location recommendations - calling all families or young couples

[helene]

we are currently in france and looking for areas which are very family focussed, we are a young 30'something couple with family on the way looking to relocate to France.

i am struggling with areas, so i cam calling all brit/american families to give us your recommendations on areas in france.

we are looking to integrate into french life, however a few english friends to help along the way is what we are looking for

thanks x

[Cassis]

Hello Helen

The French in general are much more family focussed than are the Brits or Americans and it is not regional.  I think you need to be a bit more specific about what it is you're looking for.  Do you mean you are looking for a town with a number of young English families already living there?

[Boiling a frog]

For a simple sole what is an area that is family focused[8-)]

[Dick Smith]

That's Phil's point - France is a family-focussed country.

The OP needs to be just a tad more specific, I think.

[Mark]

[quote user="Dick Smith"]That's Phil's point - France is a family-focussed country.
The OP needs to be just a tad more specific, I think.
[/quote]

Haute Savoie is the most family-focussed department in France, Tarn the least.  In fact, in Tarn, families are being forcibly removed from the department, presumably fleeing to Haute Savoie.

I read it on the Internet.

[Dick Smith]

Wow that's terrible. And it must be true if you read it on the internet. I imagine there are whole families in the foothills living in bivouacs.

[Cassis]

Damn!   Stop putting it in everywhere before I can, Mr Smith!

[Boiling a frog]

Bet Julie Andrews is there leading them singing Climb every mountain

[Cassis]

That'll soon get rid of them.

Helen - if you let us know what you're really after we'll get back on topic and try to help - honest!

[DZ]

According to a survey done in France earlier this year, the most family-friendly area is supposed to be la Vandee.  See the link to the survey (for all that it's worth!):

http://www.lexpress.fr/info/france/dossier/departement/dossier.asp?ida=438174

[Cassis]

I'll take your word for that, DZ!  But that's for French families.  What about Brit families?  How do we know that they don't string them up by their toes and dangle weights off their wobbly bits?

[The Riff-Raff Element]

[quote user="davieszak"]

According to a survey done in France earlier

this year, the most family-friendly area is supposed to be la

Vandee.  See the link to the survey (for all that it's worth!):

http://www.lexpress.fr/info/france/dossier/departement/dossier.asp?ida=438174

[/quote]

Well, I'm biased, but I thought it was very accurate. Particularly the

bit somewhat further down about Vendéens being the most physically

alluring people in France.

[Miki]

[quote user="Dick Smith"]Wow that's terrible. And it must be true if you read it on the internet. I imagine there are whole families in the foothills living in bivouacs.

[/quote]

I still have my all weather brown bivouac box. Used for a short while only on the Cherry Blossom roundabout near FS & T  HQ. Should I send it c/o Tarn Needy in Haute Savoie or Vendée ?

[Dick Smith]

Aha - the head quidnunc is back - or here already, depending on your point of view.

[Miki]

Oh yes, I am from a long line of quidnuncs but it stopped at moi, as I know nothing ! The history books show, that sausages are more so than a mere miki [:)]

[DZ]

[quote user="Cassis"]I'll take your word for that, DZ!  But that's for French families.  What about Brit families?  How do we know that they don't string them up by their toes and dangle weights off their wobbly bits?
[/quote]

I can't comment on either the practices carried out in Vendee or the region's genetic pool, however I really liked being addressed as DZ so have decided to change my name henceforth to precisely that (thank you, Cassis!). 

But that's totally off the thread - I hope the original poster finds a perfect place to move to in the end!

[Jo53]

Well, getting back to the OP's question ... (quiet at the back there!)

Yes France is very family focused, but that generally means spending large amounts of time with YOUR OWN family. I suspect you mean child-focused, which France in many ways is not. I can't speak for upper-middle class families in the bigger cities. But certainly in rural areas there is very little for children to do. There is not the same emphasis on stimulating children that the British have.

• There are very few parent and baby/toddler groups. Those that exist tend to be run for the benefit of deprived families. There are 'halte garderies' where you drop your children off and leave them for a couple of hours; the idea is to get them off your hands, not to have a social with other mums. French mums don't network in the same way British or Americans do (someone said this in one of the Expatica blogs, and it chimes in with my experience).

• There are almost no toddler activities during the daytime because children are expected to start school at two and a half or three. So you won't find others with children at home to socialise with either beyond that age.

• There are fewer after-school activities. Children are not thought old enough to do anything (eg learn to swim, do any mini-sports) until they are 6. The toddler activities that do exist are incredibly tame. Edit: the notable exception is Mini-Tennis (4 and up). Mini-Tennis is great!

• The only place you will find a soft play area is at MacDonalds!

• Around us, in rural Mayenne, children don't even have birthday parties. Life is too basic.

I'm not trying to discourage you, but just warning you not to expect a thriving parent and toddler scene such as you would find in the UK.

[David J]

Hi Helene & OH,

Not sure where in France you are at present but though biased towards our area thought I'd give you a few of our items on our check list before we purchased. Prefered to be south and west region of France for weather. Wanted to be within an hour of two airports for friends family visitors plus our own trips back to UK- Bordeaux & Bergerac. To be within a hour of the coast.(Royan etc)  Wanted rural area but close to a market town as well as larger shopping centres within 30 mins drive. Wanted similar landscape as in North Yorks.  To be quiet close to major road network for longer journeys ie down to Spain etc if required and back up to Boulogne or Calais

Located in (17) near Montguyon which is a small market town. Has a summer (folk) festival in July. Good sports centre for tennis, football and badminton. Plenty of fishing places within 30 mins drive. The following have morning markets Chalais, Montendre. Coutras, Libourne which we have been to regularly.

In Chalais there are a number of English there and agent in Chalais is English who was most helpful in our purchase.

Have been here since April 2004 and still enjoying it.

Good hunting.

 

David J

 

[helene]

thanks all...

we are in the haute savoie at the moment - but the property market is crazier than england!

we are heading off to burgundy for a few months in the new year - morvan park area

when i said family focussed, i was looking for towns which have a few expat families in - not so much things to do for kids as i appreciate the difference between UK & France in this area. just looking to arrive at an area where there will be a few people in our age group to help with the transition easier

basically we are a young couple looking to settle in france but dont want to be in an area where there is nothing but retired couples :) we are looking to settle in a small town or village just want the people there :)

xx

[montagrier]

Come to the dordogne... its just like England.... My Daughter does hip hop dancing, modern dance, horse riding, cycling, circus club and theatre....

My son goes to mother and toddler group... and we go to the cinema some times where they show movies in english ( late releases ).

We all have outdoor pools cos its warm.....

And I saw a french person here the other day too!!!!!

Monti...

Please dont jump on me..it was just a bit of fun.... I love being here.

[Cassis]

 [:D]  Very good, Monty - how nice to see someone not being all defensive about where they live!  Ship us up a bit of sunshine, will you?  It's peeing down here at the minute!

[David J]

Hi Cassis,

Blue skies and sunshine here in North Yorks today. Just a pitty about the heaving traffic around York. Bumper to bumper with the Christmas panic about to start!!

Work calls so " Onwards & Upwards"!!!

It can only get better when it stops raining.

 

David J (Back in N Yorks for a while)

 

[Chris Head]

Don't come to Creuse, unless you like people who have eyes too close together and webbed fingers, mind you the scenery is alot prettier than Lincolnshire[:D]!