Moving from Paris to the Seaside in Brittany

I moved to France in 2000. I’d met the man that I eventually married at the Louvre when I was visiting Paris on vacation. We kept in touch and he encouraged to me “take the plunge” and move to Paris. I was living in Atlanta at the time.

In 2007 I started translating as a side activity. I was still working full-time as an Assistant but once the translation starting taking off I realized that I could actually make a living at it. My initial goal was to put enough money aside to buy a house. But the more I thought about things, I realized that I could get a whole lot more house for my money outside of the Paris area. Since I was thinking about doing my translation work from home anyway, my husband and I decided to look at places outside of Paris.

Beach front of Saint-Nazaire

We’d been to St. Nazaire (4 h due west of Paris, just beyond Nantes) for vacation a few times and always really enjoyed the area. So, in December of 2011 we made a trip to the area and visited 25 houses in 5 days! We chose one, waited for the school year to end and finally moved in permanently in July of 2012.

Parc Paysager

There’s quite a lot that I like about both St. Nazaire and the town where I live (Trignac). First of all… the size. I chose to stay at home a lot when I lived in Paris because I didn’t want to deal with the crowds and traffic. Here, all I have to do is think it, get dressed and go. There are rarely traffic jams. Plus, I’m now about a 15-min drive to the ocean. I often walk or bike along the Atlantic Ocean. It’s really very beautiful.

Popular locations for 2nd homes/vacation like La Baule, Le Croisic and Pornic are only minutes away by car. For more of a big city feel (entertainment, international cuisine…), Nantes is only about 45 mins. away. St. Nazaire is a very livable city with lots of eye-popping scenery. It’s where the Loire River joins the Atlantic Ocean so it’s also a major port/shipbuilding city.

Skate park of Saint-Nazaire

I chose to live here after having spent 12 years in Paris. The stress in Paris is palpable when I go back. But I don’t know that I’d appreciate the peace of my current surroundings as much if I hadn’t spent so many years in Paris. I’m at the point in my life where I just want to enjoy all that I’ve worked for and enjoy my home, family and friends. A person who’s looking for nightlife and partying might not be too happy here. I definitely think that it’s more for people who are “settled” in their lives. And for those who like the outdoors, nature… it’s simply wonderful.

 Tracey, an American living on the west coast of France, appreciates the beauty and calm of Loire-Atlantique.

Paris by Arrondisement: The Family Friendly 11th!

August 2015 was the month when my husband and I had to face the important decision of leaving Ireland and starting a brand new life in Paris. As the departure day got closer, I began searching for information about living with a young family in such a big, cosmopolitan city  and the results I started to find were kind of worrying: Paris is not child friendly, there is nothing for babies or toddlers to do, no green areas and the list went and on. We ended up moving to the 11th arrondissement, somewhere between Voltaire and Bastille and while the husband left in the morning for work, the baby and I began  discovering  Paris and more importantly our arrondisement.

The 11th arrondissement or “Onzieme” is known by many for it’s lively nightclubs, late bars, events and it’s student population who party hard and that you can see drinking on Rue de Lappe and the surrounding streets (you, not me because I am more likely feeding a midnight bottle to my little one 😉

While pushing my poussette around I was surprised to find in nearly every street, family friendly places where you can bring your child for all sorts of “ateliers” such as: painting, language classes, live music , theater performances in addition to services for mothers like me who would like to enjoy a traditional yoga or pilates class.

As if this was not  enough, Paris is actually full of play cafes which offer the chance to bring your child/baby to a safe area where they can play undisturbed while mums chat and get to know each other.

I have often gone to the Maison Ouverte on Boulevard Voltaire where I have met nice mothers  from different countries and cultures and it has been great to see how everyone despite coming from different backgrounds were there ultimately for the same reason as me: wanting to socialize, entertaining their own baby while relaxing.

10 minutes  away from the Maison Ouverte there is another cafe’, with a slightly different concept but nonetheless nice for a mum and baby meet up: Le petit cafe’ du monde entire (http://www.petitcafedumonde.com).
In this cute cafe’ where language, massage and many more classes are offered, you can also have a coffee or get a bite to eat while your baby is playing in a designated area in the back..not a bad idea especially on chilly winter days but if you are in the mood for a stop in a park to get some fresh air, you just have to choose a direction and you will come across little parks where children can play, such as Square de la Roquette or Jardin Partage’ de la Folie-Titon to name a few, in just a few minutes, no matter which direction you head .

