VALFR59

if you take the shuttle and don't want to drive for ages, a nearby nice destination (IF THE WEATHER IS OK! but same for Normandy/Brittany ...)is : LE TOUQUET Paris-plage. 45 min driving from Calais Massive sand beach. Woods are lovely offering nice walk among beautiful houses, when it's too hot to go to the beach. You can do a lots of activities there (amazing golf, poney for young kids from 3 with short ride in the woods, water park called Aqualud on the seafront, lots of water sports clubs...). From Le Touquet, you can go to NAUSICA, one of the biggest European aquarium in Boulogne, visit Cap Blanc-nez go to the wild resort "Wissant" famous for windsurf, etc. it's without saying there are lovelies restaurants , nice/fresh seafood and great shops (usefull when the weather is crap as often it is in this part of France! it's the same kind of weather than we have in the UK). We really well know this resort as my parents have a property there ,so if you need any advice for nice restaurants, ice cream stop, etc, you can Pm me! My son 3,5 yrs old , just came back from 1 week holidays in Le Touquet with his grand-parents and they had a "french riviera" weather!

I like Number 5 :) HERE IT IS AGAIN and AGAIN .... It's always something English are talking about, the french way vs English way to manage a baby/ toddler... after 5/7yrs old, no difference between a french child and a british one... children are the same in both country,just that our french schools are not dedicated at all for "educationnal polite behaviour", so all the job need to be done by the parents in France, that's why we are stricter from the youngest age. The funny thing is that in France, people have no opinions about the way English parents raise a child...nobody talk about it. They would be surprise how polemic the comparison is here between our 2 diff?rents educationnal culture:)!

Depends where you are thinking to move in WD.... We've done one year ago the move from ED (Beauval road) to WD and we have NO regrets! I don't miss ED at all, and if I need to go there, finally...it's just 5/10min driving, so not a big move! It's more convenient for us to connect to central London, you grab the tube in Brixton,, or in 3 stops, 12min, you are at Victoria... From westnorwood station, you can go to London Brige, Clapham junction in 11 min, etc. I have to agree that I weren't a big fan of Lordship lane in term of shops and variety of restaurants, etc..... our closer park is Belair park, Wilder than Dulwich park, but quieter. and I continue to at Dulwich park sometimes, but I also can be in 6/8min by bus N?3 at Brockwell park. WD Probably less full of mummies activities (music lessons, babies group etc). but we have good nurseries (among them, the 3 excellents Nellys nurseries are in SE21 and SE27 residential part). The shops in WD are very efficient, smart and better value for money than in ED. but obviously less numerous. you find all you need and we have the excellent catering frozen food shop called "Cook" if you are a busy mum and/or a bit lazy to cook healthy/yummy dish every day, as I am :), a bakery (not worst than Lucas, and in 5 min you are in the village with Gail's). But WD is more expensive in general(on the opposite of some ED people think ) . The houses tend to be bigger (not all of them) and currently, you can't expect something Under 850 000? for a 4beds house, (and it would not be in the "hot spot" of WD where prices turn more around 1.0000/1.200 000? or much more). In term of schools, depend on what you are willing/wanting to do....it is sure that for state schools, ED is far better in term of choices/quality as it seem that WD people tend to send more easily the kids to locals private (which are at walking distance from the a lot of the SE21/SE27borders Streets). When you live in WD, you are close to nice restaurants based in Gipsy hill as Joanna's, nice pub etc, in the up and coming Crystal palace triangle. good luck in your decision!

whouah 6 languages....congrats! I am already struggle by speaking two .... So by interest, Did the kids speak in french togethers , over your first french language play date? I am asking that because I observe with my son who is 3,5 yrs old, that if he is with his bilingual English/french friends, their language tend to be English over the games, even if most of the time, we tend to speak in French between mummys ...but it is also true that in most of those families, the frenchy is the father , and the mum is English with a good french speaking/understanding . (and mums tend to speak in englsih to their kids). The only kids here with whom my son speaks automatically in french are 2 kids who both parents are french like us. I have to agree that even if my son is 4 days a week full time at the nursery and will go to an English school next year,if you ask him which language he fancy the most, for example for watching a cartoon DVD, he will always answer that he prefers to Watch it in french (in "coucou" as he said) if it's possible with the DVD...and the same with story book, but again probably because we are all french at home.... You have a french summer holidays camp at Rosemead school this summer (it's full immersion in french language for English, even beginners speakers, and french kids). by the way, all the best for your good idea of french speaking playtime! X val?rie

