Fiona

Thank you all for your very helpful replies.  I got it wrong - it's an LCD tv, not plasma (shows how much I know!!).  Will check the SECAM thingy.. Cheers Fi

Hi there, we are planning to move to France early 2009 but my OH is desperate to get a new TV before then (ours is on it's last legs).  So we are planning to buy a 5th generation HD flat screen plasma tv here in the UK.  However, it just occured to me that it may not work in France?  When I moved from Brussels back to Uk in 1993 I had to buy a new TV but of course that is 15 years ago and things have moved on from then.  If anyone could help that would be great. Thanks Fi

Thank you so much Alan :-) And Patf, I really hope the exchange rate improves soon - it would be such a shame if you were forced to move back for that reason alone when you clearly love it there.  Good luck xx

Exactly Gastines!!  Your description of Bournemouth etc is why we don't want to live here anymore!!.  However, I knew that if I mentioned we were not getting on particularly well that would spark a reaction and I totally appreciate the concerns shown.  However, have no fear - we are on exactly the same page with regards to this move and what we want to get out of it.  A lot of the issues we have are caused by our current lifestyle.  My partner has had enough of the UK, the final straw being when we heard that someone was murdered on our little high street barely half a mile from our house.  I do object to the term "running away" - we are not running away like two teenagers with no plan and no direction.  We made a conscious decision 5 years ago that we wanted a better quality of life and that is what we are striving for.  I don't see it as running away although make no bones about it - we do want to leave this crime ridden, manically busy place behind - but we know France very well, we know the area we are moving to.  And we have a "get out jail free card" in so much as we are not buying straight away, we are renting out our house here which will cover the cost of our rental in France.  I for one can't wait, and if we find that our relationship does completely flounder (which I honestly dont think it will - we are just extremely tired and stressed right now), then at least we gave it our best possible go, que sera sera etc Thanks all Fi x

Thank you!  the house we are planning to rent near Lannemezan - borders of Haute Garonne and Haute Pyrenees Fi x

Hi, ok to go back to the original question I would like to give my very honest answer.........then I'll stand back and wait for the onslaught of criticism!  We intend to make the move to France in January 09.  We are both leaving the UK and coming to France.  We love France - have spent a great deal of time travelling around over the last few years.  We love the relaxed lifestyle that rural France has to offer, the variety of scenery.  We are moving to the Midi Pyrenees so having the choice of skiing in the winter and heading to the Med or Atlantic in the summer will be fantastic.  We love the food and the culture.  We are leaving the UK for the same reasons many others are - we have two young children and I fear for their safety and well being growing up in the South-East of England where we live.  We have a nice house but it's really too small - the garden is pretty tiny and my son in particular is very active and loves the outdoors. To move to a bigger house would mean taking out a mortgage (thankfully we are mortgage free now) which would mean I would have to carry on working, missing out more and more on my children growing up.  I work at an airport and I spend half my life stuck in traffic jams, having near miss accidents, rushing here, there and everywhere to get things done.  My partner is self employed in the building trade and has been for nearly 30 years - he struggles to get work now and if work is offered it is right in the heart of London and is paying the same or even less than he earned when he first started out - there are too many other cheaper workers out there, he is in his early 50's now and struggles to compete.  We haven't been getting on particularly well lately - but a large part of that is caused by the stress of managing day to day life!  We have been talking about this move since our son was born 6 years ago.  We now are in a position to do it - but we are doing it, I think anyway, the most sensible way.  We are renting out our house here and we are renting in France for a year to 18 months.  During that time we will see how we like it - if the children settle in school, if we can make a living, if we can get back to the way things were.  If we like it we will buy - but will still keep our house in England - if not we will return home and look to move within England (probably around Dorset) - either way, at least we will know we gave it a go!  So there you go - probably all the reasons you shouldn't move rolled into one.  But tell me, what have we possibly got to lose?  We have everything to gain - and we are doing this with the best possible intentions and attitude.  I did start off wearing rose coloured specs I admit - but have read this and other forums enough to have had them removed from me a long time ago.  I am still really excited about it and I really hope it works out for us. Fi

Hi, unfortunately I cannot offer any insight or bits of wisdom, I just wanted to say what an interesting thread this is.  However, I am becoming more confused/concerned by the minute!  We are moving to France in January.  One of the main attractions, we thought anyway when we first started talking about this 5 years ago, was the chance of a superior education.  However ironically it seems as time passes this "main attraction" is now becoming one of my main concerns about whether life in France will suit us.  Our children are only 6 and 4 so very young and adaptable but it seems all I hear lately about French education is negative.  We want to move for the reasons so many others choose to - i.e. better quality of life, safety of our children etc.  However, it seems that educationally they would be better educated here in UK?  Is there a clear cut answer to this? Thanks Fi

