A network of associations is harnessing the hobbies and skills of its volunteers to welcome new residents and help them make friends.
The first Accueil des Villes Françaises, or AVF, was founded in Reims in 1963 and today the organisation has 250 local branches in towns and cities across France.
“The mission is to prioritise welcoming newcomers to cities and to foster the creation and development of a network of contacts,” said AVF president Brigitte de Metz Noblat.
There is a growing need for such a service, she added, as “it is becoming difficult to build a real network of contacts in an increasingly virtual world”.
AVF has 11,000 volunteers, 60,000 members, and welcomes 7,000 new arrivals every year.
New members can join a huge range of cultural, sporting or leisure activities that are run by volunteers who were once newcomers themselves.
“Activities vary depending on the AVF and are all led by volunteers who share their passions,” said Ms de Metz Noblat. “The aim is always to foster social connections.”
Offerings range from walks and wine tastings to first aid classes and Sunday coffee catch-ups. There are also Christmas parties and even trips around France and abroad.
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One member-turned-volunteer is Susan Mathews, who moved to France in 2010 from Cambridgeshire in the UK.
She has lived in Saint-Quentin-la-Poterie (Gard) for the past eight years.
Susan Mathews says everyone is welcome to joinJames Colledge
She joined AVF because she was on her own and “hasn’t looked back”, she said.
“It’s a very warm and friendly association, which is perfect for the job it does – to welcome people from other places, many from France but also from other countries.”
Ms Mathews was immediately impressed by the number of activities on offer.
“There were things I was interested in – walking, art, learning French, teaching English… and new things I’d never done but that I wanted to try.”
It was easy to connect with others because they were all in the same boat.
“It’s for new people, that’s the idea, to get them settled in and to make a group of friends.”
AVF is “sort of self-generating”, Ms Mathews said, because “you join and after two years you are asked to make a contribution of some sort”.
Her contribution was to start teaching English classes, where she met a “really lovely group” of French people who have remained in contact over the years. She has even taken them on several exchange trips to the UK to stay in her brother’s village.
Much of her week is currently filled with AVF activities. She plays boules, teaches her English class, and sometimes joins a walk or paints.
“I could be there at least half the week,” she said.
The association is also a good way for members to pick up new skills, as Ms Mathews has done in her weekly IT class. Attendees can ask for help with specific issues.
“It is really helpful because lots of people struggle with IT and the man who takes our class is wonderful.”
Her local AVF has also started a new Sunday afternoon meet-up, where members can come along for tea and cake.
“That’s really nice for people who are on their own and a bit lonely over the weekend,” she said.
Those interested in joining can find a list of local AVF associations on the organisation’s website.
Low joining costs
Because AVF is run by its own members, costs are low. There is an annual fee of €35 and an occasional fee for activities such as walks, for which the guides have to bring equipment or do training.
“Generally speaking, you would regard it as a free club,” said Ms Mathews.
Most activities are in French but many AVF associations welcome international members.
“There is a range of different nationalities, Dutch, German, Italian, American…” said Ms Mathews.
“It’s mainly French, but there are British people too.”
Anyone nervous to join because of their standard of French should not worry, she said. Her own level on moving to France was “only school French”.
“Everybody is accepting, it’s really nice and welcoming… They can just come and join the beginners French class,” she said.
She suggested that people looking to learn French could also try to befriend someone who wants to speak English, and meet up for coffee and bilingual chats.
“Don't be frightened of talking to people,” she said.
