MelsM

Hi Everyone
Following the suggestion from DMU (thankyou) I am introducing myself now on the French site as I am moving to France in a couple of months with my husband and Border Terrier.
We are looking to move to the Hérault region as my husband did work there many years ago for a short period and he loves the whole area.
We are self employed and our company does a lot of it's work online (internationally) so living in France is a good choice for us and therefore becoming part of the French Tax system.
Our plan is to rent first and then buy once we have settled in a bit more.
I would say my French is a bit rusty sitting here in London right now but when I spend any time in France it comes back quite quickly as I love the language and we have holidayed in other parts over the years.
Looking forward to communicating with you in the future.
I hope the flooding hasn't affected any of you or your families and you are able to stay safe
All the best

EuroTrash

Welcome to the forum MelsM :-)
I also worked in Hérault for a short time and and I also loved it - not the place I chose to live in permanently, but I hope to revisit old haunts soon, maybe next summer, and rediscover the magic.
Just one comment:
sorry to flag it up but it's a knee jerk reaction, once you get into the French mindset it's always worrying when Brits mention 'self employed' and 'we/our' in the same sentence! France is far more precise about business structures and the dividing line between self employment and employment, than the UK is. For instance if you're registered as a "travailleur indépendant' ie self employed/freelance you are on a different social security regime, paying different contributions and contributing to a different caisse, from if you register a company and take a salary. For another thing, two "travailleurs indépendants" can't work together, because by definition a travailleur indépendant works independently; if you work with a partner that makes you a company and you have to register as such (though it is possible for one partner to register as self employed and the other partner to be a "collaborateur" ie assistant).
Hopefully you know all this and have already decided how you're going to register, but if not, it might be a good plan to look into it before you start your adventure.
Exciting times, hope the move goes well!

dmu

Hi again, ET has given you good info re your employment status. I would say that Healthcare coverage is as important an issue as Taxes.
I would just add that I live in the Haut-Languedoc in North Hérault, and internet is SLOW here. You should choose to live in an area which is better equipped, e.g. nearer Montpellier or Béziers, although the plain has its own drawbacks, including the recent flooding. We had our share of heavy storms, but nothing like along the coast....
HTH.

MelsM

Hi EuroTrash (great name) and thanks for your reply. You are very right the word company is used loosely in the UK.
We are a Partnership made up of two different entities which we joined together for convenience a few years ago. We have planned to separate them again which may probably make things more straightforward - even for us. I still have more research to do so thanks again for that.

Hi also to dmu and thank you too for your help. I am glad you have escaped the flooding and feel sorry for the people who have lost their homes. You live in a lovely part of the region which I am looking forward to exploring soon. I am also looking forward to renting for a bit while we decide although I guess I need to be careful where that is going to be due to the flooding.
Re the healthcare, I know a certain amount and intend to read through what you guys have written today to clarify.