Sprogster Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 LONDON!With a French population of over 300,000 London is now apparently the seventh largest French City in terms of numbers of French nationals.I am always bemused by the attitude of some forum members that the last person to leave Blighty should turn the lights out, when in fact there is an accelerating trend of French nationals in the opposite direction!Is it the case of if you want to downshift you move to France, but if you want to upshift you move to the UK?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarkkent Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 Didn't Chirac (or somebody) say to Blair (or somebody) "What a strange trade we have. You give us your old and infirm and we give you our young and fit." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tresco Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 [quote user="Clarkkent"]Didn't Chirac (or somebody) say to Blair (or somebody) "What a strange trade we have. You give us your old and infirm and we give you our young and fit."[/quote]If it was Chirac, he has a cheek. How long have he and his party been in power?Sarkozy has been mentioning this recently. Not the 'infirm' Brits, specifically, but the vigorous youth of France decamping to England, and elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumziGal Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 And who can blame them? All the 20+ youngsters I know in the UK are doing extremely well, whether graduates or not. They become accountants and are buying their own houses at 20, or they take gap years and go on amazing journeys to Africa to teach children or help build houses. It's just so different from the pessimism of the same age group here in France.I'm working with a young French student in England just now. She's not overly impressed with the food, but she's loving the social aspect of pubs, and likes the cultural diversity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugsy Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 [quote user="Sprogster"]LONDON!With a French population of over 300,000 London is now apparently the seventh largest French City in terms of numbers of French nationals.[/quote]Can you tell me exactly where you got those figures from please ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hastobe Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 [quote user="RumziGal"] All the 20+ youngsters I know in the UK are doing extremely well, whether graduates or not. They become accountants and are buying their own houses at 20, [/quote]Whilst I agree with the opening post, I think there is a little exaggeration here perhaps? I don't know many 25+ year old who can afford to get onto the housing ladder - nevermind 20 year olds. And a 20 year old non graduate accountant in my neck of the woods....is a student.Kathie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 I also use this as an counter-argument when (some) of my French friends bang on about the Brit invasion here. I had several French friends in my area in the UK - it's not all one-way traffic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ford Anglia Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Local paper in Southern Haute Vienne last week carried a story that in the Limousin, only 22% of the people between the ages of 16 and 30, and born there, actually live in the Limousin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 [quote user="Ford Anglia"]Local paper in Southern Haute Vienne last week carried a story that in the Limousin, only 22% of the people between the ages of 16 and 30, and born there, actually live in the Limousin. [/quote] Now why would that be then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumziGal Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 [quote user="hastobe"]Whilst I agree with the opening post, I think there is a little exaggeration here perhaps? I don't know many 25+ year old who can afford to get onto the housing ladder - nevermind 20 year olds. And a 20 year old non graduate accountant in my neck of the woods....is a student.Kathie [/quote]My husband's 2 nieces are doing very well in accountancy, no A-levels or anything, just straight in there and doing exams as they go along. Both qualified to do private work now, starting at £20 an hour. The younger one was 21 this month and is just moving into a house with her gardener boyfriend. I know someone else who has done the same, after an abortive flurry with doing horsey qualifications.My landlady has her own house in Hampshire, she's mid-20s and not from a rich background or anything like that. Okay, so lodgers help, but at least she's on the ladder. I was at lunch with 25 and 26-year-olds the other day, they've all got their own houses.I'm sure that not everyone is so fortunate, but it does seem to be more possible in the UK, and it's no secret that the job market is certainly more flexible, so maybe that helps, in that if something isn't working you can change to something more lucrative? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoddy Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 "it's no secret that the job market is certainly more flexible"My only French acquaintance in the Uk is a frenchman who used to be a gendarme in Paris. He now does 'something' at the airport while studying to become a French teacher. He is very happy with the set up we have here.Hoddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TreizeVents Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 [quote user="Sprogster"]LONDON!With a French population of over 300,000 London is now apparently the seventh largest French City in terms of numbers of French nationals.[/quote]Can I be a little critical and ask where you got that data? [:D] I also note that you might be speaking of a narrow definition of French "city". My data says that there are 18 agglomerations in France that are over 290,000 population. For example, the "city" of Montpellier has 244,000 and the Agglomeration has about 400,000, according to the Agglomeration of Montpellier (although not according to the data cited below). I do accept that most of the French live in London. And that there are more of them now than there were some time ago. And that they are young and want to make loads of money as fast as possible and then go back to France. Just a small point. [Www] But it is nice to cite sources so we can check out how reliable they are. As most of us know, the notion that there is an accurate count of Brits in France and French in Britain might be a bit of an illusion, given current laws and how people avoid them. http://www.citypopulation.de/France-Agglo.html#Stadt_gross http://www.citypopulation.de/France.html#Stadt_gross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turnip Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 Several French companies have set up on the UK side of the Channel to avoid the stranglehold of French bureaucracy. Maybe, over time the French govt. will make life easier for those subject to rules and paper edicts. Well -one can hope.[8-|] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 I can only think you're hoping for a Sarko victory, Turnip. [;-)] [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugsy Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 [quote user="Bugbear"][quote user="Sprogster"] LONDON!With a French population of over 300,000 London is now apparently the seventh largest French City in terms of numbers of French nationals.