Andrea50

So many people feel nervous about not being able to communicate in French when they get there. When I moved over there 5 years ago, I had only a grade 5 French O level, done 32 years previously, and I was "bricking it" so to speak. But honestly, you will find you really can get by with very little French to start with, but if you feel that doing a bit before you actually go over will give you more confidence, then that would be the advantage - confidence. Because it is a lack of confidence that hinders most folk. You really will pick it up once you are there - it's almost unknowingly at first, then suddenly you start to understand more, then get more confidence and start to join in conversations etc. After about 8 months, I was translating my French neighbours' conversation to my daughter when she visited and she was totally amazed - I hadn't really even noticed it myself. Your English visitors will be the ones who will notice your progress.

Now, think of this: When you hear a French person speaking English, doesn't their accent sound lovely? Well I think it does anyway, and when we do our attempt at French we probably sound just as nice to THEM. And mistakes or getting stuck can be waved away with a laugh and a "je suis desole, Anglaise!!" and a Gallic shrug and they love it. And also, try this: think of 10 English people you know. How many of them do (or could) speak and write perfect English? Same with the French, we just don't know they aren't perfect because we understand their language even less than some of them do!

When you DO need it is for stuff like the compromis and legal documentation when you are buying, but so long as you get an English speaking Notaire you will be fine.

One tip: arm yourself with the Collins Robert French-English dictionary - on special on Amazon at the mo at £14.95, just got mine through. It's a godsend and if you are going to the supermarket/school parent meeting/Brico depot (and especially a posh restaurant) etc, just look up words beforehand you are likely to need and take a notebook and little pocket French dictionary with you. The notebook is useful to draw stuff in if you really get stuck.

Good luck.
Andy

Novocastrian

I think this is an excellent point Andy. I have learnt not to be afraid to make mistakes speaking german because I know that my mistakes are nothing compared to those that most germans make all the time. Last night I was in a pub in Mainz to watch some footy on Premiere and I got into conversation with a group of locals who's accents and grammar were truly horrendous. So what? We had a good chat and enjoyed the evening.

There's actually a huge amount of redundancy in conversational language, whether french, german, english, whatever. Just do it!

dmu

Look around on other threads on the subject of the cost of living. It was calculated that a frugal couple can survive on 900 € per month, but this does NOT include rent or mortgage repayment, just food, utilities, insurance, taxes, petrol... Calculate how much extra is needed to feed and clothe 3 growing children (cf another thread concerning the cost of children's shoes...) and to cover their inevitable extras. To give you an idea, 900€ corresponds to the take-home SMIC, the minimum wage full-time, so bear that in mind if your OH is offered a job in France.
On the subject of distance, I live in the Languedoc and, although there are Low-Costs in the region, it still takes me a whole day to get from home to the Sussex coast to visit family. Canada isn't all that far away by comparison....

elaines

Hi,

Personally, I don't think you can learn before you go. Of course, you can refresh your memory on basic school French and learn some key phrases, but that would only be sufficient to get you by on a holiday stay.

Once you live here you find that you need to know a lot more French to get by effectively. It's not so much learning what to say and how to say it, it's more about "hearing" French. We've been here 6 years (kids now 14, 12 and 9), and we still struggle especially on the telephone. Fortunately, our kids are now bi-lingual and are often our ears for us when we get into difficulty. Whilst that is clearly helpful, it can also be a hindrance because we are not then forced into braving it all by ourselves and jumping in feet first. You can only learn to speak and hear French properly by completely submerging yourself in it. I sometimes wish I had gone to school with my youngest from day 1 - I'd at least be as fluent as a 9 year old by now!

Not speaking French well is no real problem if you don't need to find employment here. But if you do, it's vital. Just being able to "get by" is rarely enough to secure any kind of worthwhile employment.

Sorry if this sounds a little negative - it's just meant to be realistic (speaking, of course, only from our personal experience).