A tour in the Dinausores room of the NHM and to the Science museum (perfect all for all ages). You can borrow for free an explorator kit at the entrance (very fun for little ones and for bigger, they can be dectectives!) Finsih by a nice treat with an afternoon tea at the Amperstand Hotel (very good value for money! very nice venue, nealy new boutique h?tel and afternoon tea for 17?). After Tea, if you all have again energy and the weather is nice, a nice tour in South Kens gardens changea bit ofour lovely Dulwich park. (nice playground for kids) From WD station you are easily there (you go to victoria and take the tube to South kens) or relatively easy to park around the WE...it takes us door to door 25min when we go there. Only thing is that it can be busy over the WE! we are used to go on Fridays, and when it's not school holidays.... anyway just an idea My sons loves both of those museums since he has 2yrs and my nephew ( 9, 13 , and 17 ) had loved it too when I've brought them there.

thanks, done!

Just to warming neighbourhood to be careful with your cars in SE21, Park hall road especially! My mini convertible (black, cooper, new shape) has been stolen today (probably over the night), inside our off street parking. They moved my hubsband's car which were park behind, one the perpendicular of mine, without breaking it! but they ransacked it also (probably a tool to open the central lock!). Those big J... have stolen my keys through the letter box (I've putted my keys on the console table in our Hallway but it's quite far from the door!!) The dog didn't hear anything...I realised it when I wanted to go for shopping at 12.00pm. if you see a Black mini cooper convertible, "PK59XAC ", please be nice to call the the police or Pm me! I've posted that thread on our local forum (West Dulwich forum) but has a lot of people from West Dulwich use more EDF than WDF, I prefer double post on both forum! Hope they'll find thos bad guys but Police didn't seem really optimistic.... thanks for reading! Val

Hi, French do family bedrooms,as we do also sometimes bring our kids over our holidays trips :) but I am pretty sure not in Formule 1/1er class/hotel Inn...first price range of hotel.(they'll ask you to take 2 rooms, but without connections, just next doors) You'll find family room from the Novotel/Mercure range of hotels (but more expensive, and rate depend on the city you want to spend the night and if it's week or WE ). in Novotel/Mercure,Ibis (same company),Best Western and lot of h?tels, the nights are more expensive over the week than WE, as they take advantage of business trip...They do more affordable rates for tourists from Friday to Sunday evening. I would not recommend Best Western in France, as lot of them are really "old fashions, odd"(would need a complete refurbishment" it depend the owners (so well check the opinions, the pictures etc as they are not at all at the same standard for the same price around) Ibis is a good value for money.Their hotels have a always a far better location that the Formule 1: BE CAREFULL with Formule 1, some of them are located in bad /not safe suburbs/Areas, in the middle of industrials zone, very often out of city center and difficult to find , not great when it's late evening ....especially if you drive with an English plate, more visible and expose to be ransaked! We don't have that many B&B that you can find in the UK. Globally, France is a bit less family friendly, no baby staff available automatically in restaurants/hotels, (but you can eat everywhere with your kids, at any time of the evening!any venue! )...so well check in advance the place you'll stay (if they have travel coat/high chairs etc). Try the range of hotels "LOGIS DE FRANCE" 'double check the opinions over tripadvisors,booking.com). I was used to go their when I had business trips in France, it change a bit of the same decor of Novotels...and often cheaper with some wiht nice good value for money restaurants available with the h?tel. Often a warmer welcoming also. It's between a B&B and an H?tel www.logishotels.com Wish you nice time in France by the way!

yeah!!! cool! will be very helpful! nice idea we miss a nice hotel around.An the village is a great location for it.

thanks again EDF to be helpful , as usual! such a chance to have this ressource :)

