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Anyone moved from France to Spain?

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 7:56pm
14 replies260 views5 members subscribed
Mandy12

Posts: 8

1 helpful points

Location: Benissa

Joined: 27 Sep 2018

Hi, I'm Mandy and with my OH hope to move to the Costa Blanca region in about five years time.

Were thinking the Benissa/Moraira area.

OH is self employed (dealing with U.K companies) but is due to retire then. (He might not! )

" That's a long way off" I hear you saying. I know but I like to prepare well ahead of time, so am researching the areas we like.

At the moment we live in France, and have done so since we left the U.K almost 15 years ago.

Most info I can find relates to people coming directly from the U.K, British people moving from France seem thin on the ground.

Then again Brexit might put a kibosh on everything.

If you've moved from France to Spain you could be a big help.


Movingon

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 5:47am

Movingon

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Location: Albatera

Joined: 7 Feb 2018

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 5:47am

I'm not sure what it is you're looking for or imagine anyone coming here from France as opposed to anywhere else can help you with?

We moved here earlier this year after 11 years in France but I can't say coming from there made any difference to anything other than simplifying the actual logistics of moving our possessions which we did ourselves.

Making that initial move away from UK will have given you a valuable insight into settling in another country which ought to put you a step ahead of most arrivals fresh out of Blighty but apart from that I can't single out anything from my particular experience as being of any practical assistance to you in your proposed move, far less a "big help" - especially it being so far in the future !

microshack

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 8:07am

Posts: 101

7 helpful points

Joined: 11 Aug 2016

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 8:07am

Mandy12 wrote on Thu Sep 27, 2018 7:56pm:

Hi, I'm Mandy and with my OH hope to move to the Costa Blanca region in about five years time.

Were thinking the Benissa/Moraira area.

OH is self employed (dealing with U.K companies) but is due to retire then. (He might not! )

" That's a long way off" I hear you saying. I know but I like to prepare well ahead of time, so am researching the areas we like.

At the moment we live in France, and have done so since we left the U.K almost 15 years ago.

Most info I can find relates to people coming directly from the U.K, British people moving from France seem thin on the ground.

Then again Brexit might put a kibosh on everything.

If you've moved from France to Spain you could be a big help.


 No but considering moving from Spain to France. Any advice welcome. Rgds Maureen

Stephanie86

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 3:57pm

Stephanie86

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Posts: 2748

2065 helpful points

Location: Lliber

Joined: 4 May 2017

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 3:57pm

Movingon wrote on Fri Sep 28, 2018 5:47am:

I'm not sure what it is you're looking for or imagine anyone coming here from France as opposed to anywhere else can help you with?

We moved here earlier this year after 11 years in France but I can't say coming from there made any difference to anything other than simplifying the actual logistics of moving our possessions which we did ourselves.
...

...

Making that initial move away from UK will have given you a valuable insight into settling in another country which ought to put you a step ahead of most arrivals fresh out of Blighty but apart from that I can't single out anything from my particular experience as being of any practical assistance to you in your proposed move, far less a "big help" - especially it being so far in the future !

Again, like Movingon, am unclear as to exactly what info you would like. I am acquainted with a couple who moved here a couple of years ago after 15 years in France, and from casual conversation with them, its much the same as anywhere else. And anything can happen in 5 years!!!

Perhaps you could let us know exactly what details/information you would like?

Mandy12

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 4:45pm

Mandy12

Original Poster

Posts: 8

1 helpful points

Location: Benissa

Joined: 27 Sep 2018

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 4:45pm

My original post was really to introduce myself (as the title of this section of the forum states)

and to see if there are any France to Spain movers that may have relevant knowledge. I now gather that there is no difference from moving from the U.K, so I can follow the information already on the forum.

Specific questions will no doubt arise the more I research the move.

In my experience, 5 years will go in a flash!

Thank you to those that have taken the time to reply. 


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Movingon

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 7:08pm

Movingon

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Posts: 1857

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Location: Albatera

Joined: 7 Feb 2018

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 7:08pm

microshack wrote on Fri Sep 28, 2018 8:07am:

 No but considering moving from Spain to France. Any advice welcome. Rgds Maureen

Be prepared for a 25 or 30% hike in the cost of living!

Examples:

A typical paysan lunch will cost you around 13 to 15 Euros, a mediocre evening meal will cost at least double that and a good one (if you can find it) three to four times.

Rubbish shops with little choice and fruit and veg which is frequently substandard and rots in days.

The gas bottle you buy in Spain for around 14 Euros will cost you between 32 and 37 Euros in France.

Some chronic conditions excepted health care costs are only covered up to 70% with the balance coming out of your pocket or via a top up insurance policy which for pensioners can cost a couple of hundred Euros a month.

No gestors in France, you have to do everything yourself and if you don't speak the lingo be prepared for frustration at every step.

I could go on but suffice to say after 11 years we came to hate the place - and the French - and were very happy to leave.

Stephanie86

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 7:26pm

Stephanie86

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Location: Lliber

Joined: 4 May 2017

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 7:26pm

Moving on, I’m curious as to which area of France you lived in? Obviously can’t comment re medical or Gestoria, but am in France at the moment - Cahors, where we have been coming for years and food perfectly reasonable prices, quality appears good in shops and city market, restaurants in area value for money, some wonderful and agreed, some awful, but that could be said of Spain! Just interested, that’s all...?

Movingon

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 7:44pm

Movingon

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Posts: 1857

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Location: Albatera

Joined: 7 Feb 2018

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 7:44pm

Prayssac, 30 km or so west of Cahors.

Stephanie86

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 8:38pm

Stephanie86

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Posts: 2748

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Location: Lliber

Joined: 4 May 2017

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 8:38pm

Drove through there yesterday!

Mandy12

Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2018 10:31pm

Mandy12

Original Poster

Posts: 8

1 helpful points

Location: Benissa

Joined: 27 Sep 2018

Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2018 10:31pm

I have to say, that's not our experience in France.

I think Spain is cheaper overall. France is definitely not a cheap option for living.

Some bureaucracy is frustrating, but I hear it's the same in Spain.

The food is good here, fruit and veg look more natural than they do in the U.k.

Shops are fine. We eat out every week.

We've found the people to be very friendly and it will be hard to beat our French neighbours.

The one obvious difference is that unlike Spain, here NOTHING is written in English.

I'm surprised you stayed in France so long, if you hated it so much, Movingon.

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