NEW columnist, Jessica O’Gara: ‘How to move a family to France…’

It was exactly two years ago when myself and Ronan decided to move from Cork to Paris – just for two or three years. Ronan retired from a very long career in International rugby in June 2013, so the move seemed like an exciting adventure for all of us.

We had four young children at the time. Then, just a week or two before we left, we found out the fifth was on the way!

I don't think we had really thought through the logistics of moving country with four small children. But the big bonus was being attached to a rugby club, and all the support that brings. It would have been a whole lot harder if we had done it completely on our own.

Ronan moved to Paris six weeks before us. I told him we'd move over as soon as he had rented a house and enrolled the children in school. He was so funny about the house; he wouldn't even show me a picture, he wanted it all to be a great surprise. I must have been mad, but I suppose he knew me well enough to know what would be suitable. I hoped, anyway.

Eventually, just a week before we left for Paris, he showed us the house via Skype. It was child-friendly. It had enough beds. Phew.

We were so lucky to find a place with a garden in Paris, where most people live in apartments, but the further you travel from the city centre, the easier it is to find more spacious accommodation. However, know this: renting a property anywhere in Paris is incredibly expensive.

It was August 2013 when we left Cork for the 'Big Move'. It was such a nerve-wracking day. I was flying on my own with the gang, and the kids just kept saying, "we are going to live in Paris where Mickey Mouse lives!" I don't think they had any concept of the length of time we would be going for, or even that France was a different country to Ireland.

I found out quickly enough that children are the most adaptable creatures, I think they probably thought we were just on a long holiday.

When we arrived in Paris, the sight of Ronan collecting us at the airport in a big Racing minibus was quite entertaining – it was blue with white stripes and a huge rugby player painted on the side. He was like a well-settled local already...

If you had told me a few years ago I'd be moving to France with five children, I wouldn't have believed you, but we have come to love it and we’re settled now. The kids are in French schools speaking en francais every day, and nothing beats the excitement of learning about a new culture when you’re a child. I hope the experience will help them shape their future acceptance of other cultures and people. It's certainly opened our eyes to the benefits of taking a chance and trying something new.

Jessica O'Gara is a mother of five, wife of retired rugby player Ronan and a primary school teacher. She lives in Paris in a suburb 10km from the city centre. 

Join her here every two weeks with more ramblings on raising a brood in France.