other Au Pairs phone numbers and you can go to the library, the local gym club or other cultural centers. Your stay will be more enjoyable if you make friends quickly!

- Show interest for the children you are taking care of and for your family’s lifestyle, they’ll be glad to share their activities with you!

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