And for the second year running, more Americans have received first-time residency cards than Britons, according to provisional immigration figures.
But what attracts Americans to France and what keeps them here, sometimes for decades?
From a different attitude to friendship to the abundance of good quality produce, Americans who have made the move tell us the main benefits of living in France.
“For the first time, I don't have to worry about expensive medical bills. I can see any doctor I want, or just about,” says blogger Jen Ciesielski, 39, who moved to Paris from Naperville, Illinois, in 2016. She lived in the French capital for three years, before moving to the UK. She returned to France, this time to Strasbourg, in 2019.
“I've never been refused any kind of treatment, prescription, or test. It's incredible. I remember just sucking in up and relying on WebMD when I lived in the US. It's really a huge relief,” she says.
Ricki Stevenson moved to France from Oakland, California in 1998Ricki Stevenson
“Safety, safety, safety,” says Ricki Stevenson, who moved to Paris from the US in 1998. She grew up in Oakland, California, and had lived in New York and Washington DC. Today, she runs Black Paris Tours, which guides visitors around the hidden gems of Paris’ Black history.
“It’s safe. I could put my 11-year-old daughter on a bus on Wednesday afternoons when the kids had a half day of school. She’d go to the American library on the other side of town… and I knew she would come home, without being harassed or attacked or insulted. And that meant a great deal to me,” she says.
Quality of life
Ms Stevenson first noticed a different attitude to work among French people when she first visited Paris while working as a journalist for US TV.
“I came to Paris in 1994 on assignment… We worked from six o'clock in the morning until six o'clock at night or later. After three days, the workers we were covering said “you know, you Americans are stupid. You live to work, and in France we work to live. And I was struck by that.”
Ms Ciesielski also noticed living in France improved her day to day life.
“Originally I moved for work but stayed because the quality of life was so much better,” says Jen Ciesielski. “I noticed I was significantly happier and healthier. I spent more time with family and friends and was far less stressed. So, I decided to stay.”
Ms Ciesielski says she does not see herself ever returning to the United States.
“I don't think there is any sum of money that could ever convince me to go back to the US,” she says.
Work
The different attitude to work in France can also extend to the bureaucracy and contracts.
“Every job comes with a contract that lists your responsibilities, your pay, days off... You know exactly what you are entitled to and your employer cannot randomly make adjustments,” says Ms Ciesielski.
“Now, I work for myself, but I have worked in the public sector in France and it was nice knowing that I wasn't going to be scammed by my employer.”
History
“France does a better job of preserving its history because that is important to them,” says Ms Stevenson, who focuses on the sometimes little-known history of Paris' famous Black residents and visitors on her tours.
“There’s so much history… we can go to the building where Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, the Black and beautiful Sally Hemings, stayed in 1786.
“It means a great deal to me to move through this city and see where the Black men who fought during World War One were celebrated by the French government. It makes me feel good to see the plaques or the places or know of this history.”
Food
One major attraction of France for many newcomers is the food.
“Healthy food is affordable and easy to access. When I was in the US I'd have to take my car and drive a minimum of 10-15 minutes, sometimes longer, just to get to the grocery store. Now, everything is within walking distance,” says Ms Ciesielski.
“Most days of the week there's a neighbourhood market with fresh produce, meats, cheese, and breads. And, oftentimes, it's cheaper than the grocery store. In the US, I remember these kinds of markets costing an absolute fortune to shop at.”
Travelling by public transport is easier in France, according to some Americans.
“Train travel (and public transport in general) is easy and affordable. I don't actually own a car. I take the train everywhere and it saves me a tonne of money,” says Ms Ciesielski.
“I remember needing to have a car in the US and when it broke down.... the bills were just as bad as the medical ones.”
Friendship
For some Americans, a larger focus on friendship is another benefit of moving to France.
“In the United States, people will say ‘oh let’s get together and have lunch’, here if you say that, your friend is going to come to your door the next day. So I find that there is a richer value put on friendship,” says Ms Stevenson.
“It’s not like people are so, so busy that they can’t stop and spend time with you.”
“I have families that I’ve known for the longest time, since we got here, and we’re family now.”
