The other day I interviewed an expat British couple in France. They had moved here seven years ago, took early retirement, bought a beautiful country house with a lovely garden in a pretty village in SW France.

We talked about how they find life in France and it started off well. They love the food, being able to go to the market to buy fresh veg and fruit. They love the fact that they can wander down to their local bar and everyone says hello and they feel welcomed to the community. They feel they’ve integrated well, the air is fresh, roads clear, it was the right move for them…

After a little while a note of unhappiness started to creep in and they began to moan. Although retired and able to live on their pensions, they’d like to earn a bit of extra income. They thought about starting a B&B or converting one of their many outbuildings into a gite. However, they found the paperwork to register a gite too difficult and gave up that idea. I was a bit surprised at this. Yes the paperwork is in French, yes it is quite onerous but – nothing ventured nothing gained and there are plenty of people who can ease the work, professionals who can do the translating, register the business, take care of tax forms and all that bureaucratic stuff.

Intrigued I asked if there was anything else that bugs them about living in France?

“Yes – the language is hard to learn”. This is true, for many people it is difficult and most expats will never fully master the nuances and colloquialisms. But, I protested, it’s perfectly possible to get by with a bit of hard work I’ve found. Ah, that was the problem though, they didn’t want to spend time learning, they felt that by living here they would simply pick it up – presumably by osmosis.

What else, I asked.  The man piped up “when we go to restaurants, I always ask for my steak to be medium rare but it’s always too rare”. Why don’t you ask for it to be well done I asked, that way you know it will be more cooked? “Because” said the man “I have always had it medium rare”.

More bugbears? “Yes, in the summer the farmers drive their tractors late at night and its really noisy”.  Oh, says I, didn’t you know that when you live in the country, surrounded by farm land and farms that they would be working late sometimes, getting the crops in before it rains for instance? Well, yes, they said, “but we thought we’d get used to it”.

Anything else? “Yes, there is another expat couple in the village and they don’t declare that they are resident even though they live here more than 6 months of the year”.

Now this surprised me. How on earth could this be a problem for this couple? “Well”, said the lady “it’s irritating, it gives us Brits a bad reputation, we’re thinking of alerting the authorities”.

The couple confirmed that their British neighbours did not claim benefits, were not a nuisance, spent money locally on doing their house up & went back to the UK on a regular basis! I had no answer for this, far too absurd for a response.

After all this moaning I asked them “you seem so disatisfied with life here, when are you going back?” Their answer? “Oh, we’re not going back, it’s even worse back there”… I cut them off and made a hasty departure.

It’s clear some people look for reasons to be irritated, I suspect that where ever they live they would be unhappy and find reason to complain. However, I did think to myself that if these were the only things the couple found to irritate them about living in France – it doesn’t seem too bad does it?!

How to make friends in France
How to be a successful expat in France 
5 Things I don’t like about France
Volunteering in France – at the SPA Animal Rescue Centres

The post The Grass is always Greener for some expats appeared first on The Good Life France.

How would it be if you could go to France – anywhere in France – and live the life of a local? Go to the bars where the inhabitants go, find out what restaurants are favoured by the locals, see off the beaten track places that only those who live there know about. You can join in the daily rituals of life and really get to immerse yourself in the culture of a village, town or city, experience the history and traditions and lose yourself in the excitement of really living the French way…

Well you can if you choose one of the many cultural exchange opportunities in France with a group called Workaway.

What if you live in France and you’d like to host visitors who are looking for that real quality of cultural exchange, people who want to stay with you and live the life alongside you doing all the things that you do on a daily basis. Perhaps helping you out in your vineyard, lavender farm or garden, getting to know and feed your animals, or getting involved with renovation projects for just a few hours a day in exchange for experiencing life as a local…

Well you can if you host Workawayers who are seeking to appreciate living in France, enhance their language skills and learn what life is like as a native rather than as a visitor.

Workaway is an organisation that enables travellers willing to work as volunteers to contact hosts – they may be individuals, families or groups who want to share their life with guests and in return get voluntary help with their projects or activities. Volunteers or Workawayers contribute a small amount of time per day (5 days a week) and in return receive lodging and food provided by their hosts.

