The French School System – An Overview If you are planning to move to France and have children, their schooling and education is clearly going to play an important part in where you decide to live. Most large cities have fee-paying international schools, which offer education in English, French and other languages, but if this […]
For anyone looking to buy property in France who will need to return to the UK fairly frequently, proximity to the Channel Tunnel and the ports of Calais and Boulogne are likely to be a major consideration. Most holiday-makers tend to arrive at either port and drive through the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region towards their destinations, but […]
The French tax system is complicated and consistently being reformed, with several important changes being introduced in 2019. This guide aims to cover the main areas that will be applicable to expats, but as taxes change frequently and often significantly, please consult with a financial specialist before making any decisions. You are liable to pay […]
For anyone who loves the idea of living on the Mediterranean, but is put off by the elevated prices of the French Riviera, the city of Perpignan, close to the Spanish border, with its neighbouring seaside resorts along the Cote Vermeille, might be an excellent alternative, offering a lovely climate, beautiful beaches, and a fascinating […]
This year, the Tour de France starts on Saturday July 7th and finishes in Paris a gruelling 21 stages later on July 29th. This year’s tour includes six mountain stages, in the Alps and the Pyrenees, a brief visit to Spain, around 20 km on cobbled roads, and both an individual and a team time […]
French media went into meltdown earlier this year when it was revealed that the late, iconic rockstar Johnny Hallyday had disinherited his two biological children, Laura Smet and David Hallyday. Wasn’t he said to have enjoyed a warm relationship with them both, they asked, and what about their touching display of affection with Johnny’s widow, […]
When we think of the French Riviera, or Cote d’Azur, we tend to picture the beautiful coastline, with its glamorous towns and picturesque settings inhabited by billionaires, royalty and celebrities. Yet venture inland a little and you’ll find plenty of towns and villages that offer a simpler and less expensive way of life, all within […]
By reputation, the French Riviera is a place for oligarchs and billionaires, socialites and celebrities – a place of decadence, glamour and stunning belle époque architecture. Less charitably, author Somerset Maugham once described it as a ‘sunny place for shady people’. But how true is all this today? Is the French Riviera seriously only for […]
We choose to live in France for a variety of reasons. Many of us will have visited for holidays, enticed by France’s variety of scenery, its coastlines and mountains, its beautiful villages and elegant cities. But France is a huge and geographically varied place, and for those who are dreaming of moving there, which part […]
Are you thinking about setting up your own business in France? If you fear the process will be bureaucratic and daunting, don’t worry. According to a 2013 Ernst & Young report, it’s easier to start up a business in France than it is in most other G20 countries: it’s cheaper, quicker and there are fewer […]