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Thanks, thats another small concern off my mind.  SORRY about all the posts, not sure what happened there! 

I am moving to Brittany in 2 weeks time. I have 3 children age 10,7 and 3 and a half.  Glad to hear your youngsters are coping well i hope mine do too.  I imagine they will eventually as children are fairly adaptable little people.  I do hear that in maternelle the children have to sleep in the afternoon?  My youngest is not going to like that she hasn't slept during the day for 2 years!! Anyway upwards and onwards, at least there are already english children in the school mine will attend.  Out of curiosity where abouts are you in France ClareS and Mel?  Be interesting to know if you are anywhere near where we are. Cary  

I have 2 weeks now until i test out the french education system.  I'm in 2 minds what to think.  Our children are 10, 7 and 3 and a half.  I was shocked to hear that up to the age of 5 children are made to have an afternoon nap!  My youngest hasn't slept during the day for 2 years and i can't see her doing it now.  This is just the start at learning how differently things are obviousley done in France.  The first of many no doubt.  But hey chin up, we plod on and still hope for the best  

Thanks everyone i will certainly pass this info on!  Don't think traps will be of much use as he has so much land around his fishing lakes.  He has 2 large dogs but can't let them roam incase they go after the farmers cows as i have been told the farmer can shoot his dogs if they attack his live stock.

Can anyone please tell me the laws in france on owing a shotgun?? My brother lives in Normandy and has had alot of fishing equipment stolen from his land and now he thinks someone is trying to poach his rather large and expensive carp he stocked his lakes with?? Just wondered if a shotgun can be used as a deterent if he catches someone on his land?? Thanks

Do you not think bullying in the UK is just less publicised?? You don't read articles on bullying in the UK like you do in France.  I can name but 9 or 10 bullies just in my 10 year olds class here in the UK and probably just as many in my 7 year olds class.  Suppose i am lucky in the sense that they both take no notice of the bullies and hopefully will carry on with that motive in France.  When we move from the UK alot of us do actually do as much research as possible especially where our children are concerned but these problems do occur here and i am quite horrified at the young age it actually starts!!  Anyway we plod on with all your negative thoughts and hope we aren't all as unhappy as most of you seem to be,  with our eyes wide open.  I'll let you all know soon how we find the french education system.

Its nice to hear you are all pleased with your french life styles and i hope ours will be just as pleasant.  We are leaving the UK just before christmas with our 3 children, dog and horse!  Many reasons the same as already given really,  get away from all the over-crowding, takes hours to get anywhere, we don't even venture out on a bank holiday anymore as it takes all day to get to where we want to go.  We have a property in France we could not have bought here, with land for our horse and space for the children.  We have sold up here in the South east and are soon to begin a new venture in France. I've been learning the language so i can just about get by but hopefully i'll learn more living in the country. Anyway anyone in 22 area watch out there may be an english person in need of some friends!

Saligobay thanks for a bit of positive advice.  I'm sure they will be ok but having read the posts about how AWFUL the french system is it does put doubts in your mind, after all we all want the best for our children, don't we? I'm going to keep my fingers, toes, and everything else crossed from now on.

JONGLEUR Well that has made me feel a bit better.  My eldest was 10 in September so in the French system i suppose would be starting college next year in France although here he would be in his last year at primary school so hopefully he will be kept back a year.  Are your children doing ok now?  Where abouts in france do you live?  I have heard that as the children get older there are problems between the english and french, do you find this?  I am a bit worried now actually, my move isn't going to be as exciting now until the children are settled in school, i was looking forward to it!  Never mind i shall just have to keep my fingers crossed.  I know there are a few english children where we are moving so there will be a few in school with them.  Anymore reasonably happy stories to put my mind at ease a little would be greatly appreciated. Cary  

Oh my god!  What alot of horror stories!  Any useful tips for 10, 7 and 3 year olds?  My 10 year old has one year left here in the UK come next September as he is one of the eldest in his year due to the english system, his birthday falls in September.  I was hoping, although i know we'll have upset, that being the ages they are they will (fingers crossed) all cope reasonably well through their education.  Now i've read all these posts i'm a bit worried.  Is there alot of problems between the french and english children.  Its too late for us to change our minds as weve sold here, already had a house in Brittany, and are almost packed and ready to move, now a rush of panick has come over me.  I do hope i'm doing right by our children,  any HAPPY success stories on english children in France?  Aaaaah

We are moving over to brittany before christmas with our children age 10, 7 and 3.  I was hoping we wouldn't have any major problems although i do realise it will be very hard for the children for the first 6 months maybe even a year but you have all made me worry a bit now!  I do often think is this move the best thing and decided eventually that it will be a much better life for our children with more freedom and space etc.  I better keep my fingers crossed i don't encounter the unfortunate problems alot of you have had with your children! Cary

Ronni Thanks for the vote of confidence.  Where are you moving to and when? B nice to know how you get on. Cary  

we will be spending our first chiristmas in france too.  We are moving into our little french retreat around the 20th of december with our 3 young children.  Wot a time to move on top of christmas so were going to bring all our pressies for the kids with us already wrapped.  I also intend on cokking a HUGH english traditional dinner with all the trimmings as maybe next year when weve made some friends i also won't be cooking on the 25th. We need to keep it as normal for our children this year as its going to be a big change for them in a new french school etc.  But hey maybe i'll be in the french way of thinking next year (i hope!) Glad we can get a christmas tree though i enjoy a real one even though they are messy.    