We spoke to expat Briton Madeleine Clifford-Winters who lives and owns gites in the stunning medieval village of Tillac in Gascony, south west France who says that she and her husband have hosted many Workawayers, some of whom have become friends and who return year after year. With gites and a huge garden to maintain it has proved an excellent way to have help with the weeding and planting that a keen gardener needs. Madeleine says that they have hosted guests from all around the world – Argentina, Australia, Canada, Croatia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, New Zealand, Spain, Taiwan, USA and the UK included. As she and her husband, Tony, suffer from arthritis, getting help in the garden whilst making friends and learning each other’s cultures has been a very rewarding experience.

Madeleine and Tony started as hosts after a recommendation by a friend who praised the way that the exchange works – learning new language skills and really getting to know the culture of foreign countries, working alongside guests for a few hours a day.  Madeleine and her husband live in a small village with no nightlife and say that it is the perfect escape from the hassle of city life. They have hosted guests from 18 years old to 65 years old and have found that the different levels of skills and experience have worked really well.  A Scottish Workawayer who stayed with the couple “made a huge difference”, in fact enthuses Madeleine, he has become such a good friend that he has come back to stay, as a friend, several times and even joined them for Christmas and New Year.

Workaway host Donna Kerridge who lives in Nord-Pas de Calais says hosting guests who, like her, love to travel on a tight budget and really get to know the place where they visit has been a tremendous experience. She and her artist husband Nik have also stayed friends with many of their guests. Susan Arbital from Tennessee, US, wanted to experience France, not as a visitor but real France and offered to help out with Donna’s vegetable garden when she came to stay. It didn’t turn out that way as Susan is a well-known stained glass artist and instead she taught Donna and Nik some of her glass skills. Donna and Nik introduced Susan to their friends, their favourite places to visit in the gorgeous Seven Valleys where they live, places that Susan would never find without willing hosts to share. Their daughter has benefited too from the multi-cultural environment that hosting guests from around the world has provided, giving her an insight into the customs of different countries and peoples. The Kerridge family are now firm friends with Susan who has returned to stay with them – this time on a holiday round Europe.

We spoke to numerous hosts and Workawayers and discovered that the system is almost without fail, a brilliantly simple and successful way for people from different cultures to learn from each other and for hosts to benefit from getting some much needed help.

So, if you’re looking for an opportunity to host a guest who really wants to learn about where and how you live as a local, supporting you in your day to day activities – Workaway might just be your perfect solution.

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Outsourcing involves delegating some of a company’s duties and functions to specific service providers. These providers could either be individuals or separate organizations. With the recent advancements in technology, businesses can easily hire professionals from anywhere in the world.

This strategy allows an international business to take advantage of high levels of knowledge, experience and expertise from different individuals without exceeding its overhead costs. Outsourcing also enables such businesses to utilize resources that might have been previously unavailable.

All these advantages equip business owners with the tools to compete more effectively on the global stage.

When to outsource

Different companies might decide to outsource at varying times depending on their workload and growth rate. For instance, one international organization may have enough employees to handle all in-house duties but might require outside help when initiating a new project. Other entrepreneurs might opt for outsourcing when additional administrative tasks brought about by expansion become too much to deal with.

Alternatively, business owners can decide to outsource some functions from the onset. Individuals who want to build their own strong team of subcontractors from the beginning often select this route. The chosen freelancers can then grow with the business.

In such situations, it makes sense to hand over some of the company’s duties to external contractors. This frees up valuable time and resources that can be better spent building the business and meeting new goals and targets. Once certain time-consuming tasks are out of the way, entrepreneurs can focus on increasing their company’s productivity.

What duties to outsource

A variety of duties can be outsourced to external subcontractors. The most common outsourced functions include:

• Tasks that require specialized knowledge or skills. This includes outsourcing duties such as bookkeeping, web design or financial advice to other individuals without employing them on a full time basis. The business owner should also consider contracting an umbrella company to take the strain of administrative tasks and to handle the employees’ payroll. Umbrella companies can help manage the subcontractors and usually deal with their salary, insurance and tax issues.
• Highly repetitive tasks that may include data entry or keeping inventory. These often mundane or time-consuming duties can be remotely performed without the business owner’s constant supervision.

Finding the right service providers

Entrepreneurs who wish to outsource some of their administrative duties need to spend adequate time searching for the right service providers. These subcontractors should have the requisite expertise and experience to efficiently carry out the duties.

