Discussions

I have just started looking after 2 french children.  The youngest has asked me for a photo of the queen that she can take in to school.  I know I can print a picture off the internet but wondered if there is anyone who may have pictures from a magazine.  I thought I could perhaps do a family tree if I can get pictures of Prince Charles etc. as well. Thanks

Hi all   One of my students (female, age 19, reasonable English) would like to spend some time in the UK during the summer - looking after children, helping with housework etc Could anyone recommend a reputable au pair agency?   Thanks in advance for any ideas.  

Hello all, My fiance and I are currently planning our wedding for this July 25th in Pont Scorff near Lorient. We've used the forums here and have been overwhelmed by the fantastic responses this community gives. Our wedding is a small family wedding, however our families have 15/16 young children under the age of 10 years old (most are actually younger than 5). We are hoping to find some child minders for the day and night of our wedding on July 25th, and potentially for a few days around that, to essentially act as an on-site creche. Does anyone know of child minders in the Pont-Scorff area who would be interested in this type of work? We would also like to find a magician or face painter for one of the days of our week long holiday to keep the kids entertained.   Looking forward to your replies.   Thanks in advance, Roisin and Brian  

anybody had any experience of sending soft toys via. post/transporter to New Zealand?  Cost, time, reliability etc. for a package about as big as a dozen wine bottles.(nobody out there emigrating??)

I am very fortunate to have found a babysitter. Unfortunately I do not have a clue what the going rate is? Can anyone advise?

Following on from a previous post of mine.  Have any of your children studied at a university other than in the UK or France?  We are looking for somewhere that teaches in English and at an affordable cost i.e. something similar to France.  My daughter is British although she has lived in France for 10 years and is not currently entitled to a bourse.  She has looked at some universities which are affordable but because she is not a resident of that country the price shoots up out of our reach.  

My daughter has lived in France since August 2006 and is currently at lycee.  We were discussing the options of studying at a UK university or a French university.  I believe there will be changes to the maintenance loan in 2016.  Can someone give me an idea of fees for a french university. thanks

Are direct cremations available in France and if so what is the procedure for arranging one. Please, only factual replies and no lectures on ethics, morals or religion. Thank you for anticipated replies.

Hi, we're due to move to Brittany in May and I'm not sure how I go about registering my daughter with the local schoo. There is a primary school in our village close to our new house and I would very much like her to go there. Does anyone have any knowledge or recent experience ?? My daughter has just turned four so is due to start school this year. Thanks in advance 

Hello all, Just wondering if anyone out there would be interested in getting involved in a parent and toddler group in the Vannes area - or even play dates to start off?  We have a 4 year old girl and a 2.5 year old boy, both bilingual. Any takers, feel free to message me. Aideen.

Hi all,  with some trepidation I post this as I know I will be inundated with replies. From a fellow Gite owner in Normandy...... Here goes: I am looking for 1,  possibly 2 mobile caravans on a site to rent for a week in July, possibly 23/7,  for 2 families, one being mine the other my sisters.  We would like to be very close the the beach and hopefully on a site with a pool and kids stuff...park, club, space to play etc. Heres the important bit, if possible reasonable rates. I have looked at Eurocamp and prices are on the high side for us and I would rather use accommodation and pay funds to people trying to sustain a living in France rather than to a company.   Any suggestions? Please dont reply if you are not in Brittany or are not located close to a sandy beach as you will only be wasting your own time.  Many thanks in advance    

The secondary school that our daughter will go to next year has refused to offer a vegetarian option for her at their canteen.  An internet petition has recently been launched by MP Yves Jego, mayor of Chalon-sur-Saône, to campaign for the right to a vegetarian school dinner option. The petition has already gained 130 000 signatures out of a desired 150 000. If you feel in agreement, please would you sign the petition and then share the link on your social media networks.  https://www.change.org/p/pour-une-alternative-végétarienne-obligatoire-dans-les-cantines-scolaires 

This might have already come up in discussion but after a quick search on the forum I can't find it, so for those who dont know I'm posting some useful info about the new school zones & holidays. This applies to anyone who uses the governments school calendars or the firemans calendars etc to know the school holiday dates. I noticed there was a difference between the one I printed off the gov's website for this year and the one my daughter brought home from school. Turns out that the government has regrouped the school zones and Brittany (Rennes) is no longer in Zone A, we're now in Zone B and modified calendars are now on the gov's website, along with an image of the new map if anyone wishes to clarify this and not take my word for it. http://www.education.gouv.fr/cid87910/calendrier-scolaire-pour-les-annees-2015-2016-2016-2017-2017-2018.html

HELP! Santas elf forgot to order 5 chocolate oranges and is worrying that it is too late to trust the post. Has anyone, Any idea of where I can get them here? Or is willing to part with them for an exorbitant sum ????? 

Does anyone know 100% what the following french qualifications are equivalent to in the uk and has anyone used a professional body on the internet to get international qualifications assessed?     Brevet.....14.4.....assez bien CAP ......15.2 ....admis Brevet Professionnel ........12.43.....admis Many thanks    

Hi, Does anybody know if there is a COPD clinic in the St Nicholas du Pelem area . Will also need a good dentis, any recomendations will be most helpful. Many thanks  Kind regards Angela  

Hello, I am living in Quimperlé and looking to meet up with other families with children. I have an one-year old child myself. 

hello! I am a mother of 2 children ( 2 years old son and a 6 months daughter). We live in a house next to Lorient in Ploemeur. We have a field and many animals. I've studied English at university (in Paris) for 3 years and I love this language. I'm trying to speak a lot in english to my children (my husband can improve the children vocabulary by the way;-) I would love to meet English speaking persons to have the opportunity to chat with an dto learn more at the same time. If you want to learn more french words or to start to learn French: I would love helping.I am graduated in French literature. We could walk around Lorient. I walk often wih my children near the sea or in the wood. There are many nice places. the person I'm looking for is a mother with young children or a grand mother or a student who would be happy to share some moments in family life! hope to hear soon from you.I will write back!  

Does any one know if French educational establishments will be closed tomorrow for the 3rd national day of mourning please?

My daughter has just started Seconde Générale.  She is thinking about what to do next year.  She does not want to do a Bac S or L or any others i.e. STMG or ST2S etc which leaves ES.  She has chosen this year SES and she is unsure if she wants to continue.  It may be down to her teacher who just gives her sheets of questions which she has to answer.  There are no discussions.  Is there anyone who is currently doing a Bac ES who can give her some information on what she is likely to do next year. Thanks