What would you change in France if you could ?

[Cassis]

I have had time to think and I retract everything I have ever said which might have ever been construed as critical, in any way, shape or form, of anything remotely connected with France or French driving or French officialdom (which I now realise is a paradigm for perfection).

Mr Sarkozy is right - if any of us does not completely endorse the French status quo then we should return whence we came.

[Mark]

[quote user="Cassis"]...if any of us does not completely endorse the French status quo then we should return whence we came.
[/quote]

Haven't heard them, but they sound like a covers band from hell.  I cannot endorse them, cannot imagine how truly awful they must be live (although they are the sort of act we get in our Salle des Halles, so presumably they'll be here soon), so I've booked my ferry ticket back to Blighty before Sarky's stormtrooopers come for me. 

[Bugsy]

"Love France or Leave it"

Works for me.......................................................

That said I haven't seen anything on this thread that I would call serious moaning, frustration yes, and comical, but that's all part of the overall pleasure of living  here, isn't it........................

[The Riff-Raff Element]

[quote user="Cassis"]I have had time to think and I retract everything

I have ever said which might have ever been construed as critical, in

any way, shape or form, of anything remotely connected with France or

French driving or French officialdom (which I now realise is a paradigm

for perfection).

Mr Sarkozy is right - if any of us does not completely endorse the French status quo then we should return whence we came.

[/quote]

Has someone been holding you down and tickling your feet with feathers?

[Jonzjob]

OOOOOH can I be the next one for the feathers??? Sounds lovely to me, just like living in Camelot. Just living here in France is much better than that and everything is perfect. All of the functionaries are wonderful and efficient.

Can I continue to live here please??? [8-|][Www][kiss]

[Peterm]

I would change all those French people I meet that can't understand their own language when I speak it to them

[Tresco]

I think Mark Twain said something like that![:D]

In Paris they just simply opened their eyes and stared when we spoke to them in French! We never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language.

From 'Innocents Abroad'

[powerdesal]

[quote user="Pun"]

And the Brits who do not want to learn and live the french way of life but come here just for cheaper housing.

[/quote]

Pun,

Is there anything wrong with coming to France for cheaper housing ?

Would you please define "the French way of life" so that I can check to see how it differs from my way of life.

[Pun]

Hi   powerdesal.

I'll try, no road tax, cheaper car fuel, cheaper house insurance, cheaper rates, "we do have a summer here in dept 23, every one say's hello, no theft, space all around, good food and wine at a price we can afford.

The shop keepers are always helping in every way and a smile isnt hard to find. the fresh air, the country walks, my garden, and that "take your time feel" about life here.

Ive found 3 things the french do thats french, (1) the family life, (2) the food and wine, (3) friendship. Ive not found this keep up with the jones thing  here in this part of France, any french friends we have dont visit to see your house, they come to see you.

Ref   the way the french bring children up , Just go into a french cafe/eating place and you wont see them running around causing problems,

In this dept (23) the council do trim the trees every year, they do have the get up and go to make sure the round  abouts etc have a theme, ie christmas dects

easter , bulbs, summer flower, etc etc, even the little village has a weekend when the road is full of stalls selling anything, but it welcomes all, they do try.

and last in my very short list, the weekly outdoor market, veg/fruit poultry, cheese, etc , and no parking fees as at any hospital Ive ever seen in France you dont pay to park,  and no waiting list if your ill, if you need medical help you get it,

Well  powerdesal  I said I'd try to show you my liking of the french way and I hope Ive given you some idea from this dept (23) and Ive only said a few of many,

regards Pun.

[Pun]

Hi chris,

Well said, you should be what you want to be, and I feel the same as you, I ment that as long as you or I dont start to drive cars here with no valid m.o.t.

insurance. road tax etc, In this very page a member has said about folk driving without tax ect, has this vehicle got Insurance, m,o,t.?

if the driver hits your car and has no Insurance by default ie no mot. how would you feel about the repair bill coming your way.

