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First steps in Alsace

Alsace welcomes you warmly! For your move, you’ll find a range of organizations and services here to help with housing, socializing, and administrative tasks, ensuring a smooth transition to the region.

Summary

Welcome associations and networks

Accueil des Villes Françaises

AVF is a nationwide association that supports people relocating for work or personal reasons, helping them settle into their new surroundings. It offers opportunities to meet new people through social events and activities, including cultural, gastronomic, recreational, creative, and festive experiences.

There are several AVF branches in Alsace: Strasbourg, Saverne, and Colmar.

www.avf.asso.fr

Bienvenue à Strasbourg

Bienvenue à Strasbourg (“Welcome to Strasbourg”) is an association created to organize events for newcomers to connect with Strasbourg residents while exploring Alsace and its unique features.

www.bienvenueastrasbourg.eu

Fondation Alfred Kastler

The two main missions of the Alfred Kastler Foundation are to improve the reception conditions in France for foreign researchers and research professors, and to maintain contact with them after their return to their home countries.

www.fnak.fr

Mums in Strasbourg

Mums In is a network for connected parents, offering tips, outing ideas, and more to simplify parenting. It serves as a local social network, making it easy to find nearby babysitters, top daycares, or great local shops. This comprehensive platform helps you save time so you can enjoy more moments with your family.

www.mumsin.fr

Support from a professional

“Relocation agencies” are experts in geographical mobility, assisting both national and international businesses. They handle all logistical and administrative details for employees moving to Alsace from abroad or other regions. Here are some examples.

The CCI Alsace Eurométropole also offers a support service to facilitate the relocation and integration of new employees.

Administrative procedures and daily life

Find information:

You can find varied and detailed information on the official government website:

www.service-public.fr

There, you can access practical guides and procedures to follow based on your situation or specific needs.

Find a bank :

Below are some useful links and bank comparison tools:

Identify the public service suited to my needs:

Each “France Service” center provides access to nine national partners in one location: Family Benefits, ANTS, Retirement Insurance, Health Insurance, Public Finances, La Poste, MSA, Point-Justice, and France Travail. You will get assistance specific to your situation, all in one place.

To find the nearest center to you: www.france-services.gouv.fr/le-reseau/grand-est

Where to go for various procedures:

  • Identity Card: Town Hall of your residence
  • Passport: Town Hall of your residence
  • Residence Permit: Prefecture of Bas-Rhin (67) / Prefecture of Haut-Rhin (68)
  • Vehicle Registration Certification: www.immatriculation.ants.gouv.fr

First steps in France

Embassies and Consulates:

You can find the contact details for all foreign representations in France on the website: https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/le-ministere-et-son-reseau/representations-etrangeres-en-france

Additionally, this website provides the contact details for all embassies and consulates in Strasbourg: www.strasbourg-europe.eu/leurope-a-strasbourg/consulats-et-ambassades-a-strasbourg/

Getting information on procedures:

General information is available on the official website https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/N105

It provides details on entering France, working in France, and more.

You can also find numerous details on the Prefectures’ websites:

Registering foreign vehicles:

For information on registering a vehicle for the first time in France, visit: https://immatriculation.ants.gouv.fr/demarches-en-ligne/immatriculer-pour-la-premiere-fois-un-vehicule-en-france

Changing the address on the vehicle registration certificate:

You can submit your request online at: https://immatriculation.ants.gouv.fr/demarches-en-ligne/modifier-l-adresse-sur-votre-certificat-d-immatriculation

Applying for a work permit for a foreign employee in France:

You can submit your request online at: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F2728

The French school system and its equivalents

Alsatian specificities

The Alsace-Moselle system : the “régime local”

The Local Health Insurance System of Alsace-Moselle, rooted in the history of the Bas-Rhin, Haut-Rhin, and Moselle departments, is a unique health insurance scheme with the following characteristics:

  • Mandatory: Established by the Social Security Code, it is not a supplementary insurance subject to market competition.
  • Complementary: It offers additional benefits beyond the general Social Security coverage, within limits set by Social Security.
  • Supportive: It supports the unemployed, retirees, low-income individuals, and families.

This system provides supplementary reimbursements to enhance health expense coverage beyond what is offered by the basic Social Security scheme.

For more information: https://regime-local.fr

Public holiday calendar

Alsace benefits from two additional public holidays compared to the rest of France:

  • Good Friday
  • St. Stephen’s Day (December 26)

Thus, the year includes 13 public holidays:

  • January 1, New Year’s Day
  • Good Friday
  • Easter Monday
  • May 1, Labor Day
  • May 8, Victory in Europe Day
  • Ascension Thursday
  • Pentecost
  • July 14, Bastille Day
  • August 15, Assumption
  • November 1, All Saints’ Day
  • November 11, Armistice Day
  • December 25, Christmas
  • December 26, St. Stephen’s Day

Understanding local organization and authorities

Municipality and intermunicipal cooperation

  • Local services
  • Services to the public

Including: Management of nursery and elementary schools, urban planning, housing, environment

Department

  • Social services (childcare, elderly care, disability support, RSA, etc.);
  • Management of middle schools;
  • Departmental roads

Region

  • Economic development;
  • Management of high schools;
  • Non-urban transportation;
  • Land use planning;
  • Vocational training;
  • Management of European funds

For more details: www.info.gouv.fr

Happy settling in!