Half in half out
Nov 30th 2018, 10:29 am
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 3
Half in half out
Hi we are Jacqui & Andy and we have a baby of 6 months called Laina.
We have recently purchased a property in Saint Leger, Saintes. Just outside Pons and Gémozac. We have not permanently moved over yet as I’m still employed in the UK, however currently on Maternity. Planning to move over in the summer.
We do not know anyone, and cannot speak French. Although I can string a few words together I cannot really converse yet.
I was looking for for advice on any community events or people we can talk to locally to us?
Thank you
The Ball Family
We have recently purchased a property in Saint Leger, Saintes. Just outside Pons and Gémozac. We have not permanently moved over yet as I’m still employed in the UK, however currently on Maternity. Planning to move over in the summer.
We do not know anyone, and cannot speak French. Although I can string a few words together I cannot really converse yet.
I was looking for for advice on any community events or people we can talk to locally to us?
Thank you
The Ball Family
Nov 30th 2018, 10:46 am
#2
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: Scotland & Touraine [37]
Posts: 3,019
Re: Half in half out
Hi
Welcome to the forum.
If I am looking at the correct Saint Léger then there are just over 600 inhabitants.
You should ask the Maire of your commune if there are any clubs or any other English speakers there.
You may be better to enquire in Pons or even better in Saintes which are much larger.
What do you both intend to do for work and healthcare after you move over?
You should read the FAQs section at the top of the page.
Good luck
Welcome to the forum.
If I am looking at the correct Saint Léger then there are just over 600 inhabitants.
You should ask the Maire of your commune if there are any clubs or any other English speakers there.
You may be better to enquire in Pons or even better in Saintes which are much larger.
What do you both intend to do for work and healthcare after you move over?
You should read the FAQs section at the top of the page.
Good luck
Nov 30th 2018, 10:58 am
#3
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2008
Location: Hérault (34)
Posts: 8,890
Re: Half in half out
Hi we are Jacqui & Andy and we have a baby of 6 months called Laina.
We have recently purchased a property in Saint Leger, Saintes. Just outside Pons and Gémozac. We have not permanently moved over yet as I’m still employed in the UK, however currently on Maternity. Planning to move over in the summer.
We do not know anyone, and cannot speak French. Although I can string a few words together I cannot really converse yet.
I was looking for for advice on any community events or people we can talk to locally to us?
Thank you
The Ball Family
We have recently purchased a property in Saint Leger, Saintes. Just outside Pons and Gémozac. We have not permanently moved over yet as I’m still employed in the UK, however currently on Maternity. Planning to move over in the summer.
We do not know anyone, and cannot speak French. Although I can string a few words together I cannot really converse yet.
I was looking for for advice on any community events or people we can talk to locally to us?
Thank you
The Ball Family
Use the rest of your Maternity Leave to take a crash course in French, so that you cope better when you arrive....
Nov 30th 2018, 3:47 pm
#4
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2012
Location: Dépt 61
Posts: 5,254
Re: Half in half out
You say you're not moving until next summer, so that gives you plenty time to improve your French. Not to state the obvious but it will be so much easier to talk to the locals and enjoy community events if you can speak their language
and especially in a small village, unless it has an established Brit community. Apart from the social side, as DMU mentioned there's a fair bit of bureaucracy to get your head round when you first land in France, and especially in your case with a young baby because I guess you'll want to get the family' healthcare sorted and find a médecin traitant without delay. The greater the language barrier the more stressful it will be getting through the paperwork, you need to understand what people are telling you otherwise there can be misunderstandings and confusion and things can get delayed. So buy a French course, find an evening class, sign up for online tuition, get stuck in. You might not be chattering like natives when you arrive but you'll be able to introduce yourselves to the neighbours, and you'll find the French are generally far more willing to help you out if they see you making a decent effort. And hopefully your French will come on in leaps and bounds once you're here and using the language every day.
Nov 30th 2018, 4:35 pm
#5
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Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 3
Re: Half in half out
Hi Everyone,
thank you all for the advice. I am already learning French. I have had some 121 and I have also bought an online course. Hoping to be better by the time we move over.
We dont really need to work, my husband has already left his job to help with the baby and has an income from investments. We also have two properties in England that we will sell prior to coming so we have money in the bank. We own the property in France and do not have any mortgage to pay. So we feel we are in a good financial postion.
Myself and my child also have Irish nationality. Which will help regarding Brexit. Not sure about my husband and how it will effect him. We are not too worried to be honest, c’est la vie!!!
I will go speak to the Maire....
my biggest concern is of course Doctors especially with the little one!! I worry my French will struggle where anything medical arises! This was why we delayed the move to try and understand all the process before we actually landed.
