Clair Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 Article in the regional press in French: Crise : les Anglais cherchent à repartirGoogle translation: Crisis: the British are seeking to leave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyF Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 Thanks, Clair. That and the associated links made interesting reading (and good French practice [:)]) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted February 16, 2009 Author Share Posted February 16, 2009 I take it you saw the link to the other articleAveyron. Les Anglais revendent leurs résidences secondaires(in Google English here) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 It doesn't add that, with the current exchange rate, selling at a 30% discount doesn't result in much of a loss for those that bought without a euro denominated mortgage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitty Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 I like the bit:"As for Villefranche, in the form of a wink, Americans replace English in the house ..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ventodue Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 [quote user="Clair"]Article in the regional press in French: Crise : les Anglais cherchent à repartir[/quote]Love the reader comments (at the bottom)! [:)]Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Main front page headline in Ouest France yesterday: 'La France attire moins les Anglais' (France attracts fewer English) over a photo of a British family who looked pretty happy to be returning to the UK after 18 months. Half page article inside covered Brits who were going to sit out the exchange rate problem as well.Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted February 17, 2009 Author Share Posted February 17, 2009 [quote user="Sc"]Main front page headline in Ouest France yesterday: 'La France attire moins les Anglais'[/quote]La France attire moins les immigrants anglais (in Google English here) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Chris Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 I particularly like this quote from the Google version:"Especially the young retirees when they become grandparents. The family they lack. And in the long run, going back to England to become tedious. " For our part, I think we'll be staying in France and remaining tedious here...Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted February 17, 2009 Author Share Posted February 17, 2009 Beware Google translations:Et, à la longue, les allers-retours en Angleterre deviennent fastidieux.And in the end, the journeys to England and back become tedious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Avery Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 [quote user="Cathy"] I like the bit:"As for Villefranche, in the form of a wink, Americans replace English in the house ..."[/quote]There have been a number of Americans in this area for a long time now and very nice people too. Its good to see that les anglais in our commune are singled out as making a real effort to integrate as opposed to the "little englanders" who are getting out of the St Antonin enclave. As Cerise knows for every house with an AV board in that area, there are two for sale without a board, (mostly because they don't know what AV means having never had to speak a word of French in their lives)[6]. But beware, those comments about good riddance to the english may be extreme and from the less educated shall we say, but do not ever think that the French really like us a people, individually yes they may like us and welcome us in the midst, but for every one that is friendly and realises that we bring business and new life to their communities there are two others who are jealous of the wealth of the average Brit. Despite any arguments that we did not set the prices of our houses, in the main French owners did, we will always be blamed for pushing up the prices of rural houses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted February 17, 2009 Author Share Posted February 17, 2009 There are more than a few Belgians and Dutch home-owners here and speaking specifically about my Dutch neighbours, they too seem to think they should reap the financial benefits of owning a piece of France!They bought their property three years ago for €140K and they are advertising it on the net at €295K. No agent involved. The property has been used mainly as a holiday-let and looks very tired. The only major expense has been to replace the pool system. The rest of the "work" has involved a spot of decorating (nothing major) inside and out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keni Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 As my brother says, if you are poor, where would you rather be so - France or England?I think I would rather be skint in France! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chessfou Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 [quote user="ventodue"][quote user="Clair"]Article in the regional press in French: Crise : les Anglais cherchent à repartir[/quote]Love the reader comments (at the bottom)! [:)]Craig[/quote]There are more and more of those comments. It's also amusing to check back from time to time because the poster at the top (LEFTJR - Castres) has changed his post several times and his posts provide excellent French language practice for "spot the mistakes" ("spot the idiot" is too easy). Clicking on "voir profil" shows the previous versions of his (her?) post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerise Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 Keni - trust me you would not rather be poor here. I am a conseillère and a member of the CCAS (social action committee) I deal on a regular basis with people who are poor beyond most of our imaginings. Some of the most recent cases have been English. It is not nice, and I would never for one minute want to be one of those people. I think there is a level of unhappiness and poverty for both English and French people here that most people can't even imagine. Someone today told us his wife's pension is only 1200€ a year and if you see the hoops