# Our dream is to live and work in France



## Bex1775

Hi. My husband and I are in our mid 40's and run a small carpentry business in a very rural area together, I also work in accounts for a local company. We have an 8 year old daughter. Every year we go to France and feel miserable coming back to the UK (more so since Brexit) 
Our dream has always been to move to France to live and work there, but neither of us has had the courage to seriously consider it. 
Over the weekend an ex work colleague of my husband contacted him via Facebook. He'd moved to the Massif Central area 15 years ago (which we're both familiar with and really like), and is really happy there, running a successful business with a great work/life balance. Starting from scratch has always been something that's been a sticking point for us, the only people we know who have lived and worked in France did it for a decade or so, then moved back to the UK, which is something we definitely wouldn't want to do. My husband has worked in France before, but for a Brit who was renovating a house.
I'd really like to hear from anyone who has made the same move if there's anyone in here. We've started to really look into the logistics of it. 
thanks


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## sugden

Hi there
I would also be keen to hear from others who've done it recently. From some of the other members here, they'll all provide a good steer for you - work/income/language skills/is it a romantic dream or will reality be different vs just a holiday/what area do you plan to live in/is your relationship strong enough to take the burden and stresses.... 

as like oursleves, we come back every year from France and long to make a change too... Now that i work for a company that has a France PY office, and with all members of our family being EU citizens through Irish-ness, it makes our situation easier, at least from having an income point of view....though with 3 kids all 8/12/14, any move now may well backfire due to their education status...

My own sense, was to plan out in detail what the move could look like..and you'll find threads in here that have that too... We're same as you at the moment and in deep investigation mode, reading lots of threads on this Forum, and seeing feedback where it worked and didn't work for people... We'd probably look to move for a year, in say 2 years time, and see if it worked out/felt right, that would allow us time to view longer term properties and put our language skills to the test...and that way we'd have a house to come back to if we rented it out...

Wish you luck... i'll be following with much interest...

P.


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## BackinFrance

I think you have missed the boat. You would now need a very strong business plan in order to get a visa and the risks for someone who is apparently risk adverse are arguably higher, or at least it seems that France takes that view given visa requirements.


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## 255

@Bex1775 -- Your first stop is to visit the French visa site. You'll need to qualify for a visa. Do you need a visa ? | France-Visas.gouv.fr Depending on your situation, you might also peruse the "Psseport Talent" site, to see if one of the various visa/resident permits might meet your needs. International talents | France-Visas.gouv.fr

Quite frankly, there are tons of people that "dream" of moving to France, but also a lessor number that actually take the inertia to make the move. You'll find a lot of posters, on this site, who have made the move in retirement, with no need to work. Don't let that discourage you though -- there are also loads of younger folks that come to France to have a "fresh start." I have a daughter, with her husband and two kids, that are in the same boat as you.

Obviously, if you need income, one of you will need a job or perhaps form a French company and start a business. Just like in the rest of the world, there are also French business owners, that wish to retire, and would welcome a younger couple to take over their enterprise. There have been quite a few folks, that have off-shore companies that they've set up to pay them a salary in France, to qualify for the Passeport Talent. There are infinite options.

I think a good idea would be to make a timeline for your move, say two years, then back-ward plan all requirements, vocation, visas, possibly wind down or sell your UK company, location, schools, etc. You are close enough to France to make a few scouting trips during that time to help finalize your plans.

Additionally, I'd stockpile some cash, if you are going to start a business, to carry you though until you're profitable. Additionally, make a concerted effort to improve your French language skills.