Our son will enter there next september in the 3+ section (he will turn 4 in November). As he has changed almost every year of caring solution since we've been arrived in London (2,5 yrs ago), I though it could be nice to meet others boys with whom he'll spend a lot of time over his few years of british scolarship . My son has been first with a nanny, and now he is 4 days a week at the lovely Nelly's nursery . It's a shame as each time he his completely well settled, he has to change due to the crazy waiting list in this area. We have a very nice group of friends locally, but they all go in others locals shools in Dulwich/herne hill, and some have recently moved outside of London. We are an expat french family living in West Dulwich. I love speaking in english even if I am not completely fluent, but my son is bilingual. I keep my Fridays off to stay with him so we are available on that day or over the WE. if you fancy a playtime for the kids and an informal friendly mummy's coffee/tea time , you can Pm me!

it's a bit "french" style, forgive me... but if it can help... Traditionnal: Fostine Louise Jeanne Madeleine Ang?le Berenice F?licie Capucine clara Chlo? Eleonore less common: Ninon Jade Luane Lia Nola

Definitely not!! I love the freedom to go where I want when I want! It's a chance to avoid the rush hour on transports when I am not working and I want to go somewhere with my toddler. Also great to go back to my country and able to bring things (I couldn't do that by train). Maybe if one day I live in a country with more thant few weeks of nice/dry/warm weather , It would be more easily for me to walk or to ride a bike :) .... but I do have to agree that I am a bit lazy!

Bonjour, If you have an Ipad, you can download educationnal/funny games for kids. I've done it for my 3yrs old, to makes him practising his french ABC/counting/etc (with excercices books but fun for kids) as we are supposed to get back to France within 2 years, and he loves it. "Hachette" (a french editor) is doing nice things for Iphone/Ipad . (ABC rigolo = funny ABC, etc) You can go to a french/european bookshops : www.europeanbookshop.com (big store in Soho). There is also one store in South kens "librairie ? la page" really close to South Kens tube station. I am used to go there for buying french business speaking methods... but I've saw some kids french learning methods for sale there as "la jolie ronde programm" etc). Go on Amazon and buy some french books about " learning english for kids" . The vocabulary will be basic and you can use them on the opposite way, to learn french from the english words :) Go on You tube , you can find nice ressources, kids songs with picutres of the sung words. If you are good at entertainning kids, you can do it on your own for sure. "Alouette" is great to learn the parts of the body. (but not nice for the poor bird!lol) If you fear to teach them a bad pronounciation, you can buy some french cartoons/movies in french (their ears will catch the accent at such a young age). I have the same concern than you with my strong french accent when I have to speak in english to my son when we are with our english friends/outside the house. But at the end, it's great to speak a foreign language, so no complex with your accent! by the way, speaking french with a small english accent is cute for french ears :) A clever/affordable solution (and usefull for parents in the same time) might be to have a french babysitter (London is the "8th biggest french city of France" according to Boris J and french ambassy...so full of students, looking for extra works). Ask her/him to speak only in french (or almost) with a routine of sentences at each meet. Also, Wix bilingual school in clapham might be nice (not only tailor suited for french/half french kids). They have a class for english children who want to be bilingual (even if none of the parents are english). Good luck!

great idea! what a fun/cool bedroom!! Well done to her!

I would say " pas de panique" :) I completely understand your concern !! ... as I was really stressed this january when my son (3 yrs and 3 months old) had his assesments in 2 local privates. As you, I doubted about his chances to get in one of those schools, as French is his native language (speaks at home) and English his second language, speaking 4 days a week at the nursery (and with his local friends over his playtime and mummys coffees from time to time...) Be reassured for your little girl's case: my son went through both of his assesments! and he is normally clever I think, not a little Einstein :) Also he is not "trained" in English counting/reading/writting etc... as I am not feeling right to stimulate him in a language I am not easy with I think as french people, we are very worried about those assesments as it's not common in our culture for such young kids... and so different to the entrance rules (and prices!lol) of french privates. Be reassured except with one private school where I felt it might be a weakness that my son were a foreigner( I'll sent you the name of the school on PM) the 2 others I visited (Dulwich prep included) were absolutely aware to give a chance to a non english native speaker and seemed used to manage those kids and even were quite enthousiastic to count bilingual kids in their schools. Just let well know the staff that your little one is french when you apply(but most of the time it's asking in the applications form) and remenber it to the "assesment teachers" . And if she can't get through your private wishes, you always have the possibility to apply at WIX bilingual french school on clapham (the application form will take place in April on Lyc?e Fran?ais website for next september entrance). Finally if you really you need to be helped, you can visit West dulwich forum website, a company has adverted few weeks ago to train parents/kids for assesment.. Bonne courage je compatis ? vos inqui?tudes! mais tout se passera bien j'en suis certaine :) Val?rie