Hi I just wanted to find out - are only "spouses" covered as dependants on an E106?  Not partners?  My partner and I are not married - we have two kids and are planning to move over in Jan.  I will qualify for an E106 as I am working this tax year.  However, according to Newcastle my partner won't as he is self employed and finished his last paid contract last August - since then he has been renovating our place and so hasn't made enough NI contributions this tax year to qualify for his own E106 and the lady I spoke to seemed to think only spouses are covered not partners?  We are planning to get married so looks like we better get our finger out and get it organised!!  Thanks Fi x

Thanks Clair, but I had already read this and am still a little in the dark!  (think its just my tired old head struggling to take it all in!!).  What is the difference between E106, E109 and E121.  How do you qualify for inclusion in the French system and how much does top-up and full insurances cost??  thanks again x

Hi - Firstly I apologise if this has all been explained before, I am sure this topic has been done to death.  However I just wanted to establish a true "cut to the chase" picture of what we as a family will have to pay.  Our circumstances are this :- - Family of 4 (2 kids under 6) planning to move to France in Jan 09 - Will rent for a year at least to establish if the move will work for us and before we commit to buying What I would like to know is :- 1.  Is the E106 the standard form that covers you, e.g.if you are on holiday in the EU, and is valid for 2 years?  2.  Would this cover ALL our costs for the 2 year period it is valid? 3.  Let's say for argument sake we are not working/employed in France during this 2 year period - is the E106 cover still the same? 4. If we need top up insurance until the E106 runs out, roughly how much will this cost? 5. What is the E109 and E121? 6. Again - for arguments sake - let's say we are still not working after the E106 runs out, we will not therefore be entitled to CMU - so will we need FULL medical insurance to cover us, correct? 7.  If so roughly how much will full insurance cost us? 8.  How many hours a week do you have to work to gain entry in the CMU system? 9. If you are registered as self-employed and pay cottisations are you then automatically covered? 10. I read somewhere that you will automatically be covered by CMU after 5 years residency in France - regardless of whether your are employed or not - is this correct?  So you could (if you had enough money which we don't) live in France and do nothing for 5 years and then be covered? Apologies for so many questions and thanks in advance to anyone who can help clarify matters for me.  I have read various posts and links etc but I have to admit to still being a little confused. I just want to get some ball park figures to factor into our required monthly budget. Many thanks Fi

Hi Sara, have read your thread with great interest and am glad to see you stuck with the forum - I totally sympathise, I too got a little prickly when I felt my simple question on another thread (about schools) led to some fairly judgemental comments.  However I think you have generated some really interesting responses and a really interesting thread of discussion.  I'm afraid I have nothing of value to add - I'm interested purely from the point of view that we intend to make the move as well so to establish an average cost of living is something of great interest to us.  It sounds to me like you have your head totally screwed on - you have a plan and you are being 100% wise retaining one property in the UK.  We have a house which we plan to sell, however we have no mortgage on it so we hope to use the equity to buy a place outright in France eventually and to buy a place in UK to rent (probably with a small mortgage - depends on how much the French budget is stretched).  However we have decided to rent for a year first - purely to give us time to see if we really like the lifestyle and to have time to thoroughly research areas and schools.  So we may well just rent our home in England first - as long as rental income covers rental outgoings (and hoepfully some more - am looking at renting a 3 bed place with a pool for a year for £550 a month - our house in UK should generate £1000 income).  The increasing Euro is a concern and is another factor in waiting to buy - while the exchange rate may add another £50 a month to rent it could add £50,000 to a purchase price!  We did buy a load of Euros when it hit 1.5 to the pound - sadly though they are running out as we use these for holidays.  I am the one who may have to occasionally commute to UK to work as I am an IT contractor - we also have the same idea, hopefully a 3 month contract here plus what my partner could earn, will keep us - it may work, it may not - we can but try.........the main thing is that give our kids (mine will be 6 and 4) a far better quality of life than I think they can.  My partner is in the building trade and has been for 30 years but nowadays in the UK earns less than he did 10, even 20 years ago, and is finding work harder and harder to come by due to the increase in immigration and cheap foreign labour.  He is very good at what he does and is very practical so hopes to do some property development. Anyway good luck to you - these forums are great but they can be equally helpfull and confusing.  At the end of the day you have to just go for it and as long as you are sensible - which you clearly are - if it doesn't work out then you haven't burned your bridges and you can always say you have tried it All the best, Fi

Thank you Jo!!!  That was EXACTLY the sort of response I was looking for - relevant and informed [:)] (and thanks to John as well for his helpful comments).   Good luck with your move also - and perhaps one day we will meet at the ISB!! Thanks again Fi

Hi Joanna, Thank you for honest reply and I appreciate what you are saying.  I apologise if my other post sounded somewhat curt but all I was asking for was information on this specific school and instead I felt as I was being judged which I did not ask for and do not welcome, particularly as the person in question does not know what our long term plans are and therefore is not in a position to pass judgment.  I fully take on board what you are saying though and I agree - I admit I have been a bit "scared off" by some of the other negative posts on the schools thread.  However the issue is really that we don't know if we will stay long term.  We know roughly the area we want to live in but have not had a chance to explore schools etc - therefore we intend to rent for about a year to give us time to fully explore areas to buy in (and what the schools are like in those areas), and to really see how we settle.  If it works for us then we will buy and then look at local schools - I was really just looking at the International school as an interim measure.  Thanks again Fi x

