Your experiences please!

[tj]

Hi

We are planning to move at the end of April. We are currently considering areas between Les Sables D'olonne and Bordeaux.

Initially, and for purely financial considerations, we are looking to rent a house a little in from the coast and probably in a village rather than a town.

I wanted to ask, how do children get to school ? I mean is there generally a school bus? or good public bus service etc, since my daughter will be the only one affected by this,we need to consider it as an important deciding factor when choosing a place to live.

Also, is it easy to place a child in a school? my daughter is 15yrs, little french language but learning. 

I would be grateful for answers to the school issues and also any other helpful info with regard to a move to Western france, do's dont's, any places to avoid etc etc.

regards

 

 

 

 

[Causette]

You could try getting in touch with Angie, who is the Charente Maritime Granny, and who is extremely helpful. You can find her via www.grannynetwork.info , or via her e-mail on cmaritimegranny@aol.com  .

Good luck with your move!

JudyM 

 

[Biereventre]

Hi

You can read about our experiences on the 'Tomlin's in France' bit of our website.

http://www.unique-crafts-from-france.com/

We've 2 boys aged 10 and 8 and they've done very well. We know a few famillies who've come over with older children some have done okay some have struggled.

Our boys go to school on a free school bus that picks them up at our gate. However, when they go up they'll have to meet the school bus at 7am in Journet, about 5 mins drive away. They'll be dropped off there at 5.30pm. I'm told that's free also.

Good Luck

Paul

[Macker]

I would suggest you think carefully before moving to the countryside or a very small hamlet as your daughter will be going to college in a larger town and the school buses will pick up only from satellite villages. From there there will often be a long wait and then another local school bus service that serves all the small hamlets and houses scattered around the countryside. This can mean a VERY long day for the kids, leaving before 7am and not getting back until well gone 7pm. The rural idyll can have drawbacks for teenage kids so it might be worth considering moving somewhere within easy striking distance of a school.