COUNTRY GUIDES: FRANCE

Atlantic beaches, world-class skiing, gastronomic wonders and thousands of years of culture: whatever you're looking for, France has it. Flanked by the Pyrenees and Mediterranean to the south, the Bay of Biscay and English Channel to the west and north, and the Alps to the east, the country is justifiably the world's top travel destination.

With so much to discover, it's handy that France has one of Europe's best rail systems, whisking you to most parts of the country and beyond for surprisingly little money. But if you hire a car, remember: avoid the Arc de Triomphe!

Demand for teachers

High but competitive.

The law compels French companies to provide staff training, so there is big demand for Business English classes. The government also pays for the unemployed to take classes at private language schools.

Main TEFL regions

Paris, Lyon, Montpellier, Marseilles.

Busiest TEFL periods

September-May

Contract lengths

9-12 months

Types of teaching

• Private language schools: General English, Business English, Cambridge FCE/CAE

• In-company: General English, Business English

• Telephone lessons: General English, Business English

• French chambers of commerce: General English, Business English, Cambridge FCE/CAE, Franco-British Chamber of Commerce English diplomas

Accommodation

You’ll pay about €500 for a studio apartment in Paris, but much less if you share or live outside of Paris. The biggest problem is finding someone who’ll rent to you: most landlords want 3 months’ deposit, lots of references and proof of stable employment.

Alternatively, you could apply for accommodation through The CAF, a government assistance scheme for people on low salaries.

Flight reimbursement

Not usual

Currency

Euros (EUR)

Symbol: €

Salary

The average wage is about €1,400 before tax, but you’ll earn more depending on your qualifications and experience. Most teachers charge between €18-28 per hour for private lessons, or €10 per half hour for telephone lessons.

Taxes

On the average teacher’s salary, you’ll pay about 7% of your total earnings in tax.

Cost of living

The cost of living is high here: slightly more expensive than the USA, but slightly less than the UK. A fast food meal is about €5, a beer in a bar starts at €4, while a monthly travel pass for the whole of Paris will set you back a whopping €122 (€55 for just the centre)!

Potential to save money

The cost of living is so high that you’re unlikely to be able to save any money. But for most teachers here, this is outweighed by the great food and the chance to become part of this usually impenetrable culture.

How much TEFL training is recommended?

Most teachers in France have a TEFL qualification at the very least, so you’ll need to get one of your own to be competitive. Almost as important is some sort of business experience – our specialist Teaching Business English certificate should give you a good head start.

Common teaching conditions

Most positions involve teaching businesspeople, who tend to be good students if a little intimidating. Employers often hire and fire at will, so try to get a permanent contract and take advantage of the excellent government-enforced benefits such as holidays and sick pay.

How do I find work?

Applying for jobs before you leave home can be disheartening because most employers will only offer to arrange interview for your arrival. There are a few recruitment agents, such as Eurotemp, who recruit from abroad.

Can I find work while in-country?

This is without doubt the best way to find a job - there are hundreds of language schools listed in the local Yellow Pages. However, unless you like living in a cardboard box, you’ll probably need some savings to live on during your job search!

What is the usual hiring process?

Visit schools in person and arrange some interviews… it’s that simple!

Is a work visa required to find paid work in France?

EU nationals have to apply for a residence permit within three months of arrival, but you can work while your application is processed.

Non-EU citizens, however, will need to apply before they arrive, and will need a signed contract to have any chance of getting the permit. Thankfully, there are a few schools that prefer American accents, so they’ll be willing to brave the red tape involved.

Work Visa requirements:

• Job offer (for non-EU citizens)

• Rent slips and salary receipts (for EU-citizens, in some areas)

• Medical certificate (in some cities)

Why Choose France?

• Lots of culture and excellent food

• Plenty to see and do

• Easy to get travel within France and to nearby countries

• High demand for teachers

Be Aware…

You’d be forgiven for thinking that the French love bureaucracy! Arranging anything seems to involve lots of red tape, and it can take a while for your application to be processed (six to nine months for work permits!)

Before you go…

Read this

Fragile Glory by Richard Bernstein – fascinating observations about every aspect of French life

Watch this

Etre et Avoir – Uplifting portrait of life at a one-room school in the French Pyrenees.

A Few Fun Facts

• 80 million people can’t be wrong! That’s how many tourists visit France every year, making it the world’s most popular destination.

• When the Eiffel tower was built for an exhibition in 1889, it was only supposed to be a temporary structure. But it’s still standing more than 115 years later!

• French cuisine is world-renowned. President Sarkozy even applied to UNESCO to give it World Heritage status!

• Much of France isn’t actually in France! 20% of it’s territory lies outside of Europe.