Thank you for your help all
Jacqueline
thank you all for the advice. I am already learning French. I have had some 121 and I have also bought an online course. Hoping to be better by the time we move over.
We dont really need to work, my husband has already left his job to help with the baby and has an income from investments. We also have two properties in England that we will sell prior to coming so we have money in the bank. We own the property in France and do not have any mortgage to pay. So we feel we are in a good financial postion.
Myself and my child also have Irish nationality. Which will help regarding Brexit. Not sure about my husband and how it will effect him. We are not too worried to be honest, c’est la vie!!!
I will go speak to the Maire....
my biggest concern is of course Doctors especially with the little one!! I worry my French will struggle where anything medical arises! This was why we delayed the move to try and understand all the process before we actually landed.
Thank you for your help all
Jacqueline
Nov 30th 2018, 4:48 pm
#6
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Europe (to be specified).
Posts: 30,259
Re: Half in half out
Hi Everyone,
thank you all for the advice. I am already learning French. I have had some 121 and I have also bought an online course. Hoping to be better by the time we move over.
We dont really need to work, my husband has already left his job to help with the baby and has an income from investments. We also have two properties in England that we will sell prior to coming so we have money in the bank. We own the property in France and do not have any mortgage to pay. So we feel we are in a good financial postion.
Myself and my child also have Irish nationality. Which will help regarding Brexit. Not sure about my husband and how it will effect him. We are not too worried to be honest, c’est la vie!!!
I will go speak to the Maire....
my biggest concern is of course Doctors especially with the little one!! I worry my French will struggle where anything medical arises! This was why we delayed the move to try and understand all the process before we actually landed.
Thank you for your help all
Jacqueline
thank you all for the advice. I am already learning French. I have had some 121 and I have also bought an online course. Hoping to be better by the time we move over.
We dont really need to work, my husband has already left his job to help with the baby and has an income from investments. We also have two properties in England that we will sell prior to coming so we have money in the bank. We own the property in France and do not have any mortgage to pay. So we feel we are in a good financial postion.
Myself and my child also have Irish nationality. Which will help regarding Brexit. Not sure about my husband and how it will effect him. We are not too worried to be honest, c’est la vie!!!
I will go speak to the Maire....
my biggest concern is of course Doctors especially with the little one!! I worry my French will struggle where anything medical arises! This was why we delayed the move to try and understand all the process before we actually landed.
Thank you for your help all
Jacqueline
Nov 30th 2018, 5:14 pm
#7
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2008
Location: Hérault (34)
Posts: 8,890
Re: Half in half out
Depending on what Brexit leads to, for France Mr. B might need to apply for a Carte de Séjour as per:
https://www.service-public.fr/partic...sdroits/F19315
according to which Mrs. B the EU citizen, would have to justify her right to live here as "sponsor", e.g. a work contract, proof of financial resources (do savings count? or must there be a regular income? the link doesn't specify...), healthcare coverage (private healthcare insurance from Day 1 until she's eligible for French S.S.)....
I'm not trying to put them off, just pointing out the bureaucracy that they'll have to wade through.
As I'm wont to say, fore-warned is fore-armed!
https://www.service-public.fr/partic...sdroits/F19315
according to which Mrs. B the EU citizen, would have to justify her right to live here as "sponsor", e.g. a work contract, proof of financial resources (do savings count? or must there be a regular income? the link doesn't specify...), healthcare coverage (private healthcare insurance from Day 1 until she's eligible for French S.S.)....
I'm not trying to put them off, just pointing out the bureaucracy that they'll have to wade through.
As I'm wont to say, fore-warned is fore-armed!
Dec 1st 2018, 6:18 am
#9
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2012
Location: Dépt 61
Posts: 5,254
Re: Half in half out
Presumably there is some kind of algorithm for taking money in the bank into account, but that seems to be a bit of a grey area and possibly a lot of fonctionnaire discretion involved. Regular income always seems to carry more weight with the authorities than savings, and it's more clear cut if you can tick the box by showing sufficient regular unearned income, then they don't need to look any further.
Dec 1st 2018, 6:45 am
#10
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Joined: Apr 2008
Location: Hérault (34)
Posts: 8,890
Re: Half in half out
Just a thought, but presumably you have checked that your actual investment income is over the threshold for inactifs, and (assuming the investments are in £) will stay there no matter how low the £ goes? The theshold is quite low, 991€ per month for a couple with one child, but if there's any doubt at all you might want to consider keeping a UK property and renting it out to top up the income.
Presumably there is some kind of algorithm for taking money in the bank into account, but that seems to be a bit of a grey area and possibly a lot of fonctionnaire discretion involved. Regular income always seems to carry more weight with the authorities than savings, and it's more clear cut if you can tick the box by showing sufficient regular unearned income, then they don't need to look any further.
