Life of Young French People – A Closer Look
For years, France has been associated with elegance, culture and a relaxed lifestyle. The country evokes images of cobblestone streets, freshly baked baguettes, and leisurely afternoons spent in charming cafés. But what is everyday life really like for young French people? Is it really as ‘picture-perfect’ as it might seem from the outside? During our exchange trip, we had the unique opportunity to immerse ourselves in the daily rhythm of French youth. And what we discovered was far richer, more vibrant, and more inspiring than any postcard could capture. Let’s take a closer look at their day-to-day lives, how they spend their time, and what really shapes their lifestyle.
📚 A Day at a French School
A typical school day in France begins much like in Poland, at around 8:00 am. Students arrive at the school gates, often greeted by friends in the courtyard before the first bell rings. However, that’s where the similarities end. School lessons last considerably longer than in other countries, finishing as late as 4:00–5:00 pm — a schedule that initially shocked us. The late finish to the school day is largely due to the lunch break, which lasts a full two hours. This isn’t just a quick sandwich at your desk, it’s a proper, civilised break that reflects the French philosophy of taking time to nourish both body and mind.
During this generous midday pause, students can enjoy a hot, freshly prepared meal in the school canteen and we’re not talking about basic cafeteria food. The French school lunch is practically a restaurant experience: a starter (often salad or soup), a main course with vegetables, a cheese course, and dessert. Students sit together at proper tables, using real cutlery, treating the meal as a social event rather than a rushed necessity. Beyond eating, they use this time to prepare for their next lessons, visit the library, chat with friends in the courtyard, or simply decompress from the morning’s intensity.
The school facilities themselves left us genuinely impressed. Schools are equipped with high-quality sports facilities that would rival many private clubs back home. The gyms are enormous, often divided into several separate halls, each dedicated to different activities: one for basketball and handball, another for gymnastics, and sometimes even a dedicated dance studio or climbing wall. Outdoor spaces include full-sized athletics tracks, football pitches with proper turf, and tennis courts. It’s clear that France invests heavily in ensuring young people have every opportunity to stay active and develop their physical abilities alongside their academic ones.
🤝 Meeting French Students – Breaking Stereotypes
During our visit to the school, the French students were incredibly welcoming far more so than we had anticipated. There’s a common stereotype that French people are reserved or reluctant to speak English, but our experience completely shattered that myth. They were genuinely curious about our lives in Poland, asking questions about our school system, our hobbies, and even our favourite Polish foods. They took the time to show us around their school, introduce us to their teachers, and tell us more about their school experiences, from the pressure of the baccalauréat exams to their favourite extracurricular activities.
Despite common preconceptions, we managed to communicate with them effortlessly in English, and many of them spoke it quite fluently. But what truly warmed our hearts was when they surprised us with a few phrases in Polish — “Cześć!”, “Dziękuję!”, and even “Jak się masz?” — which they had clearly practised just for our visit. This small gesture spoke volumes about their openness and genuine desire to connect across cultural boundaries. By the end of our school visit, we had exchanged social media handles and made friendships that we hope will last far beyond this trip. It reminded us that despite different languages and customs, young people everywhere share the same fundamental desire for connection and understanding.
“What matters are loved ones, not virtual reality. The French taught us that the best moments happen when you put your phone down.”
— A lesson we’ll carry with us forever
🎭 Culture, Sport & the Magic of Public Spaces
Culture, sport and public spaces play a key role in the daily lives of young French people, serving not only as a form of entertainment but also as an important element in the development of identity and social relationships. In France, culture isn’t something reserved for special occasions or museum visits, it’s woven into the fabric of everyday life. Participating in cultural events such as concerts in town squares, open-air exhibitions along riverbanks, street theatre performances, and local festivals allows young people to express themselves and develop their appreciation of the arts. We noticed that even small towns had vibrant cultural calendars, with free events almost every weekend that drew people of all ages together.
Sport promotes a healthy lifestyle and integration within peer groups, and the French take this seriously from a young age. The streets were filled with cyclists weaving confidently through traffic, joggers following paths along the river, and people on rollerblades gliding effortlessly down tree-lined boulevards. At our campsite, we also saw the sports fields constantly full from early morning until dusk, football matches, volleyball tournaments, basketball games, and even pétanque (the traditional French bowling game) where teenagers competed alongside grandparents. This confirmed to us just how important it is for young people to spend their free time actively and in the company of their loved ones. Physical activity isn’t seen as a chore or obligation. It’s simply how life is lived.
Equally important are public spaces such as parks with century-old plane trees, bustling market squares, fountains where children play, and city streets lined with independent shops and bakeries. These become natural venues for meeting, exchanging views and social activity. After school, young people are keen to enjoy the city’s attractions rather than retreating to their bedrooms and screens. We often saw crowds of French people our age spending their free time in charming sidewalk cafés, nursing a single espresso for hours while deep in conversation, browsing local bookshops, skateboarding in public plazas, or simply lounging on the beach with friends, watching the waves roll in.
