Living In France - It’s The Little Things!

That beautiful stone house might come with stunning views. But how far is the school, how much will it cost to heat, and are you about to become a full-time taxi service for your children?This week, I’m joined by my friend Natasha, who moved from Croydon to Normandy with three children aged thirteen, eleven and seven. We talk honestly about moving with older children, finding supportive schools, making friends and building a working life in France.There’s also rural isolation, freezing houses, teenage soirées involving raclette machines, and the peculiar expat competition over who’s lived here longest.If you’re planning a move, this is a reminder to look beyond the lovely property and think about the everyday life you actually want. As Natasha puts it: you can’t live off a view.With thanks to our sponsors, Fab French Insurance.And you can get in touch with Natasha here:https://ournormandylife.com/category/our-business-life/www.ournormandylife.comOr on Facebook :https://www.facebook.com/share/19nrgAbYYU/Or follow her on Instagram :https://www.instagram.com/ournormandylife?psln=NGFua2tydzR2dDZ3

Need a French bank account but already stuck on the proof-of-address problem? Welcome to France. In this episode of France Made Simple, I explain what new arrivals need to know about French banking, from opening an account and gathering the paperwork to understanding your RIB, direct debits and the difference between immediate and deferred debit cards. We’ll look at traditional banks versus online options, fees to watch out for, moving money from overseas and why opening a French account doesn’t sort out your tax residence. And yes, we’ll talk about cheques. They’re still a thing here. A practical, jargon-free guide to getting your banking organised, without assuming that what worked for somebody on Facebook will necessarily work for you.

That gorgeous French house might tick every box. But will you actually enjoy living there?

French home insurance is not quite as straightforward as you might expect, especially if you’re coming from the UK or another country with a different insurance system. In this episode of France Made Simple, Cat is joined by Fabien from Fab French Insurance to debunk some of the biggest myths surrounding French home and contents insurance. We look at what is legally required depending on whether you’re a tenant, homeowner, second-home owner or landlord, and why French insurance doesn’t work in quite the same way as UK buildings and contents insurance. We also cover some of the areas that regularly catch people out, including: • Why buildings-only and contents-only policies aren’t generally how French home insurance works • What happens if you have a swimming pool, garage, shed or other outbuilding • Why your valuable possessions in a shed may not be covered simply because you’ve declared the shed • How the “new for old” principle actually works; and why it doesn’t necessarily mean getting back what you originally paid • Why photographing your possessions and keeping receipts, valuations and certificates of authenticity can make a huge difference when making a claim • Chimney sweeping, maintenance and what insurers may expect • How “catastrophe naturelle” claims work in France • Why natural-disaster cover is different from ordinary claims • The surprising issue of underground water pipes and where responsibility for leaks begins and ends • And perhaps the biggest culture shock of all: accidental damage to your own possessions is generally NOT included in a standard French home insurance policy. As always, the aim isn’t to scare you into buying more insurance, it’s to understand what you actually have, what you don’t have, and where the potential gaps might be. Because when it comes to French insurance, as Fabien puts it: you don’t know what you don’t know until you find out you don’t know it!

Moving to France can be an exciting new chapter but there are a few mistakes that can make the transition considerably harder than it needs to be. In this episode of France Made Simple, I run through five of the most common mistakes people make when they move to France and, as usual, I’ve made plenty of them myself so you don’t have to! We look at why you really do need to learn French (and why “I’ll pick it up when I get there” probably isn’t going to work), why you should start thinking about your garden much earlier than you might expect, and why it’s surprisingly easy for a move, renovation and French admin to take over your entire life and even your relationship. I also talk about the culture shock of moving to France, including the little social rules that can catch newcomers out, from saying bonjour and doing la bise to understanding why French people interrupt, wag their fingers and don’t necessarily mean to be rude. And finally, we get to one of the biggest lessons of all: patience. French opening hours, August holidays, bank-holiday weekends, builders, paperwork and the general French approach to work-life balance can test even the most laid-back newcomer. The good news? Most of these things can be anticipated, planned for and, eventually, laughed about. If you’re planning a move to France or you’ve already made the move and are wondering why nobody warned you about some of this, this episode is for you. And thank you, as always, to our long-term sponsors Fab French Insurance for supporting France Made Simple. And as promised - here’s the link to my fabulous hairdresser! https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580217764838