Presumably there is some kind of algorithm for taking money in the bank into account, but that seems to be a bit of a grey area and possibly a lot of fonctionnaire discretion involved. Regular income always seems to carry more weight with the authorities than savings, and it's more clear cut if you can tick the box by showing sufficient regular unearned income, then they don't need to look any further.
Dec 1st 2018, 7:44 am
#11
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 3
Re: Half in half out
This is what I meant - from the authorities' point of view, money in the bank can be transferred from one day to the next, leaving next to nothing. This is why French landlords don't take savings into consideration when vetting prospective tenants - they want proof of a regular income...
I own my house in France, outright. I purchased it cash, so would this still effect me?
My houses in UK both have mortgages on and if we rent them out would cost a considerable amount to up keep if the houses were empty or we encountered an issue. The only way to get an income would be to sell and buy a small much cheaper property to rent out. However they both have money in them.
we decided that if we could be mortgage free we would rather do that here than anywhere else.
I can always get a job job if I need to when the little one goes to school.... assuming my French is good by then!!
I think i need to read all the F&Qs on here.. it has just been confusing for me as some of it may not apply as I’m Irish (and English)
When we purchased the house the Notire advised us we didn’t need to notify the Maire as they do it automatically now. However I’m not sure that has been the case so do I go there and talk to them as my first port of call?
Dec 1st 2018, 9:45 am
#12
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2012
Location: Dépt 61
Posts: 5,254
Re: Half in half out
Basically - there are certain conditions attached to freedom of movement, according to your "status". There is a bit of a misconception sometimes that freedom of movement means quite literally that any EU citizen can move to any EU country with absolutely no conditions attached, but that's not what it means. In order to be regarded as exercising freedom of movement "correctly", and therefore to be recognised as legally resident by your host country and given access to healthcare etc, you need to meet whatever conditions apply to your own particular status.
Possible statuses are: working in your host country, working as a posted or cross-border work, student, retired with a pension, economically inactive (early retired).
So if you're economically inactive, the conditions for moving here as inactifs as per the French government website are:
Le caractère suffisant de vos ressources est apprécié en tenant compte de votre situation personnelle. Dans tous les cas, l'administration ne peut pas exiger que vos ressources dépassent les montants suivants par mois : "
(then there is a table on the website that show the threshold for a couple with a child as 991€/month)
https://www.service-public.fr/partic...osdroits/F2651
Being mortgage free is very nice but you still need money to live on, and France needs to be sure that you're in a position to be self-supporting in the long term, and you have enough money coming in to feed yourselves, pay your property taxes and your contributions to the healthcare system etc etc etc, and basically not become a burden on the state and its taxpayers. They don't ask for a massive level of income but it should be sustainable, because for the first five years of residence here as an EU inactif, that is one of the conditions that has to be continously met.
Regarding the mairie - since it is such a tiny village I definitely think it would be polite to go and introduce yourselves, they will probably be delighted to welcome a new family. However, the mairie is basically about administration at the purely local level, issuing voting cards and arranging rubbish collection and things like that. The only time I've ever had any official dealings with my mairie are when I've needed planning permissions and to get my voting card. Mostly it's the various government departments that you tend deal with, but no doubt the mairie will be able to advise.
Possible statuses are: working in your host country, working as a posted or cross-border work, student, retired with a pension, economically inactive (early retired).
So if you're economically inactive, the conditions for moving here as inactifs as per the French government website are:
"Conditions de séjour
En tant qu'inactif ou retraité, vous devez :- disposer d'une assurance maladie-maternité,
- et avoir des ressources suffisantes pour ne pas devenir une charge dans le système d'assistance sociale français.
Le caractère suffisant de vos ressources est apprécié en tenant compte de votre situation personnelle. Dans tous les cas, l'administration ne peut pas exiger que vos ressources dépassent les montants suivants par mois : "
(then there is a table on the website that show the threshold for a couple with a child as 991€/month)
https://www.service-public.fr/partic...osdroits/F2651
Being mortgage free is very nice but you still need money to live on, and France needs to be sure that you're in a position to be self-supporting in the long term, and you have enough money coming in to feed yourselves, pay your property taxes and your contributions to the healthcare system etc etc etc, and basically not become a burden on the state and its taxpayers. They don't ask for a massive level of income but it should be sustainable, because for the first five years of residence here as an EU inactif, that is one of the conditions that has to be continously met.
Regarding the mairie - since it is such a tiny village I definitely think it would be polite to go and introduce yourselves, they will probably be delighted to welcome a new family. However, the mairie is basically about administration at the purely local level, issuing voting cards and arranging rubbish collection and things like that. The only time I've ever had any official dealings with my mairie are when I've needed planning permissions and to get my voting card. Mostly it's the various government departments that you tend deal with, but no doubt the mairie will be able to advise.
