France

Moving to France: recommended books, movies and links

Moving to France? Get a feel for it first: check out these movies, books and links before you go…all enthusiastically recommended by our editors and readers.

OIB: The Option Internationale du Baccalauréat explained

A variant on the French national Baccalauréat. Not to be confused with the Geneva-based IBO’s International Baccalaureate (or IB): the OIB and the IB are worlds apart. 

The French system: in all its gloire

Ask any French adult if he looks back on his schooldays with warmth and affection, nine times out of ten the answer will be puzzled perplexity - that’s not what schools are for, they proclaim.  Inflexible education, especially in reading, writing and arithmetic, describes the French education system.  It does, therefore, have the reputation of being one of the most thorough systems in the world.

Transferring into or out of the French system

The younger the child, the easier it is to adapt to the French system. But for students already in it, it’s probably the most seamless of all international curricula.

We live in France: if I can wake up my teenager, can he get a summer job?

Since we moved to France a few years ago, I always view the approach of the summer holidays with some apprehension.  Delighted as I am to have my daughter back from university and my son from boarding school, I know what they really want to do is go and find a job.  

Paris

• Best schools in Paris France considered by expats

  A snapshot of international schools in Paris that are considered (although not necessarily chosen) by English-speaking expat parents, with the best visited and reviewed by The Good Schools Guide International.

• Education in Paris and the Ile de France: an overview

     As with any new place, negotiating your way round the local education system can be perplexing, frustrating and, most fundamentally, lead to many sleepless nights as you ponder what is best for you and your child/children. Finding a school that you feel happy with is pivotal to your decision to change your life and move somewhere new, and Paris is no different.                          

• Where to live in Paris France: schools and neighbourhoods

  When they choose the right neighbourhood, expat families looking for the authentic Parisian experience are rarely disappointed. With a little research, it is hard to go wrong. But just to make things even easier for you, we have talked to scores of relocating families about their choices.

• Where to live outside of Paris

  If you are feeling priced out of central Paris, or if you are simply looking for more space and a quieter, more verdant environment, the good news is you have plenty of choice. If anything you’ll have a job narrowing down your preferences.

Provence and the South of France

• Best schools in Provence France considered by expats

  A snapshot of international schools in Provence that are considered (although not necessarily chosen) by English-speaking expat parents, with the best visited and reviewed by The Good Schools Guide International.

• Best schools on the Cote d'Azur France considered by expats

  A snapshot of international schools on the Cote d'Azur that are considered (although not necessarily chosen) by English-speaking expat parents, with the best visited and reviewed by The Good Schools Guide International.

• Education in Provence France: an overview

  You can have your cake and eat it - Provencal sunshine, tomatoes and markets and not have to part with your babies.