It depend if your child is a boy or a girl for the choice of schools as some are not mixted. We are very happy that our son gets in DulwichPrep for next september entrance, after his assesment this january as It was my favourite in term of "values, children/education approach" and equipments/modernity (I found that you know where your money is going there). I've heard only very good feed back from friends and neighbours who have kids in DUCKS/Dulwich College but the waiting list is crazy mad...I've applied when we arrived in the UK in May 2010 and my son is on a reserve list for 2015 (kind of second waiting list I suppose)! for joking I asked the registar if the ladies here were used to apply the first month of their pregnancy (or as soon as they have the project to be pregnant) and surprisingly SHE CONFIRMED it to me with a lot of serious :) In term of secondary schools results , I've read that among the Top 100 secondary privates schools of the UK, you have Alleyns, then JaGS and in third position Dulwich college (I am not from these country and your system is still not perfectly known by me in term of types of exams etc, but I might remember the classification were talking about A+/A rate at the A level exam) You can have a look at : http://www.best-schools.co.uk/league-tables/a-level-passes.aspx Dulwich Prep stops at 13yrs old (boys only after nursery time mixted from 3 to 5 yrs) but the kids don't seem to have any problems to get in Alleyns/Dulwich college or grammar schools thereafter (in our case , we don't really mind as we would probably be away of the UK at that stage of his scolarship). I visited Oakfield and Rosemead (both mixted), but I didn't like at all both of them (I can give you my point of view on Pm if you need).However I've heard good things about rosemead from parents I know who have girls. Less unanimous opinion about Oakfield but through the EDF you can find good fee-back. Depend the age of your child, but there are some very nice nurseries around here. Our son is currently in one of the three Nellys nurseries and we are super happy about the staff/venue/acctivities. I also liked Little jungle nursery as our second choice . You have to visit the schools to have your OWN feeling , and apply ASAP to be in the list of the next assesments sessions. Good luck!

I do understand the reason why they have to sell the toys with a higher price : - They pay an high tenancy - They can't buy in huge amount of units to have big bargains like Argos/toys&rus/Smyths etc, can obtain easily by putting under pressure the suppliers (I know a bit of their business methods). I don't buy all the toys in that shop,especially not the big toys/playmobile etc because as you , I prefer to pay the lower price, and I don't mind to have big stores instead of local shops close to me(but very personnal ). However I like it because it's a nice atmoshpere,good advices and they do have items (like foam swords etc) & gadgets toys you can't find in the big store like Toy's rus, for few quids . My son love to explore the shop and he is very happy with a 2? gadget he discovers among the boxes like treasures. It's ok for me to drive in bigger places if I want items with affordable price.(but I am lucky to have a car). I am not a Lordshiplane addict and I prefer to find good deal at Tk Maxx in Brixton (10min from WD with Bus n?3 if you can't drive), or I like to go in "WHAT" store, in Crystal palace (close to Homebase) where you can find cheap big toys for 3? and stickers books for 1?, art craft for 2/3? max, with a lot of our kids favourite characters.. ok it's not the nicest place to shop but it's efficient when you organise a playtime with your children friends at home for example. I really don't think "Just Williams" shops overpriced their items because it's ED or Herne hill clients....we are not West londoners level...YET :) ! ok for SE londonners, Dulwich/Herne hill are posh but I am always amused when I speak with people at work/ or with my husband professionnal network over business/social dinners (the worst are those with French chamber of commerce or french ambassy with all the South kens unreals expats!lol), how THE OTHERS (from the other side of the river) look at us with pity when we say we live in SE london... some of them know a bit Dulwich village but if you tell them you live WD/ED ....close to Peckham/west norwood/gipsy hill etc..they look so surprise when we told them it's a nice quite safe place to live, with not so bad access in central london (but we are now in WD, much more convenient to connect in central london than north Dulwich where we were previously). it's only 2 yrs and a half we live in London/dulwich and I agree it's more and more expensive, but it's also for the pleasure of owners who can see their properties going up every year and can make easy money for the future (or bigger house in Beckhenam :) as a big part of ED seem to move there, some of my best friends first!lol ) Personnally, I find London very expensive, more than a lot of others Europeans Cities we lived previously .... wherever you stay in London...but it's my favourite so far!! I even don't miss France. Best wishes at Just Williams to stay open then!! perhaps they have to be careful to offer others ranges of toys than all those you have in the big toys stores/unique items/orignals suppliers to stay valuable for their clients...

