Anyone out there moved to the Tarn?

Hi there


My question is in 2 parts really - first, I'm hoping to move out to the Tarn in around 5-6 months. I'm looking after a friend's property long-term, and it's distinctly in the sticks! So my question is, is there anyone on the site who has moved to this beautiful area? If so, please shout!! Any suggestions/info/anything welcome!



2nd part of the question is - how would I go about getting an internet connection there? Friends in Uk have suggested MyFi (never heard of it, not sure that's the right spelling); and an expat in Millau has suggested a satellite connection?


I'm sadly a bit of a techno-dinosaur so no idea how to go forward with this. Can anyone suggest what I do?



Thanks in anticipation and hoping to see some of you in the flesh before too much longer.


Blessings


Nicky

Mandy we live just outside Mazamet up in the mountains, been on SFR for 3 years no problems and yes no shops open Sunday very few Monday life is so peacfull, you learn to plan ahead especially in the winter when we cant get out the road is blocked by snow the plough clears the road but pushes it up against the garage door so i have a 3ft barrier to clear, this Feb returning from Carcassonne i had to leave the car and walk the last mile home

Dang - SFN is an amazing resource - if I do say so myself :)

Hi there Mandy

That's SO helpful of you, thank you so much. I really appreciate it.

Best wishes

Nicky

Hi there Heather

Thanks so much for the info. I will check out Rayssac, sounds lovely!

Will certainly shout soon!

All the best

Nicky

Hi Nicky

I'm sorry if I gave the impression I knew about French tax law as I don't know much at all, other than how it relates to our personal circumstances. As you already have a UK accountant you should speak to them about letting your house. You need to consider capital gains tax as well as income tax because the house will probably no longer be your main residence.

As for the French business then I know almost nothing about that. There are bound to be people on here who can help you with that but I would always advise you to get professional advice. If there is one thing I know about the tax system in France it's an absolute minefield for the self-employed.

I attach some useful links for you. The first is to The Connexion which is an English language newspaper in France. They have lots of information and the newspaper itself has a small ads section with loads of English speaking businesses etc. You should consider a subscription. The second is in French but gives you just about everything you need to know when it comes to French administration, from health to tax , the law, training, work and a section for foreigners. Some of it is even in English!

http://www.connexionfrance.com/

http://www.service-public.fr/

Hope this helps.

Best regards

Mandy

Hi Nicola,

What a fab experience you are going to have ! We have been back & forth to the Tarn for the past 10 years. You are doing the right thing contacting as many people as possible & getting your feelers out. Comms is so important & not being lonely. I live in a little village called Rayssac about 600m up, beautiful countryside Nicola as you are surely aware. We love it here but having internet access is so important. Mobile as well is a good idea, free.fr for example is only 2 euros a month for 2 hours calls a month. Anyhow, good luck for the reccie.

Give me a shout if I can be of further help.

Heather

Ah thanks for that Mandy. The comment about tax was after advice from my friend, who suggested I had a choice to register for tax either in the UK or France? obviously wrong on that score! Yes I do intend to let out my house, to my daughter, but the income would bring me in under UK tax minimum incomes?

If you know about French tax law then it sounds as though we could use a conversation? I'd be very grateful. To be honest this is all very nebulous at the moment - the house I intend to go to belongs to a friend, it's not mine, but she's resident in the UK and although she wants to keep it in the family, she has no immediate plans to return there. I have 6 months to decide how to proceed, my ideas include B and B (the area seems popular with cyclists?), interior decorating and soft furnishing (which I've done in the UK). Also, in the longer term, this friend has an interest in turning the place into a healing sanctuary (she currently runs one, and a B&B, in the UK). I'd be happy to manage that, we are still at very early stages in our discussions. I understand the property is basically habitable but in need of quite a lot of work.

From my research, I understand that it would probably make more sense to register as an auto-entrepreneur for tax purposes, than to register a business? I may be wrong but have heard from other friends living near Poitiers, that small businesses tend to be hammered by having to pay upfront an estimation of their first year's tax liability? This would totally clean me out as I shall be operating on a shoestring initially!

Anyway, I may have my facts totally wrong? it certainly sounds as though I've misunderstood the other stuff about residency.

Thanks so much for all your helpful advice and information, it would be lovely to look you up some time once I'm over, and if you don't mind I may pick your brains again?

Best wishes

Nicky

WOW! glad I'm not going to Albi, that could be a bit much!!

Will def look you guys up when I come over, thanks so much for the info and welcome, much appreciated.

