C’est pas compliqué: relocating to France
In the cold, dark month of December 2021, Jodie Seddon moved a household, four dogs, 20 horses and future husband from Buckinghamshire to Remilly Les Marais, Normandy. ‘I thought moving our animals would be horrific, but it all ran smoothly after we enlisted a dear friend to help with the logistics and the journey itself was properly organised by John Parker International Horse Transport (www.johnparkerinternational.com),’ remembers Ms Seddon. ‘We drove four horses and the dogs in our lorry, our friend followed in our car, and John Parker followed with the rest of the horses.’
Navigating the property purchase
In France, there is an emphasis on using local people, rather than seeking out the most high-value notaire (an independent civil servant). ‘I also found a bilingual, dual-qualified solicitor, which was a spend worth making,’ enthuses Ms Seddon. ‘To bring in a lawyer alongside the
notaire was probably unexpected, but for us it was the right decision. We wanted to fully understand the implications and process of what we were buying and have our hand held during the high-risk part of the transaction.’
Registration of animals
By law, equines must be registered with the overseeing body, the Institut Français du Cheval et de l’équitation (IFCE). Imported horses must be declared and issued with a French registration, or SIRE, number. Births, deaths, coverings and change of ownership need to be recorded, too.
‘The process is straightforward and the IFCE is more than helpful if you email for assistance. Its website (www.ifce.fr/en) also contains lots of practical information,’ advises Ms Seddon.
‘There is a cost to register each horse,’ she continues, ‘but once registered with the IFCE, you are free to compete in any discipline, rather than re-registering with individual governing bodies, which is more efficient in the long run.’
Dogs must be registered with I-CAD (www.i-cad.fr) within eight days of arrival. They require a blood test to check they are properly vaccinated against rabies, as well as an examination from a local veterinary surgeon.
Adapting to a new way of life
The perception of French superiority to other nations is largely confined to Paris, rather than the provinces. ‘Respect the culture and respect the language. Even if your French isn’t very good, have a go and people will work with you,’ advises Ms Seddon. ‘The real culture shock is getting used to French time (8am–12 noon and 2pm–6pm, Monday–friday),’ she continues. ‘You don’t have 24-hour accessibility and very few things are available on Sunday. If you want a Tesco Metro, forget it.’ Jodie Seddon is a corporate, commercial and equestrian lawyer at Aria Grace Law CIC (www.ariagrace.com)