New to Switzerland, Delemont

Welcome and Introductions
1
Hello all-

My family & I recently moved just outside Delemont, Jura from California. My husband is from Bern originally, but he is very Americanized after living there for 15 years. We have two small boys and two little dogs.

I don't speak a word of French and no one here seems to speak English either. I am looking for resources for my kids including day care and maybe some connections.

Are there any other expats in the Delemont area? I would love to hear from you.

Thanks.

2
Paging our other member from Delemont with young boys

3
Mmmhh now, who could that be?? Oh me!

We've been living in Delémont for 18 months now but 8 years in CH overall. You are right - there are not many anglophiles around here - I know of 4 in all - but 2 of them are by hearsay! Yes, I have 2 boys too - 5 and 10 years. To be honest I am not brilliantly connected for preschool activities but have one or two ideas to get you started - and certainly would love to meet and chat! The best thing for daycare is to contact your commune - you say you are slightly outside Delémont so not sure if you would qualify for a place in the various creches in Delémont town itself. There are also a couple of parent and child meeting places including La Puce which holds almost daily parent and child get togethers. For creche services in Delémont see La Maison de l'Enfance http://www.delemont.ch/fr/Administra...l-Enfance.html

Send me a pm and we can fix a date

4
Hello

This is the first time I have replied. I have been following the forum for a few weeks. I am way in advance. We live in Senegal but I am just about to buy land and start building our future family home in St-Ursanne about 15 minutes away. It will probably be another year before we get there. I wish you good luck with your move. I will be visiting in a few weeks though.

5
St Ursanne is such a lovely place- and the Jura capital of antiques

6
Philip - welcome to our little corner!

We just moved into a house that we built two weeks ago .. such a great feeling after almost 3 years of planning!

When you come over, if you need anything or have any queries that I might be able to help with, just get in touch. Safe to say I can certainly point you in the direction of a workman or two.

7
I just visited St. Ursanne for the first time a few weeks ago. It is absolutely beautiful. It is nice living so close to such a fabulous place.

8
Thanks for thev encouragement. We still have a few hurdles to cross before we get there. I am interested in your skiing thread. In the past i have skied in Romandie, Champex, Les Maracottes et Villars plus many more in German speaking areas.

I will follow your thread and hope to join up with your group next winter!.

9
First time ever I've heard an expat talk about Les Marécottes- I just love the place- time to go again and one of the closest to get to from here- even closer than Villars, Leysins or Torgon (for access to Chatel and Morgins/Champoussin, Les Crosets and over to AVoriaz).

Le Jura is more the home of cross-country skiing- but there are quite a few smaller resorts which are great for a day trip. Can't wait

10
Thank you, we are purchasing land from the commune. We have the plans and await the final decision of the commune at a meeting in December.

I will come over mid december to hopefully finalise things,then hopefully in a year we can be there. We plan on using a builder called Villatype

Thanks for your offer of help

11
Well that's a coincidence because I had coffee with our new next door but two neighbour who told me that Villatype had built her house. I said I had not heard of them but now I have! She did say she was very happy with how it had all gone.

12
Great, that's good to know.I'm trying not to get too excited untill it"s all definate, Fingers crossed!

13
Hi Amanda welcome to Switzerland. What part of California are you from? My wife and I are from Southern California. Best of luck with the transition.

Cheers,

Mike

14
There of course are people speaking English in the Delemont area, both Ango-Expats and locals

BUT I find it hard to believe that you did not see before the move that it is a 100% French speaking area

And what about YOU learning a bit of French ? You have not to equal Voltaire and Simenon, only to communicate a bit

15
Welcome! I hope you enjoy!

16
Don't be so negative! Why not first welcome her to CH?

17
I think he said he had skied in several Romandie ski resorts, and many more in ... German speaking areas.

18
What makes you think that they didn't?

Even after living in the US for 15 years I'm sure the OP's husband although originating from Bern would still remember that the Jura is French speaking. ( unless of course he wasn't paying attention in geography lessons at school )

Knowing what the local language is doesn't mean that you have the time or opportunity to learn it before moving there.

19
Most people from Senegal speak French, actually.

20
I think you're mixing up the thread starter to whom Wolli was referring and the poster from Dakar who joined the thread later on.

I don't think French is widely spoken in the US which is where the OP hails from.