Accommodation in Paris with a host family

Thank you for your patience with my French, and thank you for making a great effort to talk to me during dinners on the terrace among the mint, basil, lavender. You are the reason why my French has improved. I learned a lot from you about Macron, voting, the school system, cooking, bobo life and how to eat politely with your hands on the table!

You have made my 5 weeks more fun, richer, more educational and more delicious (with duck confit, octopus, fresh fruit and cheese!).

I am sincerely grateful to have lived with you and got to know your family.

I wanted to thank you for everything you have done for me during these 3 months. I am sure that my stay in France would not be pleasant enough if I did not live with you. I know you are often busy but you find time to talk with me.

I consider our dinners together a special time where we discuss anything: history, politics, news, life...

Thank you for sharing all your stories with me. I admire your optimism, kindness and open-mindedness.

I would like to say thank you for everything. I love my host family and I think I was very lucky to be connected with them to live during my semester here.

I am so grateful to them for welcoming me into their family and really taking the time to make me feel included.

The time spent with them was my favourite time in Paris.

I feel incredibly happy to have met them, so thank you for organising everything.

I couldn't imagine a better family. It's a great experience to be able to share dinners with a family that obviously loves each other so much.

They laugh all the time and usually repeat their stories twice...

once at normal speed, then once at a slower pace, so that I can understand them too.

If I were to spend more than a semester away from my family in the United States, I would want to spend it with this host family, as I think they are the closest thing I have to a second family.

I am sending you a note to thank you for placing Erin with this host family. Living in the room she occupied, sharing meals and stories with the family made her stay in Paris unforgettable.

I was lucky enough to visit Erin during her stay. They are a lovely family and I felt at home immediately.

Thank you for making this semester as comfortable as you did. I can't imagine that placing students with families is an easy task.

For my homestay, for two months, it was me, my host mother and another American in the house.

I had five meals a week, prepared by my foster mother,
and every meal was delicious.

I ate some of the best food I've ever had in my life here in Paris, but my host mum's dinners were definitely on the list too. These meals were also a good time to bond with my host mum and practice my French.

Maggie enjoyed her stay in Paris for several months. She loved your help and friendship.

We appreciate the fact that she was comfortable and safe, and that she returned home to Florida.

Maggie has led a privileged and sheltered life so far. Away from home, she has learned to be a little more independent. We invite you to visit us as soon as you can in Florida. It has been such a great opportunity and experience for Maggie, and in no small part becauseshe has been fortunate enough to be housed with you.

Mina was extremely caring and I am always grateful to her.

Dinner conversations in French and English, morning hellos and greetings after a long day at school have always made me feel like a real member of a caring family.

Zach was a wonderful host brother. He made me feel welcome, and all his interesting friends really added to the experience. Meeting other young French people at dinner, and even just observing their conversation, really helped my understanding of the language.

I wanted to thank you again for your help in finding me a new host family during my stay in Paris. My host mother and her sons were so welcoming.

I didn't want to go home at the end of the semester.

I still can't believe I got to spend 4 months in the best city in the world. I hope I get the chance to go back when this pandemic is over. I look forward to keeping in touch with you.

Since his arrival in Paris, Cameron has often mentioned how lucky he was to have been assigned to live with your family while studying at Sciences Po.

He said the quality of the food was something he could only have imagined, and the experience was further enhanced by the opportunity to dine with your family and your gracious tolerance of his very modest language skills.

We would like to express our appreciation for your kindness to him, and thank you for ensuring that Cameron's memories of Paris are something he will cherish for the rest of his life.

It has been a magical experience for Emma... she has travelled to Brussels, Bruges, Prague, Dublin, London, Rome, Strasbourg, Normandy and has the bug to go back, as she loved Paris and all it offered. She will be an ideal ambassador, I'm sure.

Her foster mother was a mother to her and helped her to rest and feel better.

Thank you for all you do for the students when they travel abroad. It's hard work, and you and your positive attitude are so important to the experience each of them has in Paris.

My homestay was the best part of this fantastic semester. They really integrated me into the family and I felt welcome and comfortable from day one.

They are always keen to share the best aspects of French culture with me.

My favourite thing about my host family was the long, elaborate dinners of traditional French cuisine, followed by long discussions about French society, government, philosophy, etc.

You must be open-minded, independent and confident. If you are sociable and sensitive to the generosity of the family, you will have a great time in their flat and living with them.

Make sure you talk to your host family about guidelines and rules, including food/meals/etc., as soon as you arrive.

My host mother was great with me and invited me to art openings and other social gatherings.

I got to know her family very well, and I think she knows a lot about me too, so we've built up an amazing relationship.

For those staying with my host family - you must be very tidy! Be open to trying new things. Don't be afraid to ask for recommendations on things to do, host families know Paris well!