who else is leaving France?

[Cassis]

Is it not a case of each to their own?  It would be a bit of a beggar if everyone thought they wanted to live on the Isle of Wight, wouldn't it?  Sorry, maybe I'm over-simplifying. [:$]

[vickybear]

Sweet 17, I wish you every happiness with your move. I hope it's everything you wish for and more and you're absolutely right, if you don't try you won't know.

Logan - you sound like the Grim Reaper...only joking ( actually, I'm not!! ). You're also absolutely right and I know that some of the reasons we wanted to move away will rear their ugly heads again but we have the advantage now of living at the coast, close enough to see the sea from the house and 2 minutes from the coastal path in Torbay. We were previously living in the North West and, with absolutely no disrespect intended towards my fellow Northerners, we realised one of the reasons we moved to France was to get away from things which hopefully won't affect us here. It's too easy to get into the habit of complaining about this and that because it's been on the news or in the paper, and lose sight of the good stuff ( like carpets for example!! )

So, we're determined to enjoy what we've got here. As far as having the advantage of balancing the two experiences, I can already do that can't I? I had 43 years here and 2 years in France so am well able to compare the two and I'm back in the UK so I think that probably demonstrates which one suits me best.

We made sure we left ourselves in a financial situation which enabled us to return too. Another year and we'd not have had enough left. I feel for the people who want to move back and just can't, due to finances.

Believe it or not as we pulled into our new road on 1st March there was a car parked up with a department 16 ( Charente ) registration. I thought someone was 'having a larf'. It will still there 2 days later so I knocked on the house door. Briefly, couple in their 60's ( in Devon visiting her sister ) been living in St Claud, Roumazieres for 4 years, she hates it, house on market over a year with no interest. If they come back they can't afford to buy what they were living in before they left. She said the experience had aged her ten years and she had such a sad expression my heart went out to her and I realised how lucky I had been.

If you love it it's a wonderful life, if you don't and can't get home how lost you must feel.