Pas de Panique Press See the kits

8 illustrated survival guides for moving to France

Moving to France? Pas de panique.

Housing, health cover, taxes, paperwork and work, explained in plain English by someone who has been the new person here. With jokes, checklists and a panic level on every chapter, so you always know how worried to be.

Get all 8 guides for €65 Or choose a kit
  • PDF download
  • 26 to 28 illustrated pages each
  • Figures current as of November 2026
Cover: Finding a Home in France Cover: Understanding French Culture Cover: Living in France on a Low Budget Cover: Health and Insurance in France Cover: Money and Taxes in France Cover: Daily Admin in France Cover: Working in France Cover: Remote Work in France Without French

The full Pas de Panique series: eight handbooks, one calm suitcase.

Sound familiar?

You are not bad at admin. French admin was just not written for newcomers.

1You searched "what is a mutuelle" at midnight and found six answers that all disagreed.
2The landlord wants a guarantor, a full dossier and three payslips. You have been here nine days.
3Your payslip lists three different salaries and you are not sure which one is yours.
4You know a deadline exists for your visa, your tax return or your health card. You just do not know which one, or where to click.
5You asked an office a question and someone said "ça dépend" and went to lunch.
6Everyone says bonjour first, kisses on the cheek are a thing, and nobody explained when you say tu.

Every one of these has a clear answer. You just need someone to say it plainly.

Meet the handbooks

A calm friend who has already done it, in your pocket.

Each guide takes one part of life in France and walks you through it step by step. They are short, illustrated and written to be read on a phone on the metro, with the jokes left in on purpose. A little humour makes paperwork easier to get through.

A panic level on every chapter

Each chapter opens with a score from 1 (breathe) to 10 (ring somebody), so you know what to do first and what can wait until next week.

Calm1 to 3
Alert4 to 6
Sweating7 to 10

Clear steps and real examples

You get worked examples with actual numbers, like what a €30 doctor's visit really costs you or how a tax bracket adds up, plus checklists you can tick off.

French phrases, numbers and a glossary

Every guide ends with a one-page cheat sheet, the phrases to say out loud with translations, and a glossary for words like CPAM, SIP and justificatif de domicile.

Checked, dated and honest

Rules and figures are current as of November 2026. Every guide tells you which numbers change and which official site (ameli, impots.gouv.fr, service-public.fr) to check before you act.

Not sure where to start? What is stressing you most right now?

Choose your kit

Pick the kit for your next three months.

Buy the kit you need now, or take all eight guides and be covered from the day you land.

Handbooks 1 to 3

The Arrival Survival Kit

For the first weeks: find a home, understand how people behave, and make your money last.

  • Finding a Home in France
  • Understanding French Culture
  • Living in France on a Low Budget
€27one-time, 3 guides
Get the Arrival Kit

Handbooks 4 to 6

The Admin Survival Kit

For the paperwork: get covered, get paid, get taxed correctly, and get your documents in order.

  • Health and Insurance in France
  • Money and Taxes in France
  • Daily Admin in France
€27one-time, 3 guides
Get the Admin Kit

Handbooks 7 and 8

The Working in France Bundle

For the working side: get hired, understand your contract, or keep your remote job legal.

  • Working in France
  • Remote Work in France Without French
€17one-time, 2 guides
Get the Working in France Bundle
Best value

All 8 guides. One calm bundle.

Everything from the first apartment search to your first tax return and your first job, in one purchase.

  • All three sets, 8 illustrated handbooks
  • About €8 a book, and €6 less than buying the three sets separately
  • One payment, nothing recurring
€65one-time, 8 guides
Get all 8 guides for €65

PDF download. Pay once, in euros.

What's inside

Every chapter, and how worried you should be.

Tap a guide to see its chapters. The dots show each chapter's panic level.

Handbook no. 1Finding a Home in FranceLeases, guarantors, dossiers and the état des lieux, decoded.

26 illustrated pages, A5 PDF. 10 chapters, plus a cheat sheet, useful phrases and a glossary.

  • Before you start searching
  • Leases decoded
  • Where to look (and how not to lose)
  • The dossier (your rental application)
  • The guarantor problem
  • Visits and red flags
  • The money, honestly
  • Signing the lease and the état des lieux
  • Moving in
  • Living there, and leaving
Handbook no. 2Understanding French CultureBonjour, tu or vous, the art of the table and the rules nobody writes down.

26 illustrated pages, A5 PDF. 9 chapters, plus a cheat sheet, useful phrases and a glossary.

  • Say bonjour first
  • Tu or vous?
  • The art of the table
  • The rhythm of the week and the year
  • Work culture
  • Making friends
  • Reading between the lines
  • Little rules nobody tells you
  • Surviving culture shock
Handbook no. 3Living in France on a Low BudgetKnow your numbers, pay less for your home, eat well for less.

26 illustrated pages, A5 PDF. 9 chapters, plus a cheat sheet, useful phrases and a glossary.