[/quote]Can you tell me exactly where you got those figures from please ?[/quote]Still waiting........................................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprogster Posted February 22, 2007 Author Share Posted February 22, 2007 The figure was given at the time of Sarko's visit to London and was sourced I believe from the French Embassy. The first time I believe a French Presidential candidate has travelled to electioneer to a French national population outside France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprogster Posted February 22, 2007 Author Share Posted February 22, 2007 For those that question the significant growth in the French population and French owned businesses in London you only have to go to an area of Kensington that is now being nicknamed "Little Paris", to see for yourself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hastobe Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 I go there regularly, when in London. Bute Street has some great (french) book shops...oh and good coffee bars too..Kathie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hastobe Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 [quote user="RumziGal"][quote user="hastobe"]Whilst I agree with the opening post, I think there is a little exaggeration here perhaps? I don't know many 25+ year old who can afford to get onto the housing ladder - nevermind 20 year olds. And a 20 year old non graduate accountant in my neck of the woods....is a student.Kathie [/quote]My husband's 2 nieces are doing very well in accountancy, no A-levels or anything, just straight in there and doing exams as they go along. Both qualified to do private work now, starting at £20 an hour. The younger one was 21 this month and is just moving into a house with her gardener boyfriend. I know someone else who has done the same, after an abortive flurry with doing horsey qualifications.[/quote]I'm assuming from what you have said they are AAT qualified - so an accounting technician rather than an accountant - there is a big difference. (By contrast - as a graduate and experienced ACA in a large practice - the charge out rate is up to £400 per hour - but that takes a hell of a lot of graft to achieve)Kathie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugsy Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 [quote user="Sprogster"]The figure was given at the time of Sarko's visit to London and was sourced I believe from the French Embassy. The first time I believe a French Presidential candidate has travelled to electioneer to a French national population outside France.[/quote]quote:"The French embassy says there are 270,000 French people living in the UK" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprogster Posted February 22, 2007 Author Share Posted February 22, 2007 As most French in the UK probably live in the greater London area and most expatriates don't bother to register with their embassy, the figure of 300,000 is probably therefore a gross under estimation if 270,000 have bothered to register with the French embassy in London! (The French Embassy would base their figures on French nationals who have registered with them as resident in the UK.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mpprh Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 [quote user="Sprogster"]As most French in the UK probably live in the greater London area and most expatriates don't bother to register with their embassy, the figure of 300,000 is probably therefore a gross under estimation if 270,000 have bothered to register with the French embassy in London! (The French Embassy would base their figures on French nationals who have registered with them as resident in the UK.)[/quote]How many people have registered with the consul ?I'm in my 4th country and have never registered.May be different if you are in Iraq !Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumziGal Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 [quote user="hastobe"][I'm assuming from what you have said they are AAT qualified - so an accounting technician rather than an accountant - there is a big difference. (By contrast - as a graduate and experienced ACA in a large practice - the charge out rate is up to £400 per hour - but that takes a hell of a lot of graft to achieve)Kathie[/quote]Yes, but the point is that they're earning good money at 20, without any impressive school-leaving qualifications or anything like that. There is a set of possibilities open to youngsters in the UK that isn't available to their peers (or above) in France. Or at least, not without going to the UK...... that's all. And one of the possibilities open to them is the possibility of change. The lack of hope and optimism in France is really quite depressing. People's expectations in France are really very low, and I think that's why they don't talk about whether they find their work fulfilling - work is just something they have to put up with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hastobe Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 But in this situation I think the French have it right. In the UK anyone can call themselves an accountant - qualified, part-qualified - or can't even switch on a calculator. I'm not suggesting that your relatives haven't any qualifications - but the lax approach of the UK means that people often employ someone they think is properly qualified and experienced when in fact they have something rather less than that - in this case a book-keeper or an accounting technician rather than a fully qualified accountant. I have picked up a lot of very costly messes from less than qualified accountants - and at the end of the day its not me that pays - its the client who had the inadequate advice.As an aside - I often wonder if this is why we get all the Brit wanabee carpenters, plumbers trying to set up in France - on the basis that because the UK has a lax approach - it's OK to do likewise in France.Kathie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turnip Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 [quote user="hastobe"]But in this situation I think the French have it right. In the UK anyone can call themselves an accountant - qualified, part-qualified - or can't even switch on a calculator. I'm not suggesting that your relatives haven't any qualifications - but the lax approach of the UK means that people often employ someone they think is properly qualified and experienced when in fact they have something rather less than that - in this case a book-keeper or an accounting technician rather than a fully qualified accountant. I have picked up a lot of very costly messes from less than qualified accountants - and at the end of the day its not me that pays - its the client who had the inadequate advice.As an aside - I often wonder if this is why we get all the Brit wanabee carpenters, plumbers trying to set up in France - on the basis that because the UK has a lax approach - it's OK to do likewise in France.Kathie [/quote] Careful people - you must not criticise France or the UK bashers will rise up and spew their asides around them[:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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