Should you choose state

Should you choose state education, the Mairie pays for primary (Primaire) education, so you will almost certainly have to send them to the local school. For Collège there is greater choice, but generally you cannot send children out of the département. Lycée is a free, national choice. To enrol for Primaire sign up at the Mairie, for Collège and Lycée do this directly with the school. There's no school uniform and no packed lunches – children stay for a three course meal or go home. You will be asked to provide a leaving certificate – certificat de radiation - from the child's previous school – while this doesn't really apply coming from the UK, obtain a letter from your child's previous school before you move to avoid any unnecessary delays. Of course if you choose private or international schools you'll have a completely free choice. If you receive a pension from the UK, you can either keep the status quo and have it paid into your UK account and transfer as needed or sent directly into a French account – the choice is yours! Once you become resident in France you will be liable to pay French taxes in May each year. To get into the system, go to your local tax office (Centre des Impots) or Mairie, or go online through www.impots. gouv.fr. Even if you think you might fall below the tax threshold level it is still your responsibility to file your return on time and, if you live or work in France for more than 182 days, you will be classed as a tax resident from the day after your arrival, so you will need to register. Please note these details are correct as at time of publication and may change when the UK leaves the EU. Currently with just weeks to go before that is due to happen, there are insufficient details to give clarification on what will change. Thanks to Leggett Immobillier, the award winning estate agency in France for this article.