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Has anyone lived there, or lives there now?

 

I just found out we may be moving there, and I am freaking out!

 

Can anyone give me any insight on what it's like to live there....especially with small children?

 

Any insight on neighborhoods, schools ( private, American, and hopefully Christian) and evangelical Christian Churches (American/English speaking) ?

 

Any insight into what it might be like to homeschool there....how hard it is to meet government rules and regs, etc.

 

I will try to breathe and not hyperventilate. I hope someone can give me some good news about this place. It's just not someplace I would have ever chosen....but you go where there's work :( .

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It's just not someplace I would have ever chosen....but you go where there's work :( .

 

OH my.....I'd choose it in a heartbeat! We've vacationed a lot in France, and I love it there. At one point my dh thought he might get a job there (sadly, it didn't work out), but I lived on this website:

 

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/france-expat-forum-expats-living-france/

 

LOTS of good info there, although not homeschool-related. I know people on this board will have advice, but at least that can get you started. And if you move there, and are lonely for fellow Americans, I promise to pm you next time we're in Paris. :D

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We lived a couple of years in Brussels and LOVED hopping a train to Paris. Simply my favorite city on the planet.

 

I'll contact my local friends and find out about churches in that area for you.

 

I'm seriously jealous! What a fabulous opportunitY!

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Oh my goodness, you lucky girl!!! It's a WONDERFUL city for children. So much to do.

 

I lived there when I was in high school, so I have no practical advice to give you except.....enjoy!!! Oh, and if that crepe stand is still there near the Tuileries gardens....get a chocolate-filled crepe. Everyday. Seriously. :D

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We lived in France for 1.5 years until this September, near Paris. We lived near St Germain en Laye, just outside of Paris. For various reasons, we had a horrible time, but only one of those reasons was truly France-related. This was the difficulty in getting health insurance for ourselves, since the government just wouldn't accept our documents, particularly those for our adopted son (because they want to know exactly where each person was born, as in which hospital, which isn't really possible with an abandoned child) or my documents either. Other reasons were tax-related, since dh's company doesn't tax equalize us, we ended up taking a massive hit. Although there is a double tax treaty in place, much of what you pay in France is classified as social taxes, which are not creditable against US tax. DH company has yet to reimburse us, so we're living off savings still. I would advice anyone making this move to insist on good relo assistance (dh's company refused to hire relo for us) and good tax advice.

 

Anyway, having said the negative stuff, Paris is great, the people we met were really nice, I've heard good things about Trinity Church (I think that's the name), and there's MessageParis, which is an online forum you can join for expat info from moms, and is a wonderful resource. I can put you in touch with a really good French teacher if you like. Also, homeschooling was easy. I never reported anything, just asked at city hall what I needed to do, and they just said, wow, how cool, don't do anything. This may not be the situation for everyone, but it was fine for us. We go back to Paris every couple of months or so because dh is still working there and because our orthodontist is there.

 

I wish we'd had a better time because I do think it can be a fantastic place to live, but because of the tax/health and other very unpleasant personal circumstances I was glad to leave. That's just me though. It isn't the easiest place to live, because of the bureaucracy, but there are compensations. We were in the Netherlands for six years before that and things there were much much simpler, now we're in England and things here are much much simpler. Still, Paris is Paris. HTH.

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We lived a couple of years in Brussels and LOVED hopping a train to Paris. Simply my favorite city on the planet.

 

I'll contact my local friends and find out about churches in that area for you.

 

I'm seriously jealous! What a fabulous opportunitY!

 

I would love to hear what your friends have to say about churches. I know that France has a very small Christian population in general (I've read less than 2% protestant/ Evangelical Christian) , and then when you narrow it down to English speaking churches......I've been very nervous that we wouldn't find a faith community there.

 

I'd appreciate any info you could send my way!

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Has anyone lived there, or lives there now?

 

I just found out we may be moving there, and I am freaking out!

 

Can anyone give me any insight on what it's like to live there....especially with small children?

 

Any insight on neighborhoods, schools ( private, American, and hopefully Christian) and evangelical Christian Churches (American/English speaking) ?

 

Any insight into what it might be like to homeschool there....how hard it is to meet government rules and regs, etc.

 

I will try to breathe and not hyperventilate. I hope someone can give me some good news about this place. It's just not someplace I would have ever chosen....but you go where there's work :( .

 

I'm so incredibly jealous. We lived in Berlin, Germany for three years and the incredible museums and historic places we visited still take my breath away. I can't tell you how cool it would be to have the Louvre, Notre Dame, Chartres, Ste. Chapelle, at my fingertips. Les Invalide and the French military museum.

 

Not to mention Verdun, Strasbourg, Normandy, Mont St Michelle, and Carcasonne. Oh and Bruges, the Somme, Brussels and Ypres. Or to be within a budget flight of Rome, Athens, Krakow, Prague, Tallin, Vienna, London and Ljubjana.