Business owners can get suitable workers to hire from virtual marketplaces, personalized matchmaking consultants or referrals from their networks. Once the appropriate individuals have been selected, it is important for entrepreneurs to give specific instructions on the output they expect.

Furthermore, they should strive to build good rapport with contractors who are an excellent fit in order to avoid constantly hiring new ones.

The post Guide to outsourcing your international business appeared first on The Good Life France.

Fée Rêvée is a French au pair association which has been pairing students from overseas with host families for the past 9 years. The name Fée Rêvée means “dream fairy” and the association’s goal is to help au pairs to find their dream family.

Based in Paris, they are a non-profit organisation which aims to promote students into social, friendly, familial positions which offer a cultural experience that can only be achieved by “living the life”. They place overseas students with families in France and French students with families overseas. For those who want to au pair in France, the majority of the association’s host families are based in Paris and surrounding areas – the most sought after area for all overseas students.

Students come from all over the world – from the USA, China, UK, Europe, Mexico, Colombia and many other counties and settle in Paris to live the life of a Parisian for a short while. More than 600 families and 1,400 students have put their trust in Fée Rêvée.

The association offers opportunities for au pairs (aged 18-27) or tutors (aged 18-75) in France. Nathalie Chevallier at Fée Rêvée says “it’s very important that applicants enjoy family life and working with children and they need to have very good childcare experience”.  Becoming a tutor requires you to give 15 hours learning a week to your host family or in a school. You don’t have to be a qualified teacher but you do need to enjoy teaching!

Why be an au pair in France?

Becoming an au pair in France is an excellent way to spend a gap year, learn the language, travel, enjoy the French culture and totally immerse yourself into the ways and days of France. It offers the opportunity to earn an income, enjoy full board and lodging and you’ll be considered part of the family. Fée Rêvée au pairs commit up to 30 hours per week, have at least one day a week off and the majority of weekends free whilst earning 80 to 100 Euros a week.

Why not go with a friend?  It’s a great way for students to share the joy and fun of being in Paris and experiencing everything that the city has to offer.

Arriving in Paris to be an au pair with Fée Rêvée you’ll be able to meet with staff from the association, receive an orientation programme, maps, help and advice about the transport system, French classes etc. Throughout your stay you’ll be offered regular help, catch up meetings and advice making your stay more fun and more productive.

Fée Rêvée keeps in touch with their au pairs whilst on placement and encourages them to update the association on their experiences. Their blog pages are full of updates posted by au pairs from around the world – a great way to get a flavour of what is expected of an au pair and what life entails.

Five Top Tips for being an au pair in France

1. If you’re looking for a busy town, night life – do your homework before you go to make sure your host family’s home isn’t in a rural town with no public transport.  Fée Rêvée specialise in au pair placings in Paris and surrounding areas where you can take advantage of the superb Metro underground train system.

2. Skype with the family before you go. It’s free to Skype and you all get a chance to see each other and talk before hand. It’s a great way to break the ice and when you land in France – you’ll know who to look out for at the airport/train station or where ever you’re  being met. If not Skype, at least a phone interview.

3. Study the language beforehand. If you speak a little French it is still better than no French. Sign up to classes and start practicing!

4. Know what your goals are – travel, to see France/Europe, to learn French, to integrate into French culture etc . Then work to make them come true. Accept that not every day will be brilliant but knowing what you want from the experience will help you to achieve your goals.

5. Agree with your host family what they expect, everyone will be different. Some may want the kids looked after and some housework, others may wish for babysitting help one night a week. Knowing what’s expected will help both the au pair and the family.

Find out  more about how to get that perfect au pair job in Paris and France from Fée Rêvée on their website: www.feerevee .com

Fée Rêvée is a member of the UFAAP (Union Française des Agences Au pair) et IAPA (International Au Pair Association)

The post How to be an au pair in France appeared first on The Good Life France.

One way to have a free holiday almost anywhere in France…

James Cave, an Irishman living in Scotland, decided that he’d like to live in France. The problem was, at that time he didn’t have the budget to give up work, to buy a house or even rent a house in France and as for getting a job – he knew it would be nigh on impossible to stay doing what he loves – writing.

