We’re two French sisters, Marie-Anne (aka May) and Elisabeth (aka Eliz’), who have spent much of our lives abroad. Eliz was born in Congo, May in New Caledonia, and eventually, our parents returned to France, where we grew up and pursued our studies.
When the time came to spread our wings, we each set off again—Eliz to London and May to New Zealand. But in a twist of fate, 2015 brought us both to the same city: Frankfurt, Germany!
That’s when we came up with the idea to organize afterwork events for French people living in Frankfurt. Initially, it made sense for Eliz—she’s a financial advisor for expats, and these gatherings helped her meet potential clients. But there was a deeper reason, too.
May, having experienced the “expat syndrome” while living in New Zealand, knew firsthand how isolating it can be to live far from home. The feeling of being alone abroad is one of the reasons she returned to Europe.
We quickly realized how important it was to create a space where people could come together—share their culture, their culinary tastes, and, of course, their love for the Apéro (short for Apéritif). That’s when we launched our first Apéros Frenchies gathering, bringing together French expats and lovers of French culture.
At first, we hosted around 40 French participants, but month after month, the gatherings grew, and soon we had an international crowd!
Today, we organize monthly afterwork events in four countries: Germany, France, and the UK, and we’re expanding to Spain (Barcelona) by the end of 2024. This growth has also inspired a transformation—what began as Apéros Frenchies has now evolved into JETLAGGERS.
Why the change? Because we wanted to reach a broader, more global audience. Our events aren’t just for French expats anymore, but for all international individuals seeking to connect, explore, and experience their city in a unique way. With JETLAGGERS, our mission remains the same: to introduce our community to the best, newest, and trendiest spots in town, while helping them forge new friendships along the way.
We invite everyone—no matter where you’re from—to join this ever-growing, vibrant community and make every city feel a little more like home together!