YouTube is full of channels of people moving to France, although most seem to be younger folks, that wouldn't really meet your situation --they still may have some good points to glean. Good luck! Just make the decision to make the move, establish a timeline and then start your planning for the move. If you really want it, you can make it happen! Cheers, 255


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## Bex1775

sugden said:


> Hi there
> I would also be keen to hear from others who've done it recently. From some of the other members here, they'll all provide a good steer for you - work/income/language skills/is it a romantic dream or will reality be different vs just a holiday/what area do you plan to live in/is your relationship strong enough to take the burden and stresses....
> 
> as like oursleves, we come back every year from France and long to make a change too... Now that i work for a company that has a France PY office, and with all members of our family being EU citizens through Irish-ness, it makes our situation easier, at least from having an income point of view....though with 3 kids all 8/12/14, any move now may well backfire due to their education status...
> 
> My own sense, was to plan out in detail what the move could look like..and you'll find threads in here that have that too... We're same as you at the moment and in deep investigation mode, reading lots of threads on this Forum, and seeing feedback where it worked and didn't work for people... We'd probably look to move for a year, in say 2 years time, and see if it worked out/felt right, that would allow us time to view longer term properties and put our language skills to the test...and that way we'd have a house to come back to if we rented it out...
> 
> Wish you luck... i'll be following with much interest...
> 
> P.


Thanks very much, our initial thoughts were to get my husband to visit and check things out in real time with his ex colleague, and I'd be really happy for him to work out there before trying to make the permanent move. And definitely renting our house would be an option too, before making the jump. I've been reading with great interest the visa requirements and there are several options I think we have there. I do love the Massif Central area, I think this would be the area we'd aim for.


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## Crabtree

In order to get a Visa you will need to show how you are going to support yourself-either a job in which case your future employer will need to show why they have to employ a non EU citizen or start your own business-which you already have -so you would need to prepare a business plan and submit with your visa application and as your husband is a skilled worker so much the better.Be aware that french deductions are higher than the UK.You could get advice from the Chambres de Commerce in your area.You should also note that your husband will not be able to work in France unless he has a Visa authorising him to do so-unless of course he holds a passport from an EU country And you only really have two options-a long term visitoe or a work visa and for the first five years you are going to have to renew your Carte de Sejour when you will still have to show income etc


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## EuroTrash

@Bex1775 It will be interesting to see where this discussion heads.
I suspect it'll be the non-British posters who will be most helpful, and also any Brits who have moved over since the end of the Brexit transition. Applying for visas is something that Brits who were here before Brexit never had to contend with.

As probably the most risk-averse, cover-my-back, I-need-a-plan-B-C-D-and-E person on the forum I just wanted to pick up on this bit:


Bex1775 said:


> the only people we know who have lived and worked in France did it for a decade or so, then moved back to the UK, which is something we definitely wouldn't want to do


because I don't think it's possible to know for certain how you'll feel in ten years' time. By that time you will be a different person with a whole bunch of new experiences behind you and perhaps a shattered illusion or two. I'm sure others will disagree but my advice would be to leave yourself a way back if conveniently possible, not to cut all your ties just for the sake of it, as a grand gesture or to show your commitment or whatever. Try and wait until you've been here a while and are absolutely sure it's for you. In the old pre-Brexit days they often used to say that the three-year mark is the point where the novelty starts wearing off, people start to be less tolerant of the things they don't like or find difficult about living in France and they yearn for things they had in the UK that they used to take for granted and not properly value. (In fact it's just coming up to two years since the flood of Brits arrived in a last minute dash to beat Brexit, and I've noticed recently that there's been a little rash of posts on varous Facebook pages saying things like We have a Brexit carte de séjour but we have decided to move back to the UK, how do we cancel our card/what do we do about tax etc.) I suppose what I'm trying to say is, don't burn your bridges. Spending two years in France and coming to the conclusion that it's a rubbish country to live in, will in retrospect be a positive learning experience as long as you were then able go back to the UK and pick up where you left off. Spending 10 years in France and enjoying it but then due to changing circumstances feeling that it's time to go back, will in retrospect be a positive and life-enriching experience as long as you were in a position to go back when the time came. Finding yourself stuck in France when you don't want to be here any more but you can't see a way back, can be a nightmare. Never say never, keep as many doors open as you can.


