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We came to France 2 years ago just looking for a better life for the family- more time, less stress. We found that.

After another pregnancy resulting in twins, our life took a different direction. Not better or worse just different. All our plans got turned on their heads. My husband found work and I stayed at home with the children even though I am a qualified nurse and have been told that I could walk into a job tomorrow!!

Not all ex-pats come to another country with tons of cash, dream home or the perfect job waiting. Some of us moved to find a better way of life. We do get more time now with less outside stress. Our older girls are doing really well in school and are so much happier that we can give them more time.

Sounds idyllic! The trade off is less cash than we are used to and that is a hard lesson to learn. Prices here have gone up since the change over to the Euro which makes budgeting much harder.

Having said all of that we would never move back to Britain. France is home and in 3 years time we are going to look at getting French Citizenship for us all.

To anyone thinking of moving to France (or anywhere else) I would say look closely at why you want to move first.

If we can do it anyone can. It's down to determination not money!

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I have read a lot of literature with regard to the pitfalls of trying to open a Bank account in France whilst still living in the UK. That is a 'non resident' bank account. I have to say everything I have read was unfounded!

Upon making the first approach to Credit Agricole, I was obviously asked for colour copies of our passports along with a utility bill of where I live in the UK, not more than three months old, no problem here I thought!!! I went everywhere for a colour copy to be made off our passports - It is illegal to do this in the UK!!!, in the end I resorted to scanning the passports onto the computer and then taking a colour print from the printer - job done!! sent both these and the utility bill off to the bank.

Forms then came from France, no different to those requiring signatures in the UK, other than getting them translated!!! We do not speak or read French - Yet!

I was asked whether I wanted a Debit Bank card for each of us and a further credit card for each. After sending everything signed back to France, back came a paying in book with which I sent an amount to open the account. Since then I have had confirmation of the monies within the account and also the relevent cards and separate pins, through the post.

I really do not know what the problem has been for those people writing the literature that is out there, I really did have trepidations. The whole affair of opening a bank account in France could not have gone sweeter, and I have to say with the utmost courtesy by the French Bank.

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If you are choosing a school for your kids, our advice would be to chat to the Mairie. The state schools are good here, my youngest (14) is in his second year and doing ok. No knowledge of the language when we moved over a year ago, but it doesn't take long for them to learn the rudiments. The kids & the teachers have all been a great help to him. Another tip: if your child's sporty, then get involved with local teams etc. Mine plays for our local footy team here in the Loire, and has done for the past 2 seasons. He has some good mates and it helps us integrate as parents too.

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If you're coming over by ferry with the car you can purchase headlight converters on P&O and Seafrance ferries.

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I have lived in Toulouse for 3 years. It is a very pleasant and safe city. There are less nice neighborhoods, like around Mirail University, Reynerie and Basso Campo, but they're few. Generally recognizable by consisting of nothing but large low-income apartment buildings. The central city and most of the suburbs are very livable. It is indeed a very vibrant and welcoming city, and the climate is generally pleasant.

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We're north Dordogne in the Limousin/Dordogne National Parc area and we've been here two years now. Our first winter was gentle with sunny, calm and clear days every day. Wonderful. Last winter was wet and cold. Much colder than our previous home in the British isles. Unusually bleak though, so our neighbours tell us. :-) We have friends on the edge of the Limousin and they say they had similar to us last winter.

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My experience with French banking. I've been doing some very complex banking with CA Centre-Est in Burgundy for 6 years now and have never had a problem.

They've always been very helpful and I've always been very careful about asking lots of questions about fees (which are everywhere today).

I've managed to do it their way and have eliminated the majority of the fees and have had wonderful service.

Once I had a little problem where I cashed a check in Pounds and they charged me a 15 euro fee. I went to see them because I had inquired beforehand about what to do with the check and they simply waived the fee. No questions asked.

Really, I'm very pleased. I was even thinking about staying with them when we move somewhere new.

I had more troubles banking in the USA 20 years ago than I do now.

Of course, my French is fluent and I did try to adapt to their way of doing business. When in Rome....... It's by far the easiest attitude to have since most of the time the French do things their way for a reason and when we adjust things go much more smoothly.

I think when living in a foreign country you have to be patient. Banking has changed everywhere in the world. Money doesn't talk like it used to. We are all just clients and can't expect the services that we used to have. I also think that if you can't adapt or adjust -- go home. Why should the French have to learn English so you can live in their country?

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After living in many different areas of France for 17 years, we're considering moving to Paris in the summer. I don't know much about living in Paris but I have been doing some research and here's what I've discovered.

A small apartment (120 square meters) with three bedrooms, one bathroom, a small balcony and one parking space (not necessarily a garage) in a good area is going to cost about 3,000 euros a month in rent (or, of couse, you could buy it for about 800, 000 euros).

There are lots of good schools in all of these areas. I've figured out that you're better off living where you work and where you kids go to school otherwise you're going to spend all your time on public transportation.

French people mostly have their groceries delivered in the evening for a nominal fee which avoids the problem of trying to carry packages of bottled water long distances and then they just have to go to their local market for fresh fruits and vegetables. (They order them on internet from the big chain stores).