people have to jump through to get help. The Restos du Coeur are full to overflowing, I promise you any residual rosiness has long since been removed from my specs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pommier Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I'd definately say that it'd be better to be in the UK if very poor. Not only is there lots of help from government, but most of us would know how to get it. I think it'd be very frightening to be broke and trying to survive in France (and I'd feel less of a scrounger if claiming means tested benefits in my country of birth) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 [quote user="Pommier"]I'd definately say that it'd be better to be in the UK if very poor. Not only is there lots of help from government, but most of us would know how to get it. I think it'd be very frightening to be broke and trying to survive in France (and I'd feel less of a scrounger if claiming means tested benefits in my country of birth)[/quote]I'd go along wholeheartedly with that, Pommier.Pension credits, help with council tax (if you own your own home), attendance allowance (if you can't look after yourself), nursing home fees paid for (if you're completely broke), pauper's funeral and after that, who cares?Dear old Welfare State, from the cradle to the grave. I, for one, would never knock it. Just hope I never have to depend on it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 [quote user="Keni "]As my brother says, if you are poor, where would you rather be so - France or England?I think I would rather be skint in France![/quote]I am poor, nearly skint and much prefer to be in France thank you very much.However whilst poor I still have options and get by quite well and am not in the situations described above needing residential care etc. In many ways I am rich, quality of life, happiness etc, all those things that are not measured by money.I look around me and dont feel poor by comparison to other people and they dont look on me as being poor because I dont drive the latest car, wear designer clothes and generally chase the latest must have consumer tat.If I wanted to get rich I would definitely choose the UK, even, or perhaps especially now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Ah yes jr, but don't you own a brothel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Ben Oui!Its a b0rdel in both senses of the word, and definitely bordelique!Its reassuring to know that ones product has an inelastic demand curve during the credit crunch [:D]The software wont let me say that my place is a shambles but it will let me say it is shambolic!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 How is the rebuild going? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keni Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 I understand the problems, believe me, but if you are a Brit in the area around my Bro. - Perpignan, if you can not sell your house to leave to go back to the Uk, and face the prospect of not much social help because you own your own home, as with some of the people my brother knows in the area - asset rich and cash poor, surely you would be better off in France?Why did they make the move if not to enjoy a simpler lifestyle? I don't want to have to live and be valued for all the techno stuff I have, heading for 60, all we want to do is lose some of the lifestyle of the UK - although we would not be moving to Perpignan, the outside lifestyle surely makes it better to be in France - you have the same amount of money coming in in the Uk or France, but why live in the 'British enclaves', if not to get out and about and be part of the local environment.It must be cheaper for heating, food and entertainment - I don't think I have had that many walks in the UK along a beach in November, or visited a castle still open at that time of year here in the UK, as we did in Carcassone, but with the richness of what is around it must surely be better healthwise as well?No rose tinted specs, just practical observations over many years, £11k or 11ke, surely life goes further with 11ke? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 [quote user="Keni "] No rose tinted specs, just practical observations over many years, £11k or 11ke, surely life goes further with 11ke?[/quote]KeniWith your type of values I can definitely say life goes further with €11k.Wooly.Its going OK, I reckon that I am slightly ahead of schedule having spent 5 years (this March) on a 2 year project [:-))] I reckon that I have another 2 or 3 ahead of me yet.As for the budget dont ask!I have spent the last 3 weeks or more adapting, extending and fitting a fantastic hardwood commercial staircase that I found on Leboncoin for €500, it would have cost at least €5-6k plus TVA, money I just dont have.I came in from the outside building works when the big freeze began and am currently using a large cylinder of propane at €73 a pop per week just to keep the chill off the inside while I am working. Mind you with the stairwell open on all 3 floors it is having to heat over 600 cubic metres without any insulation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenniswitch Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 [quote user="Clair"]I take it you saw the link to the other articleAveyron. Les Anglais revendent leurs résidences secondaires(in Google English here)[/quote]Thanks for those links, Clair, but I couldn't quite translate the last sentence (about the well-integrated English residents)- and the Google translation made even less sense than mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted February 19, 2009 Author Share Posted February 19, 2009 A (oh so trendy [:(]) poor attempt at including a Frenchified English expression ("so") into the sentence.These integrated families provide an English touch to the last summer market of the season and to the Christmas market.I contacted the same paper a while back, asking them to either stick to French or at the very least use the correct English words when they kept referring to Ryanair as a "low coast " airline... [:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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