How to Feel At Home After a Move to France

Choosing to make a move to France can feel like a huge step. The new, foreign surroundings can feel incredibly overwhelming, particularly if you don’t know your new area very well. When relocating to France, it’s important to allow yourself time to settle in and relax in your new surroundings. Here are some tips to help you do that.

• Have accommodation prepared before you move
Not having some accommodation ready when you arrive in France will only add to your stress. Book some temporary accommodation for when you arrive and look for something permanent once you’re settled in the area.

• Bring your furniture
Once you’ve found somewhere permanent, you can make it feel more like home by bringing over all your furniture. A company that provides furniture removals to France can have it with you in just a few days, and that familiarity should help curb any homesickness you may be experiencing.

• Act like a tourist
If you don’t have to work when you first arrive, take the time to get to know your new area as best you can. Imagine you are a tourist and try to take in all the major areas in just a few days. This will help you to find your way around and you may even discover some hidden gems.

• Meet the locals and other expats
After moving to France, aim to talk to someone new every day. Meeting the locals will help you fell more at home in your new area and meeting other expats will help you to see how other people have settled in.

Moving to Belgium from the UK

Avoid Delays When You Move to Europe – Get Expert Help

Sometimes people get the itch to leave the UK and move abroad after a holiday somewhere sunny like Spain or Portugal. In some cases, a new job or a promotion might mean a stint somewhere exotic overseas or just a short hop away in Europe. Even if you are only relocating just over the channel, moving to Belgium or moving to Holland and you’re only a short boat or plane ride away, it won’t all be plain sailing. Remember you’re going to have to adapt to a whole new country with its quirks, traditions, legal system, language and culture.

In some parts of Europe you can find well established expat communities. Anyone moving to southern Europe to escape the harsh winters and inconsistent summers of the north will find plenty of Brits who have already done the same thing. This will help you to adjust, but don’t get too caught up in the expat scene or you might you not get to explore and enjoy life among the locals. In some countries it’s pretty different. Moving to Belgium or moving to Holland for example, you won’t find so many expats, but at least the natives speak pretty good English. Don’t use this as an excuse not to make an effort though with the local languages. You’ll get far more respect and enjoy a much richer experience by doing so.

Wherever you’re thinking about moving to in Europe, you’re going to need to find a removal company that can help you with the logistics of getting your belongings out to your new home. It’s a lot more complicated than just moving domestically. Shipping goods and possessions across international borders requires additional planning and paperwork. Specialist international removers can help you with the whole moving process, from packing up, through the form filling, to safe delivery of your possessions at the other end. Don’t leave anything to chance. The last thing you want is endless delays as you try to start your new life abroad.

 Holland Flowers Festival

Top Pick: Flower Festivals of Europe

Moving to mainland Europe could afford you the fantastic ability to mix easily with the diverse and thrilling cultures of our sister nations. For the green-fingered amongst you, here’s our top pick of European flower festivals and shows on the schedule for 2011:

1.    International Violet Meeting (Toulouse)
Moving to France? During February Toulouse plays host to visitors from around the globe, mutually intent on celebrating the cute violet flower! This free festival resides at the Place du Capitole, and includes a nail-biting violet contest, exhibitions, lectures, food markets and – of course – plant stalls!

2.    Holland Flowers Festival (Zwaagdjik-Oost)
From 23rd-27th February, The Greenery venue is decked out with Holland’s premier flower festival! And it’s not all tulips, shows include daffodils, narcissi, hyacinths, crocuses and irises – to name but a few. Moving to Holland in February? Make the festival your first big cultural event! The companion lifestyle fair is almost as popular at the festival itself (another reason for moving to Holland in February!)

3.    Past and Present Vegetables (Saint-Jean de Beauregard, France)
Who says flowers should get all the attention? Relocating to France with a little organic veggie cultivation in mind? September sees the arrival of this quaint show, set in the stunning grounds of the chateau Domaine de Saint-Jean de Beauregard. Although the chateau hosts various festivals throughout the year, this one achieves notoriety amongst amateurs and professionals alike (we suspect it to be something to do with the superb lunches and afternoon teas on offer!)

Moving to France Beware of Local Traditions

Moving to France Beware of Local Traditions

If you are one of the many Britons who are thinking of moving to France to begin a new life, the chances are you will have already spent many years taking holidays there. This is usually how people form an attachment to a particular town or region, but before you rush headlong into buying a property there are some important factors you should take into account before moving to France. We have to be realistic about this, because there have been many stories of people leaving Britain to set up a new home in a rural idyll only to find that the reality can be very different to the dream.

Ten years ago, a friend of mine moved with his family to the Limousine region and was initially delighted by the reception they received from the locals. Everyone was very friendly, to the extent that when my friend mentioned he was carrying out some building work on the property he had bought his new friends immediately offered their help. The thing is, a couple of weeks later when he was relaxing in the afternoon sun, his neighbour arrived at the front door and demanded  that he come and help with some work at his home.

