The good old days

[Furry Knickers]

Well I just got back from Normandie yesterday night, and I nearly died when I arrived at me little colombage house! I was examining me grapes on Sunday morning, when a large brown snake flew out of me bush! Well I was in such a state of shock I had to have 2 cups of Ovaltine! Then the same night 2 bats came at me and chased me inside the house! Next morning I opened all me windows to air out the old place when a load of Swallows flew in and decided to chat among themselves in me bedroom! Then in the garden I saw the most hugest flying black beetle I ever saw in the whole wild world! There are some very exotic creatures moving into Normandie lately.

I remember looking at the forum a few years back when there was a woman called "mirtle_smith" that got picked on all the time by a lad called "livehaggis" because of her love of inflateable garden sheds. I thought it was a bit too surreal and weird for me then, but now it is ok at times. The troggs need to pop along now and again to keep it exciting and making you want log in and see what the craic is!  You need a good mixture of different types and species (I would like to see more Hibiscus using the forum) as they say "variety is not looking at the poker when you have snow on the roof" How right they are!

[cafeman72<br><br><br>-- <br>Saintes (17) - nope I dont live in Sarthe, 72 is when I was born.]

My goodness, nothing for years and now you can't shut me up

Tresco, how about that. We lived in Sheffield for years before moving to 17. We have quite a bit in common location wise it seems. Hunters Bar, do I miss it? Do I ****!

The question was to do with plumbing actually - boring I know, but pretty important to me at the moment. I want to get 3 radiators in to complete the set before winter comes.

Top Tip: Copper pipes don't come preannealed here... nearly broke my pipe bender before I worked that one out. Sorry to be OT.

[letrangere]

Our French banker friend summed this up when he described the people more recently coming over as being of a "nouvelle gamme".

Here's an example of how much this Forum has changed in recent months.  A year or so ago your comment of yesterday would have been picked up by a large number of people and the insults would have been flying in all directions.  I posted something similar 18/24 months ago and within hours was forced to remove to my name and address from my profile, I was that scared by the reaction.  Yet ironically I look back rather fondly now on those times.

I've said before here that I can't understand how anyone can be persuaded to move anywhere based on something they see on television.  And now I actually have access to BBC Prime on cable and can actually watch some of these utterly appalling dream house in the sun programmes, I'm even more amazed.  Frankly (says she ducking low in advance of incoming flack), if the half wits on these shows are typical of those moving abroad nowadays, they're not going to be around long enough to arrange an Internet connection to log on to this site, let alone post as to how they're doing.  Or, as is more likely, not doing...

M

 

 

[Teamedup]

Cafeman, is that you or one of my most favourite actors?

 

And superior, I don't get that. But look what I have just been called. ty korrigan is right about one thing  though, after my initial problems on here, like MWJ, I made sure that no personal details were on here, so yes, I like the anonymity of my puter. I'm not the other things though, although I have been known in real life to cajole people into doing postive things when they are saying 'can't' too much.

Are you a weak little bully type hiding behind your computer...? A negative, pessamistic, unhelpfull weak bully...?

 

I do hope TK felt better after râle'ing like that.

[cafeman72<br><br><br>-- <br>Saintes (17) - nope I dont live in Sarthe, 72 is when I was born.]

"Cafeman, is that you or one of my most favourite actors?"

The latter - from Mean Streets. Tres cool non?

Sounds pretty scary... were people looking to 'duff you up'?

[Vraititi<P>PSG till I die -fluctuat nec mergitur.<P>]

Wonderful discussion and so it should be, after all it's about the Good Old Days ! It's all kicking off now, in all directions, can't quite follow pace, slow down !

Christine: since 1978, except for 4 yrs gallivanting here, there and everywhere outside Europe, I've always lived here. Yes, of course, I like it here on the whole, although ideally I'd like to be based in Paris in my old days (Menilmuche, Belleville or Buttes-aux-cailles preferably), but if it doesn't happen, peu importe, je m'en tape le ionf (must also admit on a more mundane level that the state of the NHS scares me*****less here as well).

