Why a French expat says India wins over France in everyday life

Why a French expat says India wins over France in everyday life

• French expat praises India's street food, jewelry, travel, hair care, and hospitality.
• Her viral post highlights India's welcoming culture and everyday experiences
• Indians respond warmly, expressing pride in their country's diversity

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In a viral Instagram post titled “Things India does better than France,” a French woman who identifies herself as having moved to India for work walked her followers through everyday experiences she finds more appealing in India. She began with something almost everyone encounters at some point: street food.

She said the food scene was what really won her over, not just because it tastes good, but because there is so much to choose from and it hardly costs much. She described evenings spent hopping from one cart to the next, tasting whatever caught her eye and chatting with the people running the stalls.

She also mentioned how struck she was by India’s love for big, colourful jewellery, something you notice almost everywhere you go. Indian designs, from jangling bangles to elaborate earrings, made a strong impression on her. She said she found the maximalist approach stylish and expressive, something she felt was far less common in France.

Travel within India also made her list. While long journeys in France often rely on buses or booked flights, she praised India’s network of sleeper AC buses and trains. She said travelling this way lets you cover long distances without feeling rushed, and you actually get to watch the landscape change along the way. She even suggested that visitors skip flights when they can and try buses or trains instead.

Her fourth point was about hair culture. Indians’ hair care practices, from routine oiling to protective styles, stood out to her. Looking at how many people she saw with strong, glossy hair, she joked that Indians could easily feature in shampoo commercials, a playful contrast to her own experience with fine hair.

The part of her post that seemed to touch people the most was what she wrote about Indian hospitality. She talked about how often people welcomed her into their homes, sat her down for a meal without any fuss, and spent hours just talking. It made her feel like she belonged, and she said she wished this kind of openness with strangers was more common back in France.

Her post quickly filled up with replies, many from Indians who said it was nice to see someone notice things they often overlook themselves. One comment simply said thank you for seeing the country with such warmth. Another said that hearing such a perspective made them proud of the country’s diversity.

While opinions differ widely about life in any country, this French expat’s list highlights how simple, everyday experiences can shape someone’s sense of belonging and admiration for a place that is not their own.