You could argue that this kind of thing will happen if you were planning on moving to Holland or moving to Germany, but apparently this is the local tradition in Limousine. If someone does you a favour, they can demand ‘repayment’ at anytime, so be warned!

5 Top Reasons to Break from the U.K (just for a while, at least!)

Our client base covers everyone from families moving to France for a rustic life among olive groves, to young professionals relocating to Zurich for their careers. To say our client book is diverse is an indubitable understatement!

The U.K economy isn’t great right now, which is why heaps of folks are heading to pastures new throughout Europe, be it on a temporary basis or more permanently. Here are five of the top reasons behind some of our recent customers’ relocation’s to some of the most glorious (and unexpected!) spots on the continent.

1. Career change/job prospects
Travelling for work used to mean moving to the city or adding an hour onto the daily commute. These days, we meet hundreds of folks relocating to France, Belgium, Spain and loads of other promising European locales for work reasons. Contract work and international experience are becoming more attractive to prospective employers. A stint overseas could set you in fantastic stead for a position back home in due course.

2. Quality of family life
According to a 2011 article in the Guardian, the U.K has the worst quality of life in Europe based on cost of living, average holidays per year, number of sunny days, working hours, life expectancy and about ten other deciding factors. One in ten Brits are seriously considering emigration or temporary relocation to another country to access a better standard of living for themselves and their families.

3. A change is as good as a rest
The idea of someone living the same life for their whole life (as most of our parents did) isn’t practical anymore. We don’t typically work for the same company in the same role living in the same house. We travel, we live, we work, we explore and make changes that previous generations couldn’t have easily made. A year living in Bruges – why not?

4. The world is getting smaller
Just a hundred years ago it took two days to get from London to Bristol on a fast horse. The option is still there today, but at less than two hours the train seems more appropriate! The great age of travel has made every corner of the world more accessible for us all, so why not make the most of it?

5. Retirement
It used to mean heading out to pasture in the potting shed, but these days retirement can be the best years of your life! A 2010 article in the Telegraph set Spain high on the list of retiree destinations. In fact, the Mediterranean in general ranked high in terms of affordability, ex-pat integration and quality of life.

Fun in the sun, a great career move or just more time to do the things you like – what’s stopping you? Our removals service extends far and wide over the European continent, making it as easy as possible for folks just like you to pick up, pack up and head off hassle-free!

Ensure You Have a Swift and Easy Relocation to Paris

Moving abroad can be an exciting and/or anxious time, depending on your reasons for moving. If you’re relocating to Paris, then it’s probably more likely to be for professional or business reasons than it is to retire. Paris is a marvellous city – the city of love, but also the nation’s capital and full of the opportunities that a capital city usually has to offer.

In economic terms, Paris represents continental Europe’s largest economy and is responsible for over a quarter of France’s total GDP. Numerous multinational companies have bases there, as well as several financial organisations. The job prospects are also extremely attractive – a 35-hour working week allowing the possibilities in many companies to work longer hours and take the time saved as ‘RTT’ (Réduction du temps de travail) to create a long weekend, and an earlier retirement age than here in the UK.

Having decided that moving to France, and specifically Paris, is for you, there will be a lot to organise. Despite being just over the channel, French cultural traditions do differ from ours and you’ll be well advised to spend some time learning French before you go, particularly if you’ve not yet secured a job offer in Paris. You’ll also need to organise some kind of healthcare insurance. France has one of the best healthcare systems in the world but unlike the NHS, it isn’t free. Your EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) won’t cover you if you’re a resident, so health insurance is a must, even if you’re a healthy person generally – accidents can happen to anyone.

You’ll also need to sort out your accommodation, both here and there. Unfortunately, the city is well known for its expensive accommodation and it may take you a great deal of research to find something affordable and in the right location. If you know where you will be working, don’t worry if your apartment or house is located a fair distance away – just make sure that the transport routes between the two are suitable. Likewise, you could be fairly close and yet not on a convenient metro route.

With most Parisian accommodation being found within the city’s arrondissements, you may not relish the prospect of moving all of your belongings there. In fact, packing and organising removals to anywhere can be a stressful process. That said, moving in to a capital city makes the process harder to organise yourself, as you are unlikely to be taking your own car packed full of possessions – you’ll certainly not find anywhere nearby to park it!

Here at European Removal Experts we provide simple and cost effective removals to France. We also know that when you’re moving abroad, it can be hard to time the moving out of one property with the moving in to another. This is why we offer Long and Short Term Storage for up to two weeks and we can also sell boxes and packing materials if you require them. Our aim is to make the whole process of relocating to Paris as smooth and as easy as possible for you, including providing you with your furniture removal direct to your new door.

Moving to Germany? Learn the Language First

One of the things that can be most isolating when moving to Germany is not being able to speak the language. Although learning a new language is easiest when you immerse yourself in it, you can give yourself a head start by learning some German before you move. Here are some ways you can get a grasp on the language before relocating to Germany:

• Teach Yourself
Prior to moving to Berlin, Munich or anywhere else in Germany, teach yourself as much of the language as you can. Read a few beginners books and listen to some audio to give you an idea of pronunciation and intonation. You should also try to learn some grammar as this will help you to structure sentences.

