How far in advance should I apply for an au pair job?

I am hoping to work as an au pair in France next year. I would like to go in September 2012. When should I start applying and looking for a family? A few months before? How long does it take to arrange? When will I need to get a visa?

I'm very excited and I appeciate any advice!

What is a VPN?

VPN is (Virtual Private Network) were first used by companies to enable their employees to securely access internal systems such as email remotely (e.g. from home or while on business trips). Today they are increasingly being used for personal use by individuals to protect their privacy while online in public places (e.g. when using the wi-fi connection in a cafe) or in a country where the internet is censored / blocked (e.g. China, Saudi Arabia��).