mattgee

Mid-forties newly married couple looking for adventure and work in France primary but anywhere in Europe. Both educated but practical. Anyone got any suggestions?

dmu

Hi, and welcome to the forum!
Give us more info about your lines of work and whether you speak French (or another European languge), what draws you to France and where you'd like to settle....
Meanwhile take a look at the relevant threads in the Read-Me Moving to France FAQs above, particularly healthcare coverage (while you're looking for work/setting up a business), renting, ...
In the present economic climate with a much higher unemployment rate than in the UK and where priority is usually given to bilingual French candidates for any jobs going, France isn't the place to move at present if you haven't got jobs lined up, unless you bring over enough savings to tide you for a good year.
Fore-warned is fore-armed!

EuroTrash

As dmu says. Without knowing anything at all about you or your situation, it's very hard to know what to suggest! "Looking for adventure and work" does sound a bit as if you want the equivalent of James Bond's job in France, but I've never seen anything like that advertised. Would you would consider moving to another country to be an adventure in itself, or if not, what sort of adventure do you have in mind? What kind of work do you see yourself/selves doing? If you need to work full time to pay the bills and taxes, unfortunately full-time jobs in France tend to be like full-time jobs in the UK in that they kind of take your life over and don't leave too much time or energy for much else, except during holidays. Maybe if you could say more about your expectations - specifically, what you hope to find outside the UK that you can't find inside it, that will compensate for the rights and entitlements that you currently take for granted but that you'll lose when you emigrate - and also about your qualifications, we can be more helpful.

south_bound

Plenty of seasonal work in the more touristy parts that is easiest to pick if you are already in the area and willing to talk to people, ask around and get stuck in, but none of it paying very well and maybe just enough to get by - thinking hotels/restaurants, house sitting, pool cleaning, ski chalets, grape/fruit picking etc. I wouldn't see it as a long term career option and it won't give you any stability but then if you are looking for "adventure" then I guess that isn't your priority right now.

dmu

... not to mention compulsory healthcare costs if you don't pay into the System by côtisations (Contributions).... The EHIC only works if you're on holiday, not if you move here.
... if one of you works in the building trade, particularly plumbing or electricity, be aware that French standards are different from the UK's norms and you'd have to retrain in French in order to be able to sign off work. Many other professions require examinations in French in order to validate UK diplomas. Which is why we need to know what your professions/qualifications are, so that you'll know what to expect.

dmu

wwoof, helpx, workaway,....
You get bed and board in exchange for working on the land, but there may be an upper age limit, and I've no idea how healthcare coverage and insurance fits in in these schemes. Whatever "adventure" is launched into, accidents do happen.

EuroTrash

Indeed, if that's the kind of adventure you have in mind.

I used to work summer seasons on campsites which is great because you can live in a different place each year - over the years I worked in Italy, Spain and various parts of France. There are jobs for couples. As long as you have a fair employer and do a good job you know you have a secure job and somewhere to live for 5/6/7 months, so to me it seemed about as secure as seasonal work can get. But there's still the question of what you do in between, unless you can work ski seasons too. You always need to be looking a season ahead - ski season jobs are being allocated now, summer season jobs you need to get your application in around Dec/Jan. And you need to think long term too; for most people that lifestyle does pall after a while, and then you're back at square one with no savings and no stake anywhere.

Also, if you want to work abroad for British companies it's better if you retain UK residency.

JWL

What does educated and practical mean?

JWL

And adventure?

Are you Hobbits...??

Tweedpipe

Agreed it's a very vague comment, but I understood this to mean that the OP's have some form of qualification, and feel they are able and prepared to pick up most common jobs which may be on offer.
And that's where the difficulty arises. Depending on the media you read or listen to, there are between 6 and 11 million job seekers in France, the large majority of which are fluent in French, including millions who are surely prepared to take whatever jobs are available.

mattgee

I'm sorry for my vagueness but we are not hobbitsis. I just wanted to get a general picture. We are coming to a cross-road in life. We are both soon gonna free to do and go wherever we like however, we don't have the money. We are looking into wwoofing (world wide organization for organic farming) and greenshifters web site where we have seen let's from £1 to £100 in which working on the farm is obviously part of the deal. We are hoping to hear from one of those. Kim my wife has degrees in animal science and I have a degree in criminology and politics which I only finished last year so don't have much work experience except for volunteering. I got a job doing ground maintenance to make some cash. So I I'm not seeing many opportunities for us. We would just love to get out of the grind. Why France? It has the best wine, best food, cognac, best weather and the people are honest and a bit anarchistic. I think I could be very happy there. I was just hoping for an overview off people in the know. You have all been very helpful and informative. Thank u.

JWL

Do you speak French?

EuroTrash

Aye there's the rub. They wouldn't be eligible to join French healthcare system because on paper they would be inactifs and they wouldn't meet the financial criteria for legal residence in France, unless they have other sources of income that they haven't mentioned (conditions for legal residence here). So again, the OP would need to remain firmly UK resident in order to maintain their NHS cover, and look at this as a "grey gap year".

dmu

The general picture is bleak for anyone who hasn't got a salaried job to come to and with no special skills to compete with the millions of French job-seekers for any jobs going. Since you haven't stated that you do speak French, can we assume that you don't?
Seasonal work would be the adventure you're seeking, but, as suggested, remain UK resident with your EHICs, and treat it as a sabbatical. Living a few months with little or no money, will help you decide whether the idea of fine dining and cognac is feasible, or whether your crossroads should lead you elsewhere than France....
Good luck with your decision!