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Subway sanwiches


mat

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Hi,

Also if Podiatry degree does not come off, thinking of opening up a Subway sandwich franchise in the Vendee or Languadoc area..

 I  did E-mail the contact in France for the company. He was not keen on us opening a franchise in France as being from the UK.as we had never lived in France and did not speak the language.(language I can quite understand) we were going to do a course before we moved. Does anyone think Subway sandwich franchise would work in France if we only have basic French.

 My husband and I just love Fance but a we have two children and it's alot to give up if it all falls flat.

Trying to find ways in which we could earn a  living  if we did decide to take the chance. Just seems much better place to bring up kids.

Thanks again for any  advice

Janine

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You would need to target a fairly large city.  I know there is already a Subway franchise in Montpellier (just off the place de la comedie) and it seemed relatively busy when we passed.  You have to think there is high competition in France since most bakers (and there are a lot) offer decent sandwiches at reasonable prices and many French people opt for the traditional sit down lunch (well more so than the UK).  Also I am unsure how the brand is viewed in France, I know it is strong in many places worldwide, including the UK, but from my travel there is not the same abundance of Subway franchises in France.  Saying that though Subway sandwiches are great. 

Also you need to consider both cost of purchaseing the franchise which is not cheap, the high cost of employing staff in France (which is quite frightening) and also the high amount of social charges and taxes you will pay personally.

On the subject of French, I would guess the way around it would be to take a back seat so to speak and hire all the staff who are French speakers, as I cannot see many French people wanting to order for an English person in France who does not speak French.  Saying that though there are areas in France with large British communities (none really in Languedoc I don't think but could be wrong).

Hope this helps

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What work are you both doing now? It might be more sensible to try to adapt your existing skills to french conditions, rather than start something new that you know nothing about. With 2 children to  support you need something more reliable. And read up on the forum about the social contributions that will have to be paid from any money you make. Pat.
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Hi Pat thanks for your reply,

At the moment I work for the local council as a Tourist information Advisor and my husband works as an Estates Technician for the local water company. So neither of us do anything special. Just France seemed such a better way of life. Saying that we do have quite a nice life in the UK and if we sold up and moved to Fance and it all fell flat. We would have to start agin in the UK from scatch..

If it was just us not really matter that much but with twins almost six its a different ball game.

Does anyone know an ordinary family,s who have made the move amd made a go of it. As after we sold the house we would only be left with about £100,000 at the most after mortgage was paid off. to move over with? That would be to buy a house with and try to live off untill we found jobs or started own business.

grateful for any reply's

 

thanks again

 

Janine

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Why don't you do a quick job search and see if there are any English positions / limited French speaking positions for both you and your husbands skills.  This may dictate more where you can live.  It is also worth bearing in mind that unemployment is high in France, more so in the South, wages are generally quite low too (the minimum wage is not low, but many unskilled / semi skilled positions do not pay much above minimum wage).  Also if you have a stash of cash you could always try renting first, say 6 months and see how you settle in / find work, at least that way you would still have money to get back to the UK.  In most cases you will have health cover under E106 for 2 years which is a start in the benefits system.  Also beware that you have to have worked in the French system to get any other benefits at all, so when the money runs out you are left to starve!

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I would say rent for a minimum of six months first before selling up and committing yourselves as you will never recover enough money to buy back into your current UK lifestyle. France is a difficult place to work even if you are fluent or born native speaker let alone a non-french speaking foreigner and chances are that any job you apply for will be given as priority to the local applicants. I second the warning about no assistance and benefits here for penniless UK immigrants if you have not previously paid a few years charges and tax first and credit is just not available on the UK and even less without employer's back up etc. I have seen many come and go back through lack of money and no work available so be warned it is not as TV portrays it. There are Subway jobs on the local ANPE site here but even for the manager jobs you need paper qualifications and perfectly fluent french so really opening your own franchise without language skills is non-starter. Best to be warned before finding out when its too late.
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Hi Pat,

Thanks for being so honest. I think the benifit thing in france, and how they give the jobs to the French first is fair enough. Seems like finding empoyment,or job would be a nightmare even with some French. Think from all the reply's so far we will make the most of our life in the UK. Guess there are a lot worse places to live. Just we have been to the Vendee area a few times on holiday and love it.

Seems a more calmer way of life and more about who you are, rarther than what  you have got and less materialistic than the UK.

Never mind we will just have to retire there when we are old and grey (not than anything wrong wth being old and grey better than the alternative).

 

Thanks again for your help

really appriciate it

 

Janine

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Janine - I'll get shouted down for this (usually do) but - if you love that area of France do your best to make enough of your careers in England to buy a holiday home- however small - that will allow you to enjoy and explore the region. Waiting, in these circumstances, is a good idea. You may change your mind - which as someone else has said can be difficult if you have sold up in the UK, and no longer have jobs and money to get back into the property chain.

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I disagree on the EFL / TEFL thing.  Teaching work is hard to find in France, they often look for previous experience and a English degree, there is huge competition and the pay is poor.  Just google TEFL / EFL France and you will see the problems.

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[quote user="Sharkster"]I disagree agree on the EFL / TEFL thing.  Teaching work is hard to find in France, they often look for previous experience and a English degree, there is huge competition and the pay is poor.  Just google TEFL / EFL France and you will see the problems.
[/quote]

Agree 100%. My son is just about to embark on english studies at french university which will take him 8 years in total to get the qualifications needed to teach or translate in his case and he is fully bilingual already and will be 29 when he finishes.

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TEFL is hard work in the 'regions' as there's very little work around but large cities such as Toulouse are always on the look out for experienced teachers.  I would think combining a SUBWAY franchise with teaching work to supplement your income might work ... being self-employed or being an employer in France isn't easy - you really need to improve your French skills before you make the jump

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