Moving to Paris at the weekend, with 18mo - any advice?

[usedtoreadbooks]

Actually moving to just south of Paris, in Antony, from 3 bed house to 1 bed flat (this is a temporary move, for about 8 months or so, til we find a Paris flat we like near an appropriate school). DD will have the bedroom and we will sleep in the living room. She is leaving her CM and I am becoming SAHM. We are moving so that we can see DH every day rather than just at weekends.

Any ideas as to a/how to stay sane during the move, b/ how to help DD stay happy, and c/ what nice things we can do together when we get there?

TIA for all advice. I might not be checking in regularly as we are about to pack up the computer but I will be hoping for some mumsnet wisdom while I'm lugging suitcases in and out of storage!

Don't know Antony, but here goes...

If you don't work, you can probably get DD registered at the halte garderie for a couple of half-days per week: check out your mairie for details.

If you want to find toddler groups, you could consider joining Message
www.messageparis.org which is an organisation for English-speaking parents in Paris.

There's loads of stuff in central Paris for little ones. Take DD to play in the Jardin du Luxembourg. Go to the poussette cafe When she was that age my DD used to love wandering around all the big department stores like Printemps and Galeries Lafayette.

Erm...probably there's loads of other stuff but I need to go and cook dinner. Will come back if I think of more!

Thanks! I'd looked at Message Paris a while back but had forgotten about it - sounds like a lifesaver. Am very hopeful about an halte garderie as I really want DD to start getting used to French soon, because from what I understand about the school system she'll be joining in 18 months? I expect Message Paris can advise on all of that though. Thanks again!

I live in the south of France rather than Paris, but was also going to suggest a halte garderie. At 18 months she'll be starting to enjoy craft activities etc, and it's a good lead-in to school at 3 as the carer-child ratios are much smaller. Apart from the language, I think it can be a big shock for a 3-year-old who's been at home or with a CM all the time to suddenly be in a class of 30 with two adults.

There are also places I've found both in the countryside where we first lived and now here in Montpellier where they have play equipment and stuff and you take your child along and play with them (usually for free or a small donation). Can (or not) be a good way of meeting people - I found the one here a bit anonymous and only went a couple of times, but met a very good friend through it. They have different names in each place, but check out the "mairie" website or call in and ask - also look in neighbouring areas. Oh and the halte garderie may have info about that kind of thing too.

Our library also runs "bebes lecteurs" with stories and rhymes for little ones, and some swimming pools have "bebes nageurs" sessions.

Good luck!!

The places where you can take your child along and play are often called Maison Verte. If you google it you might find one in your area.
Yes, your DD will start school at 3 (but maternelle is pretty easy going. My little one spoke hardly any French when she started and she loves school, although Weta is right about the ratios of child to teacher).