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[Tonyf]

Did anyone see Sunday night's programme.

These programme makers are really taking the P now.

This one included a couple who were 'considering' a move and, in the meantime, sent their kid to the local school and the old man set about some uninsured, clandestine labouring work.

Great TV?  It's taking the P out of those who live here and pay their way.  Can you imagine the British re-action if Albanian TV sent and sponsored a couple to come over to the UK to do the same.

[Jc85]

I think there would be an uproar.

What made us laugh was the fact the wife had never even been to France, but had been to the Algarve!? What's that got to do with the price of poisson!!

They seemed to make little or no effort to properly investigate the employment situation while they were there just had a glorified 4 week holiday.

Jax

[Miki]

I caught most of the show. One has to wonder why someone would move to France having never even visited there but we actually know a few who have done it and of course TV shows positively encourages people to make the move. Sure they show the bad bits but for the most part, these shows always leave it on a bit of a high, further encouraging others to think it is the proverbial walk in the park.

The thing that got me was, surely the best part would have been showing them going back to France and how they planned on getting the hotel up and running? The show kind of ended where perhaps a good story was beginning but then the programme title would not have fitted, or perhaps it would have !!

Now knowing that many of these type of shows are in the "can" for anything up to 18-24 months, can't be sure about this one though, I am a little concerned as to how this family managed against huge beaurocracy with Hotel restorations, I really could fill your head with the huge problems concerning rules and regs, before one even gets to the opening stage.

I hope they managed OK but being a betting man, the odds would be pretty high for a success story I'm afraid. Too may hotels are up for grabs all over France at bargain prices..............why, well in part because many need huge expensive improvements and peoples holiday habits have changed enormously in the last decade or so.

 

 

[Jill<br><br>Jill (99)]

Yes, I saw it too. I was amazed that they would go there with doing no research about the area or even knowing about France itself. I do more research on a region than that for a 1-2 week stay (admitedly not on the in depth things they needed). I felt really sorry for the older girl too. They kept saying it would be OK if the children were happy, but it was quite obvious they only cared if the older girl was happy, and the 13 year old was just having to fit in. Yes, they were just having a good holiday really. I can't believe they cleaned the floor so many times and it was still that dirty, either. If the house was as dirty as they said, it must surely have been obvious when they looked around in the first place. I'm sure there new place will be a lot dirtier while they are doing it up! Presumably their hotel will only be suitable for English speaking visitors at least for the time being!

Oh well, good luck to them - I'm sure they will need it - especially in Limousin where we spent 8 days this summer. I couldn't work out whether they were just struggling to get the tourist industry going there or if it was failing. Most places we attempted to visit which were mentioned in leaflets were either closed or not open to the public - the last week in July, first week in August! 8 days was far too long to be there, we could find nothing to do and ended up heading back into the Dordogne twice. I'm sure it's a very nice area to live though.

[Will]

There was so much about that programme that just didn't add up. There have been two in this present series about France, and unfortunately neither seem to have enjoyed the weekday early-evening follow-ups after the main Sunday programme. Both have featured the difficulties in communication and finding employment if you don't have really good French, and in that way probably provide a valuable service. Sunday's actually featured the chap apparently working on the black for an acquaintance, and as far as the casual viewer was concerned this was presented as being quite acceptable - we know otherwise of course, apparently the relocation consultant is as ignorant as the family and programme makers. Both programmes saw people expecting to make a living from gites, and saw them attempting to set up hotel businesses despite having no experience and little French.

The people featured seemed unable to reach a decision about anything, first of all they even had to change their rental property (putting the relocation consultant through quite an ordeal negotiating a ridiculous discount on the price) then abandoning even that when they changed areas to central France, which they had discounted apparently because of the perceived lack of English-speaking schools etc despite knowing people who lived there already. It really looked as if we were actually going to see a programme where the people decided relocation wasn't for them - they were desperately unhappy with their initial choice of area - but the end of the trial period came on a high because they had discovered the cheap property prices elsewhere and the older girl had fallen on her feet in a school where the head teacher spoke excellent English and they were prepared to cope with her lack of French. No doubt given a few days more they might have been on a low?

I don't care what anybody says, it does make good TV (though we do live here and pay our way, so I understand what TonyF is saying).

[opas]

Mrs o here,of the unintelligent family on this forum! the man in the program said from the outset that he had schoolboy french and his mother was a french teacher, the guy couldn`t even ask at the mairie for the procedure to get his daughter into school!........which school did he go to then,certainly not the comprehensive I went to! I would be ashamed to appear so stupid.....though I supose if I was being paid!

[Kent]

[quote]Mrs o here,of the unintelligent family on this forum! the man in the program said from the outset that he had schoolboy french and his mother was a french teacher, the guy couldn`t even ask at the mai...[/quote]

I thought the rule was that if it was an informative show there were no payments allowed? The only benefits are supposed to be getting your story on film and in the case of the renovation type programs possible discounts from suppliers / builders etc who want to see their names on TV.

I have to say if its all that easy I am wondering why I am taking so long to relocate, making sure that my business is off the ground first and that I have an alternative source of income. Perhaps I should just go for it.....................then again!

I have to jump to the defence of Central France though - I think you are right in saying that tourism is just getting off the ground - but in my view that adds to the charm of the place. French is still the first language, the lakes and countryside are uncrowded and unspoilt and the attractions that are available are at sensible prices. I guess it depends on what sort of holiday you want - whilst attractions maybe shut the countryside is always open!