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## Bevdeforges

To kind of sum up some of what you've been told so far, the key thing is that "all those" Brits who moved to France 5 or 10 or more years ago were EU nationals at the time and so had the benefit of "freedom of movement" within the EU. The times they have changed - significantly - since then. And now that you no longer benefit from being EU citizens, you're going to have to do things "the old fashioned way" - i.e. with a proper visa, granting you work permission et al.

Take a look at the various categories within the Passeport Talent visa if you're thinking of continuing on with the "small carpentry business" - but I wouldn't hold my breath on that being sufficient to qualify. Generally speaking, they are looking for people to set up "innovative" businesses, which can require something "techie" or some thing "cultural"or "artsy" that isn't commonly available here in France. If you do want to go the Passeport Talent route, next thing to do is to start studying the website of one of the CCI (Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie) which can give you loads of information about setting up a new business - or buying an existing business to take over on your own. You can't just hang up a shingle and set up your own business in France - there is lots of paperwork and red tape to handle. It's not impossible by any means, but you need to know what you are potentially getting yourself into. (By the way, how's your French?)

But be wary of anyone (even a friend) who says that they will hire your husband in order to "sponsor" your visas. Getting permission to hire a foreigner is getting harder and harder these day and may require that the job be posted for 3 months or so with the unemployment office to "prove" that the employer is unable to find a qualified person locally or elsewhere in the EU (i.e. someone who already has the right to live and work in France). 

Not trying to discourage you in your dreams. But everything has changed for Brits wanting to move to France in just the last couple of years. Take a long hard look at the visa site Long-stay visa | France-Visas.gouv.fr and then at the CCI sites for the areas in which you are interested like this one: https://www.puy-de-dome.cci.fr/article/missions-et-fonctionnement
And who knows? You just might be inspired to whip up a dynamite business plan that gives the French government everything they want, while offering your family the chance to move to France.


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## ccm47

Don't forget to start planning for your daughter's move too. There are after school clubs in the UK where they can learn the basics of French and some of the customs/songs and games. Also become very familiar with the school system, living in a bigger town in the region will give her more opportunities and also save her from really long daily commutes. The secondary school age children from my village for example get the bus at 07.20 and may not return until 18.10! There is no lunchtime bus.


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## EuroTrash

I've been trying to resist asking this but this morning the temptation is too much.
What is it about the UK that makes you so miserable? Living in a rural location, with your own business, and a little extra job for yourself, and an 8 year old daughter, sounds quite lovely.


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## Clic Clac

EuroTrash said:


> *What is it about the UK that makes you so miserable?* Living in a rural location, with your own business, and a little extra job for yourself, and an 8 year old daughter, *sounds quite lovely.*


I think it's all relative, ET. 'Walk a mile in my shoes', and all that.
I used to watch that programme where they pack up and go to Oz.
I couldn't believe the lifestyle they already had in the UK, but to them it was just the drudge of the norm.



Bex1775 said:


> Every year we go to France and feel miserable coming back to the UK (more so since Brexit) ....
> 
> He'd moved to the Massif Central area 15 years ago (which we're both familiar with and really like)


I've just been on holiday to England, and feel miserable on my return to France !
But it's not France I'm miserable with, just myself.

Have to say, every time I hear the words 'Massif Central' I think _*cold.*_
A quick look on the tourist sites confirms 'winters are usually long and cold to very cold'.
Is that you?


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## EuroTrash

It is relative but I think it's relevant, if it's part of the reason for wanting to move. 
If it's because France=holiday fun and UK=daily grind, moving to France will change that round but not necessarily solve the problem.