It is amazing to see how many Creches, Halte Garderies, Jardin d’Enfance, etc this neighborhood offers, although given the high density population of this arrondissement it is still a struggle to secure a spot like in most parts of Paris!

I am extremely excited about discovering more child friendly places and activities to do with my little baby. Next on my to-do list is to visit the Bibliothèque de rue Faidherbe which has been warmly recommended by other local mums. I will keep you posted on my future adventures in the 11th!

My name is Angela, I am originally from Bari, Italy and I am a mum of a 1 year old baby girl. I lived for the last 10 years in Dublin (Ireland) and I moved to Paris with my family in October 2015. I am a passionate foodie and tireless homecook, I also love cabaret, and Burlesque. I am also into wine dates and here in Paris it seems I am in the right place! 😉

Happy Holidays from Expatriate Parents in Paris!

I am writing this post while listening to the NSYNC Christmas album. Cheesy much? 😉

After living here for over 6 years, this is the first time in awhile that not only are we in the Paris area, (last year we went to Toulouse and the year before NYC) but we also hosted Reveillon de Noel at our place! It was a very classic French Reveillon meal with escargots, and saumon served as entrees and Chapon Dinde with sauteed potatoes and green beans served with the ultimate French Christmas desert of Buche Noel (Yule log).

In France it is quite common for families to have a late dinner on Christmas eve and stay up until midnight to open presents, I ended up sleeping at 3 am last night!We were also lucky enough to have an actual visit from Santa Clause 😉 Unfortunately my oldest was convinced that he had a very strong resemblance to her Dad 🙂

It is always an interesting experience celebrating the holidays away from “home”. It can also be especially challenging for expat families who often have to make the decision to spend the holidays apart from at least one part of their family.

On the otherhand it is also exciting to have the opportunity to create new family traditions. This year after not sending physical cards for years, I decided to make hand made cards with my oldest daughter. It felt very rewarding to go to the post office and mail out the envelopes in an age where most of communication takes place through social media and/or texts.

In typical French spirit, I am currently on vacation and am already planning our summer vacation! When in France do like the French! 🙂

But seriously I am looking forward to being on vacation with my family here and relaxing.

I am grateful that 2015 allowed me to meet so many other expatriate parents in Paris. I am also grateful to those who have contributed to this blog, and helped to keep it alive.  I hope to meet even more of you in 2016. As for today, I look forward to staying in my pajamas all day, watching movies and playing board games!

Happy Holidays!!!

Meet Nathaleen, the Founder of English Speaking Mums in Paris Facebook Group

Having lived abroad almost all my life I faced various challenges which were easy to overcome, however, when I became a Mum on the other side of the world things changed….. All throughout my pregnancy we were based in Chile. Far away from family and friends. Although I had made some great friends there, many of them were not parents and us becoming parents changed everything. I looked for English playgroups and realised there wasn’t really any around. I decided to create my first English Speaking Mums group and within 2 weeks it had taken off. All of these “Mums”  were in the same situation as myself, looking for friends, playgroups, English speaking doctors, etc.

The members of the group became my friends, family and daily network. The group ended up growing like crazy and soon became the best friend to many expat mums.

When we finally came back to Europe and were based in France, I decided to give it a go and create English Speaking Mums Living in Paris. I was in the same situation but with a toddler and much closer to home. I used the same Marketing strategies and to my surprise the need was indeed there!

The group has become very popular within a short amount of time, there are currently over 1,000 members! I think there was a real need for it. There are many expat mums in France too , many of them come from far away and they probably feel like I did in South America and need the support, and ability to meet new people, have their questions answered, and find English speaking docs, etc.

Running a group isn’t always easy. Being an admin became more and more challenging as the group grew. I was trying to keep the group as correct as possible but I couldn’t control it all. So to the rescue came the fabulous admin team we have in place now, Meagan, Cleo and Jennifer. Each of us are located in different parts of Paris and the surrounding areas and can cover playdates and events in those areas (which was the idea from the beginning). We try to keep it as clean as possible and avoid posts that can create conflict or make other mums feel uncomfortable. So far so good!

