We are often asked what it is like to live in France. 

 

Most of the time beautiful blue skies, warmer weather than England, fewer cars and generally we like to think less crime. 

 

For those who move here with young children it is often a struggleat first, as you need to be fluent in french in order to get a job, in order to keep your family.  Learning the language is often quicker for the parents of young children as you tend to pick up the language at the school gates so to speak.  So many young families initially keep themselves going by having gites unless of course one partner has a very much needed skill here.

 

For those of us who are older it is often more difficult.  If you come before retirement age, then you need to have something to keep the money rolling in, however minimal just to pay the bills.  For those who are over retirement age the difficulties arise as the health problems start to arise.  Not just the cost of health and bodily repairs, but the language you need in order to attend doctors, dentists, hospitals etc.  And the older you are the more difficult it becomes to learn a language - the concentration skills are just not there.

 

For those working here in France, life can be quite expensive.  Taxes are high, as are cotisations which you pay towards the health system.  In January 2009 the french authorities set up a new system called the Auto Entrepreneur which was supposed to work similar to the PAYE in England - you pay a percentage of what you earn and that depends on what work you undertake.  Lets say for instance that you decide to set up a Bed and Breakfast or Gites - although you work a great deal harder with a Bed and Breakfast providing a greater service you are required to pay 21.6% of your turnover.  If however you have Gites or offer evening meals your percentage is only 12%.  The people you pay these cotisations to are the RSI - who bless their cotton socks, have had a lot to put up with since the Auto Entrepreneur system started as they were inundated with those who wanted to join the system.  So its no wonder they constantly get their figures wrong.  Go on any expat site and you will see cries from entrepreneurs of excessive demands - particularly this time of year when the demands go out - just before Christmas. 

 

We are no exception to the rule - our demand is for 10,000 euros - paid half before Christmas and half after.  The fact that we in no way make this amount is beside the point.  I think the comment WATCH THIS SPACE comes to mind.