I just have problems with these Brits who come to live here, state how 'integrated they are'  and yet hang on to the British side of things.. By "these Brits" I assume you are referring to, among others, myself?  With all due respect Jura you do not know me, anything about me or my plans and circumstances.  Therefore - I would be grateful if you could please refrain from making judgemental comments on a post that is not asking for anything other than information on a particular school and area.  How I choose to educate my children is MY business.  And quite frankly you appear to be one of the main culprits in why I am looking into the possibility of Int school for my children - for it is you,  among many others, who have made a lot of negative comments about French schools.  I know my children - I know what they are good at and what they enjoy - therefore I know where they will and will not be happy.  I have no intention of claiming to be fully integrated, particularly if we do go down this route of education - it is not a competition as far as I am concerned.  All I want is to have a happier, safer, slower better quality of life - I want to live somewhere where my kids can ride their bikes in relative safety, where we can go skiing in the winter and head to the beach in the summer.  Whether we stay here for a year or 30 years is entirely open at this stage - I just want to do the right thing for my kids, therefore, if this school is affordable and offers what I want and I think my kids will be happy there then I will send them thereand I do not give a toss what anyone thinks, alternatively if I find a really nice local school and I think my kids will be happy there then brilliant.  This obsession about being British in France and integrating etc etc to me is irrelevant - all I want to do is to give my family a good quality of living and my kids a happy carefree childhood. So once again I respectfully ask if anyone knows anything about this school or area please let me know, otherwhise would those who only wish to gripe please do so on another thread....................thank you    

Probably nothing!!!! However, considering some of the responses on the "Do kids enjoy school", and knowing what my children are like and what they enjoy and don't enjoy I have to admit to being very concerned about how well my eldest in particular would settle and how happy he would be that, therefore I am looking at this school as a possible option - only a possible.  And it is only an option as the fees are relatively reasonable. Therefore if anyone has anything constructive or informative to tell me about the ISB I would love to hear from them, otherwise............. Thank you  

Hi there - just wandered if anyone was familiar with this school at all as we are considering it as an option for our two kids (6 and 4).  Does anyone know anything about it at all?  Also can anyone recommend any good estate agents in the area? Thank you

Hi there - hope you can help.  We are planning to move to France later this year.  I am currently contracting in IT and saving like mad so we have a nest egg which will hopefully last about a year assuming no other work.  My partner is a builder and our ideal plan is to find a place with somewhere for him to renovate to turn into a gite, or to buy a second property to renovate and sell on as a developer.  Therefore we are thinking that I may take a contract back in the UK for 3 -6 months maximum and commute to and from France for that period - and then not work again for at least another 6 months so we have the best of both worlds.  We have young children and want to spend more time as a family but are realistic enough to know that bills have to be paid and as I have the ability to earn reasonably good money in what I do it makes sense for me to keep working - but not all year like I have to here.  My question really is where would I be liable to pay tax - if I am a self employed/freelance contractor working through a UK agency for a UK company but am in the UK less than 6 months a year would I pay French tax?  If so would I then be covered for healthcare and would i have to pay is it cottisations(?).  If anyone else works like this I would be most grateful to hear from them.  thanks Fi

Hi there, Just wanted to find out if there is anyone out there in the general area of Montguyon (within an hour or so).  We have just had an offer accepted on a place there and all being well will be moving out in the next few months with our children (4 and 2).  Would love to hear from any other English speakers out there - especially those with young children. Thanks Fi

that would be great, thank you very much.  I would love to hear from others in the area.  We have talked about moving for so long but now that are at the point of being able to do it nerves and worries are hitting home and I would love to hear (good and bad) stories from others.  thanks again Fi

Hi all, Hope you can help - we have been toying with the idea of moving for a long time now and have fallen for an unconverted barn about 10 mins drive from Montguyon.  My other half is a builder so we can make it into a fantastic family home - the likes of which we could NEVER afford here!  However, my main concern is the impact on the children (ages 4 and 2).  My 4 year old is very lively and very sociable - I still work fulltime for the time being so he goes to nursery full time which he loves.  At weekends we quite often go to soft play centres for a run around.  He is due to start reception class in Sept at an infant school here which is very good.  However we want to move for all sorts of reasons; property prices, climate, quality of life, safety, better healthcare and hopefully better education.  I would really love to find out if there are any other families in this sort of area and would love to hear anyone's feelings on schools in the area.  From what I have read the school system in France is very good but rigid, and there is a distinct lack of after school activities.  I am worried how my son will adjust to having lots of friends and activities to go to (e.g. soft play, little kickers football club etc) to being in the remote countryside attending a tiny local school with no friends.  Any advice/tips etc would be much appreciated. Thanks Fi