12/03/2025
Now that we have been in France for about 5 months and are more settled in I thought I would post about our experience moving permanently with our kids
Our 2 youngest are now 8 & 6 (she was 5 when we moved) they started school the second week we arrived at our local village school (3 classrooms)
The school has been very supportive and welcoming. At a school meeting with all the parents they stressed how important mental health is for them at the school. They want the kids to enjoy all aspects of school life because then they will learn more.
It was so refreshing.
All of the parents have been incredibly helpful and friendly, the school parents association fundraises so much and holds wonderful events for the kids frequently.
Our kids go to canteen, and lean toward being picky eaters, they have taken well to it and have even started eating new things at home that they have had at school.
They have both made friends and love school, we have had no push back in the mornings about going.
We used to live 4 doors down from their school in 🇨🇦 so they started taking the bus here and love that too. They each have learned to tap their bus cards and they have a bus helper who has been wonderful.
Our 8 year old had some french when we arrived, 2 years of french in Canada just very basic. Our youngest none. They are both progressing well with their french, they get extra help after school each Monday. Both have already started talking occasionally in french outside of school.
Our now 13 year old goes to public Collège in Richelieu.
He didn't start school until the end of November.
For him we had to first go to an appointment with the CIO (centre for information & orientation) where he met with an educational psychologist who talked to him about what his interests are, hobbies, what school was like in Canada etc. then they went over his report cards to help determine what each grade would correspond to here.
After that appointment he had to attend testing for math & french.
Then after they had the results of the testing, and the grades corresponding, they decided which school he would be placed in that could best support him.
Luckily it was the Collège we already contacted before we left Canada, who told us we had to contact the CIO first.
Since starting 4eme he has flourished. The school has really supported him and paired him with English speaking students who would be a buddy from the start. He is taking all the normal classes with some exceptions on tests at this very beginning since he started later.
There are lots of extracurricular activities and he finds the courses very interesting. His french was basic when we arrived but it's already progressed so much and he has been able to learn new concepts, write stories and assignments etc in french.
He gets extra help in French during the week from his Spanish teacher (she speaks all 3 languages)
He goes to canteen also and enjoys it.
He has already made a good group of friends and they got together during winter vacation to hang out. He does make friends easily and is very easy going, helpful in nature so I think that has really helped him.
The biggest thing we have noticed is that he has taken on responsibility for his schooling himself more, getting his things ready on his own, getting paperwork done etc. His sense of initiative has risen.
The little kids are going on a trip to La Rochelle next week with their school, to the aquarium and seaside.
Our 13 yr old is going to Paris next week with his class on an overnight trip.
I think being in a smaller rural village has really made the transition easier. Village life is different from city and everyone has to rely a bit on each other for things. There is more a sense of community. Everyone has been very supportive and helpful really embracing us, even in the villages close to us, it's been lovely. There is also always some event or community activity going on, it's a great way to meet others and become a part of the community.
This has gotten long but I am happy to answer any questions.
Oh yes we already have a doctor. 👍🏼
