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Piano Tuning in France.


Pianoman
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I am seriously considering moving to France but my main concern is earning a living. For the last 25 years, I've been a self-employed piano tuner/repairer/restorer. I'm a competent diyer happy with plumbing, central heating (the wet bits), interior decorating, laminate floor laying, most carpentry skills etc (I'm not too happy working with complicated electrics or high heights!).

My dilemma is that I have to say 'au-revoir' to my current customers and current income.

Any advice would be most welcome.

Incidentally, my French is tout rusty at the moment!

 

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Hi Pianoman,

I think you could earn a living - eventually - as a piano tuner etc but it would be expensive to start with, and you would have to really place yourself well and not too close to competition. A good knowledge of the language is a must and then you are faced with the (tricky) challenge of convincing customers to use you rather than someone else they've probably used for a lifetime (round here, at least, folks are pretty loyal) - and someone non-french to boot!

You would need to register with the Chambre de Metiers as an artisan and do a week's course. After that the cotisations come in hard and fast and it can be really hard financially whilst you are building up a client base.

My husband is a flute repairer here (and was in the UK for 15yrs) and of course the income from it here is minimal compared to central London. Supplemented by my minimum wage part-time job and a rental income we are just about OK, but it's not easy. We are, however, very happy with the choice we made and we made financial sacrifices for a different way of life. My advice would be to decide what you want to move here for and whether starting up a small business here can support that way of life.

Good luck with whatever you decide and feel free to pm if you want more info from my fluteman!

Jane

 

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Would a piano tuner register with the Chambre de Metiers? But as Jane says, the "locals" tend to be pretty loyal and I have found plenty of tuners around here.  I am sure the same applies to the rest of France.

& Gay, perhaps you should change you sig line to read; "If I have nothing to say, then I will say ...."  Or do you want to start a scrap with me, too (again)?

 

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Nick,

My husband registered with the Chambre de Metiers as they cover artisans, ie, those who work with their hands. On the course he took he was there with carpenters, macons and a guy who was starting up a mobile pizza lorry buisiness, amongst others, so they cover a whole load of trades. Don't be put off by the music association - for performers and music teachers there is a different set up and it doesn't go through the chambre de metiers. The fact is that he is a repairer/maker of something - it could be tables or flutes, it's all classed as an artisan and goes through the CdM.

A piano repairer (I mean for damaged instruments or renovation work) would definitely be classed as an artisan. I guess if he were working just as a tuner then the original poster needs to check who he registers with, but I imagine he would still be classed as an artisan - a piano goes out of tune and thus needs ajustment so really it's a repair in the form of maintenance work. Now I've confused myself! Hope that makes sense!

Jane

 

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