'Little England' will you be watching?

[cooperlola]

[quote user="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?

[/quote]Yes, one hour later than the initial broadcast, 5E. Channel 116 on Freesat.  If you have a Sky box I can check that channel out too.

EDIT : There's also an ITV2 3 and 4 + 1; Ch4+1; More4; E4; 5*; 5USA and others which escape me at the mo'.  The Beeb hasn't caught on yet, sadly.  They can make programming much easier when things clash.

[Quillan]

Just read this thread, some of which is quite funny and some a bit sad. I mean who cares, you live your life as you want. If you want England in France well OK no problem, if you want to embrace France and live like the French so be it, to each his own. Personally I have a life that I enjoy that encompasses both in that I have English and French friends but what I don't do is gravitate towards English people just because they speak English. I choose my friends using the same standards as I did when I lived in the UK. Still I expect the series will amuse some, others will be horrified and make somebody a lot of money.

[Val_2]

Catalpa. Could not resist writing about the DVD's. Actually they came from Guernsey on her way home, so not the UK

Nick P - pick on someone else for a change, you always choose me and you know nothing of me. I think you could be a lot older than I and retired too which maybe why you don't like my posts.

[HoneySuckleDreams]

[quote user="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[/quote]

Luxembourg...

I went to the steubenfour last week (big 3 week festival in the center) and one eatery was doing a fantastic trade in F&C. Basically Merlin and Frites...and I mean large...head and tail still attached. The cost? 19.80€

 

 

 

[NormanH]

[quote user="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]

  a chance to experience food, products and culture that otherwise we may miss out on. There are also lots of Chinese restaurants in France and now the Indian and Japanese ones are starting to appear,  [:D]  

[/quote]

So that is why the Brits are opening fish and chip shops in France!  To offer the French the chance to ' to experience food, products and culture that otherwise they  may miss out on.'

Same thing with British sausages..

Surely the difference between British immigrant businesses in France and those of other nations is that the others offer something the French want, whereas the British ones are just harlots  for the Ryanair brigade...

[idun]

I found that french friends, initially aquaintences, were always very curious about what we ate. And still they would be a little frightened about what we would give them when they got to chez nous, but there was very little that they didn't like. They always used to look quite surprised when I would say that I used to be nervous going to their homes too. It all worked out really well apart from when they gave us andouillette.

I have never seen a chinese restaurant in France, there must be some in the big cities, surely there must be, only Indochine restos around us, great spring rolls evidement!

[NickP]

[quote user="Val_2"]Catalpa. Could not resist writing about the DVD's. Actually they came from Guernsey on her way home, so not the UK Nick P - pick on someone else for a change, you always choose me and you know nothing of me. I think you could be a lot older than I and retired too which maybe why you don't like my posts.[/quote]

Yes I believe I may be a lot older than you Val but don't tell anybody or they'll all know. As for me not liking your posts; not true I think they are wonderful, they keep me amused for hours [:P]

[Quillan]

Actually Norman a French couple down the road from us recently bought a van and now to Fish and Chips. They thought it might appeal to the Brits but unfortunately most have gone or are going home because of various reasons but mainly because they can't afford to stay here. Other than that if people want to do fish and chips then good luck to them. If they want to start a cricket club or crown green bowls club so what, live and let live. One only has to look around to see what the French have given us, 60% of their language for a start then there is wine, food etc although it's up to us if we consume any of the latter. You can always refuse to eat the stuff if you wish. To be honest if people start to worry about this sort of thing then they really must have very sad and boring life.

[NormanH]

[quote user="Quillan"]

Actually Norman a French couple down the road from us recently bought a van and now to Fish and Chips. They thought it might appeal to the Brits but unfortunately most have gone or are going home because of various reasons but mainly because they can't afford to stay here. Other than that if people want to do fish and chips then good luck to them. If they want to start a cricket club or crown green bowls club so what, live and let live. One only has to look around to see what the French have given us, 60% of their language for a start then there is wine, food etc although it's up to us if we consume any of the latter. You can always refuse to eat the stuff if you wish. To be honest if people start to worry about this sort of thing then they really must have very sad and boring life.

[/quote]

Exactly my point...

Even if I do have a sad and boring life.

[sueyh]

[quote user="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

[/quote]

Oh yes, we too really cannot miss our weekly bit of "let's try and understand the question!"  Sometimes we do actually manage an answer.  Brilliant programme.

