my parents are moving to france for a while to LES SABLES D`OLONNE area,
i was considering going too, but wondered how easy it was to actually find a class 1 job and is there any companies to try in area, as my french is not too good, and do i have to have a residency there too etc.
any advice would be grateful.
I just did a quick check on the anpe.fr site (job centre)for that department. There are 28 jobs listed,each requires you to have FIMO or FCOS (French drivers CPC).
Whilst as has been said before getting your FIMO(the first or Initial) if your French isn’t that good,is not impossible. It may prove difficult.
These are CDI or full time contract jobs as the others aren’t worth looking at.
Hope this is of help.
A couple of weeks ago i motorbiked about 900 mile roundtrip for an interview with Perrier transport as they had claimed they can get round the FIMO and FCOS thing as long as i provide proof of driving experience for the last 15 years. So of i plod, they put me up in motel for night very nice of them, i do couple written test and driving test they happy with all and offer me job, i go home, next day a phone call they say that my past experience not valid in france and remove job offer. So be careful IMHO you should look for a company that has a base in UK then you can be employed through that office. Good luck
lulu123:
A couple of weeks ago i motorbiked about 900 mile roundtrip for an interview with Perrier transport as they had claimed they can get round the FIMO and FCOS thing as long as i provide proof of driving experience for the last 15 years. So of i plod, they put me up in motel for night very nice of them, i do couple written test and driving test they happy with all and offer me job, i go home, next day a phone call they say that my past experience not valid in france and remove job offer. So be careful IMHO you should look for a company that has a base in UK then you can be employed through that office. Good luck
I thought they had an office in Leicestershire somewhere ■■?
I answered an advert of theirs a couple of years ago, and it had an English name and number, I did`nt get anywhere either, by the way 
lulu123:
… they had claimed they can get round the FIMO and FCOS thing as long as i provide proof of driving experience for the last 15 years.
You can ‘get round’ FIMO merely by having the right length of experience, but you can’t get round FCOS any more than you can get round a licence.
It will be interesting to see if the French will accept our new joke CPC, I bet we will have to accept their FIMO 
Funnily enough I was talking to a British driver on a Norbert truck and he said the FIMO FCOS was finished now. I told him to check that out because I dont believe anything has changed, or has it?
thanks for info, so its going to be difficult then 
just got to find a british based company now then.
You’re best off looking in Ireland (north or south) or scotland, almost all the trucks I see over here so far have been from those areas. If you want to be based in Europe, try the low countries (Belgium/holland) or Germany.
Wheel Nut:
Funnily enough I was talking to a British driver on a Norbert truck and he said the FIMO FCOS was finished now. I told him to check that out because I dont believe anything has changed, or has it?
Now you come to mention it Malc, a driver did say that to me in a routier a short while ago, my FCOS officially ran out earlier this month after 5 years plus 2 extension because of my retirement, but he said I didn’t need to renew it anymore.
My mate down the pub (routier 
) told me…?
Don’t know, but largely acedemic now. 
lulu123:
A couple of weeks ago i motorbiked about 900 mile roundtrip for an interview with Perrier transport as they had claimed they can get round the FIMO and FCOS thing as long as i provide proof of driving experience for the last 15 years. So of i plod, they put me up in motel for night very nice of them, i do couple written test and driving test they happy with all and offer me job, i go home, next day a phone call they say that my past experience not valid in france and remove job offer. So be careful IMHO you should look for a company that has a base in UK then you can be employed through that office. Good luck
Any reason given why?Maybe a class 2 and not a class 1,how did you hear about the job?
sorry Spardo i forgot they said i could do the fcos thing in there agency in Lens.
Froggy, the reason given was that my 33 years experience was not recognized in France, heard about job from one of there drivers in UK.
My 20 odd years driving an artic counted when I did my fcos(I did not need a fimo)did you have any of the two F`s when you applied for the job.The problem may of been if you did not have them is that it is a four week course once you get one and then a wait for the ticket,maybe they had someone else who had them and was ready to start there and then.
Froggy, i dont know mate they needed me to provide the last 15 years proof of driving, and all i have is company names who i worked for with nothing saying that i was an actual driver. Something interesting though i contacted the National Insurance people for my work info and they sent me a complete file near enough back to when i was 17, put that in just in case anyone needs it.