My wife and I are considering moving to france in 2012, does anyone on here currently drive for a french company that can give any advice on where to start.
thanks
Why not try ND 
At least you could sound them out for a job in the Uk with the possibility of a transfer to France if it all works out?
Hi,
I own a house there (Tours Region Department 86) and i worked peage (pay) extension roads.
Unemployment is high and there is no shortage of drivers. Due to the high employment benefits and costs a lot of company’s train and promote in company.
It’s almost imposable to be sacked
You will most likely need to join a union and be accepted by one.
Your French will need to be good. The younger generation will speak English, the older - no.
You need to pass the French cpc. (virodor- i think) Some pay for this.
Look for a company that pays health insurance, that’s one cost you could do without.
Tax is sky high so your pay will be most likely lower, this is made up for when you retire.
The cost of living is rising fast out there now due to government deregulation of fuel and their inability to bring down social debt.
TSA (transport saint arnold) employ UK guys. Dunno if thats a help.
thanks for the replies, it’s a fair way off yet but at least it gives me time to get things sorted, and i’ve got a bit of an idea now.
It will come quicker than you think probably. Good luck.
cheesey:
Hi,
I own a house there (Tours Region Department 86) and i worked peage (pay) extension roads.
Unemployment is high and there is no shortage of drivers. Due to the high employment benefits and costs a lot of company’s train and promote in company.
It’s almost imposable to be sacked
You will most likely need to join a union and be accepted by one.
Your French will need to be good. The younger generation will speak English, the older - no.
You need to pass the French cpc. (virodor- i think) Some pay for this.
Look for a company that pays health insurance, that’s one cost you could do without.
Tax is sky high so your pay will be most likely lower, this is made up for when you retire.
The cost of living is rising fast out there now due to government deregulation of fuel and their inability to bring down social debt.
Its very expensive, and, not easy to find ANY work, of any kind, unless your French is spot on, and then its still difficult 
A mate has just come back, and he is fluent, and can do anything, build/paint/drive/fish/sing/musician/clever ■■■■■ the lot 
This question was raised quite a while ago and it went into quite a prolonged debate the crux of it being that you will need either one or both of two types of exams / qualifications. One called a F.I.M.A and another which was a combination of letters but escapes me right now!! 
Apparently it can be done but it is not easy,everything is stacked against you whether its the language, employment law or just plain old French red-tape.
There are drivers on here who work and live in France and who Im sure will post some accurate info for you.
zippy!:
TSA (transport saint arnold) employ UK guys. Dunno if thats a help.
Would that be at their uk depots only though?! I know knights of old trunk trailers out to them nightly…
bullitt:
This question was raised quite a while ago and it went into quite a prolonged debate the crux of it being that you will need either one or both of two types of exams / qualifications. One called a F.I.M.A and another which was a combination of letters but escapes me right now!!There are 2 exams you have to pass (in French) FIMO and FCOS.
Don’t be under the illusion that France is cheap anymore, 14 years ago the Tax Habitation (rates) were 30FF per year, this year I paid 1750 eur., on top of that I have Tax Foncieres (land tax including the bit the house stands on and garden) that was 350 eur for 1 acre of land and finally my Poubelle tax (dustbin ) 200 eur.Considering our property is in a rural area,I was staggered to see a Cauliflower in Lidle recently priced at 3 eur,60 cents .
kerbut:
Considering our property is in a rural area,I was staggered to see a Cauliflower in Lidle recently priced at 3 eur,60 cents .
Having just returned from a week in Onzain, I can concur that the prices in the local supermarkets have rocketed since we last went a couple of years ago at a rate that far exceeds the UK and it didn’t seem to matter what chain you used. Only thing that’s remotely cheap is diesel at 95p per litre.
We had 2 weeks in a camper van and found that fuel was cheaper than uk, but EVERYTHING else was MUCH more expensive…at this moment in time I can,t think of a single reason to move there… 