Suey

[Val_2]

[quote user="NickP"]

[quote user="Val_2"]Catalpa. Could not resist writing about the DVD's. Actually they came from Guernsey on her way home, so not the UK Nick P - pick on someone else for a change, you always choose me and you know nothing of me. I think you could be a lot older than I and retired too which maybe why you don't like my posts.[/quote]

Yes I believe I may be a lot older than you Val but don't tell anybody or they'll all know. As for me not liking your posts; not true I think they are wonderful, they keep me amused for hours [:P]

[/quote]

Well;thats not so bad then. Have a lovely sunday

[Will]

As far as I am concerned the problem is not so much that there are many British in France who eat fish and chips, frequent the English-speaking bars, play cricket, refuse to speak french and all the other things levelled against them and highlighted in programmes like that. My problem (and I am sure it is mine rather than theirs) is that the vast majority of these people are not the sort of people I have any desire to mix with or be friendly towards. I wouldn't socialise with them in England, so why should I be different in France? And before we open that other can of worms, there are plenty of French people I have no desire to befriend either.

I still think it could make an interesting programme though, as long as the producers don't let it all fall into stereotypical mode.

[cooperlola]

Depends where you live I think.  I guess in Dordogneshire there's a good chance that out of the goodly number of Brits who seemed to be around when I visited, I'd have a chance of meeting a few I'd really get on with (in fact, I think I did!)  Here, where there aren't very many, I'm happy to join in with them from time to time (some people I know have a quiz once a month in the summer), but that's enough as most of them aren't people I'd mix with in the UK.  Thus I tend to go more for the locals as there's a larger pond to choose from! 

[woolybanana]

But, Will, one does not socialize with them is one doesnt want to, surely? One works slowly at picking out the people one likes and remains polite but distant to the others; it is a natural process. As you say, it doesn't make any difference whether they are French, Anglo or Martians.

[Pickles]

[quote user="woolybanana"]As you say, it doesn't make any difference whether they are French, Anglo or Martians.[/quote]

Martians? MARTIANS? Oi, WB, if you are in the habit of coming across Martians - sociable or not - I think that there's a few people over at NASA who might be very grateful for a referral ...

Regards

Pickles

[Quillan]

[quote user="Will"]As far as I am concerned the problem is not so much that there are many British in France who eat fish and chips, frequent the English-speaking bars, play cricket, refuse to speak french and all the other things levelled against them and highlighted in programmes like that. My problem (and I am sure it is mine rather than theirs) is that the vast majority of these people are not the sort of people I have any desire to mix with or be friendly towards. I wouldn't socialise with them in England, so why should I be different in France? And before we open that other can of worms, there are plenty of French people I have no desire to befriend either.

I still think it could make an interesting programme though, as long as the producers don't let it all fall into stereotypical mode.

[/quote]

Come on Will that's a bit stereotyping, how do you know they refuse to speak French, they may prefer cricket to boules, just because you take the man out of England does not mean you can take the English out the man (or woman but you know what I mean). Also, are these English any different to the French who live in Belsize Park with their French cinema's, bar's, shops, schools etc. and boule dromes? The only thing I ever took offence to was the group of English that set up a fox hunting thing some years back in France other than that I really don't care as it all makes little or no impact on my life. I wouldn't go, see or do these things in the UK so I certainly wouldn't bother here BUT if I did like, and did play, some cricket back in the UK I can understand why those would want to continue to play in France. What about golf?

I don't have any interest in cricket, neither here or in the UK. Likewise I can say the same about football, tennis and a few other sports. I do however love rugby (USAP) and go when I can in a mixed group of English and French. Likewise I go to Paris for the France England match every other year, again with both French and English. There are other French and English locally who go to the same events but they are not the sort of people I would go with so I don't. It's all down to choice at the end of the day and as I already have said, live and let live providing it does no harm to anyone.

[Will]

I think you've missed my point, Q. These programmes, and the discussions about them, centre on a certain type of person. The activities are secondary, it doesn't matter whether or not they like F&C (I do) or play cricket (I don't, but would if I was any good at it), it's just that they are not my choice of people. If we are to be honest, it's their views of politics and life in general, and their whingeing, cheapskate, xenophobic attitudes that I disagree with, not what they choose to do in their spare time. Or where they choose to live - though I'd rather it wasn't near me, whether it was in England, France, Spain, or anywhere else. And unfortunately there seem to be a disproportionate number of such people in Normandy. I can't speak for the other regions, not having lived there. For all I know they are probably all lovely, tolerant, liberal-minded, helpful people who settle in the Dordogne. I hope the programme shows that.

[Pommier]

"it's their views of politics and life in general, and their whingeing, cheapskate, xenophobic attitudes that I disagree with"

Gosh, that's a sweeping statement! I thought the programme was going to be about people who had made a success of their lives in France. Have you already seen the programme in order to be able to say this?

