Living in France?

[jennifersofia]

So - how do people support themselves in France if they don't go down the gite / tourist services route and haven't been transferred there by their company? We are considering moving there in a couple of years but are trying to work out the practicals. Is it really enormously difficult to get a job there (higher unemployment, jobs given to Fr. nationals first, etc)? By job I mean something other than grape harvesting, odd jobs and so on, more specifically teaching and design based employment. My husband is somewhat fluent, if you get what I mean, and I have a 'working knowledge' of French. Do you have to have really top level french to get a 'proper' job? I realize that I am asking generalized questions, but if anyone has any tips it would be helpful. Also any useful books/ websites?
Also, I have heard that the schooling is very regimental and there isn't much emphasis on the arts. Anyone else experienced this?

What about doing something around tourism.... job going to French national.... well being a foreigner in the UK, I'd say it's the same here
Where would you move to?
You could organise tourist tours for British and American tourists.
Also if you move to an area full of Brits you might have a ready-made clientele for something less touristy.

jennifersofia, I was lucky when I moved over to France in that my then bf had a jolly good job and helped ease the way financially for me when we split up. I had rented out my flat in Edinburgh so had a small half income and at that time I had no children. Bf had been sent on an intensive language course with his job so through him I met some teachers who assured me that the language schools were always looking for teachers and some preferred unqualified people because they had different pedagogical terms than the usual TEFL. ( I did do the TEFL in London 3 or 4 years later and hated every second of it but that's another story). There are well known schools like Berlitz which have a standard way of teaching but I struck lucky and taught at a school where we used games and play to teach.. anyway, as I said before if I could do it so can you.After I had my first DD I gave private lessons and I got into that by accident. I talked to someone at the swimming pool and she said she was looking for lessons, then I used word of mouth and said I did really nice conversation lessons with women of a high level and I would make them tea and cakes which went down a treat. People were clamouring for my lessons (or was it the cakes?)One of my friends had done some voice work doing telephone answermachines with a voice company and suggested I give that a go, so I phoned them up and became their principal voice . The work fitted in very well for a mother as it would take up half an hour and I'd earn up to fifty euros wich wasn't bad. I looked in the yellow pages and contacted other voice co.'s and did castings and got odd jobs through them..I have never had to support myself totally though financially , so what I'm saying is it was not life or death for me financially. We have found the schools to be excellent. DD went to the state school just down the road and at six did singing, massage and relaxation, arts, circus studies, ice skating and swimming and all part of the normal school day. They are more regimented I would say, they learn French grammar for example whereas when I first went there I hardly knew what a verb was. But I think they come out with a higher standard of education than we have in Britain. The maternelles are generally lovely with loads of arty things and rests in the afternoon. Also the school lunches start with salad and always include fresh fruit and a yoghurt and a cheese course! So civilized. The days are long, from about 8.30 to 4.30 but where we were they had wednesdays off so they and you could recover during the week. I didn't spaek much French before I went there but went to Alliance Francaise and met loads of people and even though it's not the best sort of teaching will put you on the right path. My P was a train driver in Britain and was so driven by France he studied in French for his degree in economics and now has a job with the EC in Brussels. So a career change can be done, lots of bloody hard work and no money for 6 years, but we've got through. I'm sorry I can't help more - I can only recount how we came to be here. Like the rest of my life a bit of an accident. There are so many good things about living in France - the excellent health care the family allowance, the creches and garderies, the public transport, the cleanliness of the streets( they even have specially equipped motorbikes whic suck up dog shit), the rubbish collections are every day, the food and markets ( we lived in Lyon which is the gastronomic centre of France) near the Alps for skiing and near the Med for swimming. ) The women are generally very clothes and body concious and are often very slim and only breastfeed their babies for 3 months and then go back to work and they think you're a bit odd if you don't follow this pattern. But I'm sure you can handle it. Generally the Lyonnais people did not invite you back to their homes and had a reputation for being 'bourgois' and reserved, but we met lots of delightfuls.I can't think what else to say. I'm sure you're saying ok ok that's enough...

I'm so glad this thread has started!

My DH and I have been considering emigrating for about a year now. I have been off work with depression for over a year and DH is heading the same way: working in a fast moving stressful environment, feeling guilty if you don't work 60/70 hours a week, DS obsessed with things and money, etc.

Although we have soooo much to be thankful for we would like to start enjoying our lives and having fun - we've forgotten what that is! Living in a sunnier, more family based culture definitely appeals BUT DS will be 11 in June so we are concerned at how he will adjust school-wise. He is a very sociable child and good at languages so he should adapt easily. We would, of course, improve our French/Spainish before moving. DD is just 2 so is adaptable.

Any advice anyone?

we went down this route last year, to the extent of putting our house on the market and looking at and putting offers on french houses. Would be there now if hadnt had 2 offers fall through sequentially (offers on french houses- both vendors messing about). Stopped at that point because was getting too near september for school etc but also because I had really changed my mind by then, which I realised when I was releived about the 2nd offer falling through. Basically too worried about children having to go to school and not speaking the language, esp my 9yr old, also house hunting in winter revealed south of france to be pretty dead in winter- not so much for adults but nothing for children, all attractions shut, no indoor play etc. so bought holiday house instead- now thinking of spain and an international school -but thats another story!

mmm - thanks so much, it was really helpful just to hear another person's experience. It gives me hope! I have heard about the Lyonnaise reputation for being bourgeois and reserved, are there areas of France you think are more friendly? What is a garderie? Also, if you don't mind my asking, which teaching course did you do? I am finishing my Eng. Lit. degree and dithering about doing either a PGCE or a TEFL type, depending on which would be more practical. I know that you hated the TEFL, but do you feel it was worthwhile?
Pupuce - not sure exactly where we would move, mid-south, possibly Lyon area - somewhere where there would be employment possibilities. I don't really know about Fr. hiring Fr nationials first, just conjecture. I have to say, that hasn't really been my experience with the UK, but I am sure that it depends on your job sector as well.

I haven't lived in other regions so I don't know. Lyon is a lovely city - the old Roman capital and built on 2 rivers.We lived at the top of the hill next to the ampitheatre. The renaiscence(?) old town is the largest in Europe I think and is all biscuit/beige and pink. It's close to the Beaujolais which is charming with golden stone villages ( god, I sound as though I work for the tourist board)and our appartment block had a communal garden and was perfect for meeting people and getting a social life and for the children too). .My TEFL was the sort that you see advertised in the Guardian for 3 weeks. As I was an experienced teacher anyway, it wasn't any help at all as it is the most rigid and artificial way of teaching I've ever seen.Perhaps it was good to have a certificate as I'm miserably undereducated,but as a way of teaching it is totally 'nul'.Maybe for people who needed some teaching confidence it would be good. You would have more scope if you did a PGCE as then you'd be well qualified for teaching at an international school for example.The halte garderie is a wonderful invention which Britain would do well to imitate. It's a combination creche and nursey where for the parents who are not working have the right to place their child for up to 5 half days a week so you can do what you need/want. I used to think it was just for if you had a doctor's appointment but no! you can pursue your own desires and you pay by your means . I would move to France solely for the childcare . There is a place at a creche or garderie for every child in France. What a marvel!( they have trained staff with often a paediatrician and child physchologist on hand and do all sorts of creative games and have outings.You can send your child to school if you choose the second they are out of nappies!Do give it a try. I do realise it's much much easier for childless people but what a gift you'd be giving your children if they became bilingual from the start.