'Little England' will you be watching?

[Jacqui Too]

 

This new documentary starts Monday 8.00pm and ITV & ITV HD about ex brits living in France.

Hope they don't show to many clips of us brits eating chips and playing bingo [:-))] [:-))]

 

[idun]

I have now programmed it. I couldn't imagine living abroad amoungst my own. Very odd notion and we will watch with great interest.

[5-element]

Pity it clashes with "L'amour est dans le pré"...[:(]

[AnOther]

I'm sure it will be compulsive viewing for many and the choice of Geoffery Palmer as narrator (Grumpy old Men etc.) perhaps hints at the overall flavour to expect [;-)]

http://www.itv.com/presscentre/littleengland/ep01week37/default.html

[NormanH]

"In towns like Eymet we see how the Brits have set up their own

estate agents, food shops and cricket teams, and how one couple have

brought something even more quintessentially British to the region -

fish and chips."

Gives a clue too I think

[Catalpa]

Reading the blurb, they look to be concentrating on successful British people / businesses. Which is nice. Though I'm faintly surprised it's worth a 12-episode series. [blink]

I don't want to live in Eymet either and have no desire to organise a cricket team anywhere, but the longer I live in France (7 years now) the more I think that anyone who moves to a different country (this also applies to the 300,000 French in London and the south east too) and works hard and builds a successful life for themselves is to be admired, not derided because they are not being French (or British or insert nationality of choice) enough.

Yes, some may (successfully) be directing their business at the British community - I'm sure some French / Spanish / North African / Turkish etc people living in the UK are targetting their local nationals resident in the UK too... and why not?

Or, to put it another way, I doubt we'd criticise a French person's decision to market to the British contingent in the Dordogne.

[NormanH]

[quote user="Catalpa"]

Or, to put it another way, I doubt we'd criticise a French person's decision to market to the British contingent in the Dordogne.

[/quote]

Not many French fish and chip shops over my way [:)]

[The Riff-Raff Element]

12 episodes?! They really are running short of material to put on the box!

Success makes for very poor TV, so I imagine they'll also be making something of the oafish side of the expat mob ("France would be mavellous if it weren't for the French", shouting loudly in English because "they can understand it really") to up the entertainment value.

Still, I'll probably have a look at the first episode  [:$]

[HoneySuckleDreams]

I play in a cricket team in a league in southern france. There are lots of french who play in the various teams. So maybe, yes, it is quintesensstially an "English" thing, but it's for the whole community. Funnily enough, it helps integration as the young kids get a chance to try something which is not typically french, and on the whole the like it (and some are pretty good as well)

And as for F&C , nothing wrong in setting up a business selling something if you see such a gap in the market and you can make a go of it. We don't complain about the French setting up their Boulangeries in england? Or do we now, i've not been make to the UK for a while.

 

[just john]

[quote user="Catalpa"] I think that anyone who moves to a different country (this also applies to the 300,000 French in London and the south east too) and works hard and builds a successful life for themselves is to be admired, not derided because they are not being French (or British or insert nationality of choice) enough.
Yes, some may (successfully) be directing their business at the British community - I'm sure some French / Spanish / North African / Turkish etc people living in the UK are targetting their local nationals resident in the UK too... and why not?
Or, to put it another way, I doubt we'd criticise a French person's decision to market to the British contingent in the Dordogne.
[/quote]

Quite so, deplorable as Fish & Chips in France may be to some, the same inverted snobbery ignores croissant in Waitrose etc.
Two local French owned supermarkets are employing english staff and advertising for expats to nominate their purchasing lines (I couldn't think of much myself, though I do miss kippers for breakfast[8-|])

In the interest of balance of course, http://www.reloburo.com/fr/features/projetGB0905.pdf

Today, more than 1700 French companies and subsidiaries of French companies are set up in the UK, employing about 350 000 people.

[Jacqui Too]

[quote user="NormanH"]

Not many French fish and chip shops over my way [:)]
[/quote]

We have one stop in the next village, and very nice they are too[:P]

I'm not sure about these programs, they tend to center on extremes/negatives that 'make good viewing' but only make me cringe.

I shall be watching them all as I am a real nosey parker [Www] and love looking at real life, plus I love to see other places in France, the villages and activities.

 

[Val_2]

No. Will not watch as these cheap programmes just make me moan and cringe about how the french must perceive SOME of us, no wonder they get a bit funny at times. I've tried to understand why some of these brits bother to move to France and then try to export their previous life over too, what is the point of moving in the first place?

My daughter has bought a lot of new DVD's over for us to watch and we will have the four episodes of Strike Back to catch up on as well, no contest really

[idun]

I moved for an adventure. We knew that there was a sort of british enclave that we could have moved to, and a few places where brits would have been 'handy'. But just being able to speak to someone wasn't enough for me in another country. IF I had had the need fo brits or to be near brits I would have stayed at home in the first place.

So I don't get the mentality of expats. I have british friends that were an hour's run away or more on motorways, so quite a distance and we would see some about 3 or 4 times a year, often less, and sometimes every couple of years or five. These friends were too far to be in our daily lives and that is what I liked. Now if at some central point someone had organised a bbq and cricket match, we would have gone. And I sometimes would get some good fish and make us all fish and chips, but french friends loved them so they were the first invités.