All the best

Nicky

Hi there Mark

Thanks so much for replying! Interesting you describe it as the Cotswolds with the thermostat turned up as I currently live in same Cotswolds! so should be home from home with more sun which sounds like my idea of heaven :-)

The house I'm going to be in is right in the sticks, so will be interesting to see if that option will be available to me, as sounds good? I'm out for my first reccie next month so will check this out. I have a horror of arriving there and becoming incommunicado!

Thanks again for your suggestions and helpful comments.

Best wishes

Nicky

Hi there Keith

Thanks for replying, and for your suggestion. OK will check it out.

Wow I see you've built your own house? I'm seriously impressed, that's a long-held ambition of mine and I deeply admire anyone who's actually done it!

Best wishes

Nicky

Hi there Carol

Thanks so much for your reply - wow, I'd never have thought of that! OK will check for church spires, I think the nearest one is at least a mile away?

It does sound wonderful, can't wait to get out there!

Will send a friend request, thanks again for replying.

Best wishes

Nicky

Sorry Carolyn just realized I didn't answer your question - it's a tiny hamlet called La Garouffie? Not been out there yet, am due to go out for a reccie next month. In the middle of the forest from the look of things!

Best wishes

Nicky

Hi there Carolyn and thanks so much for replying. Wow you've been there 12 years, you must like it! It sounds amazing, I can't wait to get out there!

Thanks for the internet info, so SFR sounds good? OK will check it out.

I hope you don't mind me sending a friend request? and thanks again!

All the best

Nicky

Hello Nicky

I live in the south of the Tarn in a tiny village near the town of Mazamet. This is probably about 2 hours drive from where you will be unfortunately. Living in such a small community you will find that local shops will probably only be open for a few hours in the morning and then for another few hours from 4pm. Even in bigger towns only the supermarkets are open all day. Oh, and of course there is no shopping at all on Sundays!!

You sound like you are reasonably well prepared for life in France and I would suggest you do as much research as possible before you leave the UK. It's great that you speak French, I have found that the locals really appreciate it if you try to communicate in their language.

With regard to tax then that is something I know a little bit about. I was a tax accountant in my previous life!! Sadly, you won't be able to chose where you are registered for tax it will depend on where you are "resident" for tax purposes. Generally, if you are going to be living in France for more than 6 months then you will be considered resident here. Obviously, it's not as simple as that and you need to check with your accountant before you move. There may be a little tax planning to do especially if you intend to keep your house in the UK and plan to let it out for example. It will be a lot easier to sort it out before you go than attempt to untangle a mess after a few years!!!

I'm not retired but I don't work as I need to be at home to care for my husband who is now disabled unfortunately.

Keep in touch and best of luck.

Mandy

We have lived here in the Tarn for a while, and we love it. I vaguely remember it being described as the Cotswolds with the thermostat turned up.

We live right out in the sticks but for some reason we get fibre-optic broadband from the local electricity supplier, (SERC in Carmaux). Not fast, but not expensive and so far more reliable than the electricity supply.

Hi Nicky we live in the Tarn and have done for the past 12 years, it is a fantastic place to live, we have SFR, which originally was Club Internet, then Neur and now SFR and are completly happy with it.

You are not far from us and I think Andrew covered most of what I would have said, of course other than having to work 6.5 day!! must pop in Andrew and say hello!!

Carolyn

Carolyn

Hi Nicky

I live near Castres and am happy to give you advise about a variety of things. However I am not up on the technology angle in terms of WiFi. I maybe able to help you on other questions though.

:o)

Sheda Savage

Hi Nicola,

Carmaux is your nearest town, market every Friday morning and most small town shops, including my tabac. Jouqueviel is in the middle of nowhere but wonderful scenery, we live (in the process of moving there) in Mirandol Bourgnounac but as the tabac is open 6.5 days a week we're hardly ever at home! As for the summer heat - it's not so bad where you'll be as it's higher up and there's the Viaur valley not far away where it's always cooler. Once you get down to Albi it gets very hot and breaks records - 41° registered in 2009 :-O

à +

Hi there Andrew

Wow thanks for your reply! The actual address of where I'm hoping to go is 81190 Jouqueviel?

I think Albi is around 40 mins from the house according to my friend, will check map again as I keep getting lost...

Internet sounds promising, I hear what you say about landlines, hope there is one!

And yes my impression was winters were a lot colder, have been dashing around buying warm sweaters and thick undies! But it does sound wonderful? and look it, from the images i've seen?

My son lives in Monaco so he has the sea breeze there, as you say it cools it down a lot, so we're always surprised when we go inland to Provence and it's roasting. If it's hotter in the Tarn than there, I should look like a raisin pretty soon!

Anyway thanks so much for your info and it would be brilliant to meet up when I come over? I'll check where Carmaux is....

With very best wishes and many thanks

Nicky