Bixi, a big thank you to you, very interesting to hear yr comments, and thanks again for taking the time to answer. The new 'breed' of ex-pats as described by yr banker friend ? Well, inevitable really, with that potent French cocktail (close to UK, sunnier, warmer, cheap property, space, health service, generous UB's and family benefits). I wonder why it did not happen before to be honest. Inevitable also that one day or another France would get a proper cross section of Britain on its shores. The French here aren't quite fully representative of France as a whole but I feel that it is slowly coming. I go to London quite a lot, and know quite a few French 'expats' here and funnily enough we were commenting on that fact the other (i.e few French Bidochons as such here yet, but increasing).

So yr banker friend talked of 'une nouvelle gamme', interesting ! But aren't those people (if they aren't loaded) worried about not being able to make a decent living in France ? It costs a bit to maintain a pool and so on, if they're not working in France, what do they expect to live on ? (if not getting a pension) How many people/families are you basing your findings on ? And are there major variations in France according to the different regions ?

[Teamedup]

Cafeman, I find him slightly scary, rather than cool. He just puts the edge in things, LOL even that comedy when Cameron Diaz plays his wife.

One of my most favourite films is The Young Americans, I love that film.

 

 

 

[SaligoBay]

Wow, you've all been busy!!!

Me, I'm in a strange place..... drove 120 miles today, on good roads, under blue skies, not a traffic jam in sight, it was lovely.   Scenery spectacular.   Had breakfast out in the garden this morning, and it was verging on too hot.  Cafes cheaper than in France, how cool is THAT!!   Shop staff, bar staff, everyone polite and friendly.    Everyone drives VERY slowly compared to France, I guess it must be the laid-back lifestyle here.

I haven't seen any murders or binge-drinking yet, so I firmly believe myself to have landed in a crime-free paradise. 

Only problem is that the TV isn't showing that Trafalgar thing, I'd like to see that.

Bonne soirée à tlm

 

 

[Vraititi<P>PSG till I die -fluctuat nec mergitur.<P>]

Now that we're all out slouching around the campfire, please TU and SB, tell us what it was like in the good 'ole days of the Forum, please, racontez-nous

[Hegs]

Vraititi, I am not so sure the good old days were so good. I've been a member for probably 4 years, maybe more, a French homeowner or in progress for 3 and a full-time French resident and employee for 2.

Certainly this forum used to be the only game in town and the others were like ghost towns. I don't know if you ever travel by bus on pension day in the UK or have seen the "yorkshiremen" Monty Python sketch where they discuss how hard life was in the old days. To me this forum was like a cross between the two.

It was only after a while people started to realize the small group of people who spent all day online complaining about how hard life was in France, seemed to have a fairly easy life compared to my working life in the UK (seeing as they could afford to spend all day online answering posts!), and that a lot (not all, but a lot) of information given out by them was absolute c-r-a-p.

Certainly I was left in no uncertain terms after asking that a few things I wanted to do would be practically impossible, in practise they were actually pretty easy.

At the end of the day, with forums like these, the people happiest with their move to France are going to drift off because they really have no further need - if indeed they ever went online here in the first place - and par contre the longest serving forum members will inevitable be those who are still unhappy and those who just have never settled.

I've noticed a few of the old timers are being more choosy in how often they post and what arguments they pick rather than all the time and everything. That's a welcome change but it might still be too late.

Lastly, this place just isn't that important anyway. In my case very few of the English I know living here read this forum, let alone post. Even if it were the largest, at my guess less than 5% even take a look here.

[Teamedup]

ah the good old days,  pity the archives were lost. A mêlée in a Punch and Judy show really.

I hope Saligo has time to respond. She has a wonderful way with words and anything I could say would come a very poor second.

ps sorry for putting you on the spot Saligo

[benson]

Hi to all watching this thread.

There were some questions posted a few pages back (to many to trawl through to pick out all the relevant quotes)

We moved here (23) 2 years ago I suppose we would be classed a young familly as I was 27 with 3 young children.  So heres my contribution from that angle.

We didnt watch any TV shows untill after making the decision

Scince moving here I can say without a doubt Im glad this was the case as they really dont portray 'real life'

We did use this forum for many many questions most of which are still being asked by most newbies.  We had nothing but helpful friendly replies.  It was a mine of information although there is no substitute for being here and finding out for yourself as every different place seems to work by a different set of rules!!  and were were well overprepared on the paperwork side of things before we arrived (better safe than sorry!)

The forum nowadays is still posting useful and constructive comments but does seem less friendly to those considering the move than to those already here.Any ideas why and It is a shame that so much was lost in the revamp.