Meals deserve special mention, as they are truly a sacred occasion for all French people. Perhaps the most defining cultural ritual we observed. During them, phones and other distractions take a back seat (often literally placed face-down on the table or left in bags); what matters are the people around the table, meaningful conversation, eye contact, and the shared pleasure of good food. Even teenagers respect this unwritten rule. We watched families and friend groups spend 90 minutes over dinner, savouring each course, laughing, debating, and simply being present with one another. It was a powerful reminder of what we often sacrifice in our screen-dominated world.
🌙 When the Sun Goes Down — French Evenings
Activities do not end with the setting of the sun. If anything, the energy transforms into something even more magical as the warm evening air fills with music and laughter. In the evenings, the French get together at outdoor discos set up under strings of fairy lights, community games nights featuring everything from bingo to quiz competitions, and impromptu gatherings on the beach with acoustic guitars and shared bottles of lemonade. The campsite where we stayed organised events nearly every night, and the participation was extraordinary.
We had the chance to take part in the disco, karaoke and games nights, and can say with absolute certainty that the atmosphere was unlike anything we’d experienced before. What struck us most was the intergenerational nature of these gatherings. Young and old enjoyed themselves together without a care in the world. Grandparents danced alongside teenagers to the same pop songs, families cheered each other on during bingo rounds, and complete strangers became friends over shared jokes and dance moves. There was no awkwardness, no generational divide, just pure, unfiltered joy. They danced with abandon, laughed until their sides hurt, and gave us a taste of the French definition of good entertainment: genuine human connection, community spirit, and living in the moment without constantly staring at a screen. Not once did we see someone pull out their phone to film the moment. They were too busy living it.
☀️ Climate, Lifestyle & Daily Habits
The daily habits of the French are deeply shaped by the climate and their distinctive lifestyle, creating a rhythm of life that feels both natural and intentional. These factors influence the pace of their day and the ways of spending their free time discussed earlier. Thanks to the mild and warm Mediterranean-influenced climate — with temperatures regularly reaching 25–30°C and sunshine that seems to last forever. They are accustomed to spending the vast majority of their time outdoors. Swimming in the sea before breakfast, cycling to the bakery for fresh bread, evening walks along the promenade, these aren’t special activities, they’re simply Tuesday.
The consistently good weather encourages them to choose physical activity over screen time almost instinctively. When the sun is shining and the beach is a ten-minute bike ride away, the pull of a smartphone simply can’t compete. A lifestyle based on a balance between work and rest, the famous French concept of “l’art de vivre” (the art of living), means that young people pay close attention to savouring everyday moments. A morning coffee on a sun-drenched terrace, the ritual of buying fresh bread from the boulangerie, an afternoon swim, an evening aperitif with friends. These small pleasures are treated with the same importance as academic achievements or career goals.
Their slower and more relaxed approach to life also means they have a much more laid-back attitude to reality. There’s no frantic rushing from one activity to the next, no obsessive scheduling of every minute. They go about their daily lives at their own pace, without worrying about rushing or constantly optimising their time. Conversations are allowed to unfold naturally, meals are never hurried, and there’s always time for an unexpected encounter or a spontaneous change of plans. This isn’t laziness, it’s a deliberate choice to prioritise quality of experience over quantity of achievements. And honestly? After spending time living this way, we understood why they seem so much more content and present than many of us back home.
✨ What We Learned — Taking France Home With Us
The lives of young French people are a harmonious blend of responsibilities, relaxation and social engagement, in which culture, sport and the surrounding environment play a significant role. Their lifestyle is characterised by an ability to strike a balance between study and leisure, as well as a genuine appreciation for small, everyday pleasures. A perfectly flaky croissant enjoyed slowly with butter and jam, a sunset watched from a clifftop without reaching for a camera, or an unplanned two-hour conversation with a stranger who becomes a friend. Their openness to people, active leisure and enjoyment of the charms of cities and nature mean that their daily lives are full of energy, yet at the same time calm and orderly.
This experience showed us that the French way of life is not just about stereotypical elegance or the glamour we see in films. It’s about something much deeper and more meaningful, a conscious approach to life and the ability to savour the moment. It’s about choosing presence over productivity, connection over convenience, and experience over efficiency. We have learnt from young French people that the most important thing in life is finding joy in everyday life ,not in grand achievements or expensive possessions, but in the warmth of a shared meal, the thrill of a beach volleyball game, and the magic of dancing under the stars with people you’ve only just met. It is this conviction, this beautiful, simple truth, that we are proudly taking back with us to Poland. And we hope it changes the way we live, even just a little.
