Moving to Toulouse!

Your first step will be to contact DHSS  or whatever in Newcastle to see if you have any health cover rights which can be transferred to France - ie if you have been paying NI contributions in recent years. If they decide that your NI contributions are up to date then they will give you a letter to take to the social security office here. You will receive a French NI number + carte vitale. NB - I am not talking about the EHIC card which is for emergencies only.

If you do get the magic DHSS letter you need to bear in mind that the system here covers you for only 70% of costs - so a top-up mutual insurance policy is strongly recommended

If DHSS turn you down you will need private insurance - people such as AXA will give you an online quote to help you budget.

If you don't speak much French then private tuition will be difficult - not easy to explain English grammar in English to beginners so your best bet is to stick to language schools.

Acquiring a new phone is simple - Free have the best deals, followed by virgin. Probably simpler to have a separate mobile for France.

Getting a bank account is easy too

There are so many Brits living in + around Toulouse working for Airbus or subsidiaries that English is widely understood and shop staff will be happy to try out their English on you.

What school will your girlfriend be teaching in? Just in case I know any of the teachers or pupils.

Toulouse is a very lively city with 100k+ students.