Clic Clac said:


> it's not France I'm miserable with, just myself


Aww Clics. Group hug


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## Crabtree

Whether you are working or retired to move to another country just because you are not happy in your own country is not a good place to start from.You need to move to a country because it is a positive move for you because when you get there you will still have the same daily problems to contend with only at first on steroids-you know when your internet goes down and you are talking to a call centre in another language and they are trying to run you through the technical side of things etc Just because it is warmer will not cause making a living any easier


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## Bex1775

Crabtree said:


> In order to get a Visa you will need to show how you are going to support yourself-either a job in which case your future employer will need to show why they have to employ a non EU citizen or start your own business-which you already have -so you would need to prepare a business plan and submit with your visa application and as your husband is a skilled worker so much the better.Be aware that french deductions are higher than the UK.You could get advice from the Chambres de Commerce in your area.You should also note that your husband will not be able to work in France unless he has a Visa authorising him to do so-unless of course he holds a passport from an EU country And you only really have two options-a long term visitoe or a work visa and for the first five years you are going to have to renew your Carte de Sejour when you will still have to show





255 said:


> @Bex1775 -- Your first stop is to visit the French visa site. You'll need to qualify for a visa. Do you need a visa ? | France-Visas.gouv.fr Depending on your situation, you might also peruse the "Psseport Talent" site, to see if one of the various visa/resident permits might meet your needs. International talents | France-Visas.gouv.fr
> 
> Quite frankly, there are tons of people that "dream" of moving to France, but also a lessor number that actually take the inertia to make the move. You'll find a lot of posters, on this site, who have made the move in retirement, with no need to work. Don't let that discourage you though -- there are also loads of younger folks that come to France to have a "fresh start." I have a daughter, with her husband and two kids, that are in the same boat as you.
> 
> Obviously, if you need income, one of you will need a job or perhaps form a French company and start a business. Just like in the rest of the world, there are also French business owners, that wish to retire, and would welcome a younger couple to take over their enterprise. There have been quite a few folks, that have off-shore companies that they've set up to pay them a salary in France, to qualify for the Passeport Talent. There are infinite options.
> 
> I think a good idea would be to make a timeline for your move, say two years, then back-ward plan all requirements, vocation, visas, possibly wind down or sell your UK company, location, schools, etc. You are close enough to France to make a few scouting trips during that time to help finalize your plans.
> 
> Additionally, I'd stockpile some cash, if you are going to start a business, to carry you though until you're profitable. Additionally, make a concerted effort to improve your French language skills.
> 
> YouTube is full of channels of people moving to France, although most seem to be younger folks, that wouldn't really meet your situation --they still may have some good points to glean. Good luck! Just make the decision to make the move, establish a timeline and then start your planning for the move. If you really want it, you can make it happen! Cheers, 255


Thank you so much for the positive reply to my post  I've spent some time this week researching the visa requirements and also the passeport talent which looks of the most use to me personally. We are in a pretty good position financially that would enable us to support ourselves for about a decade while hopefully businesses (I would definitely start one and my husband would look to start up carpentry business as well) could take off the ground. We (me and husband) have talked about this endlessly, and we're looking at minimum 2 years, most likely 5 year plan which of course includes initially very good French lessons! My French is good, but not good enough to deal with taxes, business issues etc, and we would want to give our daughter the best chance possible rather than throw her in at the deep end.


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## Bex1775

Crabtree said:


> Whether you are working or retired to move to another country just because you are not happy in your own country is not a good place to start from.You need to move to a country because it is a positive move for you because when you get there you will still have the same daily problems to contend with only at first on steroids-you know when your internet goes down and you are talking to a call centre in another language and they are trying to run you through the technical side of things etc Just because it is warmer will not cause making a living any easier


Hi, thanks for the reply. Certainly warmer weather isn't the driving force behind our considerations


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## Bex1775

Clic Clac said:


> I think it's all relative, ET. 'Walk a mile in my shoes', and all that.
> I used to watch that programme where they pack up and go to Oz.
> I couldn't believe the lifestyle they already had in the UK, but to them it was just the drudge of the norm.
> 
> 
> 
> I've just been on holiday to England, and feel miserable on my return to France !
> But it's not France I'm miserable with, just myself.
> 
> Have to say, every time I hear the words 'Massif Central' I think _*cold.*_
> A quick look on the tourist sites confirms 'winters are usually long and cold to very cold'.
> Is that you?