Definitely Corsica, French island along the South east cost. You have beaches and mountains, lots of walks to do, water sports as moutains sports. Nice weather, beautiful sea, great food. You have direct flight from london by Gatwick with easyjet. The best part for me is "agriates desert with Calvi and St Florent /cap Corse" and Bonifaccio. South of the Island is better for easy access to beaches but more busy . (Porto Vecchio famous for tourist as porticcio). I would not recommend the oriental coast (around Aleria), cheaper but a shame to go that far to be in the less nice part of the island :) Avoid the 2 first weeks of August(rush period of French summer holidays, most of the companies ask their employees to take their summer break that month). You can find houses to rent at Homelidays.fr Club Med in Corsica are not nice.

I've Pm you

Oh dear....If only that could give ideas to the pea brain President I have in my country :) !!

I've heard by a lot of English people , among my collegues, clients and friends,that: " as many you have foxes in your area, as dirtiest is your area"... Others told me also that the council were in part responsible of that excessive number of foxes due to not managing properly the cleaning of the streets or not organizing enough bins piking up/per week. I am not from the UK, so, for me, Foxes were first really " nice,exotic/funny and lovely countryside clich?" as we are animals lovers at home , BUT after 2 years living in London, I find them now more a problem than a chance... Dogs can be dangerous, right, but you have at least the CHOICE to not take the risk to expose your children to them in your house, or to have them walking and making poo in your garden! We had two bad experiences with foxes who were eating my son's garden toys (2 times we had a fox coming in our garden to eat a ball then a plastic car although we were in the kitchen, so quite close and easily visible for that fox, but he seemed not disturbing at all by us, perhaps the results of bad behaviour of local people who feed them, or try to domestic them). Also, our past chilminder, living in ED/Peckham borders had 2 cats killed by foxes, one of the cat were a puppy,4months old, loving to go for a fun session with the kids in the garden, and he has been killed in few seconds ( caught by his neck) in front of the eyes of the kids and the childminder, playing all togethers before the intruder came in the garden( quite narrow but long garden. It happened over the last spring.... NICE!!! my son is now petrified as soon as we see a fox... probably when you don't have kids, you easily don't mind to live among foxes in your garden, what I can understand completely. For the rats, I would prefer more cats to get the job done. Anyway, my opinion, is Foxes in London ok,fine, we have to adapt, and not being cruals against them, but when it's TOO MUCH, let's think about solutions to control them (better beahviour of local people, sterilisazion campaing for foxes, etc), it would be probably in the foxes interest :)

I've tried EDO sushi, it was good (not the best of London for sure but fine and fresh). Also reliable home delivery. They are located in Crystal Palace, and if you live less than 1,3 miles from them, delivery is free of charge (from 15? of buying) So if you live in West Dulwich/Dulwich village, as we are, it might be free of home delivery charge(if not it's 3?)

Just SO MANY foxes around here.... So many of them, are senselessly feed by people (a fox IS NOT A PET)and as a consequence they are not scared by human...so less by children! Perhaps a way to make them more useful and control their high-count , would be to introduce them as new source of meat for Tesco and Findus :) :)

Really scary, Hopefully the little girl escape.. I hope the police will investigate seriously and find that guy...Fingers crossed he will not be able to catch a child on his next try (as I think if he is not mentally stable, paedophile, he will not stop to hunt...) I imagine how scared should have been the little girl and brave she has been!