Certacito65

Hi all,

We just bought a mobile home in a little park in Pas De Calais.
We have talked about buying a property there for years with the intention of retiring there in 4 years.
Obviously, the reality can often be massively different to the dream. This way, we intend to visit as often as possible and use the mobile home park as a base to explore and experience the culture before finally deciding to move. If and when we do retire we would expect to be financially self contained with no French Mortgage etc.

So I do have a couple "bone" questions that have probably been asked many times before:

1: Although I know it is unlikley, but will the fact that we now have an interest in France (Albeit a holiday caravan!) will we be allowed to stay more than the standard 90 days in 180?
2: I am due to collect the keys to the home in the next week and want to start making it a home form home - what do you guy do for TV? I would only be looking for some basic English speaking channels (News & one or two others) whilst we work on our language skills!!

David

Helen1964

Hi David.

How exciting! I’d like to keep a toehold in France after we leave but I’d never even thought of a mobile home. I must look into it.

I don’t thinking having a mobile or any other kind of home in France will entitle you to spend more than 90 days out of 180 in France if you’re not resident there for tax purposes.

Re TV. We have a satellite dish through which we get all the UK TV channels. But if I were you, I would resist the temptation to get English-speaking TV and instead force yourself to watch French channels. It’ll do wonders for your language skills.
I’m convinced our French would be much better today if we hadn’t succumbed years ago and installed the dish.

dmu

I agree with Helen. Set up French TNT (not Satellite if you're not here permanently, as the subscription wouldn't be worthwhile) and watch the News, quiz programmes, etc..., adding sub-titles for the hard-of-hearing to read what's being spoken. Read the British news on internet to keep up to date for when you return to the UK. Unfortunately you'd miss out on soaps if you watch them, but here, you whould be able to catch up with past episodes on internet (which I relied on Pre-Covid when I travelled without access to French TV).
HTH

cyrian

Although the 90 out of 180 days could apply after Brexit, it depends on what agreement is reached between the UK and the EU.
A day trip back to the UK would reset the time clock.
The proposed EU visa could alter that and allow longer stays.
If you have a Sky subscription, then you can receive Sky on your computer in the EU for 30 days.
After that you can get a friend in the UK to log onto your Sky account to reset the 30 day period.
You could also get a second Sky box (not from Sky) and take your viewing card from the UK to France.
I passed some mobile homes last week and some had satellite dishes and some had solar panels on the roof.
Ask about tv in the camp site.

cyrian

I totally agree that watching French tv (especially with subtitles) is a great help in learning French.
Particularly news and current affairs.
However, I think it is also nice to watch an English language program to relax and not have to translate everything.
I watch some US or UK series and switch the language to English just to give the brain a rest.
Last night I watched Sherlock.
The benefit of digital service is that you can often change to English language with French subtitles.
@ Helen
A friend of mine had a camper van and he found it difficult in the South of France due to the heat.
His camper van was well insulated against the cold.
It was also difficult to open the windows because of the insects.
Air conditioning would be a benefit.
In Touraine, the summer temperature used to be mid to high 20s.
Now, it is frequently high 20s to mid 30s.
This week a French/Brit elderly couple of neighbours moved back to the UK because of the heat over the last few summers.
HTH

Helen1964

Morning Cyrian.

Yes, there’s a lot to consider - camper van, mobile home, small holiday flat/house or - and I’m starting to think this might be the least-hassle option - just rent a gîte every time we go.
Funny, I used to loathe the heat but at some point in my early 50s (probably around the same time bits of me started creaking) I decided to just sink into it and enjoy it.

EuroTrash

Hello C
Sounds great! And a very good way to get to know better France at your leisure.
AFAIK the situation as from 1st Jan 2021 will indeed be 90 days in 180, on a rolling basis, just the same as for other third country nationals - so whatever the date is today, you count the days you've spent in France over the last 180 days and make sure they don't add up to more than 90 in total. I suppose it's possible but I think very unlikely that a different arrangement will be agreed sometime future, but at present I think the negotiators have other priorities and TBH I don't see why anyone would want to make a special arrangement for Brits.
But if you find you want to stay for longer, it shouldn't be hard to get a tourist visa that will allow you to do this.

I don't think extreme temperatures will be much of a problem in Pas de Calais! It's a nice part of France, with a friendly feel to it and lots of characterful little towns and villages. To me it feels more French round there than parts of the south where there is a strong Mediterranean influence, which always feels a little alien to me - I love going there for holidays but I've never felt I wanted to live there, I don't feel "at home" as I do in northern and western France.

TV is not obligatory you know I have lived without TV very happily for many years. When I'm in the mood for visual entertainment, I tend to watch DVDs (French or English), films (French or English) and concerts on YouTube, etc. For current affairs I choose from the various news channels (French and English) on the internet which I find gives a more balanced view than accepting whatever line your usual TV channel decides to push at its viewers. But that's just my view! I spend a lot of time in my motorhome and I have noticed that many motorhomers have portable TVs, with or without roof satellites, so it doesn't seem to be a problem - you could either install a permanent setup, or have a portable device that you take with you. You could ask the question on a motorhome forum?

Be happy in your new home from home - and be careful, the virus is on the rise again in France even more than in the UK.

dmu

I can't stand dubbed versions, the voices never match the originals and there's a lot lost in translation, but several French TNT channels do show US and UK series in vost, even France 2 and France 3 nowadays. But not what I call typically British soaps.... (corresponding to the French "Plus belle la vie" and the like).

cyrian

My response regarding the temperature was specifically directed to Helen who previously expressed an interest in the South of France.
I do not think that there would be a problem in Pas de Calais.
Interesting to note that Taittinger have announced further development of 220 Ha of grape/wine production in the South of England.

Certacito65

Well thanks guys!
So lovely to see so many responses. We've been busy collecting the keys and obviously completely redecorating as the ladies like to do


Cheers for all the pointers

EuroTrash

Start of a new adventure - how exciting Hope you're not spending all the time decorating though, enjoy the sunshine too!
Let us know how it all goes,

cyrian

Hope it not too hot because it is **** baking in Touraine.
Best wishes for your new adventure.

Tweedpipe

According to the charts, parts of Pas de Calais have been seeing temps up to 32deg today. Granted that's some way below the 40-41deg that some parts of France have been experiencing over the last few days. I was in Toulouse yesterday and it was very uncomfortable.