France offers many opportunities that it can’t all be seen in a one- or two-week tour. However, few people have the money necessary to fund themselves for a longer stay. One option open is coming to work for a short time. While this is easier for citizens of a European Union country, it is possible to get a visa or to come in under a Working Holiday scheme. Finding the work can be a daunting task though, and it’s difficult to know where to start. If you’re lacking for ideas, there are any number of places you can start.
Hit the pavement
If you aren’t required to have a job lined up before you come, you can always wait until you get here and pound the pavement as you would at home! France’s major cities are abound with English, Irish, and Scottish style pubs and bars that are in need of a helping hand during high tourist seasons. The work is often temporary and particularly adapted to those who plan on staying for a relatively short time and looking for some pocket money to supplement their savings. The best way of finding a job is to walk in and ask! It’s best if you manage to come in just before the start of the tourist season and the start of exams, as the work is popular with students once they are on their summer holidays.
Go camping
If you want to get off the beaten track and have a stay in the countryside, try your hand at helping out at a camping site in France. This is particularly ideal if you plan on going into tourism later on. You’ll need to organise yourself before you go, and you can start by doing a search for campsites on campingfrance.com. Cast your net as wide as possible and you’re sure to find something!
Down on the farm
If you want to work out in the sunshine and do something physical with your time but campsites aren’t for you, why not volunteer to work on a farm? There’s more to it than just milking cows and picking fruit and for most of us can open our eyes to a whole new way of life. One popular organiser is WWOOF – WorldWide Opportunities on Organic Farms. There’s a whole network of participating farms throughout France – have a look!
Get a work placement
This opportunity isn’t limited just to the warm weather, and is for those who want to come as part of an internship or just simply prefer office work. There are too many options for me to talk about them all in this article, but you can get started by checking with on EURES, the European job mobility portal, or if you’re already in France, you can ask at a private employment agency or at the Pôle Emploi. If you’re a student you should also get some information from your university. The major ones will no doubt have links with organisations and companies in France and can be able to help you find something.
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