A Guide to Clubs and Associations in France

Getting involved in your local community is a great way to make friends, improve your French and feel settled – and joining a local club or association is one of the best ways to integrate, says Catharine Higginson…

When chatting to people who are moving to France, one of the questions that comes up time and time again is: “what’s the best way to meet people and integrate into the community?”. Everyone is different and there’s no one solution that works for all, but joining in with local events or activities has to be a good start. Whether you want to make friends, develop local contacts or start networking, getting involved in local life is essential. Some people are entirely happy with their own company but even so, it’s a good idea to get to know the people around you because you never know when you might need a helping hand.
Joining in will also force you to speak to people and thus improve your language skills. Even those who can speak only very basic French will find that their vocabulary and fluency develops simply by interacting with French speakers on a regular basis.

Having decided that ‘joining in’ will help you on your journey to full integration, you need to think about what you’d like to do; perhaps you want to practice an existing hobby or develop a new skill?

If you are into photography or watercolour painting, then joining a camera club or local art group will mean you meet people you are bound to have something in common with. Equally, if you’ve always wanted to learn to play tennis, then joining the tennis club will give you access to a whole new group of people. You may have nothing in common with any of them apart from a desire to play tennis, but it’s just as likely you could meet some friends too.

If you are the type of person who enjoys helping others, then becoming a volunteer or bénévole is a wonderful way to meet likeminded people. Joining a ‘language exchange’ or conversation club is another good way to meet people you are likely to find some common ground with. Many French speakers actively want to improve their English and chatting in two languages in an informal setting like this is a great way to improve your French while getting to know people in the local area. And if there isn’t a conversation group already established near you, why not start one yourself?

So how do you go about finding what’s available in your area? These days even the smallest communes often have a website that lists everything going on. A quick look at our commune site (just under 600 inhabitants) reveals that in addition to la chasse (hunting), there are clubs for cycling, basketball, Japanese flower arranging, the elderly, walking and a gym.

In addition there are groups responsible for organising the annual village fêtes, other events and fundraising for the restored windmill, which is now the hub of the community, complete with a snack bar and boulangerie selling products made with locally grown flour, which is milled on-site.

These types of groups welcome volunteers and if you offer your services, they will be gratefully accepted. If you have specialist skills, sports clubs such as rugby, football and so on are always looking for referees and coaches, and this is a great way to get involved and meet people.

If there’s something you are especially interested in and there’s nothing similar in your commune, pop into the mairie and ask. The staff usually have a wealth of knowledge and will be able to tell you if there’s a chess club or line dancing evenings in neighbouring villages. Check out the local town’s website too, as more activities and information will be listed here. Keep an eye out in local supermarkets; the notice boards often act as a ‘what’s on’, and you may also see signs on the roadside saying things like ‘Zumba – mardi 19h’.

Many towns also organise a forum des associations. These are generally held annually, often at the start of September to coincide with the return to school, la rentrée. Our local forum features over 100 local clubs catering for all interests.

Some are strict about only accepting new members at the start of the academic year. Others are far more flexible, which is important if you arrive in an area in the middle of the year. Those catering for children, especially sports clubs, tend to be the strictest but even so, it is well worth asking – even if you have missed the official start date.

If you are joining any type of sports club, you will almost certainly need a medical certificate – certificat médical, These are obtained from your family doctor and will say that you or your children are fit to take part in the sport in question. These certificates are not confined to ‘extreme’ sports, even walking clubs
often require them and you will certainly need one if you sign up for something like a fun run, for example. It’s a good idea to get these in place at the start of the year so that if you suddenly decide to do a charity 5k six months later, you don’t need to go back to the doctor again. If you plan to take part in any competitions, make sure that your certificat médical states that you are able to do this as well as merely take part in the sport in question. I once had to make an 11th-hour dash to the doctor to get my son a new certificate stating that he was able to take part in a swimming competition; his original certificate only stated that he was able to attend the swimming club.

These certificates are free but you will need to pay the cost of the GP visit, although of course 70% of this will be refunded by the SÉCU (state health insurance) and the remaining 30% will be either paid by you or refunded by your top-up or mutuelle insurance if you have this.

Some sports will also require you to have a licence – usually issued by an official umbrella body and obtained via the club. Costs vary depending on the sport, but they often provide some level of insurance cover. This might be for personal liability or insurance in the event of an accident or injury, or both. Check the small print and see if you need additional cover – especially if it’s a dangerous sport.

Everyone needs some downtime, and doing something that you enjoy is a proven way to relieve stress and stay healthy.

Joining a local club or association is a brilliant way to meet new people and integrate into the community. Plus, learning new skills and keeping the brain active is a proven way to prevent cognitive decline, so make sure that 2024 sees you pursuing your existing passions – and maybe developing some new ones too!!

Top Tip:

If your French is really basic and the idea of joining a club is terrifying, why not start with something easy like attending a games night? Playing board games is a great way to improve your language skills and it’s always easier to start speaking in a relaxed setting like this.

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