What's the review after two years of living in Montreal?

After two years in Montreal, the review covers four points: work that is more direct and more horizontal than in France, a winter you gear up for rather than get used to, a budget with different balances and a distance from family that weighed most in the decision to move back.

What weighed in the decision to move back to France?

The budget (rent, insurance, phone, groceries) isn't balanced the same way as in France, but the distance from family remained the real deciding factor and weighed most in the move back.

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Living in Montreal: looking back on two years abroad

8 min read · September 9, 2026 · @solennstories

The cold, agency work, the cost of living, the decision to move back to France: what I really take away from Montreal.

Two years in Montreal, eight vlogs, and one question that came back in every episode: are we moving back to France? Here is the written version, for anyone preparing the same move.

Work: direct, flat, fast-paced

Work first. Quebec's professional culture is more direct and more horizontal than in France. In a media agency, that means responsibility fast, but also a demanding pace and very little safety net.

Winter: gearing up and embracing the season

Then winter. You do not get used to the cold, you get equipped for it. What changes everything is owning the season: dog sledding, skating, going outside even at -20°C — otherwise January to March feels very long.

Budget and distance: what weighed most

Finally the budget: rent, insurance, phone, groceries — the balance is not the same as in France. And the distance from family remains the real deciding factor. That is what weighed most in our decision to move back.

Frequently asked questions

What's the review after two years of living in Montreal?: After two years in Montreal, the review covers four points: work that is more direct and more horizontal than in France, a winter you gear up for rather than get used to, a budget with different balances and a distance from family that weighed most in the decision to move back.
What is working in a media agency in Quebec like?: Quebec's professional culture is more direct and more horizontal than in France. In a media agency, that means responsibility fast, but also a demanding pace and very little safety net.
How to live through winter in Montreal?: You don't get used to the cold, you get equipped for it. What changes everything is owning the season: dog sledding, skating, going outside even at -20°C, otherwise January to March feels very long.
What weighed in the decision to move back to France?: The budget (rent, insurance, phone, groceries) isn't balanced the same way as in France, but the distance from family remained the real deciding factor and weighed most in the move back.

Related project

Vlogs Montréal & retour en France

Série de vlogs sur mes deux années à Montréal, du quotidien d'expatriée au bilan du retour en France.

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