mark1963

[:)]Thanks to all! Am still watching but couldn't keep up with the postings. Plenty of views - for and against - so our plan can't be all bad. Brief comments against some postings to date: Difficulties finding work - as suggested, are looking into UK-based agency work i.e. split my time between France and UK - am starting to develop a network of possible contacts for the future. Have a nice place in the Limousin, purchased this year, so not looking to move somewhere else for a while yet. Encouraging that kids appear to settle in well, and get on with the language. [8-)]Are not moving because of the weather. Know that winters can be harsh. Are French house is in a town with basic amenities, 'ecole primaire' and 'college' - probably haven't spelt those right! We are not materialistic - and don't want the kids to be as they get older. Are usually careful with money. No problem for us resisiting buyng all the Christmas goodies on sale in the shops December. [:@]Thanks to the local garden centres for announcing Christmes with their wonderful displays last week. No wonder kids think its all about getting presents - what's 25th December all about? Oh yes - presents!! ([:@]Don't get me started.) There is with us an element of 'seize the day', 'take a chance', 'what's around the corner' etc. etc. I work to live, not the other way around. Yes - plenty of planning needed etc, but we could be in a box tomorrow. rjbingham - [:)]excellent reading for us - good points and the bonus of entertainment. Spot on. We are taking the whole thing serious - not loooking at the proposal as some big adventure because we thought (before entering this forum) that it would be bloody hard work all round. And we are thinking about the kids........... Renting out our present UK home isn't really an option if we are to maximise our 'pot', so it is all or nothing there. 'clarkie' - very like minded and you can relate to our local area. But it's not all about the location here in the UK - it's more about attitudes and standards (or the complete lack of them). Good point about the glossy mags. They can be helpful up to a point but there is not suibstitute for first hand knowledge and experience - as this forum shows. [I]Will probably be posting a new question soon - Living in France, working in the UK - good idea? At the moment we are pretty certain to be putting our UK home up for sale in the New Year. My OH and I are in full flow doing the 'House Doctor' bit and as mentioned above, I'm figuring out opportunities for working in the UK and basically commuting at weekends. (Realise that this in itself would be challenging to us, but would mean us not falling over finacially staright away and creates time to explore opporunities within France whilst still having an income. [B]Cheers to all for the postings. I'd say keep them coming but the topic is probably about worn out?

[quote user="rjbingham"]Yes Mark, quite frankly you are MAD and quite a few people on this forum have confirmed this.  for me, the risk was not moving my family to France BUT STAYING in North Wales.  although it has been quite an upheaval for the rest of the family, three months down the line, things are looking up. The boys play golf and are treated with respect at St.Junien golf club. I get to fly planes for a fraction of the cost of in the U.K, and my wife does not come home every night from work as a nurse stressed having had yet another day dealing with drunks, druggies and general scum, the like of which the U.K seems to breed, and most importantly the children are happy in school. For us the move to the Limousin was and is all about quality of life, our lives and that of our children,  you only have one life,  you only get one chance, fine its a risk, if you don't like risks stay in the U.K. wait till you confront someone stealing the stereo out of your nice new car that you worked hard to pay for and end up (if you're lucky) on my wifes ward. To stay put, that to me is MAD. For us we wanted to give our boys to chance of a decent childhood, the one we had, the one where you earn respect and respect others, sadly gone forever in an overpopulated Wales, a childhood we had without crime, locked doors and the constant buzzing of the police helicopter overhead. If you want cheap and cheerful and are worried about the cost of living every month, move to Thailand, but last time i checked thats filling up with undesirables and i do not think i would let the children out of my sight!! Either way Mark i wish you and yours all the best and 'Bon Courage', for what its worth i say 'seize the day', your a long time dead my friend Regards Adrien and if you need any help when/ If you get here give me a shout, i don't know alot but will do my best !![/quote] Thanks for the comments from another dissillusioned Brit! Thanks for pointing out a few of the UK's good points. We are obviously not alone. And a potential near neighbour to boot. Offer of help much appreciated!

[quote user="zeb"]OMG - we were probably considered mad, but we did it!           Saying that though, we have managed to live OK and pay the bills, we've had holidays in UK and France, we fill the freezer up when we have money and eat from it when we haven't any. We have been surprised how prices have risen over the last few years, some things are cheap, but most things are not. So, what I'm trying to say is, is think hard, do your research don't move out without at least 40K to tide you over for two years whilst you learn the craic and find work. The kids will love it, and be fluent in no time. If it doesn't work out, you'll have all gained something from the experience and no doubt will be able to get back into a similar job in the UK, but you may find it difficult buying there after a few years in France. We just wish that we had made the move years ago. Whatever you decide, good luck.[/quote] Fair play to you! We reckon that we could get by for 2-3 years before the 'money pot' was empty. I wouldn't sit idle for that long even if it means coming back to work on and off in the UK. Fair point re the UK housing market - we think that our house in the Limousin should give a fair return in 2-3 years, so a move back may not be too painful financially.

