Settling in

Finding a plumber who shows up is, in some ways, harder than any piece of paperwork I've dealt with here — there's no official portal for "tradesperson who answers the phone." What there is, instead, is a whole local culture around recommendations, quotes and reputation that took me a while to learn, and that I now genuinely enjoy being part of.

How I actually vet people

Almost every tradesperson I trust now came from someone else's recommendation, not a search result — a neighbor's electrician, a landlord's plumber, a friend's tailor. When I don't have a direct referral, I ask at the local shops that have been around a while; a baker or a hardware store owner who's been on the same street for twenty years usually knows exactly who to call, and who to avoid. I also pay attention to whether someone answers the phone and gives a straight answer about timing — it sounds basic, but it filters out more bad experiences than any online review ever has.

The culture around devis (quotes)

For any real job — an electrician rewiring a room, a plumber replacing a boiler — it's completely normal, and expected, to ask for a written devis (quote) before work starts, and often to get two or three to compare. A good tradesperson won't be offended by this; it's standard practice here, not a sign of distrust. What I've learned to watch for is a devis that's suspiciously vague about materials or timing — the more detail on paper upfront, the fewer surprises later.

It's also worth asking whether the devis is free — most are, but it's a fair question to ask upfront rather than assume, especially for more specialized trades. And once you accept one, get the acceptance in writing too, even if it's just a signed copy or an email reply — it's the closest thing to a paper trail if the final bill and the quote don't match.

Tipping — what's expected and what isn't

Tipping in France is much lighter than many newcomers expect. In cafés and restaurants, service is already included in the price by law, so a tip is a small extra for good service, not an obligation — rounding up or leaving a couple of euros is generous, not the 15-20% habit some arrive with. For tradespeople, tipping isn't really the custom at all; a fair price, paid promptly, and a good word to a neighbor afterward matters more than cash in hand.

Opening hours and closures

This one catches almost everyone: many small shops close for a couple of hours at lunch, close entirely on Sundays and often Mondays too, and a good number close for several weeks in August when much of the country is on holiday at once. I keep a mental note of which of my regular shops does what, because turning up to a locked door at 1pm on a Tuesday stops being surprising and starts being routine once you've lived here a season.

Why word-of-mouth matters here

More than in most places I've lived, reputation here travels through actual conversation rather than star ratings. The garagiste who fixed my car well got three more customers from me simply because I mentioned him to people who asked. It means your own network — neighbors, other newcomers, the people at your regular café — becomes a genuinely useful resource, and it's worth investing a little time in those relationships rather than defaulting straight to search results.

This cuts both ways, too — being a reliable, polite, prompt-paying customer builds you a reputation as much as it builds theirs. I've had a plumber squeeze me in on short notice more than once, and I'm fairly sure it's because the first job went smoothly and I said so, out loud, to the people who introduced us.

Common mistakes

Hiring the first person who answers the phone without a comparison quote. Assuming a shop is open because it "should" be, rather than checking, especially around lunchtime or in August. And over-tipping out of habit in situations where it isn't expected and can even feel a little odd to the person receiving it.

The tailor who fixed a suitcase zip for me on my third week here still remembers my name, and I still bring her my mending. That's the part nobody tells you about settling in somewhere new — eventually you have a "your" baker, "your" tailor, and it feels less like a foreign city and a lot more like home.

These are personal impressions and habits, not official guidance — customs and pricing can vary by neighborhood and change over time.

Ask Nathalie