The French family is traditionally one that is based on unity and togetherness, with strong educational principles that are encouraged by the parents. Families take their vacation together and do lots of other things together as well. Both in France and in the French Canadian provinces there are on the average one or two children in each family. About half of the population in France owns their own house or apartment, and more than in any other country the French have a second house (une résidence secondaire or une maison de campagne or une maison de vacances). This is where they spend the weekends, vacations, and where they invite their friends to visit. A lot of French Canadians also own a second home (chalet), and this is a place for them to go during the summer or winter season, perhaps to ski.

In France, lower income or immigrant families and young couples may choose to rent an apartment in one of the inexpensive, high-rise condominiums in one of the HLM: habitations à loyer modéré (dwellings with moderately priced rents). These large towers are usually built just outside of the cities and towns.

As in many countries, homes are not as large as in the U.S.A. It is rare to find a home with several bathrooms. Les WC or les toilettes (the toilets) are in a separate room from the rest of the bathroom in French homes. Or in modern apartments, there is usually one in the bathroom and also one in a separate room. The toilets in Quebec, however, are in the bathroom, just like in the United States.

The average family in France has one car and a garage, but a French Canadian family on the average owns two cars. In France, children usually walk to school, or else take city buses or the métro (subway). In Quebec, kids either take a school bus, a city bus, the metro, or else their parents drop them off at school.