  • Know your numbers
  • Paying less for your home
  • Eating well for less
  • Getting around for less
  • Health without the headache
  • Phones, subscriptions and bank fees
  • Keeping the bills low
  • Fun without spending much
  • When money gets tight
Handbook no. 4Health and Insurance in FranceHow the two layers work, getting covered, doctors, your mutuelle and emergencies.

28 illustrated pages, A5 PDF. 10 chapters, plus a cheat sheet, useful phrases and a glossary.

  • How French healthcare works
  • Getting covered
  • Finding and seeing a doctor
  • Pharmacies and prescriptions
  • Top-up insurance (mutuelle)
  • Dentists, glasses and big costs
  • Emergencies and out-of-hours care
  • If you can't work: sick leave
  • Mental health and wellbeing
  • Other insurance you'll meet
Handbook no. 5Money and Taxes in FranceYour bank account, your payslip, tax residency, tax at source and your first return.

28 illustrated pages, A5 PDF. 10 chapters, plus a cheat sheet, useful phrases and a glossary.

  • Money basics in France
  • Opening a bank account
  • Your payslip decoded
  • Are you a tax resident?
  • Income tax, simply
  • Tax at source and your first return
  • Money from abroad and double taxation
  • Help from the CAF
  • Bills, savings and local taxes
  • Scams and classic mistakes
Handbook no. 6Daily Admin in FranceVisa validation, proof of address, the mairie, the post, transport and your licence.

28 illustrated pages, A5 PDF. 10 chapters, plus a cheat sheet, useful phrases and a glossary.

  • The admin mindset
  • Your visa and residence permit
  • Your digital admin identity
  • Proof of address and your document kit
  • The mairie and the préfecture
  • Phone, internet and electricity
  • Post and parcels
  • Getting around
  • Driving licence and cars
  • Everyday rules nobody tells you
Handbook no. 7Working in FranceYour right to work, contracts, the French CV, pay, holidays and office etiquette.

28 illustrated pages, A5 PDF. 10 chapters, plus a cheat sheet, useful phrases and a glossary.

  • How the French workplace works
  • Can you work here?
  • Finding a job
  • The French CV and interview
  • Types of contract
  • Pay, hours and holidays
  • Office culture and etiquette
  • When things go wrong
  • Unemployment and job-loss support
  • Growing your career
Handbook no. 8Remote Work in France Without FrenchWhether you are allowed, how to be hired and where English-speaking remote jobs hide.

28 illustrated pages, A5 PDF. 10 chapters, plus a cheat sheet, useful phrases and a glossary.

  • The honest starting point
  • Are you allowed to do this?
  • Employee, contractor or EOR?
  • Where English-speaking remote jobs hide
  • Roles that work in English
  • Your application kit
  • Interviews, time zones and culture
  • Setting up your remote life
  • Money, tax and social security
  • Learning French on the side

Take a look inside

What a page actually looks like.

Pages from Handbook 4, Health and Insurance in France.

A chapter opener with a panic level of 7 out of 10
Every chapter opens with its panic level and a suitcase who reacts to it.
A chapter page with steps and a Pas de panique tip
One idea per page, with a plain-English tip at the end.
The one-page cheat sheet
A one-page cheat sheet you can screenshot and keep on your phone.
Numbers to save today
The phone numbers and phrases to save before you need them.

Who wrote these

Hi, I'm Alexia.

I moved from Indonesia to Australia, and then to France, so I know what it feels like to be handed a form you cannot read in a country you are still learning. I am a graphic designer and a former teacher, which is why these guides are explained step by step and made to be friendly to look at.

I am not a lawyer, a doctor or a tax adviser. Each guide tells you where to confirm the details on the official sites. My job is to make sure you know what to ask, what to bring and what to do first.

Questions

Before you buy.

Who are these guides for?

Anyone moving to France or newly living there, from any country. They are written in plain English for people who are still learning French. Some rules differ for EU and non-EU citizens, and the guides tell you where.

Do I need to speak French?

No. French words are explained when they appear, and each guide has a page of useful phrases with translations.

Are the rules and figures up to date?

They are current as of November 2026. French rules change often, so every guide points you to the official website to confirm before you act on a number or a deadline.

Is this legal, medical or tax advice?

No. These are practical guides written by a fellow expat. For anything serious, such as your visa, a large tax question or a medical decision, check with the official services or a qualified professional.

Which kit should I buy first?

If you have not arrived yet, or are still looking for a home, start with the Arrival Kit. If you are already here and the paperwork is piling up, the Admin Kit is the one. If you are job hunting or working remotely, take the Working in France Bundle. If you want it all, the bundle costs €65.

What format are they?

PDF files with A5 pages, designed to read well on a phone or tablet, and easy to print if you prefer paper.

If something goes wrong with a file

The guides are digital downloads, so I do not offer refunds once they have been downloaded. If a file is damaged, missing or will not open, write to me and I will fix it or refund you.

Ready when you are

Arrive with a plan, not a panic.

Eight guides, one calm suitcase, and a lot fewer midnight searches.

Get all 8 guides for €65

Or start with a kit from €17. PDF download, one-time payment in euros.

All 8 guides · €65Or kits from €17 Get the kit