But, James found a way to make the dream come true – live in France, carry on writing and not pay for accommodation – he became a house sitter.

He says that “For as long as I can remember France has always been a place I’ve always wanted to live. The lure of cheese, baguettes and wine eventually became too much and I convinced my girlfriend Jemma it was time to go travelling…”

We asked James to tell us more about how you can have your cake and eat it!

We wanted to continue working in our respective careers, but getting a job in France didn’t look like it was going to be very easy. I work with websites doing a variety of work from technical recommendations to copywriting and before moving to France I worked for a tech agency doing all of those things for companies like British Airways, Sky TV and a few less exciting clients like those that specialised in things like home insurance and pensions.

What made you decide to travel round France house sitting?

We stumbled across the idea of house sitting. We initially set up a website advertising ourselves as free house sitters and that brought in a few visitors, but not a lot for the amount of work we put in. We then came across a website with house sits available so we signed up.

Can you tell us pros and cons of travelling and living in France this way?

First of all the biggest pro has to be that it’s free accommodation. France isn’t a cheap place to live if you don’t have a job and so every house sit saves us a fortune in accommodation. We managed to line up nine months of house sits, back-to-back. Admittedly, one was for five months but we came across plenty of other house sits that were several months long.

With regards to cons, it can different for everyone.  For me one of the cons is that a lot of the house sits are in very remote locations. This has its advantages in that it’s very peaceful and tranquil, but in terms of learning French and meeting people, it’s going to be more challenging than living in a city.

Pets can be seen as either a pro or a con. This job involves a lot of pet sitting and we loved it. Sometimes it was hard to give up the pets at the end, but that’s just what you’ve got to do. If you’re not a pet lover, this might not be right for you. There’s a lot of pet interaction (read: very friendly dogs who lick your face first thing in the morning).

How do you find working remotely?

Personally I think working remotely is the way forward. It reduces overheads for businesses, gives employees greater freedom and if the work is outsourced to freelancers like us, companies pay by work completed rather than just giving someone a salary to sit on their derrières for eight hours a day.

It has its challenges as a freelancer though; if you don’t work, you don’t get paid so no going on Facebook unless you want to eat bread and water for the rest of the month! Of course if you’re living in France at least the bread is a little better!

For Jemma and I, the majority of our work is writing-based. There are plenty of sites out there that allow you to sign up as a freelancer and find work e.g. people per hour and elance. It’s competitive of course, but without the living costs of rent and utilities, it’s much easier to make ends meet.

Would you recommend this as a great way to visit France on a budget but also to get a real feel for the culture and French living?

Absolutely, especially if you’re thinking of living in France at any point. We were able to get an experience not just of living in France, but of living in different parts of France (we had house sits in the Charente, Midi-Pyrénées and Pyrénées-Atlantiques.) We also looked after a variety of different houses all at different stages in their renovations, so it gave us a good indication of whether we would like to follow the British tradition of doing up ruins in France.

At one of the house sits we made really good friend with some of the locals and one of my favourite memories is attending the repas de chasse, which was an eight course meal that included tasty things like venison stew and cuts of wild boar. The food had been caught by the Chasse, a society of hunters in France, and prepared by local volunteers. There was plenty of wine, bread and cheese – it was absolutely fantastic! I ‘m fairly sure we are probably the only foreigners to have attended a chasse dinner like this – it’s a wonderful opportunity that we wouldn’t have got had we stayed in a hotel or other normal form of accommodation.

It was fun as well. At one point we ended up looking after a farm of 18 alpacas and that’s certainly a memory that won’t be forgotten.

Will you carry on doing this for years?!

We’re still on the lookout as to where we would like to live. I’d like to take on a few city house sits in France as it would be nice to get an idea of what living in a French city would be like. I’ve never been to Marseille or Montpellier so if a house sit comes up there, I’ll be applying straight away.

Where is the best place you’ve stayed and why?

Pyrénées-Atlantiques for me has to be the best spot in France, the landscape is so rugged and beautiful. You also have beaches nearby, Spain in as little as half an hour away (if you drive like a Frenchman you might get there quicker) and of course you’re not too far from Bordeaux, which is good for wine lovers like myself.

I really liked what I saw of Toulouse. Paris gets all the attention as France’s romantic city, but I think Toulouse has a lot more to offer and it’s certainly less crowded.