• Take Some Classes
Before you move, aim to take some German classes, both one-on-one and as part of a group. One-on-one classes will enable your tutor to focus on aspects of the language that you need to, or areas that you may be struggling with. Group classes will give you a feel of real world German conversations and knowing other learners will help to keep you motivated.

• Befriend a Native
Only by talking to a native speaker will you get an indication of how the language is used in the real world. Use the internet to get in contact with native German speakers, and aim to converse via email or via Skype before you move. This will give you a chance to practice your German in a low-pressure environment.

Things to take with you when moving to Europe

Whether you’re moving to Switzerland or just across the same city you were born in, there are some things that should be packed up in boxes and others that should stay close to you on the trip. There’s nothing worse than realising that one of the documents you really need is at the bottom of a box, inside a moving van heading towards the Alps at 50 miles an hour.

The essentials

This list is a short one- wallet, passport, and important personal items like credit cards, car keys, and a mobile phone. If you’re relocating to Switzerland the journey from door to door may take a quite a long time so it can be helpful to carry a phone charger too. Batteries can be easily depleted by playing games or browsing the internet while waiting in airport lounge, for example. Keep the batteries topped up so that your phone will be ready to use when needed.

Handy information

It’s also a good idea to pre-load certain phone numbers or at least write them down and carry the list in a safe place, like your purse or wallet. Note down the contact detail for your moving company, an emergency contact back at your starting point, and any numbers you might need on arrival in your new home. If moving between countries, don’t forget the international dialling codes!

Some people also like to look up helpful local contacts before they leave home. The phone number of a local 24-hour plumber is a good example, and make sure that you know the emergency services number if it will no longer be 999. If you get stuck, dialling 112 should work across the EU and in some other countries too.

Pack for your first night

When you and your family have just finished moving to Zurich (or Paris, or Stoke-on-Trent) you’ll probably be tired. Pack a first-night bag and carry that with you, so nobody will have to start unpacking straight away. Include a toothbrush and toiletries, soap, a towel, and a change of clothing. If you expect to arrive at an empty house late at night a roll of toilet paper might also come in very handy!

In the morning, when you’ve had a shower and are feeling fresh and ready to tackle those boxes, you can start unpacking in earnest.

Don’t forget the kids

Mums and dads won’t need us to tell them what to pack for their babies, but toddlers and primary school children sometimes have trouble when moving. The process can be scary for the younger members of the family, even if it’s just a case of saying goodbye to the old house and moving into the one next door. Relocating over a long distance is certainly daunting for smaller kids.

Let them choose a toy to take on the journey and make sure they have plenty to do. A colouring book can go a long way and a few sweets or cereal bars can also make sure the whole family stays cheerful on the way to their your new home.

Dealing with Stressful House Moves

Everybody knows that moving house can be one the most stressful events that you will ever go through. Indeed, for some it can be even more stressful than a divorce or bereavement. Maybe it is because the serious business of moving comes directly after all the fun stuff like viewing properties and making bids ends.

Certainly, few people would say that packing, notifying banks and utility companies of your move, organising the re-direction of your post to your new address and registering your children with new schools is that much fun. However, it needs to be done and, if you’re moving abroad, there are probably many more things that will need to be added to that list as well

At least if you’re relocating to Germany, Spain, France or indeed any European country; moving your furniture and other possessions doesn’t have to add to your worries. Here at European Removal Experts, we specialise in facilitating household and business removals to Continental European destinations so we can take care of all the stress of moving for you.

If you’re looking for removals to Germany, we can provide you with door-to-door deliveries to and from a wide range of German destinations such as Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne and Stuttgart. Similarly, we can provide comparable services to locations in Spain, France, Italy and beyond.

So, if you want one less stressful aspect to deal with when moving to Germany, France or wherever; look no further than us here at European Removal Experts.

European Property Renovation – Things to Consider

European Property Renovation – Things to Consider

Despite the effects of the recession, European property renovation is still a viable way to facilitate a move to another country in Europe – and not only is it a great excuse for e.g. Moving to Belgium or moving to France, but it can be a lot of fun too.

Some places in Europe will be better destinations for a property renovation project than others; for example, the reason why when we think of European property renovations we think of France, and that is because, uniquely, France has an abundance of old “character” properties just waiting to be snapped up by eager Brits relocating to France.

With the French experience in mind then, is European property renovation a good idea? Well this demands squarely on your own commitment to moving to France to live in a renovated property. As quite simply, renovation will always be a real challenge despite the abundance of suitable properties throughout Europe.

There are many things that will make a renovation project difficult – from the red tape that is common in a country like France in particular, and of course the language barrier. However all these problems can easily be surmounted and if you are able to foster a genuinely good relationship with builders (or masons) etc, then you really do have a real shot at building a dream home.

Whatever your reasons for moving to France or anywhere in Europe, whether it’s for property renovation or otherwise, with European Removal Experts we like to think that we take all the hassle out of moving day.