A Day in the Life of a French Expat: Cold Walks, Sausage Dogs, and Small-Business Drama

Is there even such a thing as a "normal" Thursday when living in the South of France?

I originally set out to write a calm, predictable day-in-the-life post. But living as an expat in France has a funny way of throwing curveballs at your morning routine. Between surprise dog wake-up calls, forgotten purses, high-stakes coffee dates, and French small-business admin headaches, normal is completely off the table.

Grab a hot cup of chicory, put your feet up, and let’s dive into a typical—or not so typical—day in the life of Jen.

1. Early Mornings, Cold Temps, and the "Visigoth Walk"

My day didn’t start with a gentle alarm clock. It started with a cold, wet nose shoved aggressively into my sleepy face.

No, not Bob this time—it was Arlo, deciding that 6:00 AM was the absolute perfect time to get up and seize the day. So, like a devoted dog mum, I dragged myself out of bed… only for Arlo to immediately flop onto the living room rug and fall fast asleep.

Since my slumber was officially ruined, I ended his (and woke Bob up too) for our morning routine: The Visigoth Walk.

We had to keep it relatively short because I had an important rendezvous scheduled for 10:00 AM, but off we trotted into the damp morning air.

Living in France milestone reached: I officially dress like a local for winter walks! It was 6°C—which feels practically Siberian for here—so I was layered up in a T-shirt, a fleece, a heavy jacket, a headband, a neck warmer, thermal leggings, gloves, and thick winter socks.

Despite the chill, nothing beats a quiet morning walk with the dogs in the French countryside.

2. Cold Toast, Chicory, and a Forgotten Purse in Carcassonne

After getting back home, I prepared my absolute favourite cool-down treat: cold toast with thick, salty French butter. Pair that with a steaming cup of chicory and honey, and I was back in action.

I fed the boys, grabbed my car keys, and headed out towards Carcassonne to meet up with the one, the only, @joeysausage.

Since I arrived a little early, I made a quick detour into Noz—the ultimate French discount store—to grab some part-baked pastries. They are an essential staple to have in the freezer when friends drop by.

That was until I reached the checkout and realised the golden rule of chaotic mornings: I had forgotten my purse.

Annoyed, I abandoned my shopping list of errands and headed straight to the "Mucky D" (McDonald's) car park in Carcassonne to meet Joey.

(Side note: As I was walking out the door earlier, Bob asked what we were having for dinner tonight. Ummmm… SAUSAGES! Naturally.)

Meeting up with Joey was brilliant as always. He’s starting regular trips down here next year, so watch this space! I got to pet a lovely little sausage dog, and I even bumped into one of our wonderful followers.

Hello again, Norma! I genuinely love meeting you all when out and about, so never hesitate to say hi.

Since I was sans cash or cards, I pulled the ultimate cheeky move:

"Joey! Would you like me to get you a coffee since we're here? ...Great! Can you pay for it though? I forgot my purse."

Thank goodness for generous friends. I promise I’m getting the coffees next time, Joey!

3. Expat Admin, French Electronic Invoicing (EI), and Home Cooking

Back home, my phone blew up with exciting updates:

• A lovely friend messaged to see if she could visit and stay this Saturday (absolutely!).

• Jenna reached out with exciting updates on our website, plus plans for a catch-up lunch next week. (We are bringing the sausages—funny how popular you become when your fridge is stocked with delicious artisan food!).

After a whirlwind vacuuming session around the house, I dove straight into meal prep. I made fresh beef stock from marrow bones for tomorrow’s stew, cooked a massive batch of chilli to freeze for easy weeknight dinners, and briefly contemplated baking a loaf of banana bread. In between stirring pots, I spent half the afternoon playing ball in the garden with the pups and checking in with OG.

Then came the inevitable reality of running a business in France: Administrative Admin.

I finalised last month’s factures (invoices) and sent off follow-up emails helping a client register their French second home with the local Mairie for holiday bookings.

A Quick Rant on French Electronic Invoicing (EI)

Can we talk about the new mandatory Electronic Invoicing rules for French businesses?

While I understand the anti-fraud reasoning behind it, it’s just another operational cost for small business owners (Entreprises Individuelles) to absorb. Yes, there are free software options available, but they don't sync with URSSAF and they don't automatically email invoices to clients. If you have business clients or want to avoid hours of manual entry, you have to pay for a subscription software. Moan over, but phew—the bureaucracy is real!

4. Social Media Bans and Cozy French Evenings

To top off the day's tech hiccups, I found out I’ve been hit with a temporary Facebook group ban until the end of January—for doing absolutely nothing wrong! It’s wildly frustrating, but if you've noticed me being a bit quieter in local expat groups, that's why. Don't worry, I haven't gone anywhere, and I can still post regularly on our main page!

As the sun began to set, it was time for the evening wind-down:

• One final dog walk along our favourite trail.

• Listing a few items on Vinted to clear out the cupboards.

• Checking in on whatever landscaping project Bob had been working on in the garden all day.

Now? It’s time to stop. PJs are on, another log is on the wood burner, and we are settling in for a cosy evening by the fire.

Over to You!

Living in France is a constant balance of beautiful countryside walks and navigating local quirks. What does a "normal" Thursday look like in your neck of the woods? Have you ever had one of those days where everything goes slightly off-script?

Let me know in the comments below!

Jen x