findatime is a free social scheduling app that finds when you and your friends are both free. You mark your available hours each week, share a single link, and findatime automatically surfaces the times that overlap — so you can stop the back-and-forth of 'when are you free?' texts and just make the plan.

How do casual plans work on findatime?

Instead of polling a group chat, you post what you're up for — a gym session, a hike, a coffee — along with a time. Share it with a Group so the whole crew sees it at once. Friends who are free tap 'I'm Keen'. No RSVPs to chase, no one feels pressured.

Does findatime sync with my calendar?

No. findatime does not sync with Google Calendar, Outlook, or any calendar app. You manually mark the hours you're free each week, which takes about 30 seconds. Your contacts and calendar data stay completely private.

Can I use findatime to catch up with friends overseas?

Yes. findatime works across timezones. You mark your free hours in your local time, your friend marks theirs in their local time, and the app shows you the overlap in your own timezone — no mental math required.

Yes, findatime is free to use. Set your availability, share your link, and start making plans at no cost.

How is findatime different from a group chat?

Group chats require back-and-forth messages to find a time everyone's free. findatime eliminates that: you mark your availability once, share a link, and the app shows the overlap automatically. For casual plans, you post once and see who's keen — no chasing RSVPs.

Making Friends in Paris: A Guide for Expats in the City of Light

The Paris challenge

Paris is a city of culture, beauty, and social reserve. The French social model is different from the Anglo-Saxon one — friendships form more slowly, are deeper when they form, and are harder to break into as an outsider.

The Paris-specific challenges

The social reserve. French people are more reserved initially than Anglo-Saxons. The leap from acquaintance to friend takes longer.
The language barrier. If you don't speak French, your social world may shrink to the expat bubble.
The arrondissement geography. A friend in the 11th, you in the 16th — a "quick coffee" is a 30-minute metro ride.
The work culture. Paris's professional culture is demanding, with long hours and a strong hierarchy.

The fixes

1. Learn the language

Even intermediate French opens doors. The expat bubble is transient; the French-speaking world is more stable. A language class is also a recurring social activity.

2. Create the conditions for the leap

In a culture where the colleague-to-friend leap is a threshold, you have to create the conditions. A recurring non-work activity — a class, a sport, a hobby — provides a social context that's not the office.

3. The morning walk

Paris is spectacular in the early morning — the Seine, the Luxembourg Gardens, the Tuileries. A 7am walk with a friend is protected from work and the crowds.

4. Share your availability

Mark your free hours, share your findatime link, and let the overlap find you. In a city where the scheduling tax kills plans, removing the tax is the biggest lever.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Paris hard to make friends in?

It's harder than in Anglo-Saxon cities — the social reserve is real. But the friendships that do form are deeper. The key is patience and recurrence.

How do I make French friends?

Recurring shared activities. The activity provides a social context that bridges the reserve. The recurrence gives the friendship time to cross the colleague-to-friend threshold.

What if I don't speak French?

Then start with the expat circle — it's large and welcoming. But make learning French a priority; it's the key to deeper, more stable friendships.