Need guidance on possible life in Paris - please help!

[wilbur]

Dh has a second interview for a job in Paris this Thursday. When he was first approached about it, we thought, yay, Paris, how great! But now I am panicking. The job is good, a step up from where he is now but I think he has, as usual, asked for a too low salary esp given that there are relocation costs to consider (the company will help with finding an apartment and contribute towards first four months rent but then that's it, the rest would be down to us).

I know nothing about Paris and need basic guidance on what it's like to live there and can we afford it on what dh would be earning. So if anyone has time to answer any of the following, I would be hugely grateful:

1. Taxes - approx how much of one's pay goes in taxes, is it broadly similar to the UK, or very different.

1. Any idea of rental cost of a three bed apartment somewhere decent? I can only find short-term holiday lets on the internet. And are apartments let furnished or unfurnished?

1. Schools - I have looked at previous MN threads about Paris schools but don't really know what would be best. And the cost of the International School seems astronomical! One of the advantages of a few years in France would be for the children to become fluent - is this possible while still allowing them to slot back into UK system when we return? Our kids are 10, 7 and 5.

Any other thoughts or points about what it is like, day to day, to live in Paris much appreciated. Thanks!

Interview went ok, he thinks - it was a long day speaking French! There are one or two other people up for the job, so we will see. Hopefully we will hear something, either way, later this week. Will keep you posted.

Hello Paris MNers. Ah well, as it turns out, just as I'd got genuinely excited by the propect, dh didn't get the job. Still, it's been a really interesting process, thinking about moving abroad and what it would take to leave London. We are going to be making some changes to life chez wilbur, try to simplify things, so that if a similar opportunity arises again, we will be ready.

Thank you all so much for your help - I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on life in Paris and France in general.