Where would you recommend?

[Jo Smith]

We are hoping to move to France in the near future with our children aged, 14, 11, 9 and 7 and our primary concerns are employment and education. 

My husband is a skilled mechanical engineer (CNC) and has previously worked in F1 and the aerospace industries, but I can't find any mention of this type of job on any of the websites I have visited.  Can anyone give us some much needed advice.

Our two oldest children are not keen on the idea of moving and starting over.  I've heard the older the kids are, the harder it is for them to settle in and learn the language, is this true?  

I've also had conflicting info with regard to the cost of living, is it more expensive than England?  If so would we be better to stay and struggle where we know?

Are we dreaming an unrealistic dream?

Any info would be great.

Thanks Jo 

[Cjb]

If your husband were to take the appropriate exams I'm sure there'd be plenty of opportunities working on the boats on the Côte D'Azur (especially Antibes), perhaps as a boat engineer. It's the 2nd most expensive part of France, but it is possible to earn a good salary and if you live a little way back from the coast, housing is affordable. As for education, there are a number of international and bilingual schools in the area, although they're not cheap. 14 may well be leaving it a little late to transfer to the french system, but it should be O.K for the other two, however, there are others on the forum who are in a much better position to advise you on this than I am.

Good luck,

Chris

Oh yeh, there's also the F1 at Monaco! Many of the drivers are actually based there for tax reasons.

[Hegs]

Surely with aerospace experience you should be looking at Airbus in Toulouse? Also the language would not be so much of a barrier there.

[Val_2]

Sounds like you would need to be close to a very large city like Toulouse where your husband MAY find work inhis field,otherwise forget the sticks if he does not speak or write french as unemplyment is rising here and the wages are very low. The cost of french living has risen a great deal over the past five years and in 15 years I have noticed how it has crept up and up when the things we buy all the time just get dearer and dearer. Mutuelle costs have gone up a lot too and not from claims and insurance in general along with the cost of housing and social charges.

[Maddie]

[quote]Sounds like you would need to be close to a very large city like Toulouse where your husband MAY find work inhis field,otherwise forget the sticks if he does not speak or write french as unemplyment i...[/quote]

My first thought was Airbus in Toulouse and there is a big international school there too.  The only downfall is that Airbus and the infux of British and foreign employees tends to keep property prices up unless you venture a bit further away from the city.

I don't think it's cheaper living here, but all the other factors - food, wine, space, less traffic and climate - make it worth living in France marginally more than living in the UK.  That is assuming you can cope with the endless miles of red tape!

[Dordogne Granny]

Dear Jo,
in France, the jobs for the executive people are managed by the "APEC" (Association pour l'Emploi des Cadres).
Here is their website : http://www.apec.fr/cadres/offres/jsp/CadresFinderOffre.jsp
You can make a free search with kind of employments who are looking for, the region, etc, etc...

Hope it will be helpfull!
Regards

Sabine
www.en-toutes-saisons.com