Gooker

The excitement of a prospective move to France, which I'm sure everybody has and enables them to make the move in the first place....
The space, the sunshine, the food, the pace of life and the idea of leading a less stressful life
seem to be tempered by practicalities. The calculations that need to be made in health, income, and what will be one's continuing relationship with the old country seem to be the main considerations.
I find the health insurance issue terribly complicated, where does the truth lie?
How much cheaper or more expensive is life in France? Can one live a simpler but more fruitful life?
Keeping a property in the UK is a popular theme in my research but is that sound?
Being prepared to integrate and not just be English abroad is a great idea but how hard is that in reality even if you can learn the language?
Are there simple answers to these questions or should we just take the plunge?
I'd be grateful for any thoughts on these fundamental questions.
John

cyrian

What a complex post.
You seem to be looking at a possible move with the care that is necessary.
Health insurance is:
a) provided by France if you are working and contributing to the system.
b) Provided by the UK if you are retired or have a workers S1.
c) You pay for private health insurance until either a) or b) kicks in or you are resident for 5 years.
It is possible to live a simpler lifestyle - Yes but no one can tell what your idea of a simpler lifestyle is.
If you keep a home in the UK then if life in France becomes a nightmare you can simply up sticks and go home. i.e. a safety net just in case.
It can be difficult (not impossible) to mix with French people especially if you are not fluent in French. If you are at school or university or at work then the day-to-day interaction with your colleagues is a great way to improve your French and meet new friends.
Depending where you live it is possible to spend days without actually having to speak much French other than the bare necessities.
It is possible to "take the plunge" as many on this forum have done but it isn't easy.
A move to France works best if you are retired or have sufficient money to live on - or you have a job to come to. Coming to France hoping to find work is not easy.
Good luck

babyposer

1/ Life is not less stressful in France, it's quite the opposite. A lot of people in France are always complaining and also very depressed (OK it's a cliché but sadly it's often true). Not all of them of course. But having worked in both countries, I can say that my job in the UK is less stressful than the one I had in France. Usually less holiday and more hours than in France but overall it's less tiring I would say.

2/ Life expenses are about the same as in the UK. Bus/Metro pass is less expensive though, from my experience. So is the swimming pool (1,80 euros vs £5 where I live now). I personally save more money per month since I'm in England. But I live in the North East so maybe it's not a good comparison.

So really depends what your habits are, do you cook from scratch, where do you go shopping in England, Waitrose or Asda? Do you often travel? Where do you live now and where do you want to go?

Good luck with your move!

Touraine

Just some points...

1) France is a very difficult country for the French to live/exist in (massive unemployment, bureaucracy, high taxes etc) which is why France is one stressed out country. Imagine what is like for a non French speaking expat. Life is going to become very stressful.

2)There is no laid back lifestyle in France unless you are retired with money. I am assuming your are not. Life will not therefore be very laid back. I don't know any laid back French person.

3) For the last 5 years or so the weather in France has changed a lot and it is very unpredictable. In between the days when when it is too hot to go out there are mad storms and flooding. In the winter it is miserable everywhere. I think the UK has a better climate.

4) Keep a property in the UK. Given your perception of France, you may find yourself needing it.

5) You have to integrate in order to survive.....unless you move to an expat hotspot such as Bergerac where a lot of expats hang out with each other and spend their days watching sky, complaining about France, the food and expats that don't integrate. It would have been better to avoid the whole of SW France for that reason. France is a big place and there are lots of nice places to live. Avoid expat areas.

6) France is not what you think it is. As already said, only move to France with a good job or with a very good pension. If you don't have either of these, you cannot afford to live in France.

You may think may my post is negative but it is not. What I am describing is France. Personally I like it here but I don't know much different. I recently went back to the UK (first time in 5 years) for a holiday with my 'French' family and we all agreed that we would have a better 'quality' of life in the UK. France is not what you think.

Good luck.

InVinoVeritas

I can't agree with paras 2 and 3 but would go along with the rest.

dmu

Have to agree with all the above, esp. if one of you is hoping to eventually work as a nurse here and with no mention of the other partner's potential income.
The other thread concerned nursing expats in Bergerac and I mistakenly assumed that the person concerned was female. Sorry, John! The rules and regulations are identical for male and female nurses, but I've never yet come across a male "Aide-Soignante" (Carer who washes and dresses patients).

Chatter Static

I have in hospital although it was a specialist recovery clinic for patients that had been migrated from neurosurgery intensive care unit it would help put male confused stroke suffers, serious head trauma etc at ease, home visiting not so much.

Touraine

Personally (on a day to day basis/living) schools, commuting, shopping, work, driving, holiday madness every summer and winter, French families, dealing with people behind desks, getting your car fixed !!!!!! dealing with artisans ect ect ect.....France is not laid back. Everyone is on edge. I would say that the UK is more laid back from what I saw last week.