Top Tip

If I could give one tip it would be to take on a house sit or two locally first. Sure, a house sit in your own city isn’t as exciting as one in France but it’ll give you plenty of experience and a reference as well. People are more likely to take on a newbie initially if they can meet with them first.

Summer Jobs in France

The post House sitter in France appeared first on The Good Life France.

Janine Marsh discovers a way to have a holiday in France for free…house sitting in France

It is a dilemma that many of us expats in France face – how to go on holiday when you have beloved pets that can’t come with you.

For some animals there are kennels, sometimes neighbours can help but that’s not always possible.

Take me – I have ducks, geese, chickens, dogs and cats. Now while I could put the dogs and cats in kennels and catteries it would double the cost of my holiday but, there’s no chicken hotel that I know of – and if you do, please let me know!

It’s not just expats with animals either – some expats just don’t feel happy going away and leaving their home empty. They worry about things going wrong in the house, burglary – and the grass and garden growing out of control while they’re away.

Andy Peck, a screenwriter from the UK looked into this problem when some years ago he stayed in Spain looking after the home of a lady who had animals and needed someone to care for them in her absence. He loved the experience and discovered that the lady wasn’t alone in wanting someone to house sit. He came up with a solution and house sitting was it.

And it’s a win-win.

Those with homes and pets to be looked after are happy.

Those looking for free accommodation in France are also happy – it’s like a free holiday except that you treat it like you own home and if something needs doing it’s your responsibility to do it – walk the dog, cut the grass, collect the post etc.

How to become a house sitter in France

To become a house sitter you need to join a house sitting agency online, create an online profile listing any previous pet care experience (from having owned your own pet to volunteering in animal centres etc), explaining what qualities make you the ideal sitter, why you want to house sit, references (such as character / employer etc) and photos.

How to become a home owner looking for a house sitter …

If you are looking for a house sitter then you can create a listing online, detailing a little about your home and where you are based, what your needs are, and information about the pets you need care for (if you have them). Including photos of your home and / or pets also helps. This listing is then securely emailed out to all registered sitters who have expressed an interest in house and pet sitting in your area. House sitters can then contact homeowners via our messaging system. A homeowner can view the profiles of the responders and their messages and reply. Browse house sitting profiles and contact those they are interested in directly to see if they would be interested in the opportunity.

Recommended Dos and Don’ts for both parties…

Communication is key for both parties. Using Skype (free phone/video calls) is popular and allows both parties to virtually beforehand. As a homeowner the onus is on you to carry out due diligence such as checking references and requesting a copy of their passport etc.

You may find that some companies offer a house sitting contract which can be downloaded and used to give guidelines on what each party should expect.

Ask questions – and check the match feels right.

Many homeowners also become house sitters – so they can enjoy the best of both worlds.

Insurance companies views on house sitters…

Statistically a home is much safer when using a house sitter than it is when left empty. [Editor’s note: check with your insurance company to be sure].

So, if you thought that a holiday in France or a holiday away from France was out of the question – or you’re looking for a practically free holiday in France – then house sitting in France just might be what you both need!

The post House sitting in France appeared first on The Good Life France.

Workaway brings hosts together with volunteers in an extensive range of different countries and is the brain child of David Milward.

David used his travelling experience to set up a database which registers families and organisations who will host visitors – individuals, couples and sometimes groups who are willing to volunteer work in exchange for accommodation and meals.

From painting to planting, building to babysitting and shopping to shearing – Workaway aims to introduce working travellers and language learners to like-minded hosts, without having to pay expensive agency fees.

An experienced traveller on a budget himself, founder David says that “after meeting so many nice travellers and backpackers who were looking for a bit more than just the hostel experience” he conceived the idea of an exchange site that would offer them a place to stay in return for a bit of help around his house and land. He loved the idea of travelling and becoming immersed in the culture of a country but knew first-hand that this can be expensive.

The idea of a website that brings together those who want to travel and have a real opportunity to get to know the culture and life style of a country grew and grew and in France alone there are now almost 700 hosts registered who offer accommodation and meals in exchange for a few hours help each day.

