Jovo

Hi
Has anyone moved from uk to france leaving adult children?

Cad

Yes back in 1994 my then partner did when they were all at uni (we married here and all the family came)
They all have their life in the UK and visit regularly.

petitefrancaise

Plenty of people I know have done it.

why?

Cad

You bring up your family the best that you can and give them a start in life and when they go out and do their own things isn't it right to do the same one self, it isn't that you abandon them.
We see ours on (both sides) as much as if we were back in the UK for if we still lived there we wouldn't be anywhere near the regions in which they live,with modern technology (skype and the likes) it's so easy to keep on touch.

dmu

Hi, in another thread, you mention buying property with your "partner", and I recommended consulting the Notaire as to how to protect each other.
You don't say whether you are both the biological parents of the adult children, but if not, this consultation is even more important, as, under French Law, the children will inherit their parent's share of the property, leaving the survivings partner in a predicament if they wish to move in or sell.
French Inheritance Law is a minefield for recomposed families, particularly if the couple isn't legally bound, and only the Notaire can find a legal solution in every one's best interests.
Back to the original question, I don't see any problem, until the adult children start producing grandchildren and the distant grandparents feel they are losing out.

grannybunz

We did and probably see them and the GCs more hthan had we remained in the UK, Our offspring have been all over the place, currently one lives in jersey and the other in Cunbria but has lived in Germany, US etc.

Jovo

Hi
Thanks for replying.
Myself and my partner are thinking of moving to france very soon. I have two daughters here in UK both adults. Iv had a few comments about leaving my family and just wanted to see if anyone else has done this and how they felt about it.
Thanks
Yvonne

EuroTrash

I think it's a very individual thing. How close is the family, how independent are the kids. Do they have babies or are they about to have babies, very often it's the idea of missing watching the grandkids grow up that people find hardest.

petitefrancaise

The only comment I would make is that when the grandchildren come along, it is nicer to be close. My children have definitely missed out somewhat on the grandparent relationships because we moved away.

spouse of scouse

Hi Yvonne. My suggestion is to ignore other people's views, it's a decision for you and your partner to make. If the comments you mention in your post above are from people who are trying to lay a guilt trip on you, tell them to mind their own business. You've brought your kids up, they're adults now and can make their own choices - the same applies to you.

If you're undecided for your own reasons (not other people's reasons/judgments), then take your time to work through the pros and cons. You'll eventually arrive at the right decision for yourselves. Best of luck.

dmu

Sorry to harp on about the legal side, but if you die first, your daughters will inherit your share of your joint property and they would become joint owners with your partner, with all that that involves. If you will part of your property to him (I don't know to what extent that's legally possible, as you have children), he as an unrelated third party will have to pay 60% Taxe de Succession on the value of his share of the inheritance. (Normally your daughters would pay nothing.)
Likewise, if your partner dies first and has named you in a will, you will pay 60% Taxe de Succession on the value of his share of the property, which might mean having to sell it in order to be able to pay within a set time. If he dies intestate, you will get nothing and his share of the property will go to his next-of-kin, with all that that involves....
French Inheritance Law is so different, and I strongly advise you, before signing anything, to consult the Notaire as to how best to protect every one's interests!

DandNHill

Are you sure? When my father died we did get something but not his whole share. Most of it still went to my Mum. She sold up anyway but 95% of it was hers.
A lot of it also came down to whether he was considered a resident of France or England. He had been living in France 23 years by then but it still wasn't a given that he was a french resident.

Pom_Chch

Hello

I think moving somewhere as close as France would be OK distance-wise. Don't get me wrong I'm no expert as I am in my early 30's with no kids! But from a logical point of view France is fairly close and accessible with cheap flights. I live in New Zealand and accessibility and cheap flights don't factor into the equation! You also don't have to worry about jet lag and hopping time zones. Popping back for birthdays, weddings, Christmas etc is doable so perhaps you wouldn't feel like you're missing out.

Just my two cents.

dmu

The OPs are "partners", which makes all the difference in France. Presumably your parents were married? in which case French Law attributes a certain percentage to the surviving spouse and the rest to the children....
I'm no lawyer, but I've had (and one day will have) personal experience in French Inheritance Laws...

bigglesworth

Pretty sure dmu has it right.
French inheritance is horrendously complicated (our notaire says the only happy families in France are those who have not received an inheritance). I could describe our situation, but it would not help, and would only further confuse everything.
SEE A NOTAIRE before you buy.

On the leaving adult children behind, we made a deliberate choice. Would they be more likely to visit us in sunny France? Or in grey and rainy Kent?
They both come three or four times a year, usually for a up to week or more. Plus the odd weekend. If we were still in Kent, we think we might see one of them for Sunday lunch once a month. And perhaps a couple of days at Christmas every other year