CROSS-CHANNEL COMMUTERS | | Peter and Josie make their journey to France |
A number of South Easterners are moving to Northern France, yet are continuing with their jobs in England. The French way of life is worth the commute, they say. Peter Lambert, who has commuted cross-channel for the last seven years says, "The food, the drink, the choice - it's marvellous." Peter and his partner Josie Clarke live in a beautiful farmhouse in the village of Preures in Northern France, 40 miles south of Calais. | Peter and Josie's Commute | Distance work to home: Approx. 103 miles Time work to home: Approx. 3.5 hours Commutes per week: 4-5 Cost per channel crossing: A day return crossing for two adults and one car can cost around £25 with P&O, but frequent travellers receive discounts. Verdict: Peter and Josie say it is well worth it. |
They run a small business buying and selling electricity, based in East Sussex. Josie says, "The people are absolutely fantastic. Our neighbours are wonderful." Ex-pat communityFrance is only 21 miles from the South East of England. There are plenty of ferries and a railway tunnel to make the journey. Many South Easterners have taken advantage of these transport links and have moved across the channel. There is now a small British ex-pat community around the town of Hucqueliers, in northern France. PracticalitiesRed tape and practicalities may deter some would-be channel-hoppers from tasting a new lifestyle out in France.  | | Commuters can see the Paris sights at weekends |
Colin Schrader from French Property News says the red tape in minimal. Cross-channel commuters pay PAYE in the UK, because that is where they work. They then pay the equivalent of council tax in France for local facilities. For parent’s woried about French schooling, Alan Cox who commutes from France to Colchester in Essex says his children have settled well, "Even our little girl who's four speaks a reasonable amount of French." Housing shortagesSir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart, Head of Kent County Council suggests that cross-channel commuters could ease the South East’s housing shortages. He tells Inside Out, "We are under pressure from central government to provide more housing. They want us to build 120,000 new homes by 2031." "If people commuted across the channel, we wouldn’t need to build as many houses." Tempted? | | French delicacies are enough to tempt some |
The following checklist includes just some of the factors for consideration, for those who are tempted to follow in Peter and Josie's footsteps... - Estate agents
- Solicitors
- Schools
- Doctors
- Dentists
- Pets
- Builders
- Home and garden maintenance
Some of the weblinks at the top of the page offer further useful information, for those wanting a taste of life in France. | 
