Today, we’re excited to share Lucia’s inspiring story about studying in France. She’s a Korean student who followed her passion for pastry all the way to Paris, where she now works at the Louis Vuitton Café.
Studying in France wasn’t an easy choice for Lucia, but she believes it’s worth it. The experience opened her mind. New cultures and ideas changed how she thinks about work, and now she tries to keep a healthy balance between her personal and professional life.
“In the past, I focused more on results, but now I place greater importance on the process and details. I’ve experienced firsthand how small differences contribute to overall quality. I’ve also learned a lot about work-life balance. Work is important, but I’ve realized that maintaining a balance with personal life is essential to continue doing what you love in the long term.”
Meet Lucia: Pastry Chef at the Louis Vuitton Café
Lucia works as a pastry chef with the team at Café Louis Vuitton in the Cheval Blanc Hotel in Paris. Her hard work helped her graduate from top French culinary schools, Le Cordon Bleu and École Ducasse. Now, she’s living her dream as a pastry chef at this famous café and shares her life in France on Instagram.
“After majoring in pastry at Le Cordon Bleu Paris and École Ducasse, I joined as an opening member of Chef Maxime Frédéric’s first personal boutique. I have now been continuing my career in Paris for two years.”
Why Lucia chose to study pastry in France
Lucia decided to study in France because of her early love for desserts and her admiration for French pastry culture. As a child, watching Yumeiro Patissiere made her want to become a pastry chef in France.
She chose France not only to learn pastry skills, but also to experience its culture and world-class culinary scene.
“More than just learning techniques, I really wanted to experience France’s dessert culture and philosophy firsthand. I believed that learning in an environment where world-class chefs work would help me grow the fastest, which is what led me to decide to study abroad.”
Lucia’s language journey in France
Lucia went to an international school, where she had a chance to study French for a short time. Before moving to France, she learned some basic grammar and conversation, but it took her a while to feel comfortable speaking French. What really helped was being surrounded by the language every day and having to use it. Learning through immersion made the biggest difference for her.
“While I was studying in France and during my internship, I was in an environment where I had no choice but to use French, so my language skills improved significantly. Constantly talking with colleagues and learning directly on the job helped the most. Especially in pastry, there are many technical terms, so I felt that learning in a real work environment is extremely important.”
Lucia’s advice for students wanting to study in France
For Lucia, studying abroad is both challenging and rewarding. At first, cultural differences and language barriers can be tough, but they help you become stronger and open up new opportunities. It’s about living a new way of life, not just learning new skills.
“Studying in France is definitely not an easy choice, but I believe you gain just as much from it. There will be many difficult moments due to unfamiliar environments, language barriers, and cultural differences, but that entire process helps strengthen you.
Rather than thinking you need to be perfectly prepared from the beginning, I hope you approach it with the mindset of filling in your gaps once you’re there. Language preparation is important, but in the end, learning by immersing yourself in the local environment is the fastest way.
Instead of trying to handle everything on your own, I encourage you to communicate with others and seek help when needed.”
Live and study in France with Go! Go! France
Need help? We help you choose the right language school, find accommodation, manage visa requirements, and handle all the small but important steps to ensure a smooth transition to life in France.
Our team consists of people who studied abroad and know what this big step means. Contact us and we’ll guide you through the process from enrollment to arrival in France.
