Teejay
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Posts posted by Teejay
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[quote]It is an open market and that is business. The strongest and best value products in the best areas will survive and the others won't. Just because someone has had a niche in the market for the last si...[/quote]
From our experience the French are complaining too about the competition from the expanding gite/chambre d'hote market. We stayed in a chambre d'hote recently where the French owners were muttering about how ten years ago they were the only B/B around. Now there are five more within spitting distance. They too are disgruntled and worried about their future prospects.
Yes, perhaps the best will survive, but sometimes greed gets the better of them and their rather inflated prices don't always give value for money.
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[quote]I take your point Miki. As far as I am concerned, I could count on one, possibly two hands, the number of Brits I know (or have known)who speak what might be thought of as fluent French here in Fr...[/quote]
The British people I have been introduced to recently in out local town speak the language very well. In fact I have been very impressed by the capabilities of many of them to master the language. Sorry that should have read ability not capabilities. Fatigue setting in at the time after discussion of renovations.
Bringing the topic back on line, I believe the choice to move abroad, be it France or where ever, are more to do with lifestyle decisions. Trends, if you like.
Buying land in an Eastern European country is a business arrangement as long as you understand the risk factor. Having a holiday apartment is no doubt bought for pleasure and possible profit. Choosing to live permanently in one of these countries is a completely different matter especially if you don't speak the lingo. How can one compare like with like?
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[quote]BJ said : There are inumerable places in the world where property is cheap, including a few in the UK. However why anybody would choose to relocate there solely because of the price of real estate ...[/quote]
I take your point Miki.
As far as I am concerned, I could count on one, possibly two hands, the number of Brits I know (or have known)who speak what might be thought of as fluent French here in France, French nationals excluded of course !!
However in our village out of eleven foreigners, four speak fluent French ( I do know the difference between fluency and OK). Three of them are British. One of the three has made a very adequate career for herself teaching English to French students. Of the three Germans, semi residents, one speaks French and English fluently. Three of the Brits, including myself, take French lessons regularly.
The British people I have been introduced to recently in out local town speak the language very well. In fact I have been very impressed by the capabilities of many of them to master the language. Several were fluent before they arrived. With the exception of a few, most are making a real effort to learn by attending various classes. Hats off to them, I say. If they are Dutch they speak at least three languages.
I believe the future looks bright.
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[quote]HiSorry to say but Hungarian, along with Finnish is incredibly difficult to learn.When the wall came down I worked there a few times. As the second language was Russian it was a struggle !Peter[/quote]
Spot on, Mpprh. My husband said he would never choose to live in a country where he couldn't speak the language, cheap property or not. That of course leaves me no option but to learn French pretty damn quickly.
Frankly it's unrealistic to imagine living in a strange country without language skills and Slavonic languages, as you say, are difficult to learn.
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[quote]We had a 3 month wait for an opthalmologist in Angouleme for my 7 year old son, whereas all his appointments in the UK were very quick less than a week.I popped in to a highh street optician in Roumaz...[/quote]
Sorry that you had to wait 3 months for an appointment in Angouleme. We recently went to an Ophtalmologist in Cognac. The appointment was honoured within a month. The equipment they used was all computerised and the ophtalmologist highly efficient. Angouleme, I believe, has at least seven or eight different places for eye tests. Haven't purchased the 'specs' yet so don't know how long it takes to get the new pair. Shouldn't be too long, as competition is very great. Optician's shops sprout like mushrooms all over France. -
[quote]Thanks for a;; previous replies, still ver confused as no one answer is the same. So I contacted DEFRA, they have advised microchip, rabies and all other injections. I don't wish to be heartless but...[/quote]
To the best of my knowledge you require an export certificate for your 'moggy' plus the usual microchip. That's what was needed when we brought our two cats over in 2003. A passport is only necessary if you intend to return to the UK with your 'household moggy'. Since there has been an outbreak of rabies in Dept 24 maybe the criteria for bringing animals into France has changed. However I found the relevant department in DEFRA that deals with domestic animals travelling to France to be extremely helpful and informative and any confusion was quickly dispelled.
May I add that whilst this forum is informative if you need to verify important facts surely DEFRA are far better equipped to tell you than us mere mortals.
