Hi, Fairly new to forums! i had a little go earlier this year but had too many other things going on in my life to think much about trucking although that is all I’ve dreamt about for nearly 2 years now! To cut a long story short, Im living in France and I need to take my FIMO, its obligatoire!!! I found a few old posts that spoke briefly about it but couldn’t find anyone that had done it? wondering if anyone is in the same boat as me?
Ive been waiting 7 months now to exchange my uk licence for a french permis 
brexit 
it has been okayed now, but still waiting for them to send it me! I hope to get on a course as soon as I do, but nervous as my french is ok but im not a native. and although ive looked and seen the modules Im wondering what they do for it to be 4 weeks long? anyone got any experience? also just any experience of trucking in France? Good companies to work for, bad ones…wages ? how do they compare to the uk? ive only got my class 2 atm once ive got my FIMO i will go for the SPL. Id really like to do international, and im thinking if i did a couple of years working over here, if i went back to the uk, would that be good enough experience to get european work and is there much demand any more for euro work I rarely see UK plates any more, but i am very south.
appreciate any feedback! I know ive put lots of questions in there 
think im on the right topic page, but if im not someone please direct me, its a mind field when you don’t know what you are doing!
thanks Jo
Do you have a residency card pre Stupid Brexit ?
Thanks Owen! yes stupid brexit indeed!! guess we are lucky we moved here before all that **** happened. must be a nightmare to move here now 
got a 10 year carte de sejour 
There are French companies that specialise in going to the UK. I liked doing agency work in the past as it was the only work I found with late starts without it being nights.
wanderingstar:
There are French companies that specialise in going to the UK. I liked doing agency work in the past as it was the only work I found with late starts without it being nights.
He’s down south, and I can’t think of many firms down there that head to the UK regularly nowadays
Ah OK. And hello!
Craig 111:
wanderingstar:
There are French companies that specialise in going to the UK. I liked doing agency work in the past as it was the only work I found with late starts without it being nights.He’s down south, and I can’t think of many firms down there that head to the UK regularly nowadays
I know one place not far from me that does international, It doesn’t have to be uk, want to see a few other european countries! but i want to drive for them just because they are called ■■■ and i think it would be funny to drive around in a truck with ■■■ on it, I am a little immature 
■■■ with the white tipper trailers and green logos? We see them over here all the time, look pretty tidy
Craig 111:
■■■ with the white tipper trailers and green logos? We see them over here all the time, look pretty tidy
Ive not actually seen one! not sure what they deliver it says vrac… just found out ■■■ stands for Transport Internationaux du Tarn, makes sense im in the Tarn.
They’re currently looking for drivers for bulk tipper and walking floor work.
They require that you live within 30 minutes of one of their two depots, dunno if that’s your case?
Thanks Craig. That’s kind of you, checking it out now!! Right by me, but gonna need that bloody fimo. Just saw afftral today, and and interview with eychenne ( look good, refrigerated goods regional) but not feeling so confident with my French atm… but fingers crossed!
Craig 111:
Recrutement - Groupe CastanThey’re currently looking for drivers for bulk tipper and walking floor work.
They require that you live within 30 minutes of one of their two depots, dunno if that’s your case?
Yep not quite there yet, only got my c
Littlejo:
Thanks Craig. That’s kind of you, checking it out now!! Right by me, but gonna need that bloody fimo. Just saw afftral today, and and interview with eychenne ( look good, refrigerated goods regional) but not feeling so confident with my French atm… but fingers crossed!
Nice one, Eychenne seem to be quite busy, used to see a lot of their trucks on Leclerc work. As for your French language skills, just keep on at it, it’ll only get better
Craig 111:
Littlejo:
Thanks Craig. That’s kind of you, checking it out now!! Right by me, but gonna need that bloody fimo. Just saw afftral today, and and interview with eychenne ( look good, refrigerated goods regional) but not feeling so confident with my French atm… but fingers crossed!Nice one, Eychenne seem to be quite busy, used to see a lot of their trucks on Leclerc work. As for your French language skills, just keep on at it, it’ll only get better
In my experience, the best way to learn any language is to speak it with the locals.
They’ll very quickly realise that French isn’t your mother tongue and probably change to English, to help you.
You’ll have to explain that you want to improve your spoken French, so would prefer they spoke French with you. If you haven’t done this already.
