What this community is
We started as a chat for Russian speakers in Montpellier and grew into a single community for the whole South of France — Occitanie and the French Riviera. Today we are around 400 people: some moved recently, some have lived here for years, and some are still only planning their move and weighing it up.
One simple thing unites us: life in a foreign country is far easier when you have your own people around. That’s why we meet in person and help each other out, with the small things and the big ones alike.
How we meet up
Meetups are the heart of the community. Here’s what we get up to:
- Barbecues and picnics in nature — big gatherings; over the May holidays and in summer they’ve drawn well over a hundred people.
- Hikes — into the mountains and down to the sea, on weekends, at all levels of difficulty.
- Bar nights and easy hangouts — to meet and talk in person, no occasion needed.
- Sea, yacht, catamaran — in summer we chip in and head out to sea.
- Activities — quad biking, horse riding and other things that are no fun to do alone.
For the actual schedule — where and when the next meetup is — always check the chat: the dates are live and change, and on principle we never invent events that didn’t happen.
How the chat helps every day
Between meetups, ordinary, very practical life goes on. Typical questions that get answered by people who’ve been there:
- how to land a préfecture appointment, and what to do when there are none;
- where to rent a place when you have no French guarantor;
- which doctor, dentist or therapist speaks Russian;
- where to send your child, and whether there’s a Russian weekend school;
- where to buy buckwheat, fromage blanc and dark bread;
- where to go for the weekend, and who with.
Where to start if you’re new
Just found us? Three simple steps. Join the chat and introduce yourself briefly — which city you’re in (or where you’re planning to head), and whether you’ve already arrived or are still getting ready. Ask away, no need to be shy — there are no “silly” questions here about the préfecture, the bank, housing or where to buy the food you’re used to: someone went through exactly the same thing a month ago. Come to the next meetup — getting to know people in person is far easier than over messages.
We cover the whole South of France — Montpellier, Nice, Marseille, Toulouse, Perpignan, Nîmes and dozens of smaller towns. Take a look at the Cities section — your neighbour might already be here. And if you’re still only planning the move, start with the Relocation section: paperwork, housing, the bank and your first steps, in order.
One community, three Telegram surfaces
The community lives in Telegram, and there are now three official places — each with its own job:
- The main community chat — the heart of it all. This is where you talk, ask questions, introduce yourself and find company for meetups. If you join only one thing, join this.
- The announcements channel — event posts, meetup announcements and community news, without the everyday conversation. In a lively chat things scroll past quickly; the channel keeps the important posts in one quiet feed. Subscribe if you want to follow events without reading the whole chat.
- The community marketplace — classifieds between members: buy, sell or give away second-hand things across the South of France. Especially handy when you’re settling in and furnishing a place from scratch.
Our rules (in short)
Be a decent person: respect, no political flame wars, no in-your-face advertising. If someone helped you, help someone else when you get the chance. We publish contacts for doctors, nannies and tradespeople only with the consent of the people themselves and only real ones — no made-up “directories.” The same principle applies across the whole site.