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[quote]I for one agree with Teamedup and am ready to leave. Infact I was ready to leave the day I arrived. I have never like France. I have given it a good 6 years but I am ready to go. Before you all jum...[/quote]
Most of the young people I know that live here say they moved for a better quality of life, yet the commute to the UK to earn money or to have a decent weekend out.Goodness! What an earth is wrong with that. Some would call it being motivated and even more outrageous actually enjoying life and making the most of it. -
[quote]LOL. No, not nuns, but I have been tailgated by a combine!!! Really scarey! I had all these really gory visions flashing before me, when it swerved down a farm track and disappeared. Bit like that...[/quote]
Duel? -
[quote]Teejay You've raised some fair and reasonable points. Is it a loaded question? I can see how all the baggage of the DMTF site would lead people to ask that question - hopefully it is so transparen...[/quote]
There must be something pretty good about the place......
Space and loads of it. The country is so much bigger than the UK and more importantly you can travel across borders without that 20 odd miles of water getting in the way. Plus they say that the landscape varies every 30 kilometres and frankly I find that one of the most uplifting parts of being here. Variety. It's everywhere. At least to me at is.
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[quote]... or maybe you could bowl me over with your support for the place so that I would have to rethink ...[/quote]
Whatever any of us think of France it shouldn't be our opinions that persuade you to rethink your decision not to live in this country permanently.
'Are you happy living in France?' is a very loaded question particularly as we already have in our minds a preconceived idea of where your coming from as a result of your web site.
OK, it could be viewed by some as a fairly harmless question, others might say you were being disingenuous.
The problem that I have with a question of this nature is that whilst I would genuinely like to reply I know that in order to be fully understood one would have to dot every i and cross every t.
Today I am suffering from cabin fever due to ongoing renovation work restricting me to a small section of our house. She's not happy some would say. Quite right I'm not. I'd love to have my own personal space, my things around me and be able to work on some drawings and .....well you get my drift.
''Am I happy living in France?'' ''Yes''
''Would I go back?'' ''No.''
''Do you like where you live?'' '' Yes.''
''Would you live anywhere else in France?'' ''Yes.''
''Where?'' ''Ah now ##############,,,,,,,,,,,,,,(sorry cat waLked acroSS keyboard and the caps lock) Hey ho, I'm getting trivial now. Must be feeling better.
A bientot,
J.
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[quote]Our local travel agent, who I might add is still worth using as he has a knack of getting good prices still says Roissy. As do several friends of mine. Has anyone else encountered this.[/quote]
Forgive my ignorance Teamedup, but do you mean another name for Charles De Gaulle airport?
It refers to Aeroport de Paris - Charles de Gaulle in my Michelin motoring atlas and if you go onto the TGV site you need to fill in the appropriate box with CDG rather than Paris otherwise the wrong details come up. Would be interesting to see if it accepts Roissy. I've just booked for us to fly to Liverpool in December and would be interested to know what the daily charges are for leaving a car at CDG. Anyone done this?
Sorry for diverting thread,
J
(info on train ticket says Aeroport CDG)
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[quote]First off, do check Alcazar's suggestion of the train direct from CDG for some destinations are covered, certainly the Angouleme/Bordeaux line, which we've done often and it's simply marvellous. We a...[/quote]
The train to Poitiers leaves from Montparnasse and CDG. The airport is not indicated in the original question and that really does make a considerable difference as to the planning of the trip. As you leave the terminal at CDG the sign for the shuttle buses is very evident and you just follow the bus symbol until you reach the bus station. I think the no. for the link to the TGV is 5.
However the bus stop shows the destinations and numbers required to reach the various terminals plus car parks and theTGV. It takes about 20 mins from the terminal depending on how full it is. At the TGV station in the main hallway there is an Information desk where the people manning it are able to speak English and will advise you as to what to do. The huge departure boards indicate the number of the train and from which platform the train will depart. You have to punch your ticket as you go for the train (vous compostez) and there are small machines as you enter the area above the platform. Each train coach has a number and the ticket will indicate which one you need.
Apologise if I sound a trifle pedantic but I've had to do a similar trip for our son and have travelled this route myself at least four or five times now. Might I suggest that if your daughter is worried about the travel it might be preferable to do the changing of trains in the UK and just fly straight into the nearest airport to you. On the other hand it's valuable experience, this travelling thing, and once done you realise how simple it is.