It was a book which I'm sure many of you have read called 'Bon courage' that firmed our decision as it was based in Limousin, involved a renovation project and certainly wasnt through rose tinted specks!

Funilly enough this chap who wrote the book has given up (so Im told) and the house is up for sale!!

It was house prices which enabled us to make the move.

We did no forward planning we arrived with a trailer tent in October with only a rough idea of where the campsite was located.  It took us 4 hours to travel a distance which now takes us just 1.  We ripped the canvas roof of the trailer tent when seeting up in the pitch black in the pouring rain.  and the next week it was sub zero temps!  Not the best start!!!

We weren't put off we spent the next 5 months property hunting,  and put the eldest 2 children a the local school.

We were well aware that we wanted to purchase a renovation project and even in this 'cheap' department it would have been all we could afford.  We have no interest in making a profit just a nice family home.

We finally found the 'one' and deliberatly chose to move away from the 'little brit' community we had accidently arrived in ( although it has to be said it made life easier meeting other brits who were extremely helpful) we wanted to live a french life in a french hamlet with french neighbours.  Our French is coming along well even my written skills are improving but we are having to work very hard at it.

My husband started his own business even though his French was limited. and we are renovating very slowly.  As many of you will be aware last winter was very cold and snowy.  We were living in a barn with very little heating and the mains water frozen for weeks at a time.

Our french neighbours have been friendly and welcoming and also told us that they 'The french' tend to be more welcoming to those who have to earn a living and are perminant residents to those ( like the parisiens) who buy up property for profit or holiday homes.

I understand that this is not everyones cup of tea and I also appreciate everyones comments and opinions.  Many aspects of living here are similar to living anywhere but we are happier doing it here.  Everyones situation is different but you have to give it a go and if it works for you then great if not well at least you can say you tried.

As you can see we are not rose tinted but we are all happy so we will stay!

Im sorry this has turned into a VERY long Blog type post

[Tresco]

Excuse me everyone.

Cafeman, Same part of Sheffield too!!! 2 sisters live a stones throw from Hunters Bar - those hair raising drives up and down that stretch of Ecclesall Rd on  Friday/Sat night with all the people staggering into the road drunk (that said I still like Sheffield very much).

Hegs said

'At the end of the day, with forums like these, the people happiest with their move to France are going to drift off because they really have no further need'

Well I reckon I will always feel the need to have a laugh and a chat about living in France with other people who live in, or are interested in France. Thats why I come here.

'....- if indeed they ever went online here in the first place - and par contre the longest serving forum members will inevitable be those who are still unhappy and those who just have never settled'.

It doesn't equate with being happy or unhappy at all. What on earth are you on about????

I've noticed a few of the old timers are being more choosy in how often they post and what arguments they pick rather than all the time and everything. That's a welcome change but it might still be too late.

You seem to have been here a fair while yourself Hegs, and visit often enough to take note of and make judgements on the pattern and style of 'old timers' posts too!

When you say 'choosy' how do you know people are being so? I've been visiting the site for more than 3 years and the people who I remember from then have remained consistent, both in the way they give advice, start interesting topics and get involved in discussions otherwise.

[Miki]

Hegs said "....It was only after a while people started to realize the small group of people who spent all day online complaining about how hard life was in France, seemed to have a fairly easy life compared to my working life in the UK (seeing as they could afford to spend all day online answering posts!), and that a lot (not all, but a lot) of information given out by them was absolute c-r-a-p."

Right Hegsy old thing, easy to criticise those old timers (I have been in France a long time but only a couple of years or perhaps more on LF, time flies eh)in simple text but how about telling us all, what information or c-r-a-p as you put it, did they actually get wrong ? I would put that more in the context of not "old timers" but newbies who simply guessed at the answers or were those peeps who listened to the old chinese whispers club at the local hostellerie !

Hegs "....Certainly I was left in no uncertain terms after asking that a few things I wanted to do would be practically impossible, in practise they were actually pretty easy"

Such as ? Or is it the old cliché, it's only easy when you know the answers perhaps ! Sure some things are far easier for some people than others, especially to those who can mumble more than simp[ly "Bonjour" nothing is quite so simple for those yet to learn the language, is it ?

