Tourangelle

[quote]My partner now tells me that it is not the "CAPES" she want's to have but the "CAFEP" (which is an equivalent to the CAPES but for private schools - the big advantage being that you can actually decid...[/quote] you can decide where you want to teach but only within a given academie.  So you are kind of stuck then if you want to go elsewhere in France...

Rob, I would be interested to know what you find out.  What I do wonder about your example though, is, it seems be the case that a person would have the right to get the same pay, but this would not necessarily help in for long term employment.  As I understand it at the moment it is impossible to get a CDI in l'éduction nationale, and therefore although there could be equivalent treatment in terms of pay, it doesn't seem to offer a precedent as to long term employment?  Also it would not mean that the person had the CAPES as such, just the equivalent, so presumably no possibility of moving within the system? Jane

2-3 hours  Mine takes 45 minutes!

I have a French friend who has the PGCE like your partner and worked in the UK for 3 years.  She came back to France last year and really went into whether the PGCE was worth anything and found that it wasn't.  However, she did the CAPES last year and got it and has now found that she can move up the pay scale because her years in England are recognised.  I also know a Belgian guy who has the Belgian equivalent of the agrégation, in science.  On being made redundant recently he also sought to work in the French public sector and was also told it was a no go.  I do think it is all very depressing for people who are experienced teachers and want to come to France to be told that they have to start again.  I can't personally see though that the French will ever accept the PGCE as an equivalent to the CAPES because it goes against the whole philosophy of competitive exams that they love so much! French teachers' wages are only poor compared to England I think and also people that are in the system have job security for life, and if that isn't a perk.... Jane

You don't need to be living in France to sign the PACS.  But look on the bright side, when you do get married you get a really big tax break the year after!!

it depends what you mean by legitimate.  It wont make their parents married, that's for sure, but if a father "recognises" his child before the birth here, I think it that makes it the same as if the parents were married with regard to the parent's rights and the child's.  My brother in law's partner is Norwegian, and their last names go well together; having chosen a first name for their son that is recognised in both languages, they wanted to give him both surnames so he belongs to both cultures. 

sorry not very clear, I must have been half asleep.  They are having both names legally as the surname for their son, who from the outset had both as his nom usuel. I don't know what exactly they have to do, but apparently up to June 2006 it is possible to change for children under 13.

one of the things I like about France is that even though I have kept my own name, I still get to be Madame.  I think that is cool.  On the post box, we have both our first names and last names and good thing too, the other day I got a really late Christmas car with just our first names on it.  I'm glad I bought the calendar Jane

My (French) brother-in-law thinks it is such a good idea that he and his partner are getting it done for their 15 month old son.

The "franchise" aspect mentioned above is not true for all banks.  I know it is the case for Credit Agricole, and for Credit Mutuel and La banque Populaire.  But it isn't for la Sociéte Générale, my account has been in Paris, in Tours and is now in Lyon, and it was transferred just as it would have been in Britain. Jane

If you can get to Lille rather than Paris then the whole journey is much easier as you just have to change platforms. Jane

Perhaps Darren's move is not permanent?

If you can get to the Paris branch of WH Smith they have a couple of free magazines for Parisien anglophones available that carry job advertisements some of which quote a salary. 

I would add about international schools that obviously they are mostly private, so obviously you get what you pay for.  A friend here, who is Danish, had a bad experience with a private primary international school, which did half English half French.  she felt that the school was not really international as such, but more for ambitious French parents who wanted their kids to start English really early.  She later found out that some teachers were not properly qualified in any country and ended up withdrawing her son.  I don't think he suffered from the experience, but I would say to the original poster, if nobody recommends anywhere and you do end up just getting a list off the internet check out whether or not the teachers are qualified.  

Unfortunately, they aren't.  They don't advertise.  The only way you will get one is by doing their exams.  It is like getting a civil service position in Britain.  The only place you could possible look is the rectorat of where you live to see if they are looking for supply teachers. Jane

We used them for the first time this Christmas.  They fly from Coventry to Lyon and Marseille.  The flights to Lyon only started on the 16th December.  I wonder if they will continue this summer, but I suspect not, it may just be for the skiing.  That said, it was 245 euros for two of us, there and back which is not as cheap as all your Ryanairs and so on but if you want to go to the West Midlands area from the south east of France there isn't anything better available.  Coventry airport, however, is another story.  It is an old airfield, not an airport, and it is all corrugated iron huts.  Inside, they display the destinations at check in by hooking little boards above the desk and then taking them down when they have finished.  It is slightly rustic, but hey, it does the job, so who cares.  They try to sell you loads of stuff on the flight (who thinks 'I am on a flight and what I really want to buy is a scratchcard?'), but generally it is fine, and much cheaper than BA. Jane

I think there is no easy answer to this one.  With a TEFL she would probably be able to get some teaching work.  However it is rarely full time 9-5 work, but perhaps this is not what she is after?  If teaching English is an aim, it is not necessarily an advantage to be French.  On the contrary, in my experience of teaching business English, for several language schools, one of their selling points was often native speaker as teachers.  That said, I have worked for English and American people here, who perhaps have other criteria to French people.  Jane

That's a bit gloomy!!  and surely only true for l'education nationale.  What does she teach and to whom?

last year there was one in Caen near the theatre

The scenario the original poster describes is not just a alcohol thing, it is racism, and unfortunately that's universal. Last year, my cousin, who was on a year abroad from university, had blood flicked on her by some French guy in a bar in Nantes (who was drunk, and had cut himself falling over).  He had been trying to chat her up and she didn't want to know.  He ended up screaming at her "now you've really got blood on your hands".  He had taken her for an American, and wasn't very happy about Iraq - in fact she is Canadian, not that it matters, she was naturally really upset.

Hi On Europe 1 on Friday they were saying you have to make your declaration within five days of the accident, and that because it was a natural disaster it would be covered.  I don't know how they came up with such a generalisation, but it was on their 6.00pm bulletin, so I imagine they checked their facts! Jane

I don't know that rental is that easy necessarily, especially if you are going to be in la région parisienne.  I have friends there who have found it difficult even with steady incomes.  Even here in Lyon to rent a flat well within our income, with Alain as a civil servant therefore more guarantees than a CDI and really not looking at places over our budget, agencies were still wanting caution solidaire.  It was completely ridiculous, and very irritating.  Rental is a good solution if you are not sure you are staying. Jane

I am not 100% sure, but I think if you do not bring it over yourself, there may be tax issues I say this because I have ordered in the past through Vin Nicolas who do an online service, and as soon as you put in a UK address, the price goes up   However the service was very good and not too expensive Jane

is this last posting some kind of joke? Jane

French nationals don't recieve them, they have to apply for them.  They do not have to have a carte d'identité.  I am sure there is not a lower age limit because my nephew has one and he is 14 months old