Expat Community > Spain

weneedtomove
Joined 2016
Posts: 2

Utterly confused. Considering moving my family to Spain or France. Craving insight from those who've done it!

8 years ago

Help! Utterly confused. Considering moving my family to Spain or France. Craving insight from those who've done it!

We're an English family of 4 with 2 kids (12 and 7) and 2 dogs. We've been craving life in a warmer climate for years. We're very unsettled here in Doncaster! We love travel, new cultures, people, places and food.

We plan to move in 12-18 months time and learn the language of our chosen country between now and then. In France we've visited Provence and Dordogne - loved both. In Spain we've visited Marbella, Estepona, San Pedro, Mijas - quite a bit of that area. We love that too!

We plan to put the kids into an International School - at least for the first couple of years and see how that goes. Our eldest is in private school now and the other is in state school for the time being. We think they will settle relatively easily as they are fairly confident kids.

We plan to rent for 12 months while we explore and learn about our new home. Then, if we settle, we will buy.

We are unsure which country offers the best solution. We hear people say the French are generally less welcoming to expats / more frosty but I have not experienced this personally during our holidays there. Does anyone have any experience of integrating into a French community?

We hear the Spanish are warmer and more sociable. Spain has the better winters but summers seem stifling - not sure how our kids / dogs would cope with the heat.

France seems to offer much more property for your money but has colder winters. Climate is a big thing for us. I am not sure if the longer, warmer summers in France would make the winters seem less of a hardship. How bad are the winters in the middle/south of France?

We want to be close to sea and / or mountains ideally.

The dilemma is how the hell to choose out of all the possible towns and cities without visiting them all which is not practical! Hence we're reaching out for some opinions that might help and guide us.

Access to good schooling is obviously important and we need a home with a garden and room for the dogs to exercise as well as a pool. We realise this means we need to live a little outside the towns/cities. But we don't want to be a long trek from schools and entertainment. Rent budget is probably up to 1,800 Euros per month. Purchase budget would be up to 600k ish, maybe a bit more if necessary.

Help!!!!! Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

A puzzled.....but enthusiastic, would be expat family.

GeoBlue

Top-quality coverage for people who live, work, study and travel internationally.
Get Quote

GeoBlue

Top-quality coverage for people who live, work, study and travel internationally.
Get Quote

Living in Spain Guide

Expats Living in Spain offer their advice for others making the move to the nation on the Iberian peninsula. From what to bring, to learning Spanish, culture shock and more, read on to learn how to settle into your new life as an expat in Spain.

Spain Forum
Join our Spain forum to meet other expats and talk about living in Spain.

Contribute
Help other expats and newcomers by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Spain.

Best Places to Live in Spain

If you're thinking about living in Spain, here are the 15 Best Places to Live in Spain in 2023.

Healthcare in Spain

Expats in Spain share their experiences with healthcare and overseas medical insurance in Spain.

Cost of Living in Spain

Expats offer insight into the cost of living in Spain.

Moving to Spain Guide

Expats move to Spain from all over the world. People of all ages move there to work, retire, or just enjoy the culture and Spain's natural beauty. With so many places to choose from, our tips for moving to Spain will get you started on picking the perfect place for you.

Real Estate in Spain

Real estate listings in popular cities and towns in Spain.

Pros & Cons of Living in Spain

Take off your rose-colored glasses and learn what expats have to say about the biggest challenges and the greatest rewards of living in Spain.

Retiring in Spain

Advice for people retiring in Spain.

10 Tips for Living in Spain

If you've recently arrived in Spain, here are 10 tips for digital nomads living in Spain.

Additional Information:

Visit our Spain Index for a Full List

GeoBlue

Top-quality coverage for people who live, work, study and travel internationally.
Get Quote

GeoBlue

Top-quality coverage for people who live, work, study and travel internationally.
Get Quote

Contribute
Help others in Spain by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Spain.

Login

Or, Send Login Link

Expat Community > Spain

Utterly confused. Considering moving my family to Spain or France. Craving insight from those who've done it!

Login