The power of a social group should never be underestimated!  I have made lifetime friends through them! I am very proud of what the group has turned into and I am glad to have met some amazing people through this group.

My name is Nathaleen Hewitt, I am 33 years old British, mother of 1 and hold a BA. I have been living in Paris since 2013 and am originally from the UK. I am passionate about children and horses and love travelling and discovering new adventures!

 

 

Why I Love Le Bon Coin

In the midst of the holiday season  and all of the gift giving and gift buying, I thought it would be fitting to do a post dedicated to one of my favorite websites: Le Bon Coin

Le Bon Coin is the French equivalent of Craiglist, however in my opinion so much better! One of the downsides of Craigslist, has always been determining the authenticity of certain ads, apartment located in the center of the city for only a few hundred euros?! Too good to be true on Craigslist, probably means it is too good to be true!  However Le Bon Coin is so ingrained in French society, that an overall majority of the sellers tend to be quiet honest and you can expect to actually get what you see in the ads.

The literal translation of Le Bon Coin, is the good corner, or good place, and for me it has definitely been the right place to be! You can find everything on this site, from real estate to dvds to children’s clothing, jobs, last minute concert tickets and everything in between. I grew up in a home where at a young age, visiting flea markets and yard sales in NYC was a favorite pastime. However being a busy, full time working Mom of two, I unfortunately have little time to go in person to all of the brochantes, and vide greniers which take place on a regular basis each week throughout Ile de France.

The famous St Ouen flea market at St Ouen, in the 18th arrondisement of Paris

That is another reason I love Le Bon Coin, because it is like going to a flea market, except getting exactly what you want nothing less nothing more. In addition, there is no reason to be shy! You may think what you are looking for is random, but trust me it is likely to indeed be on Le Bon Coin. Just today  on the front page, there are apartments for sale, a Tweety bird teddy bear, Marc Jacobs bag, and dining table for sale. If that doesn’t appeal to the interests of people from all walks of life, I don’t know what does!

Also you can filter, based on your budget, location, size, etc in order to avoid wasting time, which is always a plus in my book!

Mackelemore Thrift Shop Video echoing my feelings when browsing Le Bon Coin 🙂

And if buying second hand items isn’t your thing, Le Bon Coin can still be useful for you. Are you moving soon, or do you find yourself overloaded with toys, clothes, etc? Then Le Bon Coin is a great place to sell and sell fast. The buyers come from all backgrounds, so I have seen mulitiple times a similar item being sold at a range of prices. The general rule, is the cheaper you sell, the faster it sells!

For those of you running your own business, Le Bon Coin is also a good place to post the services you offer, in particular for those offering English courses, translation, etc.

One downside however is sometimes after arranging to buy an item, when you see it in person you realize you don’t want it, or it doesn’t fit as expected. I sometimes feel guilty in these moments as both parties went through the trouble of meeting, however that is part of the game! And again at least you are not obligated to buy, even if it is awkward walking away from a meeting empty handed. No worries,  just get back online and keep searching 🙂

Being Pregnant in France

Hello. My name is Vanesha Candasamy. I was born and raised in South Africa and later on in life moved to the USA to study and work. I moved to France about 3.5 years ago to be here with my husband. I fell pregnant pretty quickly after moving here . I found out I was pregnant when I was about 2.5 months pregnant. Honestly, I was excited but scared. I was in a foreign country and barely spoke French and I was just lost in all ways possible. However, thankfully my husband held my hand every step of the way and explained things to me despite not knowing much himself about pregnancy and how it all works but somehow we learned along the way.

My daughter Lia is 2.5 years old and here is my being pregnant in France story. As my French was very poor I had to find a doctor who spoke some English to guide me through the pregnancy. Luckily, my sister in law knew a doctor in Val de Marne (94) area. He was fantastic and I was very happy to know he would guide me every step of the way through my pregnancy. He worked at a private clinic so that is where we decided to have my daughter. Even though it was about 25 to 30 minutes away as I live in Gagny 93220, it was well worth the travel.

