Shirtback

And good for you! Julia's circumstances sound a bit different, hence conflicting advice. What job have you got?


In that case, I'd reiterate looking at natives.co.uk for resort/chalet management role; also PGL (or whatever it's called now), Eurocamp etc; pitance wages, but accommodation provided.

S

Australian Andew

Thank you.
They do sound different.
I am working as a handyman part time....hence the working Holiday visa.
I dont want a full time job at this stage

petitefrancaise

my tuppence worth...

use Linkedin and Viadeo to try and get a proper job. As the others have pointed out, getting an unskilled job with basic french is going to be really hard. On the other hand getting a real job may not be quite so hard and will be better paid. What professional qualifications do you have? What kind of company would be likely to employ you?

In the meantime, get yourself to alliance francaise in glasgow, improve your french and take one of their tests because this is what employers will use when assessing your application.

jvc

We have friends who work in the Alps looking for something new each season, be it in a tourist office, snow bashing the pistes or bar work. They do speak fluent french though, although were probably at GCSE level when they arrived. I would not want to live like that as they do not know one season to the next if they will find work, although when they have sorted their employment out the social aspect in great fun, if you can find a job that pays well enough to sort out your rent and ski passes etc.
I wouldn't consider ever coming over with no work, or a good level of french behind you, as even if you work for a UK company in the Alps, you will still be quite lost, although if working with french people you will inevitably pick up the lingo a lot quicker. I would also want some money behind me before coming out here with no work.

JuliaD

I've been working as a commercial property manager for about 12 yrs but recently comepleted a basic accounts & book keeping course and want to move into this area of work. So France will either be a "career break" or a volunteering type working holiday. Now I have a better idea of the job market work away I think is my best bet as you volunteer for child care, gardening etc etc in return for accommodation and often food.

EuroTrash

I would say, if you're really fed up then just go for it for 6 months, AS LONG AS you don't think you'd be scuppering your chances of getting your life back together in Scotland if / when you go back and want to pick up where you left off.
As Shirtback says, there are companies like Holidaybreak who take on a lot of UK workers for campsites, I've done several seasons for them and other companies when I was in exactly the same position as you, climbing up the wall with boredom at my job in the UK. It is hard work and you rough it a bit but you don't have to worry about finding accommodation, or food in many cases, and after 5 months in the south of France you really do come back with a more chilled and more positive outlook on life (well it worked for me). And, you might find you appreciate what you have in Scotland a bit more.
It's coming up to time to apply, they start interviewing before Christmas and the places fill up quite fast.
You'd have to bear in mind that you'd be a bit older than most of your colleagues, wouldn't be a problem for them but being around teenagers and students doing what teenagers and students do 24/7, can be a bit trying. However, it's the easiest way of getting sorted with work to do and a place to live and none of the worries of being on your own to figure everything out for yourself.
Could you be an activity instructor, are you into sports, kayaking or anything? Or catering? Or spreadsheets, for admin work? If you can be a bit specialised it's better than spending most of the time cleaning tents and chalets.
But as said, you have to think of what you'll do when your contract ends.
Feel free to PM if you want any more details (not being secretive but don't want to bore other forums with 'a day in the life of a campsite courier'.

dmu

It will have to be a career break, as, like a lot of things in France, French accounts/book-keeping are different from the UK procedures.
Unfortunately, live-in childcare will prove difficult:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Au_pair#France
indicates that there's an upper age-limit for au-pairing, in addition to the 10-month commitment.
"Legal" daytime childcare is also governed by strict rules and regulations, not the least being proving adequate French before being registered. If you found a family in "The Lady", for example, offering a short-term nanny post, make sure that they comply with French Employment Laws....
I checked the wwoof, helpx,.. sites and, as long as you're fit, there's no upper age limit. Bed and board for a few hours' work per day. This might be the solution?
P.S. As ET says, don't jeopardise your career chances for when you return "home" after your break on the Continent!

cyrian

He did

babyposer

Please read this :

France's other migrant problem - penniless and hungry BRITS | Daily Mail Online

Ok it is the Dailymail but there is an element of truth in this article... it's not the best time to come in France unless you are a millionnaire or a pensioner with a good pension...

Coming here without a job and without speaking the language = suicide

babyposer

Just to be honest, I just left France (i'm half french half british) cause I could not find a job there, I am a young graduate... I went for an interview to be a cashier in a french shop during xmas time and the reply was 'nop sorry even though you were motivated and we liked you, we hired people who have experience'. I got the job interview because I knew somebody in the shop.. all the other people had experience cause they had already worked as cashier.

They interviewed 30 people for 10 posts... so I let you imagine how many people actually applied for the job..

EuroTrash

Am I missing something but I don't think the OP ever said she wanted to find a 'proper' job and live here for any longer than 6 months did she? so not quite the same issues as people who move here and then find they can't make ends meet.
I don't see any reason for the OP not to come over, preferably with a job of some kind lined up, and have a good break doing something completely different to clear her head, and she can go back any time she wants and feels ready.
Having spent time here she may indeed decide she wants to make her home here - I did - and if she does there's a whole new set of things to consider, but at the moment that isn't part of the question, as I see it.

babyposer

Ah you're right Eurotrash, I read quickly and did not pay attention to the '6 months'.. so it could be feasible but she definitely has to find a job BEFORE she comes ! Otherwise things may turn sour..

dmu

... unless, as suggested, she comes over with enough savings to survive 6 months (apparently no more, otherwise she'd be considered tax-resident in France?)
On healthcare matters, would the EHIC be valid in her situation if she doesn't find "legal" work?

EuroTrash

If she doesn't find work in France and she's here for less than 183 days there is absolutely no question of her being tax resident here, she would not meet any of the criteria.

If she's employed by a French company she could in theory be liable to declare her earnings next year but in practice it's unlikely she'd have earned enough to pay any tax so she wouldn't be obliged to. If she works for a UK company they'll get an S1 to cover her, if she works for a French company they'll have to pay cotisations for her so in theory she'll get an attestation.

As a visitor to France and not working her EHIC would cover her.

It all depends on the exact combination of circumstances.

petitefrancaise

What about finding work as a house-sitter?

I knew of a couple of people in SW France who did this fairly succesfully. Usually for richer people who didn't want their holiday home left empty or for local Brits going on holidays.

French Connexion ad? Local FB groups?