In terms of weather, I stand by what I say. Unless you live in Nice or in the Alpes the weather in France is on the whole the same as the UK. The summers and winters are not as predictable as they were 10-15 years ago. You can have any weather at any time.....mostly rain these days.

dmu

I meant home visiting, as the OP wouldn't have much chance of getting work as a carer in a hospital.
A succession of Aide-Soignantes came to my neighbour, and all were female. On the other hand, there is a male nurse in the team of nurses who come to give injections, take blood, change dressings, sort out pills, etc..., so Infirmiers Libéraux do exist.
P.S. Have to agree with InTours on both counts.

Tweedpipe

@Gooker,
In a previous post you indicate, "My partner and I are moving to France in the Autumn".
Does this mean that you would like to move here this autumn, or that you have already made definitive plans and will be moving here in a few months time? I do hope it's not the latter, and that you have not relinquished your current steady nursing job without having a CDI (fixed long-term) contract in place, or at least a CDD (fixed-term contract). Imho moving here without having obtained even a CTT (temporary contract) would be pure folly - especially at these exceptionally difficult times. The exception of course being if your partner has a sought-after job already lined up.
The advise given here in the other posts is generally a true reflection of the situation, and I have very little to add except:
A few years ago I would have advised you to "pinch your nose, and make the plunge. Give it a go!" Now however, I would seriously advise you to dip a toe into the water, and realise that all around you there are warning notices 'Defense de se Baigner.' I'd loved to be proved wrong, but I can't see 'those notices' being removed at least before mid 2017.

As soon as the water shows signs of warming-up economically, I will be amongst the first to advise all those looking through rose-coloured glasses that it could be 'plunging-time' once more. But it certainly isn't at the moment!

Gooker

Thanks for those very interesting thoughts and believe me, I do understand it's a difficult time in France, that jobs are at a premium, that the weather isn't always sunny, warm and that French bureaucracy can be frustrating.
Maybe I can put my cards on the table, be clear about my plan and ask for further comments.
We are proposing to rent somewhere for a year to look around, to see whether or not the whole project is feasible and search for the the right place to buy. This would have enough accommodation and a pool to enable us to let out part of the property during the summer months. I plan to work back in the UK for 3 months of the year and we would let out 2 properties here to fund the enterprise, selling one for the eventual French purchase.
My partner, is the nurse, not me and with application and perseverance, she and I will both have good French in that year, I have reasonable French at present. She would then seek "ratification" of her skills to be able to work in France.
The idea of swapping one set of problems for another is an anathema and I do get a sense of being dissuaded from the whole thing by some of your posts. Surely there are upsides to this?
John

Touraine

How are you going to rent a house in France ? No French landlord will rent their house out to you without proof of income on a French employment contract. It is that simple in France. Sorry. In that respect you will have to rent a house from another expat. The question is, why are they renting their house out. ???????

Some other points...

1) I would work on the basis that your OH will not find 'state' employment in France as a nurse. It will take years and years to speak French at a high enough level to work in the health industry. Even if your OH did manage to find employment they be on such a low wage and working in poor working conditions that you will wonder why you bothered in the first place.

2) Forget buying a property/Gîte/Swimming pool type nonsense and renting it out in the summer. Save your money (and further losses) and buy a normal house that you can resell in a normal 'French' town or city.


My question. Why Bergerac ? You are just following in the footsteps of all the other failed expats moving to that area of France. The trouble is, expats tend to choose the area they want to live in France and then try and find a job/income. Normal people in France do not move anywhere in France on a whim. The reason is that it can't be done.

On the plus side, with your capital you do have a chance of living in/surving in France. I can think of many ideas. But not in the Dordogne. Tooo much competition from other expats trying to do the same thing.

dmu

I missed out the "this Autumn" bit. It's not possible for your partner to reach a level of French high enough to satisfy the requirement of "maîtrise" of the French language that is mentioned in the link, for when you arrive. Sorry, but it would take years if you, with "reasonable" French, are more proficient at present than she is.
No one has mentioned Tax question and healthcare coverage if you intend to work 3 months per year in the UK. Make sure that your partner would be covered by your own healthcare coverage while she is job-seeking, otherwise she'll have to take out private insurance. Likewise, couples who aren't legally bound will encounter problems re Taxe de Succession when one of them dies. Property and Inheritance Laws are different in France, and French Law will govern French property, whatever the imminent European rules say re Wills.
If we sound pessimistic, it's because we're realistic. Fore-warned is fore-armed!

babyposer

I agree, my godmother from Yorkshire has just started to work as an 'aide-soignante', she moved to France.. 10 years ago!

And the only reason they offered her the job is because they struggled to find a French person.

Some jobs do not require a high level of French but when you see patients or customers every day.. it's quite difficult.

Dmu I think we are pessimistic because we've spent too much time in France

Just kidding

InVinoVeritas

I would add:-

7) Don't think France is food heaven. In the last 10 years the country has slipped well down the ranks for its cuisine. Anyone and everyone who has been made redundant has tried their hand as a restaurateur - they all buy the same pre-packaged stuff at Metro and it's appalling.