Hello. I live in 86, Vienne, and with no valuable property or steady income. I've been here since 2006. My own preference would be to move further North, as the distance and cost of going back to the UK is increasing whilst my income stays too low for comfort. From here it's a 16 hour journey to the Midlands by car and the train is beyond my salary.
Rents are cheap in France and houses that need renovating can still be within reach of even those on a minimum wage. Rural areas are cheapest, but without transport, you would be isolated and find very little employment prospects. A moped is great (I use an electric bike) but the winters are VERY harsh....lots of ice on the roads. Bus services are patchy and quite expensive in rural areas and quite reasonable in cities.
My own priority would be to go near a railway station, because I can take a bike with me and the railways are very good, or to try and find work & employment in a larger town or city.
If being green is on your list of wants and needs, the world health organisation recently produced a report saying that the greenest cities worldwide, are those with less than a million inhabitants, plus they are easier to live in and more healthy for people.
I'm looking at going to university in Rennes, Britanny. Good luck x
Hi Rosie, what websites do you suggest to look for people who need carers / guardians please?
Hi Lynette,
I came out (for the 2nd time) in 2010 with my cat. I already spoke fluent French and I had French friends in the area that I was going to.
Some questions you need to consider...
Do you know any areas of France at all?
Do you speak French or any other languages?
Do you have a preference for the town or the country?
Do you know anyone in France already?
Are you looking to rent or buy?
Are you looking for permanent, seasonal, part time or full-time work?
If you needed to work straight away, then the time of year that you come over will also influence your choice. For example as part of a kitchen team or cleaner, you could get work fairly easy in almost any ski resort for the winter season. You may even get a job with lodgings that will be deducted from your wages, which is a good short term solution for people just arriving in the country. Once the winter season is finished (nov/dec - march/april depending on the snowfall), you could then integrate a summer season either on the coast or in a touristic area.
If you have no defined idea of where you want to settle then this is also a good way of getting a feel for different areas. I have done seasonal work for the last four years so can give you plenty of tips in that area.
You should also check out http://www.survivefrance.com/page/useful-links which is a good base of information and of course everyone on SFN is really helpful too :)
Don't hesitate to get in touch if you need more help!
Namaste
Suggest you look in "The Lady" as well as check the websites for people who need guardians/cleaners etc and who will offer accommodation, perhaps with a little money or food, in exchange.
Also try
helpx
and wwoof
That will get you as far as France itself, from where you can start to network out to find where it is you would like to live, plus hear about the benefits, and the pitfalls to avoid!
Do a list of ideals for your dream location (weather, activities, proximity to town/airport/beach/mountains/etc)
Get wised up on health, taxation, buying or renting a house NOW before you go any further.
Is your French good - if not, work on it now too!
Consider if you will need or want to be near people who speak English - in the first couple of years I got Frenched-out most evenings.
Get back to me if you want any more help or info - we've been here 12 years now and, like many others, know a thing or two - and a site like this (there are others) is a very good way to start.
Good Luck!
Ooooh - big question: everyone will tell you their area is best. My advice would be to avoid larger cities, where rents are higher and the countryside where you may feel isolated and have access difficulties. A medium sized town would give you employment opportunities, local government services [e.g. employment office, sub-prefecture] and probably some ex-pat associations if you want them. Examples: Gaillac or Castres [Tarn]; St Jean d'Angely [Charente]; Auch [Gers]; Beziers [Hérault]; Aurillac [if you don't mind cold winters!]; Montmorillon [Allier]; Pleumel [Britanny].