Where to live around Lyon with kids in international schools?

At these age, place them in a French school (in a private, not expensive and with a learning better and kids better educated than in public schools).

Hi Alba,
Thanks for the reply! I will check these places right away
Merci!

Hi Steffifi,
Thanks for the advice, but we will still prefer to put them in an international school with English as primary language, with French as second language.
They both speak well French already as we speak French at home (both my Wife and I are French), but we are not sure how long we will want to live in France and therefore prefer to keep the flexibility of moving to another school system in the future, in another country.
Thanks anyway!

Bonjour Tom,

The rental market in Lyon is not easy to navigate. In general, the property market in Lyon has gone mad, with prices rising and much more demand than supply (I'm in Aix-en-Provence, but I know this from my colleagues in Lyon).

I recommend that you get a professional search agent (chasseur immobilier) to handle the search and rental, advise as to best quartier, assemble your dossier for the landlord, deal with the lease, état des lieux when you move in, utilities, schools, etc.

Since the loi ALUR of 2014, rental search agents must have the same broker's licence, insurance and education as regular agents immobiliers. Make sure that a chasseur immobilier has the Carte Professionnelle (Transaction) – they'll have the number on their site. That means they'll have the required insurance and will be acting legally. Relocation companies without a carte pro are breaking the law.

A safe bet is looking at the annuaire of the national trade body, la Fédération Nationale des Chasseurs Immobiliers, the FNCI.  (put [dot]fr behind it to get the website). They have several members in Lyon. Change Your Home and Les Nouveaux Agents are both very good.

Good luck with your move!

Bien cordialement,
Sophia
Aix-en-Provence

Don't live in Saint-Priest, Villeurbanne, Bron, Venissieux. There aren't safe places.

Hi Tom,

Of the schools you mention, the CSI is from 6 years old. It's probably too late now for applications to Ombrosa and the International School of Lyon for September, do you have places organised for your children ?
The International School of Lyon sounds like the best match for you as they follow the British national curriculum and have children that don't speak French (the focus is more on English than the other schools that do both English and French in equal quantities).
You can see a guide to the different areas of Lyon and renting accommodation on thisislyon.fr
And there is a guide to the French education system on our website frenchestateagents.com

Hope this helps,

Jon

And by the way, the 6th is not the best area of Lyon (what does "best" mean anyway ?!) and all of Villeurbanne is not dangerous. If you lived in the 6th you would lose a lot of time every day taking your children to school.
People are just subjective.

Hi,
We are moving to Lyon this summer with kids 15,14 and 10 years old. I'm looking for references about CSI and Ombrosa?
My husband is French, we speak French, Spanish and English at home, my kids have never lived in France but they attend an International French School in Singapore.
I need advise about these two schools.
I do not know Lyon, so I have no idea where to settle, we want to stay not too far from the school. Places that I should NO consider?
Thanks for the advice!
DalRS

DalRS Welcome

This is an old post, you would better off starting a new post for a better chance of a response.

SimCityAT
Expat Team