I know I will have to find a job and throw myself into my work to avoid cabin fever. I have been teaching English in France for over 10 years and have had some great jobs in different engineering schools and universities. I think finding teaching jobs is more difficult in Paris though because there are so many native English speakers there. I am also a legal secretary and I think I'll be able to find something that pays well in this area. (But you have to have working papers and your French must be great. Typing 100 wpm helps too!)

My main concerns are: living in an apartment with 3 teenagers who have always had huge bedrooms and lots of garden space. What to do on a rainy day. Missing seeing lots of greenery and open spaces, and money, money, money. Paris is expensive. The only good news is that young people under 18 years of age have free admission to all the museums and monuments.

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My husband moved from Canada to France some 6 years ago and I joined him from the US almost 3 years ago now. I just want to draw attention to some of the least pleasant things here, just so people are prepared mentally for them:

You will notice that lifestyle and mainly attitude in general is very different from that in Canada. The notion of space is completely different. Unless you really have loads of money, everything here is small, narrow and expensive. Air conditioning is almost non existent! It is less cold here than in Canada in general but there is also much less sunshine in this part of France. Customer service is not comparable to what you have in North America and people are not very patient with accent or worst: not knowing French at all.

I do not mean to discourage anyone but simply to prepare them for a few discoveries that they might make after they arrive here.

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I've lived here for 17 years, and speak French fluently. In the beginning, I would have had a very difficult time understanding administrative French without a French husband.

It's very difficult. It's like starting over again. It takes years, piecing bits of information together to finally get the big picture of how to operate in France.

Learn as much French as you can and arrive with a huge dose of patience and lots of good humor and things will be OK. It's going to take time though. Lots of time.

I've always been amazed at how well the French speak English compared to how well the English/Americans speak French. Yes, some of them don't make any effort to learn, but, a lot of them speak very, very well. Most Americans I know don't make any effort to speak French and never will. I know a lot of French people who could correct your grammar...

If you want to live in France, naturally, you should speak French or make a huge effort to do so.

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I moved to France when my children were 11, 10 and 7 and I had some worries. There were a few hectic moments but as they started doing well they were so excited about the new language that it pushed them to keep going with enthusiasm. One is now in Premiere and studying for his IB, doing fantastic. Other is in Seconde and doing straight French Bac in the high learning group with hopes of being a doctor. The youngest is now in 5eme and sits in level with the top ten students of his grade. They had little help from me when they started as my French was poor (Still is) but I let them know each step of the way that they were fabulous and doing great. I now watch my children, turning into young adults and am very proud indeed to hear my bilingual children switch from one language to another. If they ever decide to return to an English speaking country, they will have more opportunities in careers with having two languages up their sleeve.

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My family moved to Lot et Garonne 2 1/2 years ago. Kids now aged 8,6 and 4.

It will be easy for your 3 year old and a little harder for the 6 year old as s/he will be doing 'proper' learning at the same time as picking up the language. The real issue I suppose is that with the more formal lessons for the 6 year old (in CP) there is less time to interact with the other kids. The net result is a child that starts in the nursery picks up the language more quickly. However they can be speaking French in a matter of days really.

We have had a very warm welcome from the school and the teachers are fantastic.

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If you're looking to set up a new phone and Internet connection:

1. Go to the France Telecom office in the next town ( or large town) and ask for a telephone. Depending on where you live it can take time.

2. Then you need an internet connection: Standard or ADSL. The trouble as far as I am informed is you still have to use France Telecom to get it - then you are eventually stuck with them for a time and with Wanadoo - their internet service (Wanadoo is one of the dearest and their service is not good!)

It took me weeks to get my internet going, although I did as they counsel and registered 2 months before moving, and although I had the new telephone number (that took 2 days) the connection to the telephone needed 3 weeks.

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On 09 Sept. I called in at the France Telecom office in La Roche sur Yon. I was completing the purchase of a house on 10 Sept. and wanted to confirm what documentation I would need for a phone line. I knew I needed proof of ownership but would not have the Notaire's certificate until the next day.

"Pas de problem" said the guy at France Telecom and with only my pasport I was given a line and it worked that evening!

I think, like organisations the world over, it depends how YOU behave, how the organisation person feels and what side of bed he/she got out of that day!

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It is well worth getting a carte de sejour. The French use an identity card often. The UK passport doesn't fit the bill because it has no address. So if you need to prove identity, nationality and residence you need a carte de sejour. You need it anyway if you intend to work in France. And then you don't need to cart round old gas bills, birth certificates etc!

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Looking to stay fit in France? What is very thin on the ground is anything like a Fitness Centre anything like what you'd find in the UK/USA. Outside the big cities you'll mainly get small gyms with the facilities available varying widely. In our experience, it's rare to get a "complete" centre with swimming pool, exercise classes, etc. Think of what it was like 30 years ago and you'll get the picture.

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If you plan to give birth in France, make sure you have a good doctor, both general and OB/GYN, someone you are comfortable with and they will give you all the advice and directions you need. Where to go, who to contact, who to see. If you are staying in France after the birth, you have to contact your local Caisse d'Allocations Familles (CAF) but you will get all that paperwork from your medical team. If you do have to contact CAF, I would recommend that you do it sooner rather than later as it can take some time to organise. Make sure you have plenty of photocopies of all your official paperwork and take all the originals when you go for a meeting.

Above all, enjoy your pregnancy and approach the buraucracy with a sense of humour. Remember you would have the same to deal with anywhere.