Thanks for the positive comment re kids and schools. We think our kids are pretty bright and would get on ok so they at least wouldn't be too great a worry in terms of picking up the language and education. Our house is in a town so they wouldn't be isolated from any new friends they mightmake. One tick in a box.

[8-)]Wow!! So many comments in so short a time! Glad we asked!! Fantastic thing the internet. All be assured that we will post a reply to all comments - some might be short though - if people are taking the time to comment, then only courteous to respond. Fair question this one - head or heart?? Our hearts ache for change because the way life in the UK is going it's sending our heads crazy! Perhaps we should ask how to escape the 100 mph, 24/7, consumer/cash crazed, largely selfish and ignorant UK population. There - got it off the chest! Perhaps we just come across the wrong people in the Midlands? The heart says it's about saving our kids from today's rather horrible lifestyle. (Earlier empathy in this respect much appreciated.) Pressure to give them the latest game consoles (plural!), mobile phones, TV's, DVD's, IPods (sorry about the advert) because everyone else in the class has them. (How do these kids get the money to pay their phone bills anyway? - Oh sorry - kids don't have to understand the meaning of earning money and managing it these days - the banks and credit card companies are more than happy to throw it at anyone - whinge over!)[:'(] Not to forget that we find the Limousin region to be lovely and have got ourselves a nice house in a nice town with a chateau (bit of a clue?). Comments about the weather noted but that is not a driver. Yes, summers may well be longer and warmer than Leicestershire but weather in itself is not a reason to move. And don't mind the cold, have a few wooly jumpers. Generally comments to date confirm our suspicion that work will be nigh on impossible to find so (having received advise) am considering agency work as an avenue to explore. Financially we would reckon to arrive with about 40-50k Euros. We get by in the UK on a little less than £2k per month and that covers paying an £80k+ mortgage. (Interesting earlier comments on what would be needed to survive.) Not on an immediate deadline, but at this time still open-minded and doing lots of research! Cheers to all - keep all advice coming - job offers welcomed!![:D]

We discovered France in summer 2005 via a great couple of weeks in Argeles-sur-Mer. Having found ourselves 'hooked', we undertook quite a lot of research and made a couple of visits to the area we had singled out in the October and again in March '06. As these things tend to go (??) we ended up taking ownership of a house in the Limousin in June 2006, the intent at the time being to use it as a holiday 'bolt-hole' from our current residence in the Midlands. The house that we have bought needs some work on it but nothing too major. Thereafter followed another short visit and a very enjoyable 5 continuous weeks (for my wife and two kids at least - I managed two and a half!) during the school holiday. We returned at the end of August and now find that we have a burning desire to up roots from the UK and give it a go living there permanently. Our kids are presently 9 and 5 so we firmly believe that we must get them into the local French school in September 2007 (latest) or forget any ideas about a permanent move until our youngest is 16'ish. How depressing! We are weighing up what pot of money we can move over with us say in summer '07 - we have had the UK house valued with the view to selling, are working out what we can raise by selling shares, the 'rubbish' in the attic etc. etc. Whilst we would turn up with only a modest amount of money to put in the bank, our slate would be wiped completely clean so to speak - no mortgage, credit card debt etc. - a fresh start one might say. This financial position in itself has a great appeal. I presently work full time for a globally known aero engine company and my wife part-time at the local primary school. So we are financially stable lets say. And therein lies the only problem as we see it - the BIG risk - the thing to potentially knock it on the head. There is no opportunity for me to continue working for my present employer remotely from the UK so I would have to hand in my notice after 26+ years service. (That puts me in my early 40's!) Therefore the likelihood is we would move permanently to France with no job (and possibly no prospects of finding one)! I have scoured various forums and job web-sites and the prospects of finding work in or around our local area do not appear good. I am confident that I have numerous skills which I can apply to new opportunities but nonetheless I would be more than happy to have a crack at anything so long as it paid enough to cover the weekly/monthly essentials (and allowed for the ocasional visit to family and friends in the UK). My French is not good but I am beginning to work at it (and will probably be dragged along in this respect by my daughter who appears to be able to pick it up very easily). Is finding work, particularly in or around St Junien/Limoges, as hard as it would appear at the moment? Are we bonkers to be thinking about moving over without having a job lined up anyway?? Are we in a mid-life crisis?