Hello and welcome
Hope you are loaded because houses are very expensive in Switzerland, on average at least three times the UK price.
Good luck

Question - which is the more important? Sorting out the accommodation (depending on how soon you're making the permanent move) or orientation/shopping. If she's managed to find a house for rent (few and far between at the moment) and she knows you'd prefer that over an apartment then she's doing her best to get your name in there quickly.

Admittedly, the housing situation isn't as bad here as in Geneva/Lausanne areas, but one of the official moving days is at the end of September so this is a pretty busy time for people looking to move.

The house we rent at the moment was put up for sale a few months ago and the agent arranged 7 viewings over 3 and a half hours as he had so many people interested in it. They were coming through the house every half an hour. And one house I wanted to see when I was looking for property to buy was actually done as an open house over 2 days and there were loads of people turning up for it - and it was pretty much a shell. Didn't even have a kitchen, just a couple of shelves and a sink.

Hopefully, she'll be able to point things out to you while you're moving around town, but sorting the housing out has to be the main priority in my view. It's not like you can pop back to see some more next week easily, this may be the only opportunity to find something that will suit you.

Yes funnily enough I know my priorities which is why I want to maximise my time there by doing some orientation of the area AND looking at a house which I think would be perfectly ok seeing as the viewing isn't until 3pm which you would have seen had you read my post properly.

Ha ha I know the prices are crazy! I currently live in Oxfordshire where the prices are daft too!! I know it's very different en Suisse but ive done lots of homework! Thanks for the warning.

Yes, but is your lady going to be with you all day or only from 2pm? If all day, then certainly there should be plenty of time for orientation in the morning. But if it's only from 2pm then things might be tight. Still, it does seem a little odd that she's picking you up at 2 for a viewing at 3. That makes it sound as if the house is a long way out of town. Maybe she is combining both and will do some orientation before heading out for the viewing.

Sorry for my incorrect reading of your post. It made it look like SHOPPING!!! was your main concern. My bad, apologies profuse.

Don't worry too much about this. Just like in the UK prices vary hugely from area to area. Zurich and Geneva are just crazy, but Fribourg canton is much cheaper and much easier to get a good flat/house. Bienvenue et bonne chance.

From HALF 2!! That's why I'm getting so frustrated. I'm just peed off cos she's not been listening by giving me houses in a German area after saying I want houses in a French area and now instead of orientating me like she said she'd do we're going to visit ONE bloody house. Yes I realise that it's great she's got me an appointment but we could have at least 5 hours sorting out bank stuff and showing me other areas that might be of interest.
Sorry for the rant but I have hardly any time! And I've got 2 kids to move and rehouse and make happy too. Aaarrrggghhhh!

Will you be with the kids and OH, or on your own? Maybe a woman member (sorry chaps this is a respectable young lady, so there) in the area could invite you for a coffee, talk to you about the area, etc, and give you much better advice than this 're-location' agent could!

Ah thanks Odile. I would really appreciate any advice. My hubby is coming out to meet me a couple of days later with the kids so the pressure is on to make Fribourg and surrounding area THE best place in the world that we could ever have moved to. I just want to have as much info and cool places to show and take them that I can. Can you see the jitters are starting?!!
I love this forum! You guys always help. Thank you x

Sadly i do not live in that area and don't know it well, otherwise I'd offer. Hope somebody will meet you and talk you through all the nitty gritty. Best of luck. Anybody out there??

Don't worry I have legs and a basic grasp of French I'll survive. I can always just drink wine.

Fribourg area is famous for Gruyères cheese, Gruyères cream (like Devon clotted) and meringues.

I bet I can put on at least a stone by half 2 on wednesday!!

Nah .... you'll walk it off going up all the hills - from the old city, down by the river, up to the rest off the city and beyond (unless you discover the funicular),

That sounds rude!

It's not - just part of lifes ups and downs - provided you don't suffer from water retention.

is it expensive to play on?

http://www.fribourgtourisme.ch/en/na...FR-112649.html

Bankwise UBS for certain and possibly Credit Suisse are the only banks I know of to offer statements and correspondence in English if that's important for you. Otherwise you'd have the choice of French or German from the other banks probably.

Fribourg's tourist office is next door to the railway station and it has lots of info/maps, etc., both on the city and the canton. Staff in there speak fair English as I recall.

Do you know where you're staying yet?

Cheers for the info it looks so cool!! Can't wait for a shot. Do you think they'll throw me off if I go on too many times and go weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee down the big hills?
Oh dear best get back to my wine