Cost of creche in France (Rouen)

[Houseontherock]

We're in the very early stages of planning a potential move to Rouen. One of the big deciding points is cost of childcare. We'd be moving from next academic year (so August) and have a three year old and 18mth old.

Would the three year old get a place at maternelle? Is that free? How much would nursery/creche cost for the 18mth old? I probably wouldn't be working so don't need wrap around care but I also would like to be able to send them both to nursery.

Can anyone give me a ball park figure?
And if there's anything important with regards to childcare etc. that we'd need to think about please mention it :)

Your three year old will be guaranteed a place in your catchment maternelle for September 2018, in either petite or moyenne section depending on birth year (a 2015 birthday = petite section for the 2018/19 school year, a 2014 birthday = moyenne section). Obviously that does not cover holidays, but most towns provide subsidised holiday activity centres for a modest sum.

For under 3s, a municipal crèche will be very cheap by UK standards - the problem will be getting a place. You may need to find a child minder while you are waiting for a place to come up.

And a state maternelle will be free except for meals for which you will pay about 4-5€ a day (there is always the option for kids to go home for lunch though). You can also opt for a private school (actually semi-private, usually Catholic) - these cost between about 40€ and 80€ a month in fees; some have a sliding scale depending on family income. You don't have to be Catholic.

Mostly you have a child minder for the younger one and the older one would go into PS (petit section) in Maternelle.

Child minder can be hard to find but a good one is so brilliant. Costs are mind blowingly low for anyone from the uk. And tax deductible. Mine are now 12&13 so I've no idea of current costs but go on the Pajemploi site and look it up.

Thank you all for your help! Excellent to know that the big one would be guaranteed a place and that CM/crèche isn’t that expensive either.

The problem with child minders and crèches will be availability not cost, especially if you are going to be living in a city.

As a rule of thumb, we pay our childminder 3 euros 70 an hour. Full time it works out at about 750 euros a month. That's near Paris. A municipal creche would be on a sliding scale depending on parental income - we were near the top of the scale with DS and paid about 600 euros a month, but that depends on local policy. Cheap as chips compared to the UK and all tax deductible.