 

Very jealous.

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My friend from France commented that outside of Paris is really nicer to live; visiting Paris is great, but living right in Paris wouldn't be her choice... Lucky You!! If your children could become bilingual that would be great! :)

 

Any idea what the areas are where we should look? I was up late last night looking online, and it's all been so confusing so far!

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What a wonderful adventure! What an excellent opportunity to expand your children's horizons!

 

I lived in Tours, France, so I don't have any relevant info on the Paris area, but I did a quick Google search of evangelical churches in France, and there was quite a long list in Paris. I think you could try a few churches and possibly find a fellowship community.

 

I would also see about relocation assistance. French bureaucracy can be a little overwhelming at times. But so can any bureaucracy that you're not used to. If you do end up moving there, I would concentrate on the fabulous cultural benefits and hopefully that will minimize the worry about the other things.

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Has anyone lived there, or lives there now?

 

I just found out we may be moving there, and I am freaking out!

 

Can anyone give me any insight on what it's like to live there....especially with small children?

 

Any insight on neighborhoods, schools ( private, American, and hopefully Christian) and evangelical Christian Churches (American/English speaking) ?

 

Any insight into what it might be like to homeschool there....how hard it is to meet government rules and regs, etc.

 

I will try to breathe and not hyperventilate. I hope someone can give me some good news about this place. It's just not someplace I would have ever chosen....but you go where there's work :( .

Sounds awesome. I just watched a Househunters International episode where the woman (new widow) was moving to Paris with her children. It was gorgeous, but I must admit I was surprised that she was shown a 552 square foot apartment - the equivalent of a couple of American sized rooms - for over 1 million dollars! Yikes. Very expensive to live there.

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Sounds awesome. I just watched a Househunters International episode where the woman (new widow) was moving to Paris with her children. It was gorgeous, but I must admit I was surprised that she was shown a 552 square foot apartment - the equivalent of a couple of American sized rooms - for over 1 million dollars! Yikes. Very expensive to live there.

 

That is one of the things I dread!! We moved out of Orange County, because all we could afford were town homes with 1,200 1,400 square feet, and little concrete patios. We now live right outside of the OC in a 2,400 sq ft. Home with a big back yard for the boys, a beautiful climate year round, beach, mountains, so much to do and see. When I watch the International House Hunters show, I am always shocked at what people pay for these awful little cracker boxes with kitchens that don't even look functional! I know I am sounding whiny, but I am thinking that unless one is a multiple millionaire, Paris is going to be a few steps down for us as far as home and lifestyle ( not sure we will even be able to have a car :( .)

 

Please, no flames.....I am venting, because I just never saw this coming. I've always wanted to visit Europe, but have always been grateful and happy to live here.

 

I

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You may find that by living farther from the city center, you have more options and better options.

 

And that car ownership isn't as big of a deal in an area with good food shopping right in the neighborhood and a solid public transportation system.

 

When we were getting ready to move to Germany, we read a lot. The Culture Shock series was helpful. Culture Shock Paris edition

 

A Rick Steves' Paris or France guide might help you find some excitement about moving.

 

Yes, housing can be much smaller than in the US. Paris is a big city. There will be issues of language and culture to work through. But I wouldn't trade our Germany time for anything. Those were some of the riches years we had, family and adventure wise.

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not sure we will even be able to have a car :(

 

Parking is a pain in old cities which were not designed for cars. We didn't have one when we lived in central Paris or central London. We took taxis when we needed to, otherwise we used public transport (as most people do). If we wanted to go away for the weekend, we rented a car.

 

Laura

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A car is the last thing you would want to own in Paris; parking is a nightmare and traffic horrendous. Plus, you don't need a car- public transit is very convenient. And Paris is a very walkable city.

 

I agree! Between walking, the metro and the RER, you will rarely need a car.

 

I would be so excited! We lived in Germany for five years and we loved it. You will have to adjust some expectations, but it is such a great opportunity! Lots of homeschoolers in Europe use correspondence schools.

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That is one of the things I dread!! We moved out of Orange County, because all we could afford were town homes with 1,200 1,400 square feet, and little concrete patios. We now live right outside of the OC in a 2,400 sq ft. Home with a big back yard for the boys, a beautiful climate year round, beach, mountains, so much to do and see. When I watch the International House Hunters show, I am always shocked at what people pay for these awful little cracker boxes with kitchens that don't even look functional! I know I am sounding whiny, but I am thinking that unless one is a multiple millionaire, Paris is going to be a few steps down for us as far as home and lifestyle ( not sure we will even be able to have a car :( .)

 

Please, no flames.....I am venting, because I just never saw this coming. I've always wanted to visit Europe, but have always been grateful and happy to live here.