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Elaine S

L'Acajou

Hi

I totally agree with elaines, I asked if I could go to school with my children, sadly I got a flat refusal!! After four years I am still having lessons, just waiting to find out if I can start a new course, they are a bit thin on the ground round here but free at least I absolutely love having lessons, can't wait for my rentrée!

My understanding is usually pretty good, I find if I spend the day in a French-speaking atmosphere I think and even dream in French, however at home we always speak English and have English TV which is annoying as I find even listening to my car radio in French is a great help. My husband is very outgoing and uses a mixture of French and English, normally people understand and it is a very little hinderance to business. folk seem to really appreciate his efforts and he has lots of friends If he gets stuck he takes along one of the children to translate.

I am a graduate but know I would be lucky to get even a cleaning job here if I had to look for a job, fortunately we are self-employed but I do have to deal with phone calls, letters, customers and random visitors to the farm. Some days I can cope perfectly with four complicated phone calls, the next someone will turn up in the farmyard and I will struggle to understand what they want. It can be very frustrating and knocks your confidence .

I now have a local paper delivered six days a week, so I will now go and read that, armed with my dictionary

Sue

Elainelarkincarroll

Well lets start with some real positive ones: The lingo! Believe it or not you'll sit at the dinner table one day and you'll say something to you kids in French and without even thinking (and only 2 seconds ago you were all gabbling in English) they will answer in French not only without hesitation but without even so much as a thought..... that is one HUGE pro.... it happend to us yesterday when my 6 year old who we thought was struggling clearly is'nt! Another one - the quiet roads... away from the cities and towns generally the roads I would say are 50% less busy than the YUK! Another one, Sundays, as old fashioned as it is, sunday really is a day of rest, mostly families spend the time together as a family doing what they do best and its wonderful. On the downside, apart from sorting health care, and getting into the "System", and the 1000's of "Fiche" or Forms as we call them, the French are stuck in the 1960's when it comes to doing anything, there are dozens of people to get through - you could see this as a pro though... as there is always a face when you need one. The biggest cosmetic "cons" are doggy doings in the street, and every other person smokes, publically, everywhere! If your a non smoker you need the patience of a saint. Generally speaking though the Wine and the Weather make up for all else, including the expensive supermarkets and the expensive kids shoes! Needless to say we still love it. x

stanage2

Expensive supermarkets?
You live in France!!

Elainelarkincarroll

Believe it or not but food and groceries in france are expensive - particularly compared to the YUK! Justifyably the home grown stuff (fruit and veg) which you know has'nt been chemically altered is a bit more expensive, but other things are too, can't name anything specific as it all is (except wine of course!)..... . Cannot beat the quality of the meat tho - particularly the BEEF!

stanage2

Sorry,
Think there must be two France,s

Jazzy n Lol

Aw c'mon Stanage, prices here in the supermarkets are just as dear as the UK now, maybe more - potatoes nearly 5 Euros for a sack of 5 kilos and sprouts so expensive we are rationed to 5 each! I've noticed a sharp increase in prices over the last 3 years.

Or maybe you have found a bargain basement? I use SuperU and Lidl, where do you shop?

Ka Ora!

.....You eat sprouts...........

Polly B

Looks like We`re going to have to find some French classes cos at least one of us is going to have to find work - this`ll be fun!!

themoose

you can register in France and get classes for free. Good way to make a fool of yourself and meet people. I find that the worse you are the more people have time for you. Good luck and enjoy the experience.

Polly B

wouldn`t that take ages though? especially for near novices like us
We`d need to be looking for jobs pretty much as soon as we arrive

Elainelarkincarroll

Not sure which supermarkets youl have but in the Perpignan and Montpellier areas (2 of which I have lived in in the past 7 months) the shops are very expensive. Carefour is probably the most reasonable or Auchen. I have a family, for a family of 4 my groceries come to over 160 euros a week - if I am lucky - and believe you me that is without any wine or other luxuary items. So I'll have what you've got if it's in France that is!!?