You have to pay to get yourself to your French destination but food and accommodation are provided – it’s a bit like staying with friends. As with friends, you’ll be expected to help out around the house and hosts specify how much help they require – generally it is 4-5 hours per day and the rest of the time is your own.

Volunteer work in France includes:

Working in organic agricultural farms (WWoofers will like this one), lavender farms and vineyards and even a zoo! Renovating farmhouses, mediaeval buildings, campsites and chateaux; looking after children, dogs and other animals… The list is endless, varied and quite fascinating to read.

David himself lives in Spain and has a lot of volunteers at his place – he estimates around 100 workawayers have spent time with him and says “all them have been fantastic with a different set of skills”.

When we spoke to him he emphasised that the main point of the scheme is that “Culturally it’s a great way to meet people – when you’re away from your home country you make new friends, get to meet people you wouldn’t normally meet… it’s a chance to stay with a new friend, meet their family, friends and neighbours and truly experience the way of life as well as often helping to make a difference. “

We spoke to a Workawayer from the US, Susan Watson. Susan has been the resident stained glass artist at Dollywood, a theme park in the smoky mountains of Tennessee. Susan told me: “Sevierville is the birthplace of Dolly Parton and I’ve done several creations for her throughout the years. She’s a sharp lady and I’m thrilled to be a part of the Dollywood family. Since I “retired”, I return as a guest artist and sell glass pieces to various shops on the park.”  Retiring from full time glass work at Dollywood was also an opportunity to travel and Susan decided to try Workaway.

She says “Workaway was completely wonderful.  I was able to experience the French culture – actually the expat-in-France culture – rather than have a tourist-type memory.  I particularly liked the fact that I used my talents to “earn” my room and keep. I would, and have, highly recommended the program to my friends and relatives — and a few strangers too! Workaway in France was my first experience and I do plan to return to France, as well as New Zealand in 2014. It is a great way to have an authentic cultural exchange in a foreign country and get to the everyday places that locals go.  I loved it.”

Occasionally there is a mis-match – expectations may be too high on both sides. It seems those mis-matches don’t happen often though as Davis advises there is 0.4% negative feedback and he doesn’t try to hide the fact that sometimes – it just doesn’t work out for hosts or volunteers. Usually it is due to some hosts having unreasonable expectations about the amount of work they expect from Workawayers. One tale we heard involved a three page list of jobs and rules, a lack of hot water and a very limited offer of food that seemed to consist mainly of beetroot!

David says many of the hosts travelled themselves when they were younger and are open to meeting new people and introducing them to a different way of life in a new country. In France many of the hosts are expats and he would love to see more French families getting involved. “French host sign up is growing, there are pockets of native hosts in France – one family does it, spreads the word and more sign up – in fact word of mouth is how the whole Workaway concept thrives – there is no advertising, no hard sell”.

Donna and Nik Kerridge, expats who lives in the north of France told us “We have been hosting Workawayers at our home for 2 years and are totally in love with the scheme. We feel honoured to have met such an interesting array of individuals from all over the world. They bring renewed energy and enthusiasm into our project and the idiom that many hands make light work is never truer. We have been so lucky with the guests that have come our way. We have a house rule of working together as much as possible to keep it sociable and every one of them will kick back with us after dinner and a day’s work and say “So what’s the plan for tomorrow Donna?”  It keeps us focused and motivated and we can never thank them enough after their stay.”

We spoke to several host families and all of them said that having a bit of help in the house, and introducing their way of life to their workawayers was nothing but a positive experience. One family wrote “Ron (Workawayer) came for 6 days, he has been here for 66 days and we never want him to leave…”

First and foremost David wanted to promote cultural understanding between peoples from different countries as well as enable people travelling on a limited budget to fully appreciate living and working in a foreign environment.  It’s also a great opportunity for those learning French to immerse themselves in everyday life situations that can really help to improve language skills and understanding.

It is completely free for hosts to register, easy to use and has good guidelines for safety recommendations.

Website for Workaway.info

The post Volunteer in France for a Free Holiday with Workaway appeared first on The Good Life France.

If you are an EU citizen, you are automatically entitled to work in France.

If you are from outside the EU you may need to arrange a long stay/and or residence permit if you are working for longer than three months or for a French employer.  (See the European Commission website for details

Seasonal work is likely to pay “minimum wage” known as SMIC (Le Salaire minimum interprofessionnel de croissance):

As at 2016 the minimum wage in France is €9.67 (gross per hour)

Many people also work unofficially which is called “le black” in France.