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[quote]Any body any advice on where in France the climate is relatively good for rheumatism? Where we are in the Haute Vienne is as you would expect from how green everywhere is very bad news for rheumatis...[/quote]
Somewhere in the deep and dark recesses of my mind I seem to remember reading the fact that The Lot is supposed to be beneficial to arthritis sufferers. This is probably due to the extremely dry/arid geological makeup of this region. Very little water in the form of streams etc in some parts. It's mostly underground.
No doubt Iceni will be able to confirm this fact or disown it since the area is far more familiar to them being permanent residents.
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[quote]As Bmi dont do winter flights from manchester to bordeaux we have been looking at flights via paris/nantes/gatwick etc but not having a great deal of luck, we are trying to arrange a flight for our da...[/quote]
BMI do flights from East Midlands to Bordeaux throughout the winter, I believe, if that's any help. You could also try a flight from Liverpool with Easyjet to CDG Paris and then TGV to Poitiers. No change as the train leaves from CDG as well. All that is required is for one to get the airport bus to the TGV station. The route is signposted with symbols so it's not difficult.
You don't mention which airport she will fly into on the outward journey. If it is CDG it really shouldn't be a problem as the change from plane to train is fairly straightforward.
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[quote]LOL - I always thought that IMHO meant In my *humble* opinion!Perhaps people are more honest than you thought[/quote]
Share your belief that IMHO means 'in my humble opinion'.
'With respect', IMHO is a polite way of saying that you regard the views of the other person but you don't share them.
FWIW, AFAIK these above statements are true.
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Slightly perplexed by this thread as I assumed the expression cul-de-sac was utterly French and so did some immobilier recently who described one property has having 'acces a la propriete par un chemin en cul-de-sac'. Surely its meaning 'bottom of a sack/bag' describes pretty well what we have come to accept as 'no way out'.
According to an ancient copy of Harrap's, 'cafetiere' is perfectly acceptable too. I just thought it was a coffee pot.
Confused without being dazed,
J. (sans accents)
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[quote]I guess the answer is "Don't just stick to one method". Every time I go/come back to France my friends say my French has improved through the lessons and every time I go/come back to lessons, the cla...[/quote]
Lessons for me are essential otherwise I would use any excuse not to do regular language learning. Motivation is difficult at first and lessons encourage one to develop self discipline, especially if the teacher is good.
My teacher is French, but her English is impeccable. She is pretty hot on the grammar rules and is quite capable of throwing me into the deep end and expecting me somehow to cope. Remorseless, she is!! However I still intend to enrol for further classes locally, as I need to improve my conversational skills which frankly leave much to be desired. Total immersion in the language is probably the only way forward for me, but it's paying off as last night I watched a film in English but only followed the sous-titres and for the first time I could read every single word before it vanished off the screen.
It has been easier, I believe, being exposed on a daily basis to the language one is trying to learn. It's all around, all the time. But if I had taken the opportunity to update my very inadequate French before living here fulltime it would have eased my transition into French life. So to anyone trying to learn, classes are tremendously helpful in promoting confidence. Tapes don't do it for me. My mind wanders too much. Radio is a useful tool but again I much prefer seeing the written sentence although the spoken word would probably now help with my aural/oral skills.
To sum up. It's hard learning at first but stick at it. Little and often is the key.
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[quote]But at the "end of the day" it's their chose to speak or not to speak French. The one's who really "press my buttons" are those that use the term "expats" and gather with other expats, and droll on ab...[/quote]
The one's who really "press my buttons" are those that use the term "expats" and gather with other expats, and droll on about sitting in the sun eating tasteless cheese and wine they only found out about at "Uni".
Watch out Boghound, your agenda's showing!
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[quote]My first problem with those that don't learn to parlez vous, is their use of the services. Are the french supposed to cater for their laziness and make sure english speakers are available everywhere.....[/quote]
>Also one can easily discuss minor and major problems about living in France with french people, they know all about them.<
Good point Teamedup. Possibly in another three years I might be able to do just that.
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[quote]At various times I have posted that its important to know yourself before you make a permanent move, and that is just the sort of thing I mean.I would probably be able to deal with shopping, getting s...[/quote]
Whilst respecting your point of view 'that knowing oneself' is a prerequisite for living in France, it doesn't necessarily give one all the answers to that perplexing question, should we? Sometimes, and I agree not always, one hopefully develops further as a result of being faced with the rather complex situations that are thrown at one living full time in France.