The clinic I gave birth in was fantastic and had amazing staff who were super friendly and surprisingly, there were a few nurses who spoke English! My doctor, guided me step by step on how the process works in France before giving birth, such as registering my birth at the town hall in my area, I also had to send some documents (which your doctor will provide) to social security and CAF. This is basically to notify them that you are awaiting the birth of your child. My doctor gave me a completed form with all my personal details and information about my pregnancy and due date, this form needed to be given to the clinic where I would give birth. Along, with this form I had to provide my social security number and mutuelle card and ID and latest pregnancy scan in order to register at the clinic and book a room for me. My husband and I decided as we have a very good mutuelle, that we would book a private room. I preferred this as this was my first child and honestly, I was a bit overwhelmed and still lost . So if I had my own personal space I would be more comfortable and happier and also it would be easier for my husband and I to bond with the baby.

Currently, I am pregnant with my 2nd baby. We are blessed and happy to know it is a boy. I am due on the 14th April 2016.  With my daughter I experienced very bad nausea and tiredness. With my son, I have experienced a lot of back pain and quite bad side aches. After living in France for 3.5 years, my French and general knowledge on how things work here have improved. However, believe me everyday I learn something new or I often have this look on my face as I’m confused .

As I live in Gagny, this pregnancy I decided to find a doctor in my area and not use the same doctor that delivered my daughter, only because of the distance and time it takes to go back and forth for my appointments and scans,etc. I found a doctor about 5 minutes from my house. He is nothing compared to my other doctor but it will have to do. He speaks English and what I do like about him is that he has everything in his office. When I have my monthly appointments, I get my scans done the same time so it’s all in one place and I don’t have to run around from one place to another. Again, when I was 3 months pregnant I registered my pregnancy at the town hall in my area, social security and CAF. I will be giving birth at a private clinic in Livry Gargan which is about 10 minutes from me as this is where my doctor delivers the babies. For both pregnancies, I honestly did not stress about hospitals or clinics because I just went with the clinic where my doctor was registered. As my first experience was fantastic giving birth in a maternity clinic which was small, clean, and quiet. I really loved the privacy. In addition to the fantastic care that both me and my baby received, I chose to go with a private clinic again for my 2nd baby.

Just some general information about pregnancy here: In general when you are pregnant in France, you will need to make monthly visits to your doctor and this will probably include also getting a baby scan done. There are also numerous amounts of tests on a monthly basis that I do to monitor my sugar levels(my mom is diabetic) and also just the general testing to make sure the baby is not at all at risk.

I honestly, do not know how things work in South Africa if you are pregnant but one thing for sure here in France they monitor every single kg you gain! With my daughter I gained 8 kgs in total which my doctor was happy with and told me if you gained more that is fine (he was probably more understanding as he studied a bit abroad ). My current doctor is quite strict and opinionated about weight gain. I will soon be 5 months pregnant and I have gained 5 kgs and he has already freaked out and told me watch what I eat and monitor fruit intake and salt intake and the list goes on. Honestly, I felt like an elephant when I came out of that appointment. However, after speaking to many moms they told me 5kgs is normal and not to think too much about it. Honestly, I watch what I am eating so I don’t have to deal with my doctor going on and on  about gaining weight.

There is no experience as beautiful as bringing life into this world, however for many working moms such as myself, the thought of returning to work after birth and deciding when to,  can be scary . When I moved to France I took a step back in my career and decided to be a full time English nanny due to the flexibility and the fact that I could take my daughter to work. As I was breastfeeding, I needed to have my baby with me. My daughter went to work with me until she was 15 months. By then I had stopped breastfeeding and she was big enough to be on her own and stay with someone else.

We registered at a town hall for a full time spot in the crèche but no luck. So my 2nd option was finding an assistante maternalle. This worked out well as she lives pretty close to us and I am able to drop my daughter of in the mornings and my husband pick her up in the evenings. This option for childcare in terms of cost is lower than us employing a nanny,etc. Also, as her salary is declared we do get a little reimbursement back from CAF and social security. As with my daughter, I will take 3 months maternity leave for my son. I am planning to change jobs as my daughter will start school in September 2016 and I will probably leave my son with my daughters assistante maternalle unless miraculously, we get a full time spot for him in the crèche.

I am very thankful to be pregnant in France because the healthcare in general is quite good. I have not experienced giving birth in a public hospital but my experience from giving birth in a private clinic has only been good. Both my husband and I feel at ease and I know me and my baby are in good hands.