The amount of people who dont bother to learn the french laws and what they can and can not do is just not true.

Like you I really enjoy the simple things in life, my garden, country life, but I always remember why I came here. for a better life and to be part of this country and all it has to offer.

regards to you chris, from Pun.

[Albert the InfoGipsy]

Pun,

Just to get a more meaningful basis for comparison can you tell us (a) where in the UK you are treating as a source for comparisons, (b) how long you've been living in France.

The reason I ask is that many of your 'French' characteristics remind me of a couple of English towns I've lived in. I also have 35+ years of experience of life in a French family and I don't have a rosy-tinted view of French child-rearing.

[cooperlola]

Reminds me of the Sarthe, Pun!  But the cheaper housing helps - can't deny it for a moment - I couldn't have lived like this in the UK, I'd have to get up and go to work every morning for a start.  Can't say the weather's all that different though - a degree or two up on Kent, but we did choose to live here and knew about the climate in advance.

[powerdesal]

Pun,

Nice definition, sounds like my way of life (or at least how I would like it to be ) can I stay please???????  [:)]

ps, I promise to continue improving my French.

[Tresco]

[quote user="Albert the InfoGipsy"] Just to get a more meaningful basis for comparison can you tell us (a) where in the UK you are treating as a source for comparisons...[/quote]

Puns location in France would help, too.[:)]

Edit: Ah, it's not on his profile but he mentions dept.23. Where is that?

[cooperlola]

[quote user="Tresco"]

[quote user="Albert the InfoGipsy"] Just to get a more meaningful basis for comparison can you tell us (a) where in the UK you are treating as a source for comparisons...[/quote]

Puns location in France would help, too.[:)]

Edit: Ah, it's not on his profile but he mentions dept.23. Where is that?

[/quote]I have this problem with department numbers too.  There must be a little map somewhere...

Aha!  http://www.france-pub.com/list_france_departement.html

Creuse

[Tresco]

Excellent Coops. I must have dozens of department lists lying around the house...I'm just toooo lazy for words.

That link's gone straight into my French 'favourites'.[:)]

[Jonzjob]

Hi Tresco. Do what we did. We have a couple of Living France mouse mats and they show the departments. They are only a couple of quid each. Make nice Christmas presents for the family in England if you mark your spot with an indelible X. It's always by the 'puter' then [blink]

[Renaud]

I am with Chris when he wants to get a lot of birds removed from the permitted hunting list and put an end to the barbaric methods that are still allowed in some regions because they are "traditional".

I would love to see the fonctionaires convert to having a customer service mentality.

The French never really 'got' pop music though now I am not sure that this was a bad thing.

[powerdesal]

Pun,

You never did expand on the 'Brits coming to France to buy cheap housing part of my question' any further comments ?

[Teamedup]

I have just done a huge reply to Pun's post to Powersal and lost it.

Mainly what I said was that I have not seen such unadulterated bouse about France in a long time. The only thing I really did agree with was brits moving for cheap housing, and I do believe that that is the case. If it wasn't then people would have moved when we did and they didn't.

[Renaud]

Also I wish the locals could realise how deeply naff, those pathetic 'santas' hanging off window ledges are ...

[Cassis]

Agreed.  The ones hanging half-deflated from chimneys are much more classy.

[Dick Smith]

Or, as I saw yesterday, a flaccid Santa riding an underinflated steam engine with another Santa apparently - well, let's say that they were obviously close friends...

[cooperlola]

I asked a french lad I know who has just passed his test, why it was that the French seem to indicate left going into a roundabout no matter which way they are going to turn, then just turn their indicator off before exiting.  He said "that's what my instructor told me to do." Must look at the Code Routier.

[Bugsy]

Did you know that today in France is: NSDRSOMCVOCDS Day......................

No Signals Day for all Really Small Old Men with Caps in Very Old Cars Driven Slowly.

Well it is if our journey to Civray for some shopping was anything to go by........................[:D][:D]