Moving to Beziers this autumn.

@cyd2706 I am uneasy about your plans to try to get a visa from the French embassy in London.  Many years ago i did the same and was refused a visa after a long delay.  sometime later, I moved to France and went through the process here.  I have now been living in France for many years currently with a ten year Carte de Sejour which will outlive me.  I am not an expert about the brexit business, but we have helpful staff in the Prefecture in Beziers.  I currently live 10 kms from Béziers, but will be moving there May 3rd.  I would be happy to help and advise you.  I  speak fluent French.  Chris Ward.

Hi Chris,

We will be doing the online application first and then we may or may not be called up at the Consulate after if they feel they need more information.

I moved to France (the first time) in 1995 and everything was very simple.  We have been told that it is pretty much the same now.  They want to check that we have enough money to rent, and as we have 5 different pensions between us that should be fine.  We need to get a health insurance and we will also ask for the S1 certificate which should speed up our medical payments if needed.

However, we will be delighted to keep in touch and tell you how we are getting on, and hope to meet up with you when we arrive.

Richard and Tracy Slade (everyone calls me Cyd)

I wish you good luck and we can keep in touch and perhaps meet up when you are  installed in Béziers.

Chris

Hi @cyd2706,

Out of curiosity, May I ask why you chose Beziers? I considered Beziers but think Pezenas might be a better match for me.

Best regards,

Tracey

Hi Tracey,

We considered Pezenas at first, but found that in the rental market most properties were furnished holiday lets and were quite expensive for the quality.  We have our own furniture so would prefer an unfurnished property.  Also Pezenas looked a little small (I am an ex Londoner!). 

Keep in touch Tracey, and let us know where you end up.

Cyd

We liked the area, and so looked at the larger close towns.  Montpellier seems a bit large, great for shopping (Ikea) and entertainment but not for living in.  Carcasonne felt too small and touristy, but Beziers felt right.  I love the architecture, the markets, the museums whilst keeping a relaxed way of life.

We still want to take day trips to Pezenas as it does look lovely, just not quite right for us.

Don't know why my final para ended up in the middle of the post!  Hahaha x 😂🤣

@cyd2706 Hi - I'm Lisa. My partner and I recently moved to Beziers. We are enjoying the city in so many ways. There are a number of people now in our growing circle who speak English. It has also been fairly (not totally) easy to navigate the things you have to do without speaking much if any French. I hope you do come here. Please feel free to message me. I don't know if I can put my email in this message though.

As I have already said, I can help people who have problems with the French bureaucracy.

@jimleyla

Hello Jim,

Thank you for replying.  Nice is very beautiful, as are the villages surrounding the area.  I don't know Lyon at all really, apart from driving through it, but I have frends who live near there who love skiing as it is so close to the mountains.

My French is middling passable!  I was pretty good when I lived in France for 15 years previously, especially when going through a divorce in French and being a single mum, going through difficulties, but I have not used it for quite a while,  I think I need practice.

That is what it really comes down to, speaking as often as you can to as many people as you can, and submerging yourself in French media until your 'ear' changes.

Good luck with your decisions, and keep in touch.

@Lisa365

Hello Lisa,

Thank you for your kind message.  I will definitely keep in touch.

Richard and I have decided to contact estate agents this week and let them know that we will be arriving in September and asking if they have anything on their books for that period.  I saw an ad for an apartment yesterday that is available from November.  We will write it in English and my youngest daughter said that she will translate it into correct French for us!

I hope that we are not getting ahead of ourselves as we have not yet been passed by the powers that be.  But there is so much to do. 

@krissward69

Thanks Chris.  I am sure we will be calling on you at some point.

Cyd

@cyd2706 Are you looking to rent or buy?

@cyd2706 - We rented a BnB for a couple of months while our apartment is being renovated. That might be an option for you while you are looking.

@Lisa365

Hi Lisa, we are looking at rentals.  We have found something ....  maybe!  It is a holiday rental through an online company.  We have left a message with the company saying that we would like it for a year starting 2 September, but have not yet heard back.    It is in a small town not far from Beziers and looks pretty good.  So here's hoping.

@cyd2706 I'll hope with you! Also, I realized the BnB wouldn't work because you said that you had furniture. Our real estate agent in Beziers might be able to help. Her name is Aline ***. She is with VIA ***. Her number is *** or mobile ***. She might be able to help. She speaks some English - not a lot - but we managed to make it work.

Thanks so much.  We have dropped the furniture idea due to cost and we don't really know where we will end up in the long term.  We have now decided to sell up everything except some velvet cushions (I only bought them before Christmas and I totally love them!)  Artwork, a couple of mirrors, family photos, an antique welsh spinning chair which is worthless but i love it, a big TV, clothes and bric a brac.  We will get a man with a van to bring them down.  Oh and of course the dog, who is a 6 year old Cavapoo, she will arrive with us on the train. 

We are starting to get excited, it is a wonderful feeling.  I am really looking at it as a new beginning.

Hello everyone,

Just a gentle reminder. Click on any member's photo or username to send her/him a private message. You can dm contact details to members as phone numbers/emails and so should not be posted on the forum.

Thank you

Bhavna

@Lisa365.

Hi Lisa,  just to let you know.....    I didnt hear back from your estate agent, even after we contacted the company regarding a property.  But no problem, as we have become the most indecisive couple EVER!

We have changed the moving date to October, because of the Olympics both main and para.  I thought that the prices of everything will increase over that period, so its probably best to avoid it like the plague.  It also means that I can work an extra month as August tends to be very busy for weddings. 

The holiday lets that we were looking at fell through as they could not do the length of time we wanted them for, and to be honest they were small and pricey.

So we are back at the original starting point of Beziers and only Beziers.  For a permanent property we are looking at 2 or 3 bed appts as close to the centre of possible either 1st or 2nd floor or if they have a lift we can go higher.  This is because I suffer with arthritis, not too badly, but enough to be annoying.  We are also bringing our furniture (!!  I know, I know !!).  We have spoken to a chap we met through this site and he has given us a good price.  So we would be silly not to.

On the plus side we have found that we dont need private health insurance, as the NHS pay everything for the first year as we are pensioners.  Marvellous.  We still have to do the paperwork for a carte vitale but that should be relatively straight forward.

We will most probably get an Airbnb for a period to start, hopefully not for too long, until we have finalised the paperwork etc for an appartment.

So there you are, I thought that I would keep you up to date.  I hope everythinh is going well for you.

Cyd

The olympics will not affect life in Beziers, 617 kms away.  My advice to you is to steer clear of Airbnbs.  In Beziers there is an excellent, cheap place to stay whilst looking at properties.  It is the Fonsérane Vacancéole.  I stayed there for about six weeks whilst searching for the house where I now live.  It is composed of fully furnished and equipped bed-sits in a lovely setting.  There is ample secure parking.  You don't have to book in advance and can renew on a daily basis.  I don't remember the exact price in September - October 2020 but it was about €25 to €28 a night.  I was alone but I think they only had a price for the accommodation so for two it should be the same price.  I have just looked on the internet; the prices have now doubled.  I advise you to book direct and avoid the commission seeking sites.  Good luck!