 |
 6th September 2010
|
Living in FranceWhether you live in France or have a second home, FrenchEntrée Living is for you. It is the guide on life in La Belle France, whether you're after information on heavy duty issues such as the health system or simply want to indulge in the good French things in life. But we would also love to hear from you – so whether you have a story to tell about life in France, or ideas for new topics please don’t hesitate to get in touch.ALSO: make sure you also take a look at FrenchEntrée French Property and Holidays in France Living in France Forum What's in FrenchEntrée Living?What's FrenchEntrée Living all about? Well, here you can discover how to join the French health system, facts on French education or being employed in France, including advice on running a business in FranceIn Retiring to France we have information from the practical including looking after your investments, to the emotional issues of moving away from friends and family. We also can steer you through day-to-day practicalities, from personal finance including opening a French bank account; to insuring your car; registering for gas and electricity; and sorting out your French driving licence. For all you need to know about French insurance go to Insurance in France For technical information take a look at one of three different zones - for everything to do with television in France see UK TV in France, satellite including Sky, and information on French TV. Find out about getting cheap phone calls in France at Telephone, mobiles, Skype and VOIP To go on-line in France, with information on connecting to the internet, ADSL Broadband and staying safe, see Computers and internet in France For help with the French language, we have vocabulary for everyday situations plus information on French courses and learning aids. To help you enjoy your new life, we have the inside track on French food and wine, French culture and Shopping in France in our La Belle Vie zone. If you're renovating your house, then make sure you take a look at Renovate & Decorate in France. If you looking to install a pool, visit our Swimming Pool in France zone. For advice and tips for when you're in your garden see Gardening in France, while for those of you wanting to raise a few animals, A Smallholding in France is a must-read. Have you got a question or something you would like to say? Then join our Discussion Forum or contact one of our topic hosts. Finally, if you’re in need of inspiration read our many Real Life stories - amusing, interesting and uplifting tales from those who are already here. Enjoy! Newsletter SubscribeFrench Property Tips OR Enjoying Life in France your FREE newsletters.View Our Newsletters! Hot Topics on life in FranceWhat our Topic Hosts have got in store...Renovation & Decoration What to think about when doing up your homeEducation  Advice for parents and children going to school in FranceHealthcare in France  Helping you navigate the French health systemLe Gastrozone .jpg){kind=small} Your guide to buying & preparing good French foodGite Business  Can you make a living from holiday accommodation?Vegetarian France  Help and advice on PCs, telephones, satellite and the internet in France.Living in France Newsletter ArchiveAre you living in France or thinking of moving to France? Keep up to date with all the latest stories from our Living in France section. Sign-up for our free newsletter or visit our newsletter archive to view previous newsletters. Real Life Stories Flying to France? Visit the FrenchEntrée Flights to France map to view the airlines flying from the UK airports to France. Public Holidays in France The way public holidays are taken in France is very French! Here's a list of the days plus what else you need to watch out for. more... |
Living in France
|
Get French TV at home 24/7 with TV5MONDE
 Sky 799, Virgin 825. With films, drama, live news and sport, music, documentaries and more. www.tv5.orgThe Pierre & Vacances leaseback
 A secure and hassle-free way to own your property in France.
Discover our investment opportunities in prime locations in France and benefit from exceptional advantages!Breakdown Direct European breakdown cover
 Breakdown Direct offers you great value European breakdown cover and first class service, with 24/7 emergency support from AXA Assistance, one of the world’s leading emergency assistance companies.
Save 10% off your favourite British Food
 We are your one stop shop for all things British, with over 5000 supermarket products. Online shopping delivered to your door worldwide. Save 10% off your British food shopping with the code ENTREEBCS101.
Mobile homes for sale - France
 Caravans in the Sun have brand new sited mobile homes available from only £19,995, available on 4 star parks, open for 12 months of the year.Find out more Swimming pools at affordable prices
 With 20 years of installing pools in France we offer you a reliable and proven service. Let us give you a free quotation for your pool project.
Financial advice & solutions for people relocating to France
 Download Siddalls help sheets for "your new life in France" by clicking here.
Need new glasses?
 Exclusive Healthcare know how expensive the cost of glasses can be in France and are now working with leading eye-care companies in order to offer their customers discounted glasses. Find out more.
Roofing Specialist in Brittany
 Stephen Fishlock has over 35 years experience in the building and roofing trade, providing a full service from complete renovations to small repairs. No job is too big or too small.Weekly removals to France
 Weekly service to all areas of France, Part loads, Full loads get a Free online quote. Just a few Boxes? We can ship boxes door to door ONLY £24.95 each in 3 days! Get your free quote!
Fed up of high UK taxation?
 Speak to the tax experts at Blevins Franks to explore your tax saving options in France.Save a fortune on currency exchange
 If you need advice or a currency exchange quote, make a no obligation enquiry to Moneycorp, FrenchEntrée's Currency Partner. Apply now to open a currency account
Books on Living in France Are you moving to France and needing more information on living in France? The FrenchEntrée bookshop features a wide range of books covering the living in France, holidays in France, buying process, French law and the regions of France. Visit the FrenchEntrée Bookshop to make your purchase. Latest France Forum
FrenchEntrée Adviser Panel |
   Choose Channel
 Search FrenchEntréeFrench Property Database Search
Over 12,000 properties for sale throughout France..... More search options Use a property finder  |
The French Number Co. has made it easy for two lucky people to own a beautiful French enamel plaque – simply enter this competition to win a personalised enamel sign or house number.
Love France but miss the taste of home? Well, why not enter this competition to win a hamper full of British goodies courtesy of www.weshopbritain4u.com?