[just john]

[quote user="Will"]  my point, Q. centre on a certain type of person. it's their views of politics and life in general, and their whingeing, cheapskate, xenophobic attitudes that I disagree with,  [/quote]

[quote user="Pommier"]  Gosh, that's a sweeping statement! I thought the programme was going to be about people who had made a success of their lives in France. Have you already seen the programme in order to be able to say this?[/quote]

No bias from little englanders on this forum[Www]

 

[Quillan]

I doubt your find any of the Immobiliers who sold them the houses complaining. [;-)]

[LEO]

[quote user="Will"]As far as I am concerned the problem is not so much that there are many British in France who eat fish and chips, frequent the English-speaking bars, play cricket, refuse to speak french and all the other things levelled against them and highlighted in programmes like that. My problem (and I am sure it is mine rather than theirs) is that the vast majority of these people are not the sort of people I have any desire to mix with or be friendly towards. I wouldn't socialise with them in England, so why should I be different in France? And before we open that other can of worms, there are plenty of French people I have no desire to befriend either.

I still think it could make an interesting programme though, as long as the producers don't let it all fall into stereotypical mode.

[/quote]

Hi Will, if we were neighbours I think we would get on like a house on fire!

However ,I like to eat fish and chips, frequent the English-speaking bars because , banter is very important in my life.

One cannot have banter with a foreigner!

ps.

I know a fellow in Glasgow who works for the council,reads the

"Sun",only drinks Smirnoff and coke,holidays in Florida, watches

football every week,and loves Chinese curries!

In his job with the council ,this fellow encourages wayward youngsters to a better life.

He is not working class! He is not middle class!

He is differrent class!

[cooperlola]

[quote user="LEO"]One cannot have banter with a foreigner!

[/quote]I think that sentence says it all really.  If you can't then I can see why you'd need to seek out exclusively English speaking company.

 

I meet the people Will refers to from time to time.  Those who assume that the only reason I live here is that somehow I "hate what has happened to England" (they rarely say Britain unless they're Welsh, Scots or from Ulster) and have come here to get away from something rather than to enjoy the place I've moved to.  And I do run in the oposite direction if I run into them.  I think I would even if I didnt' speak French at all and had nobody else to speak to.[:'(]

[Val_2]

We seemed to be a magnet for brits with problems, especially money and marriage some years back, less live around here now and we keep away unless its business.Probably because there was no one else around they could turn to,definately not a local on such subjects. When you find a 56year old man crying on your doorstep (because his long-scarpered-back to the UK-due to lack of social life here), wife has found someone else, what the hell do you do? We were not qualified to counsel him and basically told him to pull himself together which he eventually did but, that episode did turn us against befriending fellow countrymen because so many turned out to be backstabbers,gossips and cheats at the end of the day, people you would not have associated with before France.

[Judith]

I think that you will get the same different types of characters in any country, whatever nationality, so even when living here, you will find, as you probably did in England, that you have acquaintances, with whom you would pass the time of day and bavader en peu, but not socialise greatly with, those who you don't like particularly but would still give the bonjour to when you see them, those you can't stand, so avoid if possible, and a few very good friends with whom you can be assured of a good old chat ... and like minded conversation / discussion, probably sharing meals relatively  regularly.  You also socialise as much as you can with french friends, but that in the majority of cases is at a lower level that with the English speaking community  you know.

That's how it seems to be working here, though I spent most of yesterday in an almost totally French environment, speaking French when needed and English to those who could .... (They were French but speak good English) ....we often joke that I should speak French now ....

I might add that not all English speakers, certainly around here, are English - and some of those (French, Swiss, Dutch, German, and Danish to name just few) are some of our best friends.  Though I will admit that the couple we see most of are English - and though she is a French teacher she teaches English (And Spanish, and German sometimes) here.....), we automatically speak our mother tongue when together as we all agree that speaking French between ourselves, which we could do if we really wanted to do so as we have someone to correct us in our midst, would be alien and somewhat stupid.

[cooperlola]

As I say, Judith, I rather think this is dependent upon the size of the pond.  I know of about 20 English speaking people (not couples, individuals) within a 40 k radius.  Honestly, I think I'm pretty lucky to really like (as opposed to be able to pass the time of day with) about 5 of those! And ideologically, I don't know of any English speakers round here who are on my wavelength (although maybe I'd have to scour the UK quite a bit to find some too!)  If, on the other hand, they were everywhere I went, then maybe there would be a wider variation and this would not be the case.  Whatever, I'm far more likely to talk politics to our postman than most of the Brits round here![:D]