About Leamuse

Status:

Expatriate  

Gender:

Female

Currently Lives:

Corbières, France

Citizen Of:

United States

Some Forum Posts:

France: Looking to Move Next Year:

No doubt there have been some changes but I believe a few of the steps I took when I came to France nine years ago still valid. I knew my priorities and checked to see how they lined up with the way things would be here. I found someone here in France to correspond with who would answer any questions, we have become good friends and I bought a car from her daughter after my arrival. I found a book, older edition, of An Adult's Guide to Running Away From Home. The book is by Roseanne Knorr which at the time was inclusive for much of Europe but its current edition is specific to France. That little book saved me thousands of Euros and a lot of stress. About the same time I put my house in California on the market, I took a trip to France armed with a backpack and a rail pass. The places I visited were based on my interests but I was sure I would be inclined toward the south and the sea and the Mediterranean is only minutes away. I wish you the best.

France: Bi-nationality:

Le Bureau des étrangers aux préfectures. You can get an appointment or as a walk-in. That is how it is done in Carcassonne but it often depends on which department/region you are in so check with the prefecture et bonne chance!

France: Moving to France - Utilities, internet, banking, etc:

Having moved from California to the south of France, nearly nine years ago, I can assure you that until you manage to provide an EDF facture (bill for electricity) you cannot get a bank account or the internet. Despite having purchased a house, in my name, I was unable to open either until I could provide a bill from the EDF. As for gas, I am in a small village on the Mediterranean and purchase bottled gas as needed so i cannot help you there. Léa

France: Retiring to France:

I started by researching what was important to me online. There are websites where you can ask questions and on one of them I met a woman who lives in central France. We exchanged emails for several months. When I was ready to come check it out, she insisted I come and visit her and her husband. We are still friends and visit each other. I took six weeks and a rail pass to visit different areas. However, I am not partial to the cold so I knew I would be in the south. Additionally, the sea is a huge factor for me. I am now minutes from many lovely beaches on the Mediterranean and about an hour from the Spanish border. It is an excellent location for my blogging as I explore France, take photos and write about it all. In a small village, there is much to entertain without breaking ones budget which can be important when retired. Best wishes, Léa

France: Best small,towns:

If you only have two weeks, I recommend you do some narrowing down before then. In 2006 I visited for six weeks. I traveled light with a rail pass but was already sure I wanted to be in the south. The Mediterranean was high on my list and I've been living minutes away for eight and a half years. However, I do continue to explore other parts of France for one of my blogs. Montpellier is lovely but I am on my own with a budget and live nearer to Narbonne, Carcassonne and Perpignan. It takes me about an hour to get to Spain. My lovely little village has a population of about 700. There are numerous smaller villages about and they come here for our medical centre and a variety of other things. We have numerous events around the year and there is always something to do. I wish you the best. Léa

France: Searching for a rental property:

While I live West of Toulouse, I recommend finding someone who knows the area. My neighbour Sara Bonnard: sarah_bonnard@yahoo.co.uk, she manages properties here and neighbouring areas. She is French but also speaks perfect English. I made the move four years ago and only wish I could have done it sooner. Bon chance! Lea

France: Seeking Advice from the older folk out there.:

I highly recommend you check out Leo Lagrange in the city you will be living in or near. No doubt there is one in Marseille. I live near Narbonne and joined the one there. A visit to their website will give you a clue as to some of the things they offer which are many and varied. Another group to look for is AVF. Membership to Leo Lagrange was about 28 euro for the year and that included French class. AVF is similar. Another good resource can be the local Office for Tourism. There are also employment offices that help job seekers if you have the required documentation. Bon chance, Lea

Date Joined:

3/15/2011

Total Posts:

23

Posts/Day:

0.01