Hi
We (me, hubby and boys 7 and 10) and thinking of moving to France, but my head is spinning with all the should we shouldn't we's, so I thought i would ask for you honest opinions on out thoughts so far.........
Right firstly, (don't know which is the bigger of the two) ok we don't speak french! We wouldn't be moving for at least 18 months, which would give us a chance to take lesson and get some basic french under our belts. Our initial plan would to be to move to Dordogne area where english is more widely spoken, although i don't want to move to 'little england' as I DO want us to learn French and the french culture etc, I don't just want to be english in a warmer country, but Riberac etc maybe, to ease the transition for all. Eventually (years, not months) becoming fluent and be able to move away from the more English areas.
Second biggy, my hubby would continue to work in the UK and commute home on days off. We understand that this is quite common practice, but reading mixed things about paying tax etc. Do he/we just pay english tax, but then surely we would be allowed to use anything french, healthcare, schools etc, would we have to pay BOTH taxes? Would he pay english and I pay french on the 'housekeeping' money. Again years down the line once he had mastered french, he hopes to get a job in Toulouse.
Things spinning round and round my head?
Kids schooling: how much would it suffer while they pick up french.
Setting up initial bills, dealing with mairie etc when we have no/limited french
We have moved around in our lives, and we down have any close friend where we are now, but i do get 1/2s chat with the mums at the school gate everyday, how lonely would I feel not being able to talk to anyone, or are the areas we are looking at really as full of brits as they say and I could talk to someone occasionally?
(background, we have wanted to move from the UK for many years, we were set for going to Oz, but my Dad died and I didn't feel I could leave my mum, we both like Canada, but my mum can't fly and we couldn't afford to keep flying home, hence France, but they speak french lol although we would learn, I don't want to just be a Brit abroad)
Any thoughts appreciated
Thanks
We (me, hubby and boys 7 and 10) and thinking of moving to France, but my head is spinning with all the should we shouldn't we's, so I thought i would ask for you honest opinions on out thoughts so far.........
Right firstly, (don't know which is the bigger of the two) ok we don't speak french! We wouldn't be moving for at least 18 months, which would give us a chance to take lesson and get some basic french under our belts. Our initial plan would to be to move to Dordogne area where english is more widely spoken, although i don't want to move to 'little england' as I DO want us to learn French and the french culture etc, I don't just want to be english in a warmer country, but Riberac etc maybe, to ease the transition for all. Eventually (years, not months) becoming fluent and be able to move away from the more English areas.
Second biggy, my hubby would continue to work in the UK and commute home on days off. We understand that this is quite common practice, but reading mixed things about paying tax etc. Do he/we just pay english tax, but then surely we would be allowed to use anything french, healthcare, schools etc, would we have to pay BOTH taxes? Would he pay english and I pay french on the 'housekeeping' money. Again years down the line once he had mastered french, he hopes to get a job in Toulouse.
Things spinning round and round my head?
Kids schooling: how much would it suffer while they pick up french.
Setting up initial bills, dealing with mairie etc when we have no/limited french
We have moved around in our lives, and we down have any close friend where we are now, but i do get 1/2s chat with the mums at the school gate everyday, how lonely would I feel not being able to talk to anyone, or are the areas we are looking at really as full of brits as they say and I could talk to someone occasionally?
(background, we have wanted to move from the UK for many years, we were set for going to Oz, but my Dad died and I didn't feel I could leave my mum, we both like Canada, but my mum can't fly and we couldn't afford to keep flying home, hence France, but they speak french lol although we would learn, I don't want to just be a Brit abroad)
Any thoughts appreciated
Thanks