My love affair with France began in a high school classroom in Missouri. To fulfill my foreign language requirement, I had to choose between French and Spanish. And being the middle child, Enneagram 3-wing-4 that I am, I insisted on diverging from my older siblings’ choice and registered for French. It was different and enticing. Little did I know that this one simple decision would change the course of my life.

Fast forward a decade: I’ve been living in France for several years. I’ve worked as an English teaching assistant, an au pair and in the student exchange program industry. My time abroad has made me fall even deeper in love with France. 

More than a decade later, I've created the France Field Guide, a resource to inspire and help you as you plan your trip.

It’s no secret that many guides, books and shows have been created in hopes of capturing this country. Yet no written word, photo or digital rendition can fully represent this place. In order to truly experience the beauty of France, it’s up to you to explore with your eyes, hands and feet.

Just as a field guide documents the flora and fauna of its environment, this magazine is designed to do the same. The pages of the France Field Guide are filled with notes, tips and tricks to understand the lay of the land. This guide germinated from years of weekend trips, expat perspective and daily life.

What’s inside these 32 pages of the France Field Guide?
-Best tips + tricks for your first time to France
-What to see in France by season
-How to figure out public transportation in France
-French basics, such as ordering at a restaurant
-French slang to sound like a local
-Specialities by region in France
-A guide to the calanques in southern France
-My top 10 favorite places in France
-My story about becoming an expat during Covid
-A list of expat essentials
-How to keep in touch with loved ones as an expat
-Essay about the time I was invited to stay in my friend’s family castle