I love Central France and I hope that tourism grows in a controlled manner and the place remains unspoilt. I also hope that the program hasn't given people unrealistic ideas about property prices. Things ain't as "cheap as chips" as he said on the program. Prices are rising but then I suppose it is relative - you still get more for your money that in the UK and many parts of France.

[Rita]

We also watched the show as we have been planning our move for over 18months so thought we might learn something else. Well just shows how wrong you can be!!

We visit at least every other month if not more,work allowing. We keep practising our French and it is getting better however still not fantastic. Could not believe that they did not even appear to have a French Dictionary or Phrase book with them especially when they were trying to register their children for school. We take ours everywhere and believe me it has really helped.

We have visited at least 4 different areas before deciding which one suits us, perhaps easier for us as our son is 22 and staying in the U.K when we move, so no school worries.

We visited a couple of weeks ago and put an offer in on a property however still waiting to hear from the vendor if he will accept, so keeping fingers crossed. Needs renovating and will need to stay in caravan (Oh the cold!!) on site or perhaps rent a gite during the winter whilst we get it habitable. Hubby still working in the U.K one week here and every other week in France (keeps the money coming in).

I really hope these people get on with their Hotel thing as it seems a shame to have put the children through so much to have to return to the U.K. Would be good to know how they are getting on now. So is anyone knows these people perhaps they will enlighten us nosey parkers!!

Rita

[opas]

I too would be interested how this family got on...

No mention in the program about the hassles at the ASSEDIC or CPAM....though I supose that when you appear to be working on the Black then the E111 would also come into play

Never been to France....but its cheap there isnt it?!?

And what about those other English pupils that were put on show in the Headteachers office!!  I would go mad if I thought my girls had been put on the spot like that....

Would have loved a series on this couple,especially when they retuned with their 2 GB cars...oh the fun, but by then of course his schoolboy French would have been fluent,wouldn`t it

 

[Eskenazi]

The whole key to the preparation of these programmes is

lack of knowledge on the part of the participants! We

thought we might be of interest - French speaking owners of

a weekend house, so already tested the waters etc, now

considering moving over full time - but no, the (charming)

researcher said that although we 'sounded lovely' (!) we

were not what they wanted because ' the whole idea is that

we show you places you don't know and then it's all about

coping with what happens....'

[Annabell]

Well I thought good luck to them really.  They seemed like a very nice family and the 13 year old was very brave to start school without the language.

They never show you the whole lot of filming anyway, they may have made them look unknowledgable on purpose.

We've all been there in the beginning when having to deal with something unknown and flaffed about a bit on the spot.  You need to be here for a while until you gain confidence in speaking the language.

I really hope it works out for them.

[LesLauriers]

"We've all been there in the beginning when having to deal with something unknown and flaffed about a bit on the spot.  You need to be here for a while until you gain confidence in speaking the language."

I agree, we flaffed about on occassions when we first arrived, but even with schoolboy french he should have at least managed " je, errrr, voudrais errrr école, errrr enfants?" surely. He couldn't even get one word out, except in english.  

[benson]

[quote]We also watched the show as we have been planning our move for over 18months so thought we might learn something else. Well just shows how wrong you can be!! We visit at least every other month if no...[/quote]

This is to all who have an interest past or presentation this thread I have just discovered these posting on a search. This will probably seem biased but we are the 'friends' of this family. We live here in the Limousin and when they telephoned us from Pau to say they were coming to our area we gave them all the help and advice we could in fact it was us not the 'show' who found them accomodation and went with them to several places, found property connections  and gave directions etc etc  this of course wasn't shown on the show (partly because I refused to be filmed) but let me tell you that the crew filmed loads of people over here to do with job opportunities and people who helped them and none of it was shown. (by the way,the fee payed if you appear is 1 euro) The 2 person film crew did just that, filmed.

It was my husband who appeared on the show offering Nigel some work and it DEFFINATELY WOULD NOT OF BEEN ON THE BLACK as my husband is himself a qualified French registered artisan and we know all the ins and outs regarding this. as it happens Nigel didn't take us up on this offer as they decided to buy not a Hotel but a BAR with B&B rooms above.  See how the show just gets everything wrong Ok so their French isn't that good but did the programme show them when they WERE speaking French and being understood?

The whole family are doing very well the bar is LEGALLY up and running and serving food with mainly French customers.

Both children are doing well at school and are happy.

I myself have 2 of my 3 children in local french schools(not the same ones as this family) and they are happier than they were at school in England and became fluent within 6 months even though they had no French language when they arrived)

After watching the show back I was amazed how everything was portraid  We used to watch this sort of show when we lived in England and reality TV it aint things couldn't be more different. It is not good for France, For the Limousin,for the families featured or anyone else who gets caught up in it.

This is of course our personal experience but having been through it I can only assume most are the same.

Just remember don't believe everything you see on T.V!!!!

P.S theres still a chance of a follow up show!

Regards

[Will]

Thanks for the update.

We who saw the programme know how it all came across on screen, so it's reassuring to know that things weren't quite as they seemed, and it all seems to be working out. I think reading this topic, in conjunction with pages 14-17 of March 2005 Living France, just proves what we all suspected about these programmes.