Hegs said "...At the end of the day, with forums like these, the people happiest with their move to France are going to drift off because they really have no further need - if indeed they ever went online here in the first place - and par contre the longest serving forum members will inevitable be those who are still unhappy and those who just have never settled".

Par contre, I feel it is those that have settled best that I feel are on here and still giving (and receiving, we can ALL learn more each day !)advice as they do feel more settled. Why would it would inevitably be only unsettled people that come on here, rather bizarre that !! I know many happy people on forums and many that have been here for a few years or more. The ones you don't here of often after a while could well be the ones, where the avaerge stay can be from 6 months to a few years, the unhappy or unfortunate ones who hav eto return for a variety of reasons, leaving the "happy" ones still here smiling but giving it straight !! Just a thought but can one be settled but simply not have a permanent grin on their chops ?

"Hegs "...I've noticed a few of the old timers are being more choosy in how often they post and what arguments they pick rather than all the time and everything. That's a welcome change but it might still be too late"

Deary me, what a statement, go wind up the locals ! Too late for what...supper ?

Hegs "....Lastly, this place just isn't that important anyway. In my case very few of the English I know living here read this forum, let alone post. Even if it were the largest, at my guess less than 5% even take a look here"

I guess it has never been anything else but unimportant to those that feel like that but to the many hundreds that have been helped or like a chat etc, it must seem extremely important perhaps. I personally don't know more than two others people who post on here (and very irregularly as well) but is your statement of any consequence, don't think I actually fathomed it out really, as to why you quoted it ?

[Teamedup]

I think it is forgotten that things change. I expect them to change, that is what life is like.

 

And who knows everything. I know I don't know everything and of the things I do know, the above applies and they can change.

 

I take life as a constant learning process and I like to know what is going on and how certain things will affect my life here. Therefore this board fulfills a great function for me too. I learn about things that pertain to me. Just off the top of my head -  Carte de Sejours and  being able to take our animal back to the UK. My french friends usually wouldn't really pay much attention to such things. I need to know about them.

 

I am  happy. If I wasn't I would change my life.

[Hegs]

Tresco:

>It doesn't equate with being happy or unhappy at all. What on earth are you on about????

I find the idea of someone reading and posting obsessively on a forum for their "home country" they left 20 years ago incredibly sad. Maybe that is just me.

>You seem to have been here a fair while yourself Hegs, and visit often enough to take note of and make judgements on the pattern >and style of 'old timers' posts to

I read a fair amount more now the "good old days" are gone and I can keep up. I hardly ever post unless it is a quick answer or correction to a question I know the answer to, but life is too short and I usually regret getting dragged into the same old arguments like this one.

Miki:

>[what] did they actually get wrong

The usual stuff: requirements for a CdS, carte vitale, passing a driving test, having a baby, income tax levels.

The reasons have tended to been assuming it's done the same way in every department, assuming that the "newby" doesn't speak French, assuming that everyone is self employed, in the tourist industry somehow, or as TU says the information just being way out of date since when you had to do it, or relying on what their French neighbors say being gospel. My French neighbors tend to talk rot too!

>Certainly I was left in no uncertain terms after asking that a few things I wanted to do would be practically impossible, in practise they >were actually pretty easy

Income tax form, and passing the French driving test would be the two examples.

>I actually fathomed it out really, as to why you quoted it ?

Yes that was sloppy and I was unclear. It was a response to Patf's:

> ps connection to "the old days"- why do people continue to come to live in France after all the off-putting messages on the forum?

The other forum seems to be doing pretty well, but a whole load of other people have gone down the same path in blissful ignorance of this or any other forum, and seem in general to be doing OK as far as I can see. Don't get me wrong this place is useful but it is in no way a replacement for real life.

[Teamedup]

Hegs what are you on about. If you are being judgmental, which is your right,and if you are talking about me then your judgement is well off.

 

[Furry Knickers]

Well said Mrs Tresco!

There is too much Elephantic and Hippocritical nonsense posted here too! (I hope I never see a critical Hippo, they are cute but very dangerous) Why do humans get a kick out of spoiling things  for creatures that have different interests and different personalities to them? An Irishman back in County Kildare once said to me "If all people were identical, how would we know which one was us?"  So Mr Hegs thinks he is better than others because he posts less frequently and wants to give the impression he has better things to do? why would you need to stress that point? who cares anyway? God only knows what you are behind that computer! you might be a trained acrobatic ring tailed Lemur or one of those things that watched Celebrity Love Island? There is room on board for us all!