Most women can deal with the shopping side of life. Second nature, I suppose. Getting services set up and running, more complicated. Often, I believe people look to fellow Brits, who know the ropes, to set them on the right track.
As to discussing the wider issues of life, much more difficult. Good language skills are definitely required at this juncture otherwise 'dry up' occurs pretty rapidly.
Only the other day I realised that I was able to read and understand the various notices placed throughout the supermarket. One required people to return faulty, frozen goods. The other gave dire warnings to customers entering the store that entry was forbidden if they were flaunting a bare torso or bare feet. Worse still...both!! Ok, fairly simple stuff, but as far as I'm concerned independence is growing step after slow step.
Isolation can become a nightmare for some if they enter this country devoid of language skills. They are generally the ones who choose to return, but I have met a few who have hung on in there and still refuse to learn choosing to mix only with fellow countrymen. Frankly I don't have a problem with that. It's their choice. It just wouldn't be mine. What I do take issue with is when they start slagging off 'The French' as a sort of sport.
However 'expatricia' can also be very positive. It's useful to share experiences and discuss minor problems associated with daily life here. That's another way of learning about survival in a different environment.
'Tempting to let the world go by' is not exactly the words I would use to describe living in France. If one is really serious about learning to speak the language to a standard that allows normal communication between people, it is bloody hard work.
Nothing wrong with maison secondaire. It's just that if I wanted one I'd buy another here.
Best wishes J.
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[quote]I will say it once more, I have bought and sold over many years in France and I have come across too many rogue agent commerciales and agent immo's themselves to even want to argue their case but what...[/quote]
Miki, against my better judgement I actually browsed this site yesterday evening. I say better judgement for one has a very good idea what is going to follow after reading the title.
The words prejudge and bias spring to mind. What I find puzzling is that the expression 'common sense' rarely enters the equation. It's now called 'doing your homework'. Has it become unfashionable to engage the brain nowadays? And does it require these doom laden prophets to point out the obvious over and over again?
I know I've got a great idea. It's really original. Lets all learn to speak the language fluently and then perhaps we might realise that 75% of the problems discussed on this site are due from failure to speak the tongue of these wonderfully, strange creatures, called 'The French'.
The above statement is given from one who knows that if she cannot get to grips with this language thingy, she might just as well pack her bags and go back. Problem is ......where!
Actually I have a confession to make, I'm beginning to rather like it here and....shock horror....would like to stay. So back to those irritating little prepositions. Such small words with such significance.
J.
PS. Enjoyed your 'charlie' stories.
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[quote]Dick, We haven't found the answer yet, so please feel free to provoke asterisks to your heart's content. The old forum filtered out the name of a British builder in France who had a reputation for do...[/quote]
All this reminds me of the Irish racehorse called Wear The Fox Hat (caused some embarrassment to unwary commentators).Best wishes,T -
[quote]Hi Is it just me, or does there seem to be a lot of moaners out there? I've been reading this forum and (another one) quite avidly over the past couple of weeks and what is particularly striking is ...[/quote]
Nathalie, I too read this forum from time to time and I can honestly say that all the subjects you have mentioned I generally avoid. It is not obligatory to read everything.
If as you say your preparations for purchasing a home in France have gone smoothly why highlight the trivialities.
Surely for some people this forum is just a way of touching base. No more, no less.
So people moan. So what! It's clearly not affecting your decision to buy.
Good luck.
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[quote]Teejay, you're allowed to miss sheep. I miss cows. Only the skinny Camargue things here. Camped in the Auvergne last year next to a field full of REAL cows, all big-eyed and beautiful. Eh, it we...[/quote]
Je vous remercie pour votre comprehension.
Acrylic paints
in Sport, Leisure and Pastimes
Posted
[quote]Does anyone know where I can buy acrylic paints in large tubes or tubs? I'm in Pyrenees Atlantique. Or a website that will deliver? Many thanks.[/quote]
Just the other day I went onto the Daler-Rowney site to look for some art board that I used to use in the UK. To cut a long story short they have outlets all over France and have arranged to deliver to my nearest art shop the materials that I require. Many art shops, anywhere in France, have large tubes of acrylic paint and furthermore will obtain a product for you if you ask.
To date I have seen Liquitex, Pebeo, Windsor and Newton, Daler-Rowney, Schminke and several others of professional quality.
Don't know about your area but they must exist....somewhere. Just a matter of searching them out. Start with web addresses, they often cut out the footwork.