If you can, arrange work before arriving in France – there are many choices from au pair work, farm labour and grape picking and plenty of openings in the tourism industry.

Tourism industry jobs in France

This is the most popular and the best way of getting a summer job or seasonal work in France. Every year more than a quarter of a million seasonal workers are taken on across the country – including foreign workers who speak English.

You will have far more chance of success if you speak French as well.

Jobs in the tourist industry are varied – guide work in museums, tours, festivals as well as hotels and campsites.  Contact travel agencies directly and reputable companies like Eurocamp, Disneyland Paris and other big holiday operators in France – they are often a good source of work for English speaking seasonal workers in France.

There is also bar work and restaurant work, particularly in areas where there are high numbers of English speaking tourists.

Many campsite companies employ seasonal workers in the summer to work on their campsites in France. A quick search on the internet for campsite jobs in France will reveal a high number of options.

You must be over the age of 18 to undertake a paid summer job in France and many employers like to take on mature workers as well as couples.

Although the work can be hard, you will get time off and this can be an excellent way to discover France and earn some money at the same time.

Seasonal agricultural Jobs in France

There are several options for seasonal agricultural jobs or farm work – grape picking, olive picking and general farm work are the most typical – though there is far less scope for jobs in these areas than there used to be. Local workers are much favoured in France.

Grape picking can be very hard work – you need to be fit to take this on but it can also be great fun.

You are usually paid by the hour (minimum wage) or by the job – the amount of grapes picked. Not all vineyards offer food and lodging but some do.

You’ll need to do some searching on the internet to find jobs, contacts holiday operators, campsites and look on their sites for job openings and check the following useful websites to find out more about seasonal and summer jobs in France:

Summer Jobs Abroad

Pole Emploi – the French employment agency

Season Workers job agency

The post Summer jobs in France appeared first on The Good Life France.

In challenging economic times, more and more people are looking overseas in search of lucrative or rewarding employment opportunities.

In the past, securing employment would be one of the first steps on the emigration checklist and few people would move overseas without knowing they had a job waiting for them, or at least some promising interviews lined up.

But times are changing and a new breed of expats is on the rise.

The ‘Opportunistic Expat’ is one who throws caution to the wind and moves without any employment prospects on the horizon, in the hope that hunting for a job on foreign soil will be successful.

Being an ‘opportunistic expat’, leaving your established life and family support network behind and trusting your life to chance, can be a big risk – but there are certain steps you can take to improve the odds of the risk paying off.

Here are our top tips for making your time as an opportunistic expat successful!

Planning is Key

As you’re moving overseas without a job as a safety net, it’s imperative to do some research and form some kind of plan. Look into the job market of the area you’d like to move to and make sure there are positions available for people with your skill set. Long before you step on the plane you should be aware of what kind of opportunities will be open to you and how best to market your qualifications.

Knowledge is Power

Remember, no matter where in the world you plan to move to, good jobs will attract good candidates. If you want to stand a better chance than your rivals do your homework and gain as much knowledge about the nation you want to live and work in as possible. By knowing about the France’s customs, traditions, employment laws, landscape, language etc you are demonstrating to potential employers your willingness to learn and your commitment to acclimatising to the culture. Furthermore, the more knowledge of the country you have before your arrival the less likely it is that you will suffer from culture shock during the first few months. (See here for a great list of job websites and resources in France)

Always be Prepared

If you turn up for an interview unprepared the odds of you getting the job massively decrease, and so do the chances of you making a success of being an opportunistic expat. If you want to give yourself the best possible shot, prepare an interview pack before you move. The pack should contain copies of all your qualifications, a range of personal/professional references and a European style CV which you’ve specifically formatted for the job market you’re entering. Another important thing to consider is whether your qualifications are transferable, if they aren’t recognised in the nation you intend to enter your chances of securing top-level employment are instantly limited. You should also be able to skilfully answer the following question: ‘Why should I hire you over a local candidate?’ With unemployment on the rise globally, more and more governments are pressuring companies to hire local people over foreign workers. If you want to be an exception to the rule you need to convince potential employers that you have something exceptional to offer!