"Chasing a breeze in the middle of the sea is impossible without a boat"

 

[Tresco]

Hegs said

I find the idea of someone reading and posting obsessively on a forum for their "home country" they left 20 years ago incredibly sad. Maybe that is just me.

We would probably all agree with that, except I can't think of a single person here who I could describe in this way.

But then I wouldn't do it anyway, because I have no way of knowing whether someone reads the forum 'obsessively'. I have no quarrel with much of what you say Hegs, but you would have to be in someones house quite a while to be able to say that.

 

 

[Tresco]

[quote]Well said Mrs Tresco! There is too much Elephantic and Hippocritical nonsense posted here too! (I hope I never see a critical Hippo, they are cute but very dangerous) Why do humans get a kick out of...[/quote]

Furrynix said

God only knows what you are behind that computer!

That goes for everyone doesn't it, it's one of the things I like about it

There is room on board for us all!

Barring recent 'man overboard' incident

[Russethouse]

What Hegs seems to have forgotten is that being able to work remotely is what has allowed many Brits to move to France. That sometimes means hours at a time on the computer - its only natural to pop into the forum for a 'break' now and then - isn't it ?

[letrangere]

But aren't those people (if they aren't loaded) worried about not being able to make a decent living in France ?

But that's what's so interesting about the rose tinted specs brigade, Vraititi, their astonishing optimism.  I don't think not being able to make a decent living in France has ever crossed their mind for they are invariably totally convinced that everything is going to work out wonderfully well.  They all seem to assume that the small amount of cash they have left over from sale of property in the UK is going to support them and their family indefinitely.  They imagine that the ruin they've bought in the depths of nowhere is going to be an up and running, highly profitable full all year round B&B/gites complex in a matter of months.  Or without a word of French, transferrable skills or relevant previous experience they'll automatically find a job wherever they pitch up.  And, of course, they'll "pick up" the language merely by being on French soil.  Their life is going to be overnight far less stressful and much more fulfilling.  The children are going to excel at school, formerly strained relationships will be strengthened, life will be gloriously rosy.  They generally acknowledge that they may never be rich but, tant pis, they'll be happy. 

If their appearance on this Forum can be used as an indicator, could they perhaps be a dying breed?

M

[Will]

"and par contre the longest serving forum members will inevitable be those who are still unhappy and those who just have never settled'

Now there's a funny thing. Nice to know we're unhappy and won't settle. I think Punch has been around here longer than me, and of course he's not settled either, having not managed to make a success of running a business in France....

Mind you, in reality although I'm far from unhappy in France I know I'd not be unhappy in England either. Life is what you make it, wherever you are, and problems don't go away just because there's a bit of water between where you were and where you are now. While those who complain about Britain being badly governed, over-bureaucratic, too European, full of immigrants, over-taxed, over-worked want to move to France - what are they on?

[Vraititi<P>PSG till I die -fluctuat nec mergitur.<P>]

Hegs, are you a Fort Boyard nut ?

[cafeman72<br><br><br>-- <br>Saintes (17) - nope I dont live in Sarthe, 72 is when I was born.]

Excuse me too

Tresco wrote, "Cafeman, Same part of Sheffield too!!! 2 sisters live a stones throw from Hunters Bar - those hair raising drives up and down that stretch of Ecclesall Rd on Friday/Sat night with all the people staggering into the road drunk (that said I still like Sheffield very much)."

Whenever someone asks me what I miss about the UK, I say, 1) Bilash and 2) 24 hour shopping. We had both of those things on our doorstep living at the bottom of Penrhyn Road as we did.

I guess you can't have everything.

Now, back on topic (kinda). MJW's post a page back describes perfectly a few young families that we know. They seem to be getting by somehow - I really don't know how though!

When we came here I had an internet company to run, and still do. I knew I would need income here, because you need an income no matter where you are (no?). This is something that /some/ people seem to forget when they pack up and move to France, and I have no idea how they convinced themselves that it would be OK without it. Unless they really believed that they could live on the cherry tree, chickens, and the potential gite income they'd get once they've done out the old barn with nothing but elbow grease. I feel sorry for their children more often than not.

*ahem* ... I'll get my coat.