My name is Vanesha. I am a South African citizen. My husband is Cameroonian-French. We have a 2.5 year old daughter named Lia and currently pregnant with a babyboy due in April. I am a full time working mom and somehow I haven’t gone insane YET.

Paris Outside the Périphérique: Strasbourg

After living here for 6 years, it is only recently that I have made an effort to explore more of France which has a lot to offer outside of Paris.

When I first traveled to Paris, I did a short trip to beautiful Nice, Cannes, and Monaco which are definitely must sees if you haven’t been. I also have had frequent trips to Normandy, as one of my in laws has an apartment there. I have been lucky enough to visit Cabourg, Deauville, Trouville, Mont St Michel, and Honfleur. The great thing about Normandy is that it is only 2 hours away and many of the towns have beaches, which is nice when getting away from Paris.

However it was only when a close friend of my husband moved to Toulouse, that we began making an effort to see more of France. Earlier this year we visited Toulouse, Bordeaux, Aix en Provence, Marseille, Avignon and Auvergne. What I love about France is that each region has something different to offer.

Strasbourg City Center

 

As we are in the midst of the holiday season, Strasbourg located in the Alsace region of France has been on my to visit list for a while. A unique aspect of this region is that up until 1945 it was under German rule. Today most of the kids learn German in school, and there are some old timers who speak only German or Alsatian. Hence why this region has a very unique identity, one of the reasons why I wanted to visit. I also have a long lost cousin living in Colmar, so this past weekend we decided to make the trip. We reserved an Airbnb apartment back in October. By this time, almost all of the hotels and apartment rentals were actually already taken! So if you are planning on going to Strasbourg during the Christmas Market, one piece of advice is to reserve in advance! Some even apparently reserve a year in advance!

After dropping our bags, we immediately left to explore the city and in particular the renowned Christmas Market!

Strasbourg Christmas Market

There were lots of goodies to be had including vin chaud, pain d’epice and fresh gingerbread men.

The girls with fresh gingerbread men

Not to mention the typical regional dishes, including flamenkuche which is an Alsatian and South German dish composed of bread dough rolled out very thin in the shape of a rectangle (traditionally) or circle, which is covered with fromage blanc or crème fraîche, thinly sliced onions and lardons. As well as choucroute also known as Sauerkraut but not the one that this New York girl is used to on hotdogs 🙂 Instead it is served as an actual dish typically served with sausage, and potatoes in Alsace.

Flamenkuche

Choucroute with potatoes and sausage

While the city of Strasbourg is very dynamic, the highlight of the trip was visiting Colmar which is a cozy, charming town with a village feel. The streets are beautiful and take you back in time.

Beautiful Colmar

In addition the Petite Venise is quite romantic. Alsace is full of very Germanic type architecture, while other parts make you feel as if you are walking in Amsterdam. I was also happy that I got to meet my cousins, and the little cousins had the opportunity to meet as well 🙂

Overall I had a great time visiting this region, which I would definitely recommend visiting as a family especially during Christmas time.

How to Apply for Public Primary Schools in Paris

 

How to Apply for Public State Primary Schools in Paris

Public Primary Schools in Paris

All French and foreign children living in Paris can be enrolled in the wonderful, free French public school system starting with École Maternelle (pre-school) for 3-5 year olds, and École Elementaire (Elementary School) for 6-10 year olds. The school year runs from Sept-July and are compulsory from 6 years old.

Ecole Maternelle OPTIONAL

• la petite section (PS) for the youngest children 3 years old. Some may even start at 2.

• la moyenne section (MS) for 4 year olds
• la grande section (GS) for 5 year olds. Preparing them for Big School.

Ecole Elementaire COMPULSORY

• CP (Cours Préparatoire) 6 years old
• CE1 (Cours Élémentaire 1ère année) 7 years
• CE2 (Cours Élementaire 2ème année) 8 years
• CM1 (Cours Moyen 1ère année) 9 years
• CM2 (Cours moyen 2ème année) 10 years old

Where and when?

Public school registrations begin at the town hall belonging to your arrondissement to get a certificate allowing you to enroll at the school. This ideally happens Nov-Jan the year before you’d like your child to start. ie. NOW. However, latecomers will be duly accommodated! We managed to begin the process in August and finalised everything by the end of September.