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Starting out as an opportunistic expat can be scary, so give yourself one less thing to worry about and arrange temporary overseas accommodation before you leave home. The accommodation should cover you for at least your first 7 days in the country, thereby alleviating some of the initial stress. However, don’t tie yourself into a long-term rental contract until you have a job secured. If things don’t work out the way you’d hoped, trying to get out of a contract is an added stress you just don’t need.

Support Yourself with Savings

Before moving overseas every would-be opportunistic expat should sit down and work out how much it would cost them to live abroad for at least three months (this involves looking into the cost of living of the country you plan to move to, being realistic about your outgoings and factoring in a fund to cover you for emergencies). Before moving anywhere you should have this amount saved up. By supporting yourself with savings once you more overseas you’ll be able to begin your job hunt without a destructive sense of panic and urgency. However, you should also set yourself a minimum limit that your savings can get to before you have to stop and rethink your plans.

Being an opportunistic expat takes guts and bravery, but so does admitting defeat. Remember, whether your time overseas results in a job or not you will have learnt a huge amount and had some major life experiences, so no matter the outcome you should consider your time as an opportunistic expat successful!

This post was provided by The Expat Hub, a top online stop for expatriate advice, support and information.

The post Opportunistic Expats in France – Top Tips for Success appeared first on The Good Life France.

Even for the most qualified applicants, finding a job in France for an expat has never been harder than in these days of recession hit Europe.

One American expat we know told told us that she had sent her CV out to more than 250 companies – she did not hear back from a single one – until she found out that there is a “European style of CV” she should have used, and she discovered the she needed to include a letter of motivation…

Top tips for finding a job in France

1. Learn French: Start before you go to France don’t wait until you arrive. Without knowing the language fluently you are severely limiting your employment options and won’t even get through the door of most if not all French companies.

2. Consider where you are going to move to and live in France as a place of potential employment– or turn that on its head and consider where you are going to work and then move to that area. You are more likely to get work in a city or large town than in the countryside, particularly if you live in a region with an established industry or companies known to be hiring. Big cities will often have an international company presence that may be worth looking into. Scour the internet for news of big companies with a hiring programme.

3. Check newspapers in your country for job vacancies in France. For instance in the UK, The Lady magazine has domestic or catering jobs and The International Herald Tribune often advertises management jobs. Also read a French newspaper to keep up with news and find out which international companies are opening branches or hiring in France. (Le Figaro and Le Monde are good for this).

4. Make sure your CV is up to date and publish it on websites that offer work such as Craig’s List. There is a “European-style” CV  which you should use and which may include information that in some countries is not considered  appropriate though this is changing. Some companies may ask for details of  “family situation”, age and date of birth, nationality, marital status and number of children. You must confirm that you have a Visa that authorises you to work in France if applicable (eg non-European). See How to create the perfect French CV.

5. Write a “Letter of Motivation” with your job application. This is common practice in France and shows that you know how the job market works. Your letter should be tailored to the specific job and needs to be incredibly formal.  See our feature on how to write a letter of motivation.

6. Sites like Stepstone and Overseas Digest might be useful as they offer advice and advertise a wide variety of job vacancies in France. Another website in France is Monster.fr – a French employment website widely used by jobseekers.

See our full list of top sites and resources for job searches in France

7.  The UK National Careers Service Government advisory service has some useful information for Britons planning to work in France. The American University in Paris  may be useful for finding academic jobs in Paris.

8. Visit your local Pole Emploi – the French jobs agency. They are often very helpful and have a directory of jobs which you can review without registering. They can also help with applications and many other aspects of job hunting in France.

9. You might consider work in France schemes for board and lodging such as Workaway or Trusted House Sitters. You are unlikely to receive payment (unless you do more than house sit) but you won’t have any rent to pay out.

10. Set up your own business in France – this is what many expats do. From gite owners, to artists, craftspeople, inventors, IT experts, authors, artisans. Some people set up a business doing what they know, others start a whole fresh career. When Nick and Judy Gifford from the UK gave up careers in the film and TV industry to move to France for a better quality of life, they had no idea that just a few years later they would become artisan jam makers whose delicious produce is served in top hotels and restaurants around the world (Read Nick and Judy’s story : The Artisan Jam makers).

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