Moving from UK to France
Jun 3rd 2018, 10:58 am
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2018
Location: Surrey
Posts: 3
Moving from UK to France
Hello Everyone!
I would like to introduce myself ...
I am a British citizen, my husband is French. Having spent the first 10 years of our married life in England, we are now looking to make the move to the South of France to be a bit nearer his family. We have been talking about it on and off for a few years now and have been making lists of all sorts of things to investigate, from transferring money, to how best to get our cat over there.
Having a French national by my side is making many things a lot easier, but when he first came to England, he was just out of university, came with pretty much just a couple of suitcases and had a willing friend to take him in while he looked for his own place to live.
Now, we have a house full of stuff and a cat to move and this is the first time I have moved to another country so I have lots of questions and would appreciate the help and support of others who have done this before.
My main questions right now are about the logistics of a place to live. We are definitely looking to rent first but I can't quite get my head around whether we should rent furnished for a short time and put all our current stuff in storage (either in the UK or in France), or whether to rent unfurnished and move our stuff right away. From what I have read, if you want unfurnished you can be tied in for 3 years.
Anyway, that detail is probably for another thread, not an intro! Please bear with me as this is the first time I have used a message board. I'm hoping I can make some friends along the way though. My French is getting better (I've been taking evening classes for a few years now) but still English is my first language and the one I am most comfortable in, so British support will be very welcome.
I would like to introduce myself ...
I am a British citizen, my husband is French. Having spent the first 10 years of our married life in England, we are now looking to make the move to the South of France to be a bit nearer his family. We have been talking about it on and off for a few years now and have been making lists of all sorts of things to investigate, from transferring money, to how best to get our cat over there.
Having a French national by my side is making many things a lot easier, but when he first came to England, he was just out of university, came with pretty much just a couple of suitcases and had a willing friend to take him in while he looked for his own place to live.
Now, we have a house full of stuff and a cat to move and this is the first time I have moved to another country so I have lots of questions and would appreciate the help and support of others who have done this before.
My main questions right now are about the logistics of a place to live. We are definitely looking to rent first but I can't quite get my head around whether we should rent furnished for a short time and put all our current stuff in storage (either in the UK or in France), or whether to rent unfurnished and move our stuff right away. From what I have read, if you want unfurnished you can be tied in for 3 years.
Anyway, that detail is probably for another thread, not an intro! Please bear with me as this is the first time I have used a message board. I'm hoping I can make some friends along the way though. My French is getting better (I've been taking evening classes for a few years now) but still English is my first language and the one I am most comfortable in, so British support will be very welcome.
Jun 3rd 2018, 11:08 am
#2
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Europe (to be specified).
Posts: 30,259
Re: Moving from UK to France
Welcome to BE Henrietta. I suggest you post this again in the France forum where you'll get all the advice you need but the first question will be whether your husband has employment to go to.
Jun 3rd 2018, 3:40 pm
#3
Just Joined
Joined: Jun 2018
Location: Ankara/Turkey
Posts: 15
Re: Moving from UK to France
Hi Henrietta, welcome 
this is my first post here, too.
Even if I'm not an expat in France I still recommend you rent unfurnished first and move your stuff right away. This way is a little harder at first but at the end you'll see it'll be much practical than carrying all the stuff afterward.
Bonne chance
this is my first post here, too. Even if I'm not an expat in France I still recommend you rent unfurnished first and move your stuff right away. This way is a little harder at first but at the end you'll see it'll be much practical than carrying all the stuff afterward.
Bonne chance
Jun 5th 2018, 6:32 am
#4
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2008
Location: Hérault (34)
Posts: 8,890
Re: Moving from UK to France
Hello Everyone!
I would like to introduce myself ...
I am a British citizen, my husband is French. Having spent the first 10 years of our married life in England, we are now looking to make the move to the South of France to be a bit nearer his family. We have been talking about it on and off for a few years now and have been making lists of all sorts of things to investigate, from transferring money, to how best to get our cat over there.
Having a French national by my side is making many things a lot easier, but when he first came to England, he was just out of university, came with pretty much just a couple of suitcases and had a willing friend to take him in while he looked for his own place to live.
Now, we have a house full of stuff and a cat to move and this is the first time I have moved to another country so I have lots of questions and would appreciate the help and support of others who have done this before.
My main questions right now are about the logistics of a place to live. We are definitely looking to rent first but I can't quite get my head around whether we should rent furnished for a short time and put all our current stuff in storage (either in the UK or in France), or whether to rent unfurnished and move our stuff right away. From what I have read, if you want unfurnished you can be tied in for 3 years.
Anyway, that detail is probably for another thread, not an intro! Please bear with me as this is the first time I have used a message board. I'm hoping I can make some friends along the way though. My French is getting better (I've been taking evening classes for a few years now) but still English is my first language and the one I am most comfortable in, so British support will be very welcome.
I would like to introduce myself ...
I am a British citizen, my husband is French. Having spent the first 10 years of our married life in England, we are now looking to make the move to the South of France to be a bit nearer his family. We have been talking about it on and off for a few years now and have been making lists of all sorts of things to investigate, from transferring money, to how best to get our cat over there.
Having a French national by my side is making many things a lot easier, but when he first came to England, he was just out of university, came with pretty much just a couple of suitcases and had a willing friend to take him in while he looked for his own place to live.
Now, we have a house full of stuff and a cat to move and this is the first time I have moved to another country so I have lots of questions and would appreciate the help and support of others who have done this before.
My main questions right now are about the logistics of a place to live. We are definitely looking to rent first but I can't quite get my head around whether we should rent furnished for a short time and put all our current stuff in storage (either in the UK or in France), or whether to rent unfurnished and move our stuff right away. From what I have read, if you want unfurnished you can be tied in for 3 years.
Anyway, that detail is probably for another thread, not an intro! Please bear with me as this is the first time I have used a message board. I'm hoping I can make some friends along the way though. My French is getting better (I've been taking evening classes for a few years now) but still English is my first language and the one I am most comfortable in, so British support will be very welcome.
Post again in the France forum, indicating whether one of you has a job lined up. If not and you're temporaraily "inactifs", then we can advise on the complications of renting, healthcare coverage, etc....
In any case, furnished accommodation is unusual in France, apart from short-term gîtes (a few months). A long-term (3 years) rental contract for unfurnished accommodation can easily be cancelled by tenants, provided they give proper notice.
As suggested, come over to the France forum!
Jun 5th 2018, 7:27 am
#5
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2018
Location: Surrey
Posts: 3
Re: Moving from UK to France
Thanks for the welcome folks. I will indeed re-post in the France forum.
