cburns

Hello everyone! My husband and I are keen to move to Annecy and will be going out there to get a feel for the place as soon as our house sale in the UK is complete. I am a nail technician and my husband is an experienced carpenter will vast building experience. We are both in the process of trying to learn French.

Can anyone give us advice or information on Annecy and what are our prospects of working in Annecy in our respective trades on either an employed or self-employed basis?

Many thanks!

HKmk23

You cannot just work in France - you need to get approval!

jdr

Well I thought France was in the EU ?
Open to any EU passport holder to live or work.

cburns

OK - If we need approval and we obtain it, what are our prospects then?

cherokee

Hi,
Can't help with info on Annecy particularly, but we have lived in France permanently for the past year.
You do not need approval to live or work in France if you are a member of the E.U. However, what I will say is that you will find it very difficult (although not impossible) to find work if you speak very little French. You will both need to register with ANPE the employment agency for finding work.
http://www.anpe.fr
Assedic are the unemployment office.
http://assedic.fr
Your husband might have a better chance with networking and finding out if there are any English speaking builders etc who need help in your particular area.Try sites such as:-
http://www'totalfrance.com as there will be a forum for your area.
To tell you that on the self-employed front, my husband has almost completed his first year as self employed and he suggests ensuring that you have 3 years cotisations for health, securite sociale and pension (which can be significant) put aside while you build your business as it can be disheartening to see those bills drop through your door if you're not prepared.
Your husband and yourself would have to have seperate businesses and therefore cotisations!
A good accountant is invaluable as they can do all the paperwork for registering your business as each business has a particular place they need to be placed into 'so to speak' and help you out on the tax front!
Do ensure you apply for an E106 from DWP in Newcastle (providing you've paid NI contributions in UK) before you go as if you can't get a job soon then you can take this to your local CPAM office to register for health cover-it can be a pain applying for one after you've moved! You will the need a'top up' mutuelle insurance to cover the difference.
Hope this helps!

cburns

Many thanks Cherokee for your advice - very useful! x

ladependance

Hi,
I don't live far from Annecy - about 40 minutes maybe closer. I moved here without a job 4 years ago and found work in Switzerland (Geneva).
I'm certain you don't need approval to work in France if you0're English. pay your taxes (there's a big horrid form to complete once a year) and you'll be fine. Whilst it would be hard to set up your nail business I believe there would be a chance for you - there are lots of English speakers due to Annecy's proximity to Geneva. There are many international organizations around and people in the area are often fashion conscious. Unfortunately us Brits aren't always the best at French and I'm sure many women would be happy to find an English speaking nail technician.

Reliable carpenters and the likes are ALWAYS in demand around here. I know for certain it is hard to find a builder around where I live who isnt booked up for weeks in advance. I'm sure the same goes for Carpenters. I am certain your husband would have no trouble finding work if he is good at his job. Advertise locally, in the yellow pages and internally at the big organizations at Geneva. The renovation business is booming and many English speakers would love to hire an English man for the job (nothing against the French of course, it's often just easier language wise).

Good luck!

L

swissmiss

Hi - I agree with ladependance - I have just moved in to our new-build house five days ago, and we're about 20 minutes from Annecy, driection Bonneville & Geneva.

Afraid I can't help with as much practical info re. employment in France as I work across the border in Geneva - all I can do is confirm that, as trades go, you're both well-positioned as there's always a need round here for quality carpentry and joiners, and Annecy is pretty chic, so there must be demand for French women needing manicures!

One of our craftsmen (English guy) mentioned to me that there is an 'expert' circle of qualified English tradesmen (painterers, decoraters, carpenters, electricians etc) in the Ain (01) that cater to the needs of the huge expat community in the region - I'm sure there would be something similar around Annecy.

Feel free to email if you want any more info; I'm pretty confident that you would both get work easily. If you don't speak good French, the expat community in the Ain and in the Haute Savoie is exceptionally large due (to all the UN organisations and multinationals in Geneva) and I'm sure you could both service them.

Good luck with your plans and the move!

ladependance

"One of our craftsmen (English guy) mentioned to me that there is an 'expert' circle of qualified English tradesmen (painterers, decoraters, carpenters, electricians etc) in the Ain (01) that cater to the needs of the huge expat community in the region - I'm sure there would be something similar around Annecy."

Wow, I'd be interested to hear of this!!! ....We're currently doing some renovation work adn while we have found a very reliable adn friendly French roofer, we're still on the look out for a builder and if I can save my terrible French then that'd be grrreat!

swissmiss

Well, before I do him a big new business favour and recommend him to you, I want to see the sort of job he does finishing our wardrobes, as the proof is in the pudding! If he does a good job, cleans up, and finishes professionally, I'll be pleased to recommend him - don't want to send you a dud!

By the way, he's actually Swiss German, but speaks perfect English and is called Andy, so I forgot where he was actually from! He seems to have a great knowledge of the whole building trade and also does tiling etc.

kepp you posted!

ladependance

oh yes great, we don't want a dud

HauteSavoieJim

Hi - I'm living 15 minutes north of Annecy. As far as a place to live ... I think its got the best of everything in France. Proximity to major cities like Lyon and Geneva. Airports to fly back home are near. Its one of the most beautiful areas of France, and (for my lifestyle anyway) great place for leisure activity: Summer on the lake with Fantastic weather, climbing, paragliding, cycling, some of the best motorbiking roads in Europe, Winter time you are within an hour from really good ski stations, La Clusaz, Grand Bornand, Megeve, Chamonix is a little further.

Not to mention that you can visit Italy, Switzerland and Germany for the weekend! I commute to Geneva every day for work. Good luck with finding a nice property and the job hunt.

lanky spoken here

As EU citizens, you can work in France, no problems. If you have any queries, feel free to talk to the Mayor of Annecy, they are quite approachable.