Newspaper article about Brits abroad

[Clair]

In today's Figaro:

Les jeunes Britanniques quittent leur pays

[Will]

Very interesting, but it only seems to be picking up on a BBC story from several days ago. It is badly written (at least by British standards), in common with a lot of French journalism, in that it seems to leap between barely connected facts to draw no particular conclusion, miss some very relevant information about France, and probably leave the reader with a misleading impression.

Yes, a lot of younger Britons do go overseas - but few go to France. Yes, Britain does have a 5% unemployment rate - so France is not a good choice,  as French unemployment is roughly double that, or can be multiplied four or more times in rural areas where most Britons seem to want to live. The article goes on to give information about gap years - i.e. students between school and university, or between uni and work, who choose to see a bit of the world. Hardly emigrants. Then, it finishes with an example of the British in France and shoots itself squarely in the foot as 61-year-olds can hardly be counted among 'les jeunes britanniques'. Their situation seems common among the over-50s who do not need to work, as they can sell their English house, live in France in a cheaper house (though overall cost of living is not a lot different) and use the profits from the house sale to top up their pensions. True, as it says, the UK pension system will be in difficulties in 25 years or so, but that's not in itself a reason to go overseas, because the British will still want their pensions, wherever they live. And moreover, the French viellesse system is likely to be in an even worse state by then.

Sorry, but not one of the most accurate or informative articles ever.

[Clair]

I agree with you Will...

The article makes much of the Brits wanting to leave, implying that they are all moving to France, but it is actually about Brits living abroad.

The paper version illustrates the "service" aspect of the article with a large picture of a "all-things-British" shop in Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne (19 - Corrèze), the owner holding a large Union Jack outside her font window... I went there around Christmas last year to treat Hubby to a small Christmas cake...! (cannot abide the stuff myself and refuse to make it!! but that's another story...[:P])

[Val_2]

Its a funny old world because there are french doing the opposite thing and going to the UK, especially the youngsters to look for work and a better salary if they can get it. Several young uns from our commune have left and gone to the UK and found jobs and homes,if they had stayed here, it was chommage or mundane work in greenhouses when they spent years studying for their degrees and diplomas. Even our old french vet went to Cornwall to work with....inspection of carcasses for DEFRA when the Mad Cow business was in full swing,plus he had to cut down because he developed a heart condition,something he couldn't do here.

[Colette]

But what surprises so many French people is that relatively young British people in their 20s and 30s are moving to odd parts of rural France when all the French people in that age group are moving the other way.  And it surprises me too.  When we first had our house here there were few Brits around under 40, very few indeed, most were either retired or hoping to take early retirement.  Now there are dozens in our neighbourhood alone, even some young singles.  None have work, all are trying to 'find themselves' or something.  Must be really grim in the winter when there's sweet FA to do and the weather's even worst than it is now.  Why do they do it?

[Baz]

[quote user="Colette"]But what surprises so many French people is that relatively young British people in their 20s and 30s are moving to odd parts of rural France when all the French people in that age group are moving the other way.  And it surprises me too.  When we first had our house here there were few Brits around under 40, very few indeed, most were either retired or hoping to take early retirement.  Now there are dozens in our neighbourhood alone, even some young singles.  None have work, all are trying to 'find themselves' or something.  Must be really grim in the winter when there's sweet FA to do and the weather's even worst than it is now.  Why do they do it?[/quote]

Colette, they do it because they do not do enough homework before moving to France and that goes a long way explaining why  in excess of 50% of Brits moving to France return within 2 years.

Baz

[Chris Head]

I thought the figure was 40% of Brits going back? If the newspapers report a story it MUST be true eh? What's a newsaper look like these days?

No one can blame anyone for wanting to seek a better way of life but the reality is not so easy here. Do the dreamers just dream and hope all will fall into place or do they take real and calculated risks? I've heard more than a few heartbreaking stories of failure and am watching a few more unfold. I think the journalists have alot to answer for!

Chris

[egger]

But dont you think live is a risk, we never know how long we going to be here, so i say grab life by the horns and go for it [:D]. If anyone ends up going back, so what, does it really matter, after all they have just experienced a year or two of living in a different country [8-|].

My nan always tells me, "this is not a dress rehearsal, so if you want to try something, then go for it". We are along time dead.

Dont get me wrong, i wouldnt just come over, and hope for the best. Do some home work and everything should work out ok [kiss].

[Chris Head]

Your Nan was right Egger, there must be many of us here now who don't have a hope in hell of going back even if we wanted to? I could probably swap my paradise here for a 2 bed terrace in the south of UK!

Chris

[egger]

But Chris thats my point, a terrace in the south of uk, if it makes you happier, is better than a farm in France. Really its not what we have or how big our house is, its what makes you laugh, smile you know happy inside. People will say i live in a idealistic world, and yes in some ways i agree, but maybe, i have reasons to know some of the truth, in what i say.

God this is getting deep,sorry Chris.

[Ejc]

We're moving because it's something we've planned for years - we've done our homework etc - but when I look at the frantic pace of life in the UK and the hours you now have to put in to get anywhere and the "have to keep up with the Jones" attitude I can understand how some people make the decision and move without thinking it through....

I can remember being told a story about a couple of new families moving into a town and asking a local what the local people were like - this local returned the question and asked each family what the people were like where they had come from - one family said that the people were great - friendly and welcoming and that they'd made some wonderful friends - the other family complained about their neighbours and moaned about how unfriendly everyone had been to them. The response was that the people in the new town were exactly the same.... my experience has been that this is pretty true you get back what you give..... and we know we're going to have to work at getting accepted without being too pushy and that it will take time.

I guess that the spate of TV shows about selling up in the UK and moving to a huge pile in France and making a good living from gites or B&B has made peole believe that it's easy to do - whereas if you do some homework it's becomes clear that it's very hard work and without other income behind you - not possible to make a decent living from this. Its probably not a surprise that the UK TV companies are now wanting to make programms about people "house-trapped" abroad......

[egger]

Ejc, i agree with everything you have said [:)].

But i have to say i have done none of the above[blink], we decided 6 months ago to come to France, and you guessed it, we never been there. We have sold our businesses, our home and all our stuff.

Mad, mad, mad but oh what an adventure, and if i dont like it, so what, i can always go back. Who cares what people will say, as long as i have a laugh along the way, then all will be well.

THIS MESSAGE COMES WITH A HEALTH WARNING, PLEASE DO NOT TRY THIS IF YOU ARE, OF WEAK HEART. LOL