Reflections on getting a mortgage in France

January 13th, 2010  |  by  |  published in Comment, Features, Life & Culture

Grenoble Life editor James Dalrymple shares his personal experience as a first-time home buyer in the Captial of the Alps – and is happy to report that it’s not all bad news!

Arranging your finances in France – an overview

December 10th, 2009  |  by  |  published in Comment, Features, Info & Advice

Felicity Lodge is a financial planner with The Spectrum IFA Group, offering independent financial planning advice for expatriates in France. Felicity is based in Grenoble and works with English speaking expats the Alps region. Here is her guide to some of the personal finance considerations for those making the move to France.

Banking in English with a personal touch

December 4th, 2009  |  by  |  published in Features, Info & Advice, Interviews, Work & Study

Kate Daligault is a financial advisor at Banque Rhône-Alpes in Grenoble. She talks to Grenoble Life about the banking culture in France, getting financial advice in English, and what new residents need in order to open an account.

Mind, body and ‘chemins du bien-être’ – shiatsu in Grenoble

November 24th, 2009  |  by  |  published in Features, Interviews, Life & Culture

Rebecca Skillman practices shiatsu from her home near Uriage and also in a well-being centre in Meylan. From the UK originally, she did her practitioner training in Bristol before moving to France at the end of 2004. Grenoble Life wanted to find out more.

Clearstream: Clients, Patrons, and French Political Parricide

October 20th, 2009  |  by  |  published in Comment, Features

In the second post in his blog The Franco-American Daily Deconstructionist; History and Culture in Everyday Life, John Hess asks “Are you all as bored by the Clearstream affair as I am? If so, then excellent, this blog is just for you!”

Don’t stress: it’s France!

October 17th, 2009  |  by  |  published in Comment, Features, Life & Culture

James Dalrymple of Grenoble Life asks why the French – despite sleeping more and living longer than everyone else – are so stressed. Apparently the French government wants to know too …

Relocation relocation relocation – an interview with LC Mobility

October 12th, 2009  |  by  |  published in Features, Info & Advice, Interviews

Shonah Kennedy shares her experience about relocating to Grenoble, and interviews Isabelle and Julie of LC Mobility, the agency that helped her find accommodation and deal with the trickier aspects of setting up life in a French city.

Never say never! An Aussie job-searching in Grenoble

September 14th, 2009  |  by  |  published in Comment, Features, Work & Study

Shonah Kennedy – aka Miss Shonah – is an experienced and qualified ESL teacher from Australia. She has agreed to share with Grenoble Life the highs and lows of looking for work in Grenoble as a non-EU citizen.

‘Throws of passion’ – an interview with Kris Leroy of Chic Throws

July 30th, 2009  |  by  |  published in Features, Interviews, Life & Culture

Kris Leroy is the American founder of Grenoble-based soft furnishings design company Chic Throws. Grenoble Life wanted to know more about her business, her background and being an Anglophone entrepreneur in France.

‘Open to interpretation’ – an interview with Benjamin Penin

July 20th, 2009  |  by  |  published in Features, Interviews, Work & Study

Benjamin Penin swapped sunny Manchester for downtown Grenoble in 2002 to pursue his dreams of living in the Alps and becoming a freelance translator. Grenoble Life wanted to find out more …