There is nothing like being in the right place at the right time! From our offices in Surrey, UKtelecom started 2010 with an ambitious program of software development to cope with the huge growth of our business. Coincidently we received an approach from Julien Deram, a student studying IT at Lille University...
The cost of using toll roads in France can soon add up. Signing up for télépéage could work out more economical on many levels, offering discounts and allowing you to avoid the queues.
The British represent nearly a third of all foreigners living in Poitou-Charentes according to a recent report by the French National Institute of Statistics (INSEE) conducted from tax d’habitation surveys. Most have arrived in the last twenty years and settled mainly in rural areas...
At Horizon New Media we recently conducted a survey with 2,400 expats to find out how 2009 has been for them, and whether they think that the new year will bring an improvement to the economy, cost of living and employment situation. The results revealed some interesting trends and opinions.
According to a recent quality of life survey, commissioned by uSwitch.com and conducted during September 2009, French residents enjoy a better quality of life than their European neighbours...
Always ahead of the game with new product launches, UK Telecom have gone a step further by launching an exciting new product to allow their broadband customers free access to BBC iPlayer and all similar services from UK TV broadcasters. It also gives access to many other services normally only available for UK residents, such as films and other downloadable services.
It seems we are still in the midst of the global economic slowdown and our pockets may have never seemed so shallow. To help you out, we have tapped into our network of experts at FrenchEntrée to ask them for their financial advice and have put together a guide outlining where you may be able to make savings whilst still enjoying your life in France...
In recent months there have been some changes in France, affecting those already here, and those planning to move in the near future. Here’s some of the things you need to know about...
Seventy-six percent of participants planning to move to France have not had to delay or cancel there plans as a result of the global economic slowdown. And while 77% of expats are as happy and contented as they expected to be in France, 60% have felt the effects of the credit crunch. We had hundreds of readers fill out our ‘Life in France’ survey. Here are the results...
Managing your finances in another country presents a number of potential pitfalls. Local tax systems and finance regulations are some of the biggest hurdles to overcome; but getting the basics right can be relatively easy with the correct know-how and support.
If you are running a company, or are about to set-up one, then you need to review many things and maybe do things you hadn't thought of doing before. Here are our top tips for protecting your business in France...
Experience the finest movies in cinema history for free, every night on Sky channel 839. No other national cinema has had such an influence on the art form of film. Here at Cinémoi we have forged relationships with leading producers, distributors, archivists and film experts, to bring you the very best in French cinema.
In January, insurance broker Aon conducted an online survey. It was sent to five-hundred English speakers in France (66% of which are British). There was some interesting feedback concerning confusion with French insurance...
Do you dream of living in the lush green countryside or along the beautiful Opale coast of Northern France while maintaining your job in the UK? If so, making the dream a reality may be easier than you think...
Graham Downie, Director of FrenchEntrée Property Finder Services, discusses how the French are combating the credit crunch and the impact of the financial crisis on those living and those looking to buy in France...
.jpg)
If you regularly travel between the UK and France you may benefit by joining the Brittany Ferries Property Owners Travel Club. It will save you money on Brittany Ferries routes and services...
As a consequence of the weak pound, some pensioners in France are receiving UK pensions so low that they now qualify for French government financial aid.
As Sterling continues to trade at record low levels against the Euro, British exporters to France are overjoyed but for those of you living in or owning property in France, times have never been so tough..jpg)
Whether your taste is for motor racing or sailing, music or hot air ballooning, games or films, the annual festivals on offer in Poitou-Charentes take some beating...
It has always been important to make your money work as hard as possible for you. However, that is possibly even more important in the current economic environment.
Following UK Telecom’s launch of its new ‘onebill’ line rental and unlimited call package launch in November new customer numbers have jumped by more than 150%, with customers typically saving more 60% compared to France Telecom’s charges...
We have launched a new shopping zone providing information about particular products and services which expats often find hard to buy in France. Articles feature “popular products and where to buy" including furniture, paint, wood stoves and even British food...
On TV5MONDE each day there is a wide variety of news from around the French speaking world. From 5 minute news flashes to 30 minute reports, to news related debate magazines you can be extremely well informed on news à la Française. Find out the Francophone view on world events!
The gloomy headlines and the strong Euro may be making some people planning to retire abroad think twice. New figures by Siddalls, specialist independent financial advisers, show that household costs are less than a 1/3 of those in the UK and your money still goes a lot further than you might think in France...
AXA has just revealed significant increases in the number of enquiries it has received for its international private medical insurance suggesting that the trend of record numbers of Brits moving abroad is set to continue.
The choice of pools nowadays is unbelievable. That choice may depend on various criteria such as your budget, use of the pool, available space, number of pool users, filter type, sanitation and security...
FrenchEntrée Property Finders are looking for property finder partners in over 50 locations throughout France and have already sent out formal contracts to agents in the Alps, Dordogne, Deux Sevres, Brittany, Lot and Languedoc. 
If you need to work when you come to France how easy will it be to find a job? If you want to self-employed can you make a living? FrenchEntrée asked its working readers to fill in a survey on what it is like to work in France. Here are the results
If you're hiring an artisan or builder in France do as the French do and keep it official. Anne-Marie Gordon of Anglo-French Lawyers advises on what to do - and not do - to ensure you're legally protected when getting work done on your French home
Frances and David Wilkinson retired to France in 2006 and love their new life which is full of new things as well as more time, less stress and good friends - French and British. Read their inspiring stories...
For some the dream of a new life in France doesn't work out and they leave bitter and resentful. For others it is hugely successful. How do you make sure you fall into the latter category? We take a look at the common problems cited by those who give up on French life....