1. Please don’t complicate matters and make sure you have an address in Paris first! The contract for your flat alone does not count, but the home insurance does.

STEP 1. Town Hall or Mairie d’Arrondissement

Bureau des Ecoles

Visit your local town hall or mairie and head to the bureau des écoles or School Office (no appointment necessary). They’re open Mon-Fri 8h30 to 17h and Thursdays until 19h30. A list of town halls by district can be found here.

http://en.parisinfo.com/practical-paris/useful-addresses/20-district-town-halls-in-paris

Ensure you have the following documents and take photocopies of everything:

• livret de famille or Translated Child’s birth certificate (long version)

• Parent’s ID (just one is needed) and Carte de Sejour if applicable
• Legal papers referring to child authority in case of adoption or divorce
• Up to date Vaccination Certificate – particularly the DTaP Diptheria, Tetanus and Polio (3 injections + pre-school booster)
• TWO proof of address: electricity, gas or fixed phone line bill (less than 3 months), taxe d’habitation, content insurance, rental contract, house lease,
• ‘certificat de scolarité’ for children already schooled in another district/country
• CAF number if you have one
• name and address of parents’ employer

They’ll check your papers thoroughly, register you on the system, and consult their map to allocate you a school closest to your home. Always be extremely polite, speak french or take a french speaker along if you struggle! Often there are books and toys to entertain children which can help a lot. If all goes to plan you will leave with a Certificat  d’Inscription hooray!

1. If you’d like to send your child to another school to the one you’ve been allocated with you need to be given a certificat de dérogation which, in special circumstances (closer to work, child’s medical needs, siblings at another school) with the consent of the target school’s director and the mairie will allow you to apply to another school.

Caisse des Ecoles

Seeing as you’re at the town hall you may as well save yourself a trip and pay a visit to the Caisse des Ecoles, the school’s treasury with: the previous 3 months pay slips, ID and the certificat d’inscription. They’ll work out which tranche tarifaire you’ll belong to based on your revenues and how many people there are in your household. This is the basis for all school-related costs such as the canteen, extra curricular activities, music conservatoire classes etc. T1 is the cheapest and T10 is the most expensive.

The Canteen costs vary from €0.13 per meal for T1 and €7 for T10 for 2015/16. Yes no typo. You’ll pay the Canteen directly to the school (cash or cheque only) and the extra curricular activities to the Caisse des Ecoles via the platform Facil’ Familles.

STEP 2: School

Now, woohoo you can finally check out the school. Take your certificate to the school you’ve been allocated, with the documents just in case and register there. Depending on the director and time of year they may give you a tour. You’ll be given a few papers to fill out (emergency contacts, general information, canteen, extra-curricular activities) and more at the beginning of term (who can pick up your child, medical certificates for sports, 6 passport sized photos). Make sure your child is covered for school insurance or purchase an assurance scolaire (less than €20/year)

You’ll be informed what children will need by the school, but generally:

• For Pre-school : a change of clothes (in a shoebox), a doudoou cuddly toy for naptimes and a box of tissues
• For Primary School : a lengthy list of stationery that gets longer and includes USB sticks as the child gets older

School Hours

It may vary depending on the school but mainly the hours are:

8h30-11h30 morning class

11h30-13h30 lunchtime (they can go home for lunch but most stay for lunch at the canteen)

13h30-15h afternoon class or nap for the PS

15-16h30 afternoon class then hometime

16h30-18h30 choice of extra-curricular activities (approx €60 T1 – €160 T7+ per activity per year)

HOWEVER, the french like to mix things up a bit and so, Tuesdays and Fridays class ends at 15h* but you can leave them at school until 16h30 for free organised activities or activities periscolaires. Wednesdays they finish school early and you can pick them up at 11h30, after lunch or leave them at the centre de loisirs.

So there you have it! Follow these guidelines to make your French school application trouble-free!

*Please note that this information is based on schools in Paris, the rules may vary depending on your town.

Maria is a British-Mexican mum to two boys born in January 2010 and 2012 in London, married to a frenchman and moved to Paris from Madrid summer 2015 to be closer to family. A marketing freelancer, she enjoys shopping, parks, Fresh food markets, girly lunches, live concerts and big fat beats!