dmu

Hello again! Hopefully some one will be able to help on your other post. Meanwhile, good luck!

onlyonebrenda

Hello Tessa and welcome to the forum. Do your homework but stay where you are for now. Exchange rates favour the French not the UK at present and food/utilities prices are sky high in comparison at present. Hope you make it one day.

cj82

Hi,

Moved to Antibes with my boyfriend a couple of months ago. We're always keen to meet new people from the UK. We're 26 yrs old, very into sailing, food, travel, wine, photography and sport. If there's anyone of similar age and interest living in the area, it would be great to hear from you!

Cj

Hawthorn

Hi, We are looking to move into an old house needing restoration (as we are not getting a mortgage so are on a budget) and also setting up a business in France. We are looking in the Brittany/Normandy area and have just bought our first 'learn French CD'. This is a great forum with lots of advise on things I haven't even thought of yet. We hope to get involved where we can

themoose

Congrats on the move. Nice area...hope all goes well with the work

Hawthorn

Thanks, themoose. We are looking to set up a timber frame restoration business (for him) and a garden nursery (for me), together with restoring our house and learning the language and integrating with the locals. It's a big challenge, but very exciting!

busby

Hi Hawthorn, I am interested in your timber frame restoration business! Tell me more. What do you mean by this? Carpentry, restoring barns , houses. Sometimes you can't get permission to build a timber frame house(ossature bois) here, the French are only half "green".
Where I live near Lyons la Foret there don't seem to be any Brits, where are you all? If any body wants to set up a B n B business, there aren't any in Lyons , only very expensive hotels.
Drop in for a drink if you are near Lyons la Foret.

Hawthorn

Hi Busby. My partner is an oak framer, so in the UK builds oak framed houses, cart-sheds etc. We are looking at a colombage barn which we hope to convert and have that as a show-piece for the type of work he does - exposed beams galore!! He has done restoration to period houses, and we are hoping that there might be that type of work in France. There certainly seems to be a lot of derelict timber buildings that could be made beautiful! It's funny that permission isn't granted often - the oak used in the UK building industry comes from France as they had the foresight to replant their oak forests when they were harvested for ships in Napoleonic times, unlike the UK. You don't get much 'greener' than a timber framed building, especially from managed woodlands.

Cath5

Hi, just joined this site. Hi to everyone. I'm Cath, I'm married to Clint and we have 2 daughters. We are exploring the possibility of moving over to France permenantly so I'm hoping for lots of help and advice!

Hawthorn

Wow - I've just Google-Earthed Lyons la foret. What a stunning place! I may have to take you up on your offer of popping in

busby

Please do. The forest of Lyons is over 100sq km of beech, France's largest. We are lucky to live just on the edge. You can walk, ride , mountain bike........ Lyons la Foret is one of France's "most beautiful villages". there are no longer any gites or B n B in the village, only smart hotels with too few rooms and very expensive.
I would be pleased to discuss oak frames, my husband is a carpenter and my cousin in Canada makes oak framed houses in Owen Sound. You can take my derelict barn with you, too.

I wish you luck.

chris68

I`m Chris - just discovered the site. I live in Toulouse - but have lived in Brest and Chalon sur Saone. I moved to France in 2000 to be with my (1st) French g.f. so i`ve done the learning french, opened bank accounts , french driving licence, qualifications - had 2 french kids. Hi

Blackladder

Hi Chris welcome aboard!
We're in the process of buying a place in south Charente, so we're a bit of a way from you, but nice to know you anyway.
Blackie

chris68

cheers for the welcome Blackie, anybody here near Toulouse?

anthonyd

Hi everybody,

Nice to read such a positive and informative messageboard.

I am a French-born postgrad, and have lived in the UK for over 20 years.
With a young family in tow, we are now looking to move over to Brittany in the near-future.

I have 18 years experience in international business development, and my wife is an experienced Orthopaedic nurse. She is looking to work in Jersey, whilst the boys and I will be settling somewhere in the Dinard/ St Brieuc region.

I would like advice on how to proceed, as my job search has been successful following a recent redundancy in the UK.

All hints and tips gratefully received

Many thanks, and 'bonne continuation' for the board!

Anthony-Michel