Foxys lady

Now both our children have left home, we are thinking of selling up and moving, we have looked at Canada but flight times just make it too much fuss, Spain seems much of a muchness to England now and the land grab is worrying, France looks perfect, however, dont know much about the jobs market in France, Husband is a very good joiner who tiles, plumbs does electric etc etc and certainly in Canada they wanted him like yesterday, and in Spain plenty of expats who like english builders, but what about France, we speak no France though I understand basic and will learn, would it be best to buy a property with gite potential and stay self employed. Is there an expat community that likes English builders we were looking at Brittany or Limosin, any help would be really appreciated. Ta

Uriah

Hi,
read throught this forum, plenty of info on it. Get books and do lots of research. Learn French. I would research the Gite market too to see if it is viable, there is a lot of them.
Be sure why you want to go.

Foxys lady

Thanks Uriah

We want to go simply because, lifes not a rehersal we are coming upto 50 and its time to do something different.

Uriah

You are so right, which is why we are heading out that way too.
I really recommend as much research and visits as you can muster before you go. The TV programes do not show the full picture - not good telly -. You can make it happen. Good luck to you.

herbie

I think as a joiner your husband would find plenty of work in the expat communities. The French do tend to stick to their own as far as employment is concerned. I would therefore suggest that you move somewhere in an expat hotspot, like the Dordogne, Brittany or the Tarn. As far as having a gite is concerned, I'm not sure I would bother, not if you want to rely on the income. I think that the gite market has been totally overloaded. EVERYONE has got a gite and they're all vying for the same business. Maybe if you could do it differently, like have a cookery school or photography, then you could attract people from a different market.

Ka Ora!

Theres also ariege in the midi p area shed loads of english people a good joiner would not go amiss here as there are to many claiming to be builders but with bad reps

but i would think hard about gites as they are 10 to the dozen and it would have to be pretty novel.

you could try opening an indian take away we would live outside you front door

jc

treaclepuss

EVERYONE has got a gite and they're all vying for the same business. Maybe if you could do it differently, like have a cookery school or photography, then you could attract people from a different market.[/QUOTE]

Gites by their very nature are rural - I think you'll have more success choosing a better location where guests can stroll to the shops and restaurants if they don't feel like cooking. You will need to pay more initially for your property but you'll get more bookings especially out of season - and enjoy life to the full yourselves too....

Foxys lady

Thanks for all your replies I now have a plan, a B & B with a couple of gites teaching cooking and serving up lavish indian meals at night the Gites will be used for sleep overs when people flock from all round France for the Indian food and the hubbys joinery skills will be used to fit multiple bunk beds in the Gites!! Perfect does anyone think its got legs??

Ka Ora!

Not a bad plan but only english people will buy indian food as for some reason the french have a problem will spicey food. you would have to have a 1 to 10 chart in the ordering system as it might help get them in. I dont you if you remeber there was a program on tv about a chap/famliy that set up a restarant called indian summer he closed because he could not handle the work load as i recall. i got my 706 1 and 2 after school and have considered moving but into the world of catering as i have also perfected indian takeaway style food keeps my wife happy. But the paper work puts me off. I would suggest that you come to france and try one of the chinese restaurants this would show you how good food can be spoiled to keep people happy. But im the kind of person that thinks there shoould be no salt and pepper on tables in restarants as this insults the chief.

thisisitimhere

Hi Foxy

Think on and beware, There are no jobs in France, the french find it hard enough to find work, let alone the brits ect that arrive here with no french lang, we have been living in the charente region for 15 months now, and when i say you have to be a very special person to live this life style i mean it, france is 10 years behind the rest of the world, My advise would be to look at Canada again.

good luck