SKB

Hello all

My husband and I are in our mid 20 and considering moving to the French Alps. At the moment it is just a dream but the more we think about, the more we want it to become a reality.

We have no children but would like to start a family probably within the next 5 years. My husband currently works in retail security and I work in admin and also do private piano tuition. We currently own (with mortgage) a 3 bed semi in Kent.

We are completely at the beginning of this life changing decision and probably wouldn't make the move for at least 5 years but I wanted to know where we would start? Is it even possible for us to move there with our unprofessional jobs?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you

White Trash

Your very first thing would be to both learn French to the highest possible level. Even with that you will find it very difficult to get work here. There is already high unemployment here and any immigrants will be at the back of the queue when jobs are available. Most "professional" qualifications earned in UK will not be recognised here. Even people who have run their own businesses in UK have had to start from the bottom after coming here. If you plan to raise a family then there is light ahead. From the second child you will get a decent tax break. Some people call it the French gravy train, hence the large families you tend to see here. Do as much research as you can on all the expat forums to get a fuller picture of the problems people face here. Good luck. You'll need it.

cyrian

Hi
Why don't you try to spend some holidays e.g. 4 weeks in a gite before you start a family and try to live like a resident rather than a holidaymaker.
I agree with WT's post about learning french and problems with employement etc.
Life isn't easier in France - in some ways it is more difficult.
Getting access to french healthcare is not made easy for foreigners.
Try searching the forum for similar posts to yours.
The search button is top right of France index page.
Good luck

dmu

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!
I agree with all said above, the employment situation is dire, and French nationals would be given priority over non-French speakers, bilingual French nationals over expats with some French.
One of you at least would have to find a salaried job or set up a business structure in order to get into the French S.S. system, otherwise you'd have to take out private healthcare insurance after the reciprocal arrangement with the UK runs out.
Apart from the Tax Perks, Family Allowances automatically start after the second child, but there'd be no other benefits here unless one of you pays côtisations for a set time.
Just to warn you also, that the French have an entirely different way of learning to play the piano and either you'd have to learn their method or limit your tuition to British expats!
Spend the next few years learning French and coming over for holidays. As suggested, not as tourists, but as though you were actually resident here and counting your pennies.

MillieF

I can only echo the other posters words of caution, and you can never ever learn enough French. Particularly with regard to the piano teaching though, it is taught totally differently here, my son was required to do two years of music tuition before he ever got to grips with an instrument.