It is


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## Bex1775

ccm47 said:


> Don't forget to start planning for your daughter's move too. There are after school clubs in the UK where they can learn the basics of French and some of the customs/songs and games. Also become very familiar with the school system, living in a bigger town in the region will give her more opportunities and also save her from really long daily commutes. The secondary school age children from my village for example get the bus at 07.20 and may not return until 18.10! There is no lunchtime bus.


Thankyou, this is very useful, and she's definitely our priority. Luckily she already does incredibly long days at school due to us both working full time, we leave at 7.30 am for her to start breakfast club, and she finishes about 5.30 from after school club, and has done since age 4, so these hours aren't much different to what she's used to.


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## Bex1775

EuroTrash said:


> I've been trying to resist asking this but this morning the temptation is too much.
> What is it about the UK that makes you so miserable? Living in a rural location, with your own business, and a little extra job for yourself, and an 8 year old daughter, sounds quite lovely.


I think your reply has made me do the most thinking this week! I feel a little apprehensive posting my reply as I'm fully expecting to get shot down in flames, but here goes.

My husband and I were high school sweethearts, met again 11 years ago at a reunion after both having had 2 divorces, both had it all, lost it all (twice) At the moment we feel like we're running to stay standing still. We both feel like we've lost a lot of time already. We only have one life and neither of us want to see each day fading into oblivion, which it currently is. We want to make the very best of the years we have left, and this is what we really want to do, if possible. Neither of us are under the illusion that we'll be heading for some French dream sitting outside a café sipping red wine in the sunshine, that's not really us. 
But using the pretty big equity in our house would enable us to buy somewhere we couldn't dream of in the UK and still have money in the bank to live off for a decade, which hopefully would be enough time for businesses to give us a wage. 
There are so many things to consider and learn before making a decision, and we would most likely look to rent our house here for a year or two, rather than sell, so we're not cutting ourselves off if things don't work out.


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## Bex1775

Bevdeforges said:


> To kind of sum up some of what you've been told so far, the key thing is that "all those" Brits who moved to France 5 or 10 or more years ago were EU nationals at the time and so had the benefit of "freedom of movement" within the EU. The times they have changed - significantly - since then. And now that you no longer benefit from being EU citizens, you're going to have to do things "the old fashioned way" - i.e. with a proper visa, granting you work permission et al.
> 
> Take a look at the various categories within the Passeport Talent visa if you're thinking of continuing on with the "small carpentry business" - but I wouldn't hold my breath on that being sufficient to qualify. Generally speaking, they are looking for people to set up "innovative" businesses, which can require something "techie" or some thing "cultural"or "artsy" that isn't commonly available here in France. If you do want to go the Passeport Talent route, next thing to do is to start studying the website of one of the CCI (Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie) which can give you loads of information about setting up a new business - or buying an existing business to take over on your own. You can't just hang up a shingle and set up your own business in France - there is lots of paperwork and red tape to handle. It's not impossible by any means, but you need to know what you are potentially getting yourself into. (By the way, how's your French?)
> 
> But be wary of anyone (even a friend) who says that they will hire your husband in order to "sponsor" your visas. Getting permission to hire a foreigner is getting harder and harder these day and may require that the job be posted for 3 months or so with the unemployment office to "prove" that the employer is unable to find a qualified person locally or elsewhere in the EU (i.e. someone who already has the right to live and work in France).
> 
> Not trying to discourage you in your dreams. But everything has changed for Brits wanting to move to France in just the last couple of years. Take a long hard look at the visa site Long-stay visa | France-Visas.gouv.fr and then at the CCI sites for the areas in which you are interested like this one: https://www.puy-de-dome.cci.fr/article/missions-et-fonctionnement
> And who knows? You just might be inspired to whip up a dynamite business plan that gives the French government everything they want, while offering your family the chance to move to France.


Thanks for taking the time to share the information, much appreciated. I am already working on my business plans which I'll adapt for the UK if we end up staying  My French is good, but definitely not good enough yet, regardless of our ultimate decision, the three of us have decided our priority is to learn it in depth anyway over the next couple of years.
We definitely weren't thinking of a friend sponsoring my husband to work, that seems a ridiculous route to attempt, our idea was purely for my husband to meet up with his old friend as an information gathering exercise, that's all. 
Thanks again and I will keep this thread updated with all our findings!


