Moving to Grenoble - no idea where to start!

[DuPainDuVinDuFromage]

We’re going to be moving to Grenoble within the next few months for DH’s work and need to find a school for the kids and the right place to live...it’s the biggest step into the unknown I have ever taken! DH is French so at least there is a connection, but I’m still feeling completely overwhelmed by it all.

Does anyone know Grenoble and have suggestions for primary schools and good locations? Or indeed any input on what I need to know for moving to France or an international move generally?

Side issue but you need to be aware of the Brexit provisions I read about earlier last week. British nationals married to an EU citizen who return to the UK from 2022 have to apply for a visa! I thought it must be a mistake when I read in the paper and can only hope there is more to it

Almost sounds like denying your British citizenship

@Sunflowergirl1
Do you have a link for this? I live in the EU and I haven't heard about this

sunflower that’s shocking! As you say, it sounds like a backdoor removal of citizenship! I’ll see what I can find about it. I already have the worry of DH not being a British citizen - he’s got settled status but that’s not enough if we move abroad.

@DuPainDuVinDuFromage, my DH is from there. There are some nice areas and villages close by, but traffic can be terrible. I suggest working back from where he will be working and how he is planning to get to work (bicycle, tram, train, car etc) and finding an area that way. Also it can get very hot in the summer in the valley (and polluted, which could be an issue if anyone has asthma), so you might want to look at one of the villages at a slightly higher elevation for those reasons. Do you want to send your kids to an international school or the local primary school? Do you want a house (with a swimming pool), or an apartment?

Do you have a French passport and have you organised all the paperwork before you go (livret de famille etc)?

Hopefully someone in Grenoble will pop along to help but if not, LMK work location and I can suggest some areas to look into

No advice but lucky you living near all the skiing! I’m jealous.

www.gov.uk/guidance/returning-to-the-uk

British nationals married to an EU citizen who return to the UK from 2022 have to apply for a visa

Misinformation.
This is not what the guidance says.

I can't see where it says a UK national would need a Visa?

Hi user - thanks for your comments and the link. From looking at that, I think it will be only DH who will need a visa to return to the UK (after March 2022) - still rubbish though I wish I had pushed him harder to get British citizenship...

We have a livret de famille and my French passport application is awaiting approval. I think I’ll still need a resident’s card and a visa while I’m waiting for it.

I am quite concerned about the pollution and traffic - DH will be working on the north-east side of the city so I had initially thought we would live somewhere on that side, but I think the international schools are all central/west? I don’t know a huge amount about the French school system but my understanding is that, if you’re not at an international school, you just go to the local one. So I assume people try to live in “nice” neighbourhoods on the basis that the school experience will be better??

Oh and we would definitely want a house with some form of garden, rather than an apartment - although it looks as if house prices are really high in Grenoble so I’m not sure what we will manage!

wrt traffic would the mountains around be an option?
la mure?
(we were only on holiday near la mure, no idea about the commute down to grenoble)

I won't be much help with schools (hopefully someone else can) but I think there will be school buses, especially to private schools (transports scolaires).

Did you mean Meylan or further out, like Crolles?

You probably already know this but you can find the pollution info here: www.atmo-auvergnerhonealpes.fr/monair/commune/38185

House prices are high compared to wages, I guess you will rent rather than buy? You could have a look at SeLoger.com for indicative prices. Depending on where you are, some properties can be in the shade for a big part of the day (especially in winter). DD and I are allergic to mosquito bites so also find that a bit of an issue (since they have plenty of moustiques tigres where my PIL are) so would also take that into account when choosing a place myself...

It is a beautiful place to live, especially if you enjoy hiking and other outdoor activities

redcandle I’ve had a look on google maps and it looks like La Mure would be too far out - it’s about an hour’s drive from DH’s work. But maybe a small town like that closer to the city...

user I’ve read that Meylan in the nicest (and therefore most expensive!) area; I think Crolles would work well but I couldn’t find much about schools in that area, and the international schools seem a bit far away (given the traffic we would have to deal with getting across the centre of the city). By private schools did you mean the international schools? DH is adamant that only religious nuts go to private school in France, other than international schools, but I have no idea how realistic that is!

I don’t know whether we would buy straightaway or rent to start with - need to do some research on what would be best. And we definitely need to avoid mosquitoes if possible - half the family are magnets for mosquitoes!

Yes I meant international schools - might also be easier to do an in year transfer than for a state school (depending on the area)?

I believe around there (corenc etc) is very expensive. I think the other side eg saint Martin d'hères is cheaper.

Will you also be working at some stage? In which case you might want to rent in order to buy something after you have found work, rather than spending an hour on the rocade in peak hour if you end up working at the other end of town... (But a pain to move more than once). There is a train line through the valley there but it doesn't connect to all of the town.

The villages a bit higher up in the mountains are very pretty but I don't know what it is like to live/commute from there. Sorry that is not more specific!

@DuPainDuVinDuFromage

Link as requested. I don't think The Times is usually misinforming
_
www.thetimes.co.uk/article/what-does-brexit-mean-for-holidays-and-healthcare-bqq0vjp0k_

Thanks sunflower - I'm not registered with the Times so can't read the full article (I don't want to sign up for it and end up paying!) - any chance you could cut and paste the relevant bit? I'll look at the government guidance when it's updated anyway.

user I had a feeling that would be the most expensive area! It sounds like living in a less des res, and sending the kids to an international school, might be more realistic than hoping for an affordable house in a nice area with great local schools...

I am exploring whether it will be possible to continue doing my current job remotely - early days at the moment as I've only told the boss today, but fingers crossed I'll be able to do that (and deal with all the tax etc. issues...). Otherwise, yes I would be looking for a job over there, although I have no idea what!

This link should work. Il try and post screenshots but it seems to be playing up

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/what-does-brexit-mean-for-holidays-and-healthcare-bqq0vjp0k?shareToken=b52cf42a7d7919d957a1548aefbe0f84

Screen shots

They would need a Visa for their partner not themselves.

All the very best with it - hopefully once you are there you find something you like easily. perhaps an Airbnb for a bit while you visit various areas and find something (and if you are both working presumably it will be easier to get a mortgage etc.). Our friends have lived in the centre or eg seyssinet-pariset, froges, saint Martin d'hères, champagnier...

We are planning to move to Lyon ourselves (from UK) once pandemic settles down so empathise about all the work and organisational issues! Good luck!

Thanks sunflower - having read that several times I think it is talking about non-British spouses needing visas, but it’s really unclear!

user thank you! Yes it probably is better to look once we are over there, for all that I would love to be able to move into our own home straightaway!

Good luck with your move too - you’ll be just down the road!

If you are planning to stay, could you not put tourne dc into the privée? Mine did public primary, in a really nice but very expensive area, and then private college/ lycée. Ostensibly Catholic but religion has played zero part in their schooling, apart from a nice ethos. It freed us up to look outside the expat bubble and we found our dream house close to their school.
Apologies, not Grenoble but not far away either.