Thanks Val, you are full of info.  Got a feeling the TB jab is given in secondary school, if its the one you have to have the little skin prick test for first then it is. Mine have had all the other injections so we should be ok

What is the BCG vaccination.  Do our children have that here?  My vaccination summary from my doctor for our children show Diptheria, pert, tetanus, hib, polio, mmr, the above boosters and meningitus c.  Do any of these incorporate the BCG?  Will a vaccination summary from our doctor here be sufficient enough?

i will soon be moving with my 3 children age 10,7 and 3.  I phoned our local health clinic/centre and they are sending me an up to date list of the vaccinations our children have had which i will need to show in France.  Is it right Val that i have to go through the maire?  I was told by someone in our village that i can book to see the head teacher and don't actually have to go to the maire first.  Could it be different for each village?  I do think it best that they are thrown in at the deep end for maximum results and quicker learning of the language. Weve just sold here so should be moving in about 10 weeks. 

Hi Bella I'm sure i e mailed you privately in another topic, but i'll reply to this one on line til i hear from you.  Hopefully we won't be too far away, our house is in Plouguenest.  Why are the horses harder to look after over there?  I hopefully will be putting a stable up, just waiting for a price.  Either that or i'll bring a flat pack loose box and tack room with me, that'll give my husband something to do!  A hacking partner will be great,  i am going to need all the company i can get when we move as i'm used to a busy sociable life here so i do know i'll struggle a bit at first in france getting used to slowing down a bit.  I'll also need a shopping trip to Paris partner if your interested?  Can't deny all those designer shops now can i? Speak soon Cary

Battypuss I hope we will still be happy in France after 12 years, although weve got to get there yet.  I have a few friends near our house,  one has invited me when i arrive to her French club on a tuesday where a few english get together with a french lady and brush up on their french speaking.  I'de like to think i have thought alot about what were doing as its such a HUGH step and i do understand about the people who jump in with both feet thinking its all going to be so easy, i am in no doubt that i at times in the beginning will be pulling my hair out and watching my much loved children upset but i'm sure it will all be worth it. Fingers crossed hey?   Cary

Our dog's travel date to go and be able to return is 6 months after the rabies injection and we only had to have 1 rabies vaccination!  Doesn't make sense does it how each vet seem to do things differently?  We then have to have a rabies booster every 2 years, if its late even by a week we have to start the process from scratch!  Best i pencil that date in now so i don't 4 get

Jirac18 Thanks for the advice.  How old is your daughter?  Where in France do u live?  We are all really looking forward to coming to Brittany as soon as weve sold our property here.  Even the children want to come.  I am thinking of their future happiness before myself and if i can give them more in such a beautiful country like France then its well worth the try.  Less stressed parents definately make happier children. Send me a private e mail if you like, it will be nice to hear a bit more about yourself. Cary  

Hi it cost us approx £120 in total.  You can travel to France as soon as the odg has had its rabies vaccination but cannot travel back to the Uk for 6 months after the injection.  In effect you can only go backwards and forwards 6 months after the rabies injection.  On returning to the UK you need to find a vet that has the scanner for the micro chip as not all french vets have them, although you can hire one this end (quite costly).  They then de-flea and de-tick and give you certificate saying your dog can travel back.  All a bit of a nuisance really but i suppose it saves any diseases.  Good luck

Hi Bella Do you live in Brittany?  I've bought a horse here in the Uk now, were picking her up on 19 september so hopefully i'll have time to bond with her before heading for France.  I am definately not experienced enough to buy from the fairs as i havn't been riding for long enough yet.  I'm really looking forward to coming over and settling into a more laid back life with our children.

Thanks whoever privatley E mailed me.  Its a good job we don't all want to learn english then as there is no way i'de pay £45 per hour to do it!  Its quite frustrating when you want your children to do their best in life and everyone charges an absolute fortune, is it too much to ask for a school to try and start up an after school club so our children can learn a foreign language?  After all they don't seem to have problems with football clubs and art clubs and dance clubs etc! 

Do you think you'll attempt the BIG move?  Keep me updated, you never know perhaps we'll meet up one day. Thanks

Thanks Andrew and Jackie.  Do you live in France?  Our children are 3, 7 and 10 and although i thought about french lessons private tutors charge £10 per hour per child, they won't teach a child of 3 so i tried to encourage their school here to start up a french club and they weren't interested so more fool our education system, if they don't think a 2nd language benefits our kids then thank god i'm moving!  I've been trying to encourage them with french books and cd roms etc.  It was all going really well until while in France a few months ago my 10 year old shouted out "bon appetite" to a little french boy who was chatting in french to them, not quite sure wot my 10 year old was thinking at that moment in time. Hopefully they will all adapt pretty well.  We'll know in time anyway Cary