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## EuroTrash

So, kind of a new challenge and a fresh start together. Yes, I get that.
Thanks for answering, and sorry if I asked a hard question


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## Bex1775

EuroTrash said:


> So, kind of a new challenge and a fresh start together. Yes, I get that.
> Thanks for answering, and sorry if I asked a hard question


Honestly? The hard questions are exactly what we need! 🙃


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## Bevdeforges

Bex1775 said:


> We definitely weren't thinking of a friend sponsoring my husband to work, that seems a ridiculous route to attempt, our idea was purely for my husband to meet up with his old friend as an information gathering exercise, that's all.


Nothing wrong with that. I think you'll find that each answer you get on the forum here will be influenced by the experiences of the person answering your query. In my case, I was refused a visa after marrying a French person in France - and basically told I had to leave. (I didn't. <g>) I know one of the things we tried was for my husband to say that he would hire me for his business. Lots of small business people think that will work here - but in brief, it doesn't. 

Most of the folks here on the forum of British origin arrived in France well before the final Brexit cutoff date, so may not have any experience with France's visa and immigration laws. Those of us from "other" (non-EU) parts of the world just want to head you off from some of the most common misunderstandings about the immigration process.

Lots of things can change in the 2 to 5 years you say you are using to prepare for the Big Move. But let me just mention that, when proving that you can support yourselves, the French administration favors some form of ongoing, sustainable income over a lump sum of money in a bank account that you could draw down in 5, 10 or 20 years. One other "to-do" that you may want to add to your list for your remaining time in the UK might be to explore and cultivate some French associates or potential customers to point to if you decide to go the Passeport Talent route. Saying that you plan to set up a certain type of business is nice - but to be able to say that you have already talked to and lined up potential suppliers, customers or markets in France can boost your visa application to the front of the queue.


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## Crabtree

Does not the Passeport Talent require a Masters degree and a specific skill set or knowledge area that can be of use to France that is not readily available domestically? And the chance of setting up a business?


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## Bex1775

Bevdeforges said:


> Nothing wrong with that. I think you'll find that each answer you get on the forum here will be influenced by the experiences of the person answering your query. In my case, I was refused a visa after marrying a French person in France - and basically told I had to leave. (I didn't. <g>) I know one of the things we tried was for my husband to say that he would hire me for his business. Lots of small business people think that will work here - but in brief, it doesn't.
> 
> Most of the folks here on the forum of British origin arrived in France well before the final Brexit cutoff date, so may not have any experience with France's visa and immigration laws. Those of us from "other" (non-EU) parts of the world just want to head you off from some of the most common misunderstandings about the immigration process.
> 
> Lots of things can change in the 2 to 5 years you say you are using to prepare for the Big Move. But let me just mention that, when proving that you can support yourselves, the French administration favors some form of ongoing, sustainable income over a lump sum of money in a bank account that you could draw down in 5, 10 or 20 years. One other "to-do" that you may want to add to your list for your remaining time in the UK might be to explore and cultivate some French associates or potential customers to point to if you decide to go the Passeport Talent route. Saying that you plan to set up a certain type of business is nice - but to be able to say that you have already talked to and lined up potential suppliers, customers or markets in France can boost your visa application to the front of the queue.


Thanks again for taking the time to reply. And I absolutely have in mind to use this planning time to create a business plan and work on making associations in France to that end. Our aim is definitely to have a workable business plan to put forwards and intend to use as our means of income. The equity from our house will hopefully be a safety net, I don't know why I brought it up really, apart from to show that we aren't totally pie in the sky.


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## EuroTrash

For me the things to focus on would be, in no particular order: getting your French up to speed - researching French business structures/obligations/cotisations - preparing/timing the move right for your daughter both in terms of schooling and in terms of her social life/support network. Which is essentially what you seem to be doing. 
I would like to wish you the very best of Franco-British. 
Let us know how your plans progress.