I don't know how success is measured, we had a good life for the most part and very good friends that we still have and a decent enough income coming in. If it isn't success, then it feels to me like it is.

[AnOther]

[quote user="idun"]I don't know how success is measured[/quote]Simple as far as we're concerned, happiness and contentment with our lot and we have both in ample measure [:D]

[Rose]

[quote user="idun"]

...Now if at some central point someone had organised a bbq and cricket match, we would have gone. And I sometimes would get some good fish and make us all fish and chips, but french friends loved them so they were the first invités...

[/quote]

Sounds perfectly reasonable to me... sounds like a great balance

[quote user="idun"]

I don't know how success is measured, we had a good life for the most

part and very good friends that we still have and a decent enough

income coming in. If it isn't success, then it feels to me like it is.

[/quote]

Agree with Another... it sounds like you made a success... if you're happy and content then I think life must be good.

[Chancer]

La vie est belle!!!

Shame I wont be able to watch the program, probably one of the few that I would want to watch if only to understand all the comments that no doubt will result from it.

I am assuming that being in France I wont be able to watch it on catch up TV on the net whatever it is called.

[bettyboop]

Fishnchips in my uk local £5.80 (very large)

Fishnchips from van in Limousin 8.50e (medium)

Very expensive for two,eating with plastic knives and forks and out of cardboard box.

11e 3 course meal at a local bistro,much better value

[suein56]

[quote user="Chancer"]I am assuming that being in France I wont be able to watch it on catch up TV on the net whatever it is called.[/quote]

You can if you download 'ExpatShield'. That is how I shall be watching it later on, as nothing comes between us and our weekly fix of University Challenge which is on BBC 2 at the same time as Little England.

Sue

[NormanH]

If it is on BBC2 you can watch it later using iPlayer while connected to Expat shield...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/search?q=University%20Challenge

or watch the itv one later  on Itv player

http://www.itv.com/itvplayer/

[Charly]

[quote user="Val_2"]No. Will not watch as these cheap programmes just make me moan and cringe about how the french must perceive SOME of us, no wonder they get a bit funny at times. I've tried to understand why some of these brits bother to move to France and then try to export their previous life over too, what is the point of moving in the first place?

My daughter has bought a lot of new DVD's over for us to watch and we will have the four episodes of Strike Back to catch up on as well, no contest really[/quote]

Thanks for that hilarious comment, really made me laugh !

[cooperlola]

[quote user="5-element"]Pity it clashes with "L'amour est dans le pré"...[:(][/quote]Don't forget there's now an ITV+1 channel, 5E.

[NickP]

[quote user="Val_2"]No. Will not watch as these cheap programmes just make me moan and cringe about how the french must perceive SOME of us, no wonder they get a bit funny at times. I've tried to understand why some of these brits bother to move to France and then try to export their previous life over too, what is the point of moving in the first place? My daughter has bought a lot of new DVD's over for us to watch and we will have the four episodes of Strike Back to catch up on as well, no contest really[/quote]

 

Reading the above, pots and kettles comes to mind. I can't believe the inverted snobbery on this forum about things British. So although lots of people on here won't watch a TV program about life in France for "Brits" loads belong to an Ex pat forum. [Www] The Indians, Chinese, Polish and lots of other nationalities don't have any problems about setting up ethnic shops,  restaurants, TV channels and radio stations in the UK; and I for one am glad that they do, it gives us a chance to experience food, products and culture that otherwise we may miss out on. One of the reasons we have a holiday home in France is to give us a chance to enjoy a different culture to the UK, that doesn't mean while in France that we have to drop  our favourite things from back home.  We think that we are very lucky and try to get the best of both countries and believe that we do, but if a local  restaurant is offering Fish and Chips why not give it a try, OK it may not be as good as the Magpie in Whitby, but not many in the UK are. There are also lots of Chinese restaurants in France and now the Indian and Japanese ones are starting to appear, apparently McDonald's is one of the fastest growing chains of restaurants in France, I'm sure that is not down to Americans who live in France. So bring it, on lets have more Chip shops and Pubs in France, especially ones that stay open after 9.30pm. [:D]  

[cooperlola]

[quote user="NickP"]

[So bring it, on lets have more Chip shops and Pubs in France, especially ones that stay open after 9.30pm. [:D]  

[/quote]Oh stop.  What I wouldn't give for a decent pint.[:P]

[Catalpa]

[quote user="Val_2"]I've tried to understand why some of these brits bother to move to France and then try to export their previous life over too, what is the point of moving in the first place? [/quote]

Good point. [geek]

[quote user="Val_2"]My daughter has bought a lot of new DVD's over for us to watch and we will have the four episodes of Strike Back to catch up on as well, no contest really[/quote]

Erm... [:-))]

Brought them back from where? Surely not the UK. In VO?? [:D]

[5-element]

[quote user="cooperlola"][quote user="5-element"]Pity it clashes with "L'amour est dans le pré"...[:(][/quote]Don't forget there's now an ITV+1 channel, 5E.[/quote]

That's probably dead useful info Coops. Does ITV+1 do repeats of ITV?