It took me many months to learn that quatre vinqt dix (ons, does, tres, etc) was 90 (91, 92, 93 etc), because I was expecting to hear nonant et … Quatre vinqt dix just went straight over my head, the person would see my confused expression and change to English for me. I had to ask another driver what had actually been said, they explained it, THEN the penny dropped
The more you learn and use, the quicker you’ll learn more and use more, and so on.
I’m rarely in France these days. Germany and Switzerland much more. So I’m learning more German. Apparently I have the most strange accent.
I first learned Hoch Deutch in the 80s. I’ve since then learned much more, but mainly from Southern Germany and Switzerland. So my ‘German language’ pot is very mixed.
It’s like speaking BBC English, with a good handful of Geordy, Scots, Yorkshire etc phrases and words thrown in at random
I get by quite comfortably in German, but leave a trail of confused Germans behind me
Simon:
Craig 111:
Littlejo:
Thanks Craig. That’s kind of you, checking it out now!! Right by me, but gonna need that bloody fimo. Just saw afftral today, and and interview with eychenne ( look good, refrigerated goods regional) but not feeling so confident with my French atm… but fingers crossed!Nice one, Eychenne seem to be quite busy, used to see a lot of their trucks on Leclerc work. As for your French language skills, just keep on at it, it’ll only get better
In my experience, the best way to learn any language is to speak it with the locals.
They’ll very quickly realise that French isn’t your mother tongue and probably change to English, to help you.
You’ll have to explain that you want to improve your spoken French, so would prefer they spoke French with you. If you haven’t done this already.
It took me many months to learn that quatre vinqt dix (ons, does, tres, etc) was 90 (91, 92, 93 etc), because I was expecting to hear nonant et … Quatre vinqt dix just went straight over my head, the person would see my confused expression and change to English for me. I had to ask another driver what had actually been said, they explained it, THEN the penny dropped
The more you learn and use, the quicker you’ll learn more and use more, and so on.I’m rarely in France these days. Germany and Switzerland much more. So I’m learning more German. Apparently I have the most strange accent.
I first learned Hoch Deutch in the 80s. I’ve since then learned much more, but mainly from Southern Germany and Switzerland. So my ‘German language’ pot is very mixed.
It’s like speaking BBC English, with a good handful of Geordy, Scots, Yorkshire etc phrases and words thrown in at random
I get by quite comfortably in German, but leave a trail of confused Germans behind me
I speak fluid French desert wine bottle.
Trouble is the locals don`t actually here wot eye sez.
Edit… been told that in Quebecoise, 90 is neuvante? But I don`t know the truth of that, or if a Frenchman was playing me for a Belge…
When I lived in Belgium (Flemish) they spoke 70 as septante rather than the official soixante dix. The French appear unruffled by this.
Gidders:
When I lived in Belgium (Flemish) they spoke 70 as septante rather than the official soixante dix. The French appear unruffled by this.
Belgian French for 90 is Nonante.
Isn’t Flemish (Flems) the Northern language, similar to Dutch?
Simon:
Gidders:
When I lived in Belgium (Flemish) they spoke 70 as septante rather than the official soixante dix. The French appear unruffled by this.Belgian French for 90 is Nonante.
Isn’t Flemish (Flems) the Northern language, similar to Dutch?
Flemish is indeed Dutch with a noticeable accent. A bit like Geordie English ?
Hi, so a little update 
dont want to jinx it, but i have a trial with Eychenne starting Monday for a week! if I do ok, i will start the course in January. My Son is doing it too!! Hes been a bit lost recently and im really pleased he has decided to give this a go! and of course it would be great for me to have someone who speaks french / English natively to help me (Not so Happy my ex has also decided to be a trucker and has the Job at the end of my road!) My French isn’t to bad, im beginning to realise, I just lack confidence after been told for years how bad it is and always been talked over or not talked to atall, because my ex is French and obviously easier to talk with. I do struggle with the pronunciation of words, but have that problem in english too!! I get told i sound like jane birken alot lol, but i don’t keep my english accent on purpose 
So ill be happy whatever course I get put on, if it gets me driving! but my son is saying the course is 5 months arhhhh… i know the FIMO can be done in a month, but I do need my class 1 licence so, anyway i will hopefully find out shortly!
made me laugh about the numbers,it is so confusing!! I believe in occitan (old south french language) they did use septante octante etc but why they stopped,well I think the French love that their language is hard, they are very proud of it! I have enough trouble with French Im not learning another one!
A Brummie might struggle with Parisian French, but might pass for a native in Narbonne.
Anyways good news re work, hope it all works.