Retiring Teacher...
 

Hello everyone,
I originally posted this on the off-topic chat place and have been recommended by two extremely helpful forumites that THIS is where I will probably receive the most help!
I am going to retire soon after teaching for more than 3o years and want to find somewhere where the climate is good for arthritis and asthma - not extreme but grotty in the UK winter. I am not the most social person in the world so don't mind being a seul but want to do the things retired people do and have a nice bit of life before everything collapses!! I want a house with a garden so I can have dogs and become une vielle anglaise fou ( also VERY bad French although a good accent I am told?)
Any help about warmish, dryish areas where they don't absolutely hate the English would be gratefully received!

Re: Retiring Teacher...
 

Welcome to the forum.
The Côte d'Azur immediately springs to mind, and has been a recognised 'healthy' region for decades with expats - but that fact, together with very high property prices, and also the influx of tourists during the season imho cancels out many of the advantages. We had a timeshare in Antibes a number of years ago, loved the region and reaped the benefits every June for over 12 years, but were also delighted to get away when the month ended due to the overcrowding and dreadful traffic conditions. Something to bear in mind perhaps.
Other members should be along shortly to give their views and ideas.

I trust you eventually find somewhere acceptable together with your dogs, and truly become 'une vielle anglaise folle'.....;)

Re: Retiring Teacher...
 

Merci beaucoup Tweedpipe - I just knew there was something wrong with that but I am so rusty - must start to brush up.
I do want as cheap as poss too peeps as I will not have much from selling in the UK due to ridiculously big mortgage for someone of my age - (banks - don't ya just love 'em!).
I'm a country girl at heart but realise the time for living up a deserted track with just the goats for company has passed. I think I probably need a small ish town or large village rather than a city - unless there are nice leafy suburbs ....

Re: Retiring Teacher...
 

Hi, as I said on the other thread, with your medical conditions, make sure that there isn't a dearth of doctors in your "small ish town or large village". Culture outside of towns is also sadly lacking...

Re: Retiring Teacher...
 

Not wishing to introduce too much hard reality into the dream but you don't say how far off state retirement age you are, and I notice you say you want 'as cheap as possible' - so make sure you have a long-term strategy for health cover through to retirement, as that can be expensive if you don't qualify for continuous cover from one state or another.

You remind me of me when I was planning my move - had always wanted to live up a deserted track but when it came to it, I thought it would just make me go even odder than I already was. So found myself a small town, I live within a three minute walk of the main square and it has most everything I need and not too much to tempt me into buying stuff I don't need except patisseries. Turned out perfect.

Bonne chance.

Re: Retiring Teacher...
 

Hi Tugrin,
Why don't you consider renting somewhere in France for 6 months to see how you would get on rather than burning your bridges in the UK.
I am thinking more of a long-stay in a gite because there are guarantee problems in getting a long-term rent in France.
In France, you should have a private top-up medical insurance in addition to the state system. This obviously costs you something which you do not need to pay in the UK.
In France, you have to continue to pay social charges (NIC) which again you don't have to in the UK.
If you are initially still UK tax-resident and just on a long holiday in France then the above issues do not kick in.
You may have under-estimated the problems in getting established in France with its bureaucracy and dealing with that in french.
I have to say that your proposal gives me some concern in that you may make the move to France and upon finding that it doesn't work for you decide that you will return to the UK. You would have nowhere to stay in the UK and you are unlikely to get a mortgage.
You would not be the first Brit who came to France and ended up desperate to get back to the UK but were unable to because they 1) couldn't sell their home in France and 2) couldn't afford to buy in the UK.

Have a look at this article: http://www.heraldscotland.com/commen...rance.21064612
written by a single female journalist who lives in France.

Good luck

Re: Retiring Teacher...
 

Hi again, you are being given good advice here. We aren't trying to discourage you, just want you to realise all the pitfalls of settling in France without having done your homework (pardon the pun!).
If you've got several years before official retirement, then you'll have to take out private health insurance after the reciprocal S.S. arrangement between the UK and France has expired (2 years?). Obtain the S1 from DWP before you leave... And during the time that this form is valid, you would be advised, as mentioned above, to take out a Mutuelle (top-up insurance) because you wouldn't be reimbursed 100% for medical expenses. This will take a chunk out of your budget... To give you an idea of the cost of living, the official French "Poverty Threshold" for a single person is approx. 900€ per month, i.e. for the basics, not including the Mutuelle or a mortgage (and sometimes the rent, depending on where you live).
Fore-warned is fore-armed!:)

Re: Retiring Teacher...
 

Hi tugrin and welcome from another retired teacher who had arthritis and asthma - until I came to live here.

When we moved here permanently I had just received my magnificent UK state pension of £1.50 a week - husband had 3 years to go for his. BUT the fact that I had mine meant we could both join the French health system although of course still had to pay out for a mutuelle.

When we bought our house we made a deliberate decision not to look right out isolated in the country. We chose a working hameau which has really grown over the last 20+ years, lovely mix of old and young and a great community spirit.

Our commune is very forward looking although very very touristy up in the village but we have two doctors, and all the facilities anyone could need and a very lively community social scene. There is even a community bus you can call. The marie is extremely good at looking out for the very young and us wrinklies.

However property prices, especially for those with land, are now extremely high and it can get very cold (though usually dry) in winter so heating costs have to be factored in.

It is, as has been said, it is always best to know the are where you are planning to settle very well before you commit.

Good luck - hope it works out for you.

Re: Retiring Teacher...
 

Tugrin, have you looked at Charente? There are plenty of smaller-scale Towns and villages here (we moved here permanently last december but have owned our house since 2009). We are close enough to the bay of biscay to ensure a not totally frozen Winter. The summers can be fiercely hot, tourism is for over the border in 24 (Dordogne) but nobody talks about them. It is a buyer's market for property here and the saturday fish markets are - parbleu!
I retired from a lifelong career as a translator last year and moved from Sweden, love every minute of it!
bisous
Blackie

Re: Retiring Teacher...
 

Can I infer that you don't recommend the Dordogne - or was that sentence lost in translation?

Re: Retiring Teacher...
 

I think that we would all recommend our own little corner of France - that is why we moved there :D
At the same time others have chosen elsewhere and are equally happy with their choice.
I don't see any problem with saying "why don't you have a look at this area?"
Others can likewise draw attention to the merits of their chosen part of France (including Dordogneshire).;)

Re: Retiring Teacher...
 

I'm renting a place in 'Dordogneshire' for six months from the first of October.

Having two young daughters aged 9 and 6; I need to have a look at somewhere where there is an ex-pat community as their English needs to improve, whilst, hopefully acquiring French.

We've spent the past five years in China and now we're on another adventure!

If anyone can recommend another area that might suit me, given my circumstances, I'd be delighted to hear from you.

Re: Retiring Teacher...
 

Hi
It isn't just expats you are looking for - it is expats with children of similar ages to yours.
Have a look at this thread: http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...=796247&page=2
and perhaps have a word with Bethan.

Re: Retiring Teacher...
 

Sorry, I couldn't recommend Dordogne because I've never lived there and hardly ever go there - especially in summer. I'm bound to say that there are just too many brits there for my liking!

Re: Retiring Teacher...
 

Many thanks.

My fear is that there is insufficient time for my eldest to acquire enough French to be able to cope with a secondary level education in French.
The cost of a secondary level education in English in France is, for me, prohibitive.
Hence my 'dipping our toes in the water' for six months and see what happens.
The worst case scenario is to rent a property in England while they go through secondary level education and buy a smaller property in France for holidays.
As opposed to buying a more appropriate place in France for full time tenure - decisions, decisions.