TAXES
The French tax year runs from 1 January to 31 December. You must declare all your earnings from the date of your arrival, which you do in the annual Déclaration des Reve-nus form available at your local tax office. The declaration deadline is around 20 May.
Everyone with property in France must pay two additional taxes. The Taxe d'Habitation is the tax for living here, and the Taxe Foncière is the property tax. Invoices for both are usually sent to you in September.
As everyone's financial circumstances are different, it is best to consult a tax specialist for advice.
EDUCATION
If you move here with school-age children, they will integrate far more easily than you! Initially, you should enrol them at the Mairie.
School isn't compulsory before the age of
six, but most French children begin Ecole
Maternelle at three years old. Ecole Elémentaire then takes them from 6 to 11 years of age. From there, they move to Collège (11 to 15 years old) and then Lycée (15 to 18). Boarding accommodation is often offered from Monday to Friday for rural Lycée students. Although pupils can leave school at 16 years old, 94% choose further education. The only entrance requirement to a French university is the appropriate baccalaureate. Students do not pay tuition fees.
Schoolchildren have five holidays each year: two weeks in October, at Christmas, in February and in April – and most of July and August.
DRIVING
English cars are usually covered by their UK insurance at first. However, you'll need to change to French registration within six months. If you choose to keep English
TAX RULES
Those who move to France must pay income tax (Impôts sur le Revenu) if they fulfil any of these conditions:
• live permanently in France
• have a residence permit
• spend more than 183 days in the country during the calendar year
• hold most of their wealth in France
• have their main professional activity in France