relocating to Ile de France

[Cec]

Hi everyone,

Im a French journalist writing on English people relocating to France. Im trying to understand what seems to me a new trend and to do this, I need to get in contact with the most people I can so as I dont write wrong things. Ive already been in contact with British newly established near Carcassonne (aude), Le Grand Bourg (Limousin) and some about to move in Brittany and Charente.
Id be very interested to discuss with whoever would like about their experience, why and how theyve decided to do make the big step, why this region etc.
My photographer and I are also planning to report in England and see people there, explaining and showing why theyve decided to move.
Id really appreciate if you took a couple of minutes to discuss with me.
Thank you
Ccile

[Richardbk]

your'll find that most people that move to Ile de France do so for a completely different reason that the rest of France. it is usually for professional reasons. - jobs, relocated by company , secondments to European office etc etc. I have the feeling that the majority (but not all) of people moving to other regions of France do so in order to live a more simple rural life.

regs

Richard

[Jlo]

We have relocated to the Gers,but are now relocating to Paris.However,the most impossible thing to do in Paris is to get a house to rent if you are English and do not have 30 years of French tax returns!We have offered to pay agents a years rent in advance,but still can't convince them of our worthiness.Perhaps unless you are posted to Paris from another country it is impossible to rent there and therefore no one moves there!

[Crevette]

Hi Richardbk,

I aggree fully with yopur comments - most British people I have met in IDF have moved due to work (like me).

JLO,

I understand very well how hard it is to get a place in Paris without. My advice is ;

i) Make an "applicants file". Basically put together a file which may seem totally OTT, but will really show you are serious. This would include ;

  Passport photocopies

  Bank Details

  Salary Pay-slips

(for both you and your partner).

  Contact numbers

make it look really professional, and only hand it out if your want the apartment. Obviosuly it is confidential stuff so be careful with it.

ii) Don't just stick with agencies - try some private landlords (use "pap" or look at FUSAC ads.). We had quite a few landlords who wanted us to move into thier flats (not via agencies) because if you seem honest and reliable and motivated it makes a difference. Also, perhaps I am wrong in this, but if you are not french then you are less likely to take advantage of a few of the french loopholes (I think a major worry for landlords is that you will not pay - basically there is not a lot a french landlord can do in this case as it takes years to evict tenants. ). Also, unlike the UK, in France if things go wrong then it is your responsibility to fix them (with provate landlords AND agencies) so there are not too many differences between the two (and you avoid the charges).

Good luck!

-Rob-

[Braunstonian]

[quote]your'll find that most people that move to Ile de France do so for a completely different reason that the rest of France. it is usually for professional reasons. - jobs, relocated by company , second...[/quote]

I moved here because my gf is French and now live in semi rural Essonne. I think most that want to move or retire here for a "better life" tend to settle down in SW France (from the Dordogne across to the Hérault) or to Normandie.

Personally I didn't choose the region where I live now, I just wanted to be with my GF - so that can pose problems : friends, transport, work etc...

We are in the Paris region, and only just in the suburbs - yet we have the campagne all around.