My latest mad scheme

[3narf]

I must be mad.

My job at Heathrow finishes at the end of next month, after 8 years. As it's a contract position I can't do much about it.

There's not much work about, as everyone knows, so it's not a good time to be looking. I need to get something, however, and it's not an option to go for a month or so without being able to pay the bills/mortgage.

The only job that's looking feasible is in Paris. The money's OK; a lot less than I'm on now, but I expected that. Anyway, I've worked out I can fly back to the UK on my days off for just slightly more than I currently spend in diesel driving up from Heathrow, and in about 1/2 the time.

The plan is to get a seasonal pitch at a campsite within cycling distance and live in my tent. It's very roomy, being an 8-berth, 3-bedroom polycotton Outwell job. There's a campsite within 20 miles of the airport that will do a seasonal pitch April - October.

It looks like there are cycle paths around the airport as well.

Does anyone have any experience of cycling round that locale?

Oh, it's a permanent job, and I get 30 days leave per year...

 

[Salad Dodger]

I have no experience of the area you are looking to camp at, but 2 thoughts occur to me straight off:

1) In UK most casmpsites only allow people to stay a max of 28 consecutive days, after which they want you off the site, even though they may accept another booking from you later in the season. But I don't think they will allow you to spend 28 days on site, go off for one night, then return again for another 28 days. I would be surprised if French sites did not have some similar type of rule....

2) You will have nowhere to store valuables. If I go tent camping, I usually take the car, which means I have somewhere I can lock things like money, phone, netbook etc away. Unless you are going to carry all your valuables with you all the time, you will have to leave potentially valuable items in the tent all day every day whilst you are out at work.

 

[Red Light]

I know someone who did something similar for several years to take a job in the south with the family in the north. Seemed to go fine.

 

[RedRider]

Au Revoir, Pet?

Could be an adventure. Hope it all works out.

 

[bobcat]

I love the sound of this, not so sure on the logistics but it's got to be worth serious consideration.

 

[Archie_tect]

I'm sure the intial teething problems could be sorted out as you come up against them...

Bonne chance mon ami!

 

[Brains]

Try it in the tent for a bit, Camping between April and October can be fine, I think the longest I have spent in a tent is three months (twice), and I've done several 6-8 week sessions, all during the summer months.

Winter camping however for much more than a week could really get you down, I'd seriously consider a caravan or even a mobile home for the winter

 

[3narf]

Thanks, everyone.

Most of the points have occurred to me except the one about security...

I'll keep you posted on what I decide. Maybe I could get hold of a cheap caravan!

 

[Belly]

Do it. Ignore the negatives. You'll still have a job, and like someone said, it will be an adventure!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Err, this is obviously a completely ludicrous idea as a pose to living in a tent, but, why don't you just MOVE to Paris??

Problem solved!

 

[Globalti]

Inner Paris itself is expensive and it's almost impossible to find a flat or house share; over 50% of Parisians live alone because most of the flats are massive multi bedroom jobs in the Haussmann boulevards belonging to old French families, who do not sell but keep the flats for ever, many of them empty. The little "budget" accommodation that is available is usually in the former maids' rooms in the attic or basement. However when I was skiing in France in January somebody told me that a new law was about to come in force, which means that French families have to pay a heavy tax on the notional capital gains from owning a flat, so there is a rush to sell unused flats meaning that the letting situation might improve.

Outside the ring road the situation is different as there are masses of newer apartments but sharing is still uncommon.

 

[3narf]

Well, we'd consider a move.

On the plus side it would be good for the kids - ages 7, 5 & 3, so they'd pick up the language easily I would've thought.

On the downside, we live in the Peak District & don't really want to leave (though I'd have absolutely no problem leaving England!), plus my wife has just set up a business...

 

[Gromit]

A lot of people are renting their houses out these days and renting somewhere else after moving to find work.

 

[Archie_tect]

Friend has just moved to Sweden for a new job... family moved over just before Christmas. Life's an adventure for living... give it a go.

 

[3narf]

Although I'm dead stressed about all this, I can't help finding it all quite exciting...

At the very least I'm going to be cycling again!