sueski

Hi Cham, we have lived in France for 11 years, in Marseille for 6, and my advice to you would be DON'T!! This is a hard, hard place to live. It is unique in france. A bit like moving to Leicester or Bradford in England (more immigrants than French, which hopelessly destabilizes the culture). I've spoken to two French women this year who have just moved to Marseille recently, and they found it 'traumatic' (their word, not mine). And all Brits find the French culture difficult to start with! We also know Brits who started a bookshop in Marseille, and they left bitter and disapponted a year or two ago. Too much tax, too much paperwork (we find the admin impossible, and we only live here!) The govt. doesn't help small businesses; in fact quite the reverse. And NOBODY keeps their word in Marseille, unreliability and sloppiness are normal. The container port is loosing business all the time because of it. But if you want an adventure.... Sorry to be a damp squib, but it really is difficult here. Just think carefully before you leap....Best wishes to you

Ka Ora!

Marseille and Bradford just dont go in the same sentence, Setting up a Business in France can be daunting but you will find quite a few users on this forum have done it successfully and found it rewarding. There are newer options open to the smaller business which may not have been available to your friends. Something which is applicable everywhere is picking your audience and pitching well, What sells in the UK and only pitching to Expats will limit you customer base here and spell potential doom.

Considering the OP wants to open up a Coffee shop with the right research it could work, But lots of homework would be needed first. Plus I would not expect to get rich quick, As a start I would visit Marseille find streets with no Bars find out why they had no Bars on them watch the pedestrian flow through these places and see if any units were to be had, Coffee can be sold from Posh Mobile environments, and talking with the Marie and getting a license gets you electric in some handy spots.

The paper work here doesn't bother me in the slightest, Because the Lifestyle Benefits Make up for any extra admin work.

Roger O

Not being cynical - but having had "contacts" in Marseille - maybe because they had to shell out too much "protection money"!

Marseille is not a French city - don't be misled by old Pagnol romanticism!
The reality is much more like the film "Chaos" with Line Renaud, Rachida Brakni and Coline Serreau
which dives into the "beating heart" of the city!

dmu

Hi,

If you can answer YES to the following 3 questions:
i) have you already had experience in running a book shop/coffee bar?
ii) do you speak French well enough to cope with the Administrative/legal/financial setting up such a business?
iii) have you enough savings for you to live on for 1-2 years until your enterprise starts making a profit?
then go for it, but I'd suggest elsewhere in France.
Is there a particular reason for choosing Marseille? My daughter lived there for a year and when I went visiting, I had the impression of being in North Africa (and I'm not being racist, it's a fact that there are as many if not more Maghrébins in Marseille than French).
As already recommended, go there for a visit to get the feel of the place and to see whether Marseille needs another book shop/coffee bar.

Ka Ora!

Well I would still prefer Marseille over Bradford.

G-J-B

Think I might choose it over Bradford too, although Marseille would be a culture shock to most French let alone the Brits.

Nibbler

i know marseille very well, i also know many north africans and other nationals,i speak to them in french and get along with my life....
which in some ways is the same as england.....
read some classic responses !!! from certain forum members(normal really, experts in everything online but lacking in real life......Hackney by the sea comes to mind...

Nibbler

I think you should move agian.........