alittlebitfrench

Have you ever regretted to have moved to France ? I am 51 in three weeks time. I feel I have lived here all my life. Well it is half my life…but who is counting. I am starting to think…this was a bad mistake. Would I do it again…..no.

Try these in Tours http://valvedia-electronic.com/ Or these… Audiophil B électronique All. de Venise, 37200 Tours tel:0786984140 There are also two hifi / home cinema shops in Tours. If they don’t do fix these things themselves, they will certainly know someone who does. Google hi fi Tours.

I knew I was not dreaming. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/nov/25/fivefold-rise-number-eu-citizens-refused-entry-uk-since-brexit I agree with those that have experienced the same. Border staff at UK ports/airports are getting a bit too big for their boots. Their attitude needs to be toned down a bit.

Not hijacking…just saying the rules work both ways. With examples of real life issues that French peeps face. This is a ‘French’ forum so we can talk about the issues that effect the French as well. No ?

What smartàss act ? Just telling you how life is outside your little Brit living in France Dordogne bubble. We have to go through all this and I we did not vote for anything. We want to be left alone when going on holiday. Not given the third degree.

The thing is, I travel on my British passport and so does my little one…..he just has a French identity card that does not work when going to the UK. Mum and the other two kids travel on their French passports. So it all gets a bit complicated for the border staff. When we went to the lakes a year or so back, we got quizzed for about five minutes at Portsémouth docks by some SWAT border staff police type thing. He really wanted to know where we where staying and when we were going back. Even started asking trick questions about the lakes. Of course being ALBF, I out smarted him because I know the lakes quite well. When he was satisfied he let us on our merry way. He was assured that we were not living in the UK and not trying to pull a fast one. When we pulled out of the dock I said to OH ‘what the **** was all that about’ ? Then a month back the same thing happened at Stansted. You can pass through passport Control as a family as we did. Same thing, questions questions questions. I reckon those pesky French are flouting the rules and they are trying to catch them. More French live in the UK. It works both ways. We are off again next month…..I bet we will get the third degree again.

How does it work the other way around? French owners of UK property? Is it the 90 day rule ? Everytime we go through Border force they quiz us like we are Colombian drug smugglers. Where are you staying…when are you going home ? umm…staying with my mum for a couple of days….mate. Is that alright with you ?

If you go on the Alpe du Huez (next to Deux Alpes) website and look at the webcams, the snow has already fallen. In terms of your trip, I would go the Vosges region. Gerardmer perhaps ? Loverly place for walking. Loverly place full stop. If the trip is before xmas drop down into Kaysersberg in Alsace. The drive from St Die des Vosges (over the mountains) to Kaysersberg is one of the best in France IMHO. Stunning….in all weather. And Kysersberg is stunning. The Vosges region is by far the prettiest mountain regions in France. There is much to do and visit. I vote the Vosges. Second would be Jura. Bit of ski de fond to enjoy the region. Or those snow shoe racket typy things if ski de fond is not your thing for walking across snowy landscapes.

Im not hijacking anything …I rarely frequent forums anymore. The OP has multi answers. I am sure they will make the right decision. And on that note I am going into hibernation.

We had ours last week. Covid and flu. I felt shît the day after until about late morning. But that is a good sign. Other than that nothing. OH still has a big bruise on her arm from the injection. But I could see that the needle was not going in straight. Serves her right. Lol. Top tip when getting your jabs done….don’t try and get the local gossip from the nurse/phramacist when they are injecting you. Do it after.

You have not offered any advice Norman….just two insulting posts. Given I have lived in France over half my life, have a French wife and three French kids and also a very large French extended family of all ages. Some in their nineties. I kinda know stuff. I have lived all over France from rough suburbs to quintessential villages. I have rented many flats and bought houses. I spend my time living to two very different areas of France. I think I am more than qualified to voice my opinions and concerns of French life. You….hmmmm…..not so much. I tell how it is. No bias.

Ooh Minty. We went to a little little cafe in Kyle lochalsh and ordered some sandwiches and a burger for the kids….a pickle toasty and other stuff. The price, the size of the portions was beyond anything I have seen in in France. And it was delicious. Even the side salad was meticulously made. It was art work. I could go on…. France portrays itself as the culinary centre of the universe and peeps fall for it. Its not by a long long way. Im not a foody person…so I will tell you like is.

Is France worse than the UK ? Dunno..have not lived in the UK for 25 years. France is politically and economically in a dire situation. It is also very dangerous place. It is also a very expensive country to live in. Through in climate change which makes life a very big challenge in the summer and other months. It far too hot here. I personally think the UK (for all its troubles) is a safer bet than France to be honest. A question I often ask myself is would I retire to France ? The answer is no. I would not. We will move eventually for all the reasons given above.

Go write a poem about winter idiot. Can I say that onna forum ?

It was fantastic. Depressingly fantastic. Two days in London and four days in Soctland with the Caladonian sleeper in between. The West highlands were marvelous as usual. But the best was Edinburgh. Never been before. What a truly beautiful and fantastic city. We loved it and OH and the frogey kids felt soo at home there. People were so nice, funny, happy (despite the rain….which I liked)and smiling and the food was far better than anything you would get in France. Bodes well with this thread, move to Edinburgh and go through all the hassle of visa’s for OH….or spend our dosh just on holidays to Scotland and live here being bored out of our minds. Five minutes of leaving Poitiers airport on our return we were nearly murdered by an arsõle in a car. The culture shock of coming back to France is becoming too much as I grow older. Somthing to think about when thinking about retirement.