 

I

 

You can get a lot more house for your money if you live outside of Paris. I think a lot depends on where your husband will be working. If we were to go, mine would work in a suburb called Massy and we would live on the southwest side (out of Paris) in the department of Essonne, as he would want a commute of under 30 minutes. I think we would also join this group as a way to meet people:

http://www.saclub.org/membership-fees/

 

Start googling and researching and feeling our excitement for you! :001_smile:

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There are lots of Americans in the 7th. That's where the American Church is too. You would not need a car.

ETA: it's also a very Parisian area so it's not like being there would be like living in a mini-U.S. or anything.

 

Try joining the Learning Unlimited (L-U) yahoo group and ask about homeschooling in France there. You are sure to get some good information about the regulations, homeschool groups, etc.

I moved from France when my son was 5 so I never dealt with any education officials.

Edited by LeslieAnneLevine
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Trying to get info on furnished homes/town homes in Rueil Malmaison, which is a suburb west of Paris. There is a church there called The Bridge, which seems more like the sort of contemporary evangelical church we are used to.

 

I am having trouble pulling up rentals at all in the outlying areas. All I keep seeing are studios and one bedrooms in Paris proper. Anyone know any links that I might have better luck with?

 

And, does anyone know anything good or bad about Rueil Malmaison, or The Bridge Church?

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There are lots of Americans in the 7th. That's where the American Church is too. You would not need a car.

 

Try joining the Learning Unlimited (L-U) yahoo group and ask about homeschooling in France there. You are sure to get some good information about the regulations, homeschool groups, etc.

 

Thank you! I'm off to look LU up!

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Thank you for being so kind and excited for me, when I am being such a wet blanket about moving to such an obviously desirable locale.

 

I'm sure I'll come around and become excited about it if we do end up moving there. I am just a lover of comfort and familiarity. I don't seem to crave adventure and new experiences like some of you! I'm sure this will probably be very expanding and good for me, and for my whole family in the long run.

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Try Seloger.com to find houses. Rueil Malmaison is nice, very international, and I tried to find a place to live there, but it's very popular and I couldn't find anything available. Maisons Lafitte is not too far and also very nice and popular. There's a CofE church there that people seem to like and also a good English-French bilingual school that's quite popular.

 

If you're interested in the Lycee International, you should look in the St Germain en Laye area, perhaps also Le Vesinet.

 

I think the Bridge is a nice church; I ran into a few nice people who attended but it wasn't our denomination so I never explored further.

 

Your best bet is to join MessageParis. It's specifically for expats but many members are lifers who are fluent in French and extremely knowledgeable. You will find many many people willing to go out of their way to help you with information etc. Members will also sometimes post about houses/apts that are available. There are also a number of homeschooling members who I am sure would be willing to help you out.

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That is one of the things I dread!! We moved out of Orange County, because all we could afford were town homes with 1,200 1,400 square feet, and little concrete patios. We now live right outside of the OC in a 2,400 sq ft. Home with a big back yard for the boys, a beautiful climate year round, beach, mountains, so much to do and see. When I watch the International House Hunters show, I am always shocked at what people pay for these awful little cracker boxes with kitchens that don't even look functional! I know I am sounding whiny, but I am thinking that unless one is a multiple millionaire, Paris is going to be a few steps down for us as far as home and lifestyle ( not sure we will even be able to have a car :( .)

 

Please, no flames.....I am venting, because I just never saw this coming. I've always wanted to visit Europe, but have always been grateful and happy to live here.

 

I

 

I think you will find that the lifestyle in Paris makes the smaller homes very livable. You shop for food daily, so no need for big kitchens with tons of cabinet space. The parks are wonderful, so that is where the kids play. It's just different.

 

As for a car, if you are living in Paris, the last thing you want is a car. There is no need for a car in Paris, unless you like getting stuck in traffic. Should you want to go on a car trip, you rent a car.

 

My mother and step-father go to Paris for extended stays (anywhere from 1 month to 1 year) and they have never needed a car. They live in a 3000 sqft home with a large yard here in the states and manage just fine in a studio or tiny "1 bedroom" apartment.

 

With an open mind and positive attitude for adventure, you will adjust just fine.

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Try Seloger.com to find houses. Rueil Malmaison is nice, very international, and I tried to find a place to live there, but it's very popular and I couldn't find anything available. Maisons Lafitte is not too far and also very nice and popular. There's a CofE church there that people seem to like and also a good English-French bilingual school that's quite popular.

 

If you're interested in the Lycee International, you should look in the St Germain en Laye area, perhaps also Le Vesinet.

 

I think the Bridge is a nice church; I ran into a few nice people who attended but it wasn't our denomination so I never explored further.

 

Your best bet is to join MessageParis. It's specifically for expats but many members are lifers who are fluent in French and extremely knowledgeable. You will find many many people willing to go out of their way to help you with information etc. Members will also sometimes post about houses/apts that are available. There are also a number of homeschooling members who I am sure would be willing to help you out.

 

 

Thank you so much! I really appreciate all the helpful info!

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