Adore Ariege

Hello! I got sucked into the black hole which is the internet and ended up here. You know how it is. You start off looking for something and end up, hours later, reading something completely unrelated to your initial search. Glad I found myself here though. There are some very interesting topics and I'll be hovering about for hours, oh dear. Anyway, my husband and I moved here in 2002 with our 2 youngest children, initially to the Aude where we worked as gardiens for a French family for 13 years and then bought our house in the Ariège in 2015. I was a housing officer in the UK but impossible to do that here so I now work as a cleaner in our local hospital. I'm not proud and I do get to practice my poor French daily so it's good for that at least.

Loveslife

Bonjour!

Hi my name is Hayley
30 years old, living in Calais. I am having a baby here in France. First time mum.

ANY TIPS PLEASE X

Loveslife

Hello
My name is Hayley and I am between living in UK and Calais.
I work alongside uk Border Force as a dog handler. We search for the illegal immigrants. I have been here for 4 years. Met my beautiful husband to be and now having our first baby.
I am nervous to pack up my life as it is difficult to get a job back in the uk if you have no ties there after a few years.

Any other brits living near Calais ??

dmu

Hi, and welcome to the forum!
I'm a bit confused, as you say here that it's difficult to get a job back in the UK, but in another post announce that you're looking for tips re having a baby in France! I'll give a few tips in your other post....

PeterOR

Hi, all
My name is Peter, and my wife Kath and I (and our lovely lurcher dog Izzy) are planning to relocate to France this year. We are both retired, and have rented out our house in the UK, and bought a touring caravan. The plan is to travel over to St Malo with the caravan, weekend after next, and start by having a look at Brittany, followed by areas further south. Hopefully, we will find an area that we like enough to settle in, but in the meantime there are loads of questions we need to ask on the forum, so I hope you won't mind us bothering you all!
Peter

justin2018

Hi, Just joined . My name is Justin - late 50s. Decided to roll the dice after marriage ended and kids left home. (No sob story - just life). Currently living in another European country (Not UK havent lived there for 30 or so years) Lived all over the world but decided on france
Looking at Nantes very seriously but quietly seduced by Saumur. However, want somewhere with some life as there are still loads of things to do. See what happens
Stupid but simply walking through the market , having a coffee or saying "Bonjour" when I go in a shop makes me break out in the most stupid grin.
Anyway I hope that you are all as excited about the move as I am. Bit like the night before Christmas

dmu

Hi, and welcome to the forum!
Post again in a New Thread in the main part of the forum below with specific questions. There may be folk who know Nantes and Saumur, but the first thing which springs to mind is your healthcare coverage before your UK State Pension kicks in. If you aren't salaried or self-employed (in the sense of free-lance), you'll be considered as "inactif" and will need to take out private healthcare insurance until you're eligible to enter the French System.
Are you buying property or renting?
Take a look at the pertinent threads in the Read Me: Moving to France FAQs below and post again if there are gaps, or simply join in any of the existing threads!
P.S. Forgot to ask how your French is?

justin2018

Thanks. I think the question about Nantes vs Saumur was more rhetorical than a question for others. In terms of moving to France, I speak french but not to the level of translating Zola or anything stupid; I think I can be understood. I dont have a UK pension as I havent lived or worked in the UK for 30 years but I do have a UK passport. As to all the other stuff about moving to France-part of the adventure. If it was going to be easy or straightforward then no point doing it. I would stay where I am. Thank again

dmu

Hi, but you've contributed into a Pension Fund in another EU State and in other countries? and which will pay your Pension in France when the time comes? As said, all the while you're an "inactif", you must take out private healthcare insurance from Day-1 while waiting to be eligible for the French S.S., and also to comply with requirements for Résidence. Best to know in advance what bureaucracy you're going to encounter. As I'm wont to say, fore-warned is fore-armed!

Annetje

It is a nice French (little village) habit !

Welcome to France. Don't know Nantes or Saumur ... try both whilst renting ?
Mentally prepare yourself for the ''paper work'' to be done, but having lived all over the place you're probably used to that.
I think the ''moving to France'' thread will have loads of info, but I must admit I never wondered into there.

Bonne chance !!!

justin2018

Thanks, thought about renting but decided I might as well just roll the dice and dive into it. I am dreading the paperwork but it will eventually be done - I hope
Will be an experience I am sure
thanks again

EuroTrash

Yep, that's how you know you're doing the right thing - follow your heart

HenriettaGiraffe

Hi Everyone

My name is Kath and this is my first time on the French forum.
I am a British citizen (mid 40s) and currently live with my French husband of 10 years and our cat, in Surrey.
We have been talking for the last couple of years about moving to the South of France to be nearer his family, not to mention for some better weather and generally better standard of living. Our house in the UK is now on the market as our first step towards making the move. We will be looking at renting first, as I don't feel comfortable buying somewhere without living in the area a bit first.

I understand a fair bit of French, having taken evening classes for a couple of years. I'm better at understanding when being spoken to and reading, than speaking, but the classes, conversation groups, visits to family in France and my husband, are helping a lot.

We both work in IT and are looking into the possibility of continuing to work for our respective UK companies, remotely from France, at least in the short term. (Although I see from a number of previous posts that we would need to get approval from a landlord to be able to do this, so that is something to consider.)

I have a multitude of questions (mostly at the moment around the logistics/practicalities of arranging rental accommodation - length of time it takes to arrange, furnished v unfurnished, moving a house full of stuff and storing it if taking a short term rental, etc) which I am hoping the various existing threads will help with and will be checking these out.

I'm hoping I can rely on some of you guys who have done this all before for some useful advice and tips!

cyrian

Hi Kath,
Welcome to the forum.
You have a head start in your plans because you have a french husband and family who can help guide you through the process.
IMHO you are very wise to rent first and get a feel for the area.
Post specific questions on the main french forum as this thread is just to say hello.

dmu

Hi, when you post again in the main part of the Forum, ask about this issue. Some one more in the know will advise on how your French healthcare coverage is organised if you're still employed by UK companies. If you are able to do this, I wouldn't think you need your landlord's approval to use his/her premises to work at home, as you wouldn't be setting up business structures at that address.... There again, those more in the know will advise....
Good luck with your venture!