Goin' back to France-- anyone in the southern suburbs of Paris?

[Marylizah]

Well, after a year in the US, it looks like our little family will be heading back to France! ::::

DH has been offered a job near Massy, so we're looking to live somewhere on the RER B line. Does anyone have any experience or recommendations with the southern suburbs? Places to avoid? Places to look into?

TIA.

[Lune]

Saint-Rémy-Lès-Chevreuse (RER B4) is a very nice place to live.
http://www.saintremyleschevreuse-tourisme.com/index.asp

[ewe+lamb]

I noticed a lot of people going to Etampes St Martin - seems to be quite nice from all I've heard and easy to get to Paris and south enough that getting into the countryside is easy too.

[Hollycrand]

Saint-Rémy-Lès-Chevreuse is also VERY expensive. You might want to try St Quentin en Yvelines (on the RER B line as well I think) and its surrounding areas. You are only a couple of kilometers from Versailles (which has speed trains into Paris Montparnasse - 20 minutes door to door) and the area is (in my opinion) very nice and has good prices (my in-laws live in the area so I know it VERY well)

[Marylizah]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Saint Remy les Chevreuses looks nice, and more affordable than some of the other suburbs we've been looking at (Antony, Issy, Cachan, etc). One issue would be, DH would have to take the RER up, then back down-- and we really want to reduce commute times! But we're also considering buying a car, so we'll see.

Etampes is quite far from Paris, isn't it? It must be at least 30 k outside. I used to work in Orleans and would travel through Etampes on the train every day. It did look nice and peaceful!

St Quentin en Yvelines is where DH used to work. He really hated that place! Told me it was a "ville nouvelle" that was badly maintained and very dated, perhaps he never saw the nice parts! But it would be too far from where he's probably going to be working.

Thanks for all the suggestions, will definitely keep them in mind!

[Hollycrand]

They've really done StQY up, since the economic boom that brought a lot of business to the area. It is a ville-nouvelle, but nearby towns like Voisins or Guyancourt are really nice.
But StR Chev. has the RER B for transport (watch out, when there are strikes you may have a bit of a problem getting into town).
Bonne chance!

[Marylizah]

Just wanted to update and say we've found an apartment in Verrieres le Buisson. It looks like quite a nice place-- DH really likes the town-- and it also has a Waldorf-Steiner school! Amazing!

[ewe+lamb]

Great - you must be excited, when are you moving? mmmm Montessori - lucky you!!

[*theophane*]

verrieres is very nice, still a true village feeling and yet 15 mn from Paris!
and a great great Waldorf school!
we're in the US now but would go straight to Verrieres if we were to move back!

good luck!!

[Marylizah]

Ah, that makes me so happy to hear!

I really like how it looks and DH says it's very green and pretty.

I'm hoping we can do the Waldorf next year, I think DS would love it.

The movers picked up our belongings yesterday, and hopefully we'll fly back early April... can hardly wait!!!