There are several important practical issues that need to be addressed when relocating to a new country. Below, we talk specifically about Housing and Education in France.

We know that the issue of jobs for spouses is important and because it is so dependent on local conditions and the individual family situation, we kindly ask you to contact us directly for specific information.

To read more on what we do to help you prepare practically, please go the support section.

Housing

Having recently arrived in France you will most likely rent your own house or apartment. Rent is fixed and usually paid each month. Contracts usually run for three years (renewable after theend of the rental period). French laws strongly protect the leaseholder; this means that landlords often ask for a surety from a bank or a French resident as a condition for signing the lease.

Rental prices are ste by the market and prices and standards can vary significantly. Therefore we advise that you take your time and compare with care, standards of accommodatio with prices. Most importantly you will need to build a "dossier", a file with personal information about your income, employer, banking details etc. You will be assisted by Paragona and your employer in assembling your file.
Finding housing is usually fairly easy, especially so in smaller cities but also in large cities.

On France´s biggest online market place for housing you can learn more and also search for apartments for rent (by location).

After some time in France you might consider buying an apartment or a house. Mortgages can be obtained from French banks You can start looking for a new house or flat to buy on www.pap.fr, www.seloger.com, www.paruvendu.fr, www.lesiteimmobilier.com, www.century21.fr. 

There are also many private mortgage brokers you can choose from to help you find the best mortgages. In the long run these services can save you a lot of money.

Education for you and your children

Daycare centers
France has an excellent child care system that is as close to universal as possible. From the age of birth to 2 ½ - 3 a child can be placed in either a Crèche (Communal Nursery) or in the home of an Assistante Maternelle (Nanny). Once a child reaches the ages of between 2 ½ - 3 he or she can be enrolled in an école maternelle (Pre-School). None of these are compulsory as schooling in France is not obligatory until a child reaches the age of 5 years.

The school system
French state education is well-organized, well-funded and with generally average to high standards in comparison to other European countries.

School is compulsory for all children between the ages of 6 and 16. The school-going population of about 13 million pupils is educated within a unified system, the general structure of which (schools, lower secondary schools and lycées) was gradually established in the 1960s and 1970s. Since the 1970s, France has also witnessed a very striking development in preschool education: all children aged between three and five years can attend nursery schools. The state system is complemented by a comprehensive network of private schools including international schools.

Although the curriculum and processes in state schools are reformed regularly, the system does benefit from a high degree of consistency across the country, and children of the same age can be expected to be studying the same subjects and textbooks at the same time. The recent introduction of the seven skills (see below) ensures a systematic approach to teaching.

There are three stages, each of three years duration, designed to enable pupils to improve at their own speed and reduce the number of repeat years. The current programmes are:

Cycles des Apprentissages Premier
This relates to the first three years at Nursery School (Maternelle), age three to six

Cycles des Apprentissages Fondamentaux
This relates to the final year at Nursery School and the first 2 years of Primary. The courses are known as CP (Cours Preparatoire) and CE1 (Cours Elementaire1)

Cycles des Approfondissements
This cycle includes the balance of time spent at Primary School and includes the course CE2 (Cours Elementaire2), CM1 (Cours Moyen1) and CM2 (Cours Moyen2)

Flexibility has deliberately been built into the courses so that a child can move on to the next cycle even before the typical three year period has elapsed or take longer if need be.

In 2005 the government introduced the seven skills or competences that underlie teaching in primary and secondary schools.

Children are expected to have a command of these competences when they leave compulsory school. The seven skills are:

• Mastery of the French language
• Practical Knowledge of a living, modern language
• The basic elements of maths, science and technology
• Familiarity with the common techniques of communication and obtaining information
• The humanities
• Social and civic responsibility
• Autonomy and initiative

The French education system is highly oriented towards structured learning, with an emphasis on traditional teaching techniques designed to help pupils attain required standards and pass exams. With recent French government concern about basic literacy and numeracy standards among school-leavers, the emphasis on maths, reading, writing, science and French language is unlikely to change.

In general schools, the direction taken (repeating a year, moving to a higher class, changing streams) involves a procedure based on dialogue,within each school, between the school (teachers and administration) and the families and pupils. Teachers give their opinions at staff meetings (the 'conseil de classe'), and parents of pupils can appeal a decision they do not agree with.

The French education system is divided into Nursery Schools (Ecole Maternelle), Primary Schools (Ecole Primaire) and Secondary Schools (commencing with College) until age 15 when the next step is decided by examination. The top students will be able to attend a High School (Lycée) to study for the Baccalaureat. Those who don't attain the necessary grades at this stage may follow more vocational educational options . Around 80 per cent of children continue their schooling beyond the age of 16.

Contacts:
For state schools: Ministère de l'Education Nationale Bureau d'Information et d'Orientation
61/65, rue Dutot
75 Paris
Tel 00 33 1 40 65 65 40

For Private Schools: Centre d'Information et de Documentation de l'Enseignement Privé
6, rue Monsigny
75002 Paris
Tel: 0033 1 44 55 34 80

Other

Pensions

More information about pensions can be found here. 

Prices

The following gives you an impression of the cost of living in France. It is important to remember that the prices vary significantly within regions.

• Fast-food meal : 6 Euros
• Meal in a « restaurant de quartier » :between 10 -20 Euros
• Cinema ticket: 10 Euros, Students : 6,70 Euros
• Museum entry : 6-8 Euros
• Monthly public transportation in Paris :54 - 140 Euros
• A sandwich : 4-6 Euros
• A coffee : 2 Euros
• A baguette : 0,80 euro
• A croissant : 1 euro
• A camembert cheese : 1,90 euro
• 6 eggs: 1,20 euro
• 1 litre of milk : 0,90 euro
• 1kg of French fries : 1,20 euro
• 1kg of rice: 1,90 euro
• A newspaper: 1,10 euro
• A postage stamp : 0,60 euro (Europe), 0,85 euro
• Passport photos at an automatic photo machine: 4 pictures for 4 Euros
• Return rail fare Paris-Nice by TGV :135 Euros
• One night in a good bed & breakfast: 60-90 Euros
• Microwave oven : from 100 Euros
• DVD player : from 50 to 150 Euros
• MP3 player : from 30 to 150 Euros
• A chicken (1,3Kg) : 11,60 euro
• Orange juice «Tropicana » : 2,70 euro
• One litre of petrol : 1,1€/liter