pj1 Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 DOES ANYONE REGRET MOVING TO FRANCE?I am going over to brittany next week to pay deposit for farm house to restore.paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monika Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 What a good question, this will be great for discussion. Although we have not moved permanently to France as such and our Renovation project will be our Maison secondaire I don't perhaps qualify quite for this discussion. But buying our holiday house in France, we have not regretted for one minute, and we can imagine ourselves living there one day. A Renovation project is a very slow progress especially if you have to rely on just everything being done by Artisans (and you have no time to do it, or some of it yourself). But if you can relax about it and wait for it and enjoy the whole process with its ups and downs, then we think it is well worth it and the good thing is we have not run out of conversation for the past 2 years! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polycarpe Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 We've had a house here for three years and have been living here permanently for the last ten weeks only. I haven't regretted the move to date - early days? But that's not to say that there haven't been bad days. Yesterday was one such - tongue-tied speaking French and so looking like a simpleton; feeling guilty that I didn't have a 9-5 job to got to; coping with my change in status because I don't have a job; dreading my next encounter with La Republique's bureaucracy; dwelling on how much I will have to earn to put bread on the table; realising that bread on the table in inconsistent with a post-Christmas diet; feeling quite at home with cold and wet British-style weather and resenting it; and finally the New Year blues.But no - Je ne regret rien.[st] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Apparently 60% of Brits who move to France, move back...........sadly, apart from a few, people who move back rarely post here but difficulty in making a living, education and boredom have both been mentioned esp for younger folk where as family ties are a big consideration with some older people.Massive generalization of course......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agenais Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Regrets? No. Difficult times, yes, not so much with mountains of paperwork, but financial ups and downs and trying to survive. People thinking it is a cheap place to live are mistaken, it is on a par with the UK. Locals have been great, supportive, helpful, offering sound advice, love the climate ( a tad chilly at prsent) love the people, health care has been superb, and the pace of life around here is most acceptable. While we can eat, keep warm, have a roof over our heads, have no mortgage and bills get paid eventually, then we are happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pj1 Posted January 5, 2006 Author Share Posted January 5, 2006 we are going to be doing as much of the renovation as possible ourselve, as for wheather it is a perminent move? time will see.it may just be for a couple of years till the money runs out lol.paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apero Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 We also bought a farmhouse to restore and were in a position to spend 6 months in the begining there full time when the Artisans were working for us. Suceeded in getting the house finished in that time and have spent the last few years knocking the wilderness into a garden and installing a pool (ourselves) has been great fun, very hard back breaking work which has given us a tremendous amount of joy and satisfaction. Like all things, takes longer and costs more than you think, however, if you keep hold in your mind, this is ours and after a day of banging your head against a wall, that tomorrow is another day and get on with it.One of the many memories stands out which allways makes us smile, the day we filled the pool with water and just sat in the mist of the garden debris after dinner, clothes filthy from working outdoors hair like god knows what, every muscle aching , looking at it as the sun set in front of us with a glass of wine and a smile on our face's. Regrets yes, should have done it sooner.[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polycarpe Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 I have nine good days to one difficult one, not a bad ratio. Just had a good day which reminded me why we're here.Spent two hours late afternoon having a small party in the Salle de Fête to celebrate Les Rois. Much galette (oops...there goes the waistline), blanquette and conviviality. It was a good French day - I wasn't tongue-tied, actually quite erudite, and just happy to pass time with people whose company I relish. From the tone of this email, you might imagine that I'm still choc full of conviviality and blanquette and you may be right.No regrets. Santé! [D]...........Hic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniel Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 My parents live in the Poitou and lots of british bought houses thereover the past few years. From our (french) view, those who learn theFrench and try to get involved in the community seem happy. But we arenot optimistic for those who can't communicate in french after twoyears or try to recreate some sort og mini-UK (from the pub to thechurch, school).En résumé : you don't need to forget cricket to learn playing pétanque, do you ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polycarpe Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 Good point, Daniel.Its not a question of us losing our 'Britishness' but making the best of such a great opportunity, namely getting to know, love and adopt another culture, as far as we are able. How many people get a chance like that? I chuckle at some French habits and I know that some of my French friends are niggled or tickled by 'les moeurs Anglaises'. If such an exchange is perceived as a threat, then overcoming it must be almost impossible and a return to blighty might be the only option. Pity!I have no objection to learning petanque but detest cricket. I'd prefer to meet France on common ground - the rugby field.Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniel Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 Yes, but feeling home-sick is understandable. I used to live in London and I found myself praying for a saucisson.Be honest : how about a good pint of bitter ? Not from a can or from"the gaz pipe", I mean the real stuff ... you know what I'm talkingabout, don't you ?Now the bad news : these things are addictive and if you leave France,you will miss the saucisson just as much as I miss the bitter. Regrets... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polycarpe Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 There's a big difference between missing things and regretting such a step as moving to France. I miss the access to theatre and music events that London offers - there's not a whole lot of that going on in central Aude. I miss having a great wad of money going into my bank account at the end of the month while now I have a weekly budget which I have to consult if I want to by a book for 8euros.I miss the ease of walking casually into a shop without working out beforehand, how I am to ask for what I want.But do I regret moving to France. NO WAY!!!!!![:D]Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now