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## Bex1775

Thank you so much 🥰 I will continue posting our updates here


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## 255

@Bex1775 -- Just a few points based on your recent posts. Your statement: "We (me and husband) have talked about this endlessly, and we're looking at minimum 2 years, most likely 5 year plan which of course includes initially very good French lessons!" 5 years can be a long time. The rules for immigration are constantly in flux. Also, in my opinion, your daughter will be 13 in five years and the transition may be more difficult (but not impossible.) I'd say move sooner, rather than later. If you plan for a 2 year move, then something happens to delay the move, so be it. Also, I don't think fluency in French should be a criteria to move -- you can probably learn a lot more quickly, once you arrive.

Your statement: "We definitely weren't thinking of a friend sponsoring my husband to work, that seems a ridiculous route to attempt, our idea was purely for my husband to meet up with his old friend as an information gathering exercise, that's all." This is not as ridiculous as it sounds -- there is a recent post on this forum, where a family returned to France, after COVID and the husband got "rehired" in his old position. Cheers, 255


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## EuroTrash

255 said:


> I don't think fluency in French should be a criteria to move -- you can probably learn a lot more quickly, once you arrive.


Perhaps not a make or break criterion, and certainly you learn a lot more quickly once you've arrived. If you're not working it's less important but if you're running a business, I do think you need to already have the basics so you can hit the ground running and quickly get familiar with the terminology etc required to understand business/tax/social security rules.
Many times over the years my heart has bled for Brits who've started businesses without really having a clue what they've signed up for or how they should be running it, simply because they haven't fully understood the relevant websites or the communications they've received. They've been fined for doing things wrong and they've fallen for every scam going - all those spoof business directories and other schemes that send out letters to newly registered businesses, worded to make the unwary think it's an official service that you have to subcribe to when really it's nothing but a scam. You do need your wits about you and sometimes you need to be able to pick up on the nuances.
Then there's things like being able to help the kiddie with her homework when the time comes. Youngsters tend to pick up conversational language a lot faster than their parents but they may still need help eg with essays where they have to put more complex thoughts and ideas into words.

But, I admit this has always been one of my hobby horses, I guess it's the legacy of having been a linguist, you end up an old pedant, so I'm probably overstating my case. Feel free to ignore me, most people do.


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## SPGW

Good luck Bex1775 and Sugden, you have the motivation to make it work. I can't add much of value to what others have said, except to offer support - it's not because of brexit that it becomes impossible to move and set up in a neighbouring country, as Bev has said, folk from non-EU countries manage to move to France, and if that's your dream, do it. Don't let government admin grind you down. You have not missed the boat, there isn't a boat (or at least, Brittany Ferries let you get the next one). People from UK will move to France and vice versa, just as they always have, whatever the policies of governments.
One word of caution for your children - adaptation can be difficult and have lasting effects. Tread carefully, be supportive.


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## Voidist

Bex1775 said:


> Hi. My husband and I are in our mid 40's and run a small carpentry business in a very rural area together, I also work in accounts for a local company. We have an 8 year old daughter. Every year we go to France and feel miserable coming back to the UK (more so since Brexit)
> Our dream has always been to move to France to live and work there, but neither of us has had the courage to seriously consider it.
> Over the weekend an ex work colleague of my husband contacted him via Facebook. He'd moved to the Massif Central area 15 years ago (which we're both familiar with and really like), and is really happy there, running a successful business with a great work/life balance. Starting from scratch has always been something that's been a sticking point for us, the only people we know who have lived and worked in France did it for a decade or so, then moved back to the UK, which is something we definitely wouldn't want to do. My husband has worked in France before, but for a Brit who was renovating a house.
> I'd really like to hear from anyone who has made the same move if there's anyone in here. We've started to really look into the logistics of it.
> thanks


its getting pretty difficult there as well....but if you have long term contacts there it could give you the edge...but study particularly the tax situation there...most people i know there who are self employed are barely treading water


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