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Why did you leave the UK?


Cjb
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As I'm neither English nor French, my answer may not be as biased as some of the other replies. I lived in the UK for four years, and have now been in France for six months...I have met more people and feel more at home here in those 6 months than I ever did in 4 years in the UK. And I work from home, so not much chance at meeting people through work. That kind of sums up the difference between England and France.
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Although we've been in France for most of the last 3 years I wouldn't say that we've left the UK. When I do go back I still have  sentimental feelings about the place.  Although there are some changes for the worse I can think of various excuses for these and as I've said before I would be just as content in the Northumberland countryside or coast as I am here in the Gers. I think we'll probably return there eventually - sooner or later depending on health, money etc. We still have a house there and this was meant to be a holiday home. Pat.
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I left the UK for IT jobs in Germany as the recession hit beginning of 90's. Stayed for ~3 years but to-be wife didn't really get on with the culture. visited some friends near Fontainebleau (77), liked the place and completely by coincidence a job came up in the area a few months later. When we  moved I didn't speak any French whatsover, but again very luckly as I was working for an international organisation -Moved, bought house and I guess after the  kids started coming along never really thought about living anywhere else - that is until our recent move to the Tarn as I've just taken a secondment to Toulouse for a few years. We like it down here a lot and whole family having lots of fun (the 3 year old is picking up a great south west accent   ), but I think we'll eventually go back to Paris/Ile de France where there is a little more 'life' but still the ability to live in the country with lots of space

regs

Richard 

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Its nice to hear you are all pleased with your french life styles and i hope ours will be just as pleasant.  We are leaving the UK just before christmas with our 3 children, dog and horse!  Many reasons the same as already given really,  get away from all the over-crowding, takes hours to get anywhere, we don't even venture out on a bank holiday anymore as it takes all day to get to where we want to go.  We have a property in France we could not have bought here, with land for our horse and space for the children.  We have sold up here in the South east and are soon to begin a new venture in France.

I've been learning the language so i can just about get by but hopefully i'll learn more living in the country.

Anyway anyone in 22 area watch out there may be an english person in need of some friends!

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We wanted to move here because we fell in love with a particular area of France rather than "France" as a whole, and were spending every free moment we had down here.

On the UK side, the terrible crashes on the trains and having to commute every day, September 11th - when I was up in the Pyrenees oblivious for several hours -  etc made me think about what I really wanted to do.

Then, my work situation unexpectedly changed so I could work from anywhere, and it seemed too good an adventure/opportunity to miss, to learn a new culture, improve my language, get healthier, get out of rut etc. Usual "quality of life" arguments apply as well.

I still like the UK a lot, I like a lot of other countries as well, everywhere has its pluses and minuses, but overall France is the best suited for us for the forseeable future.

 

 

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Jane, no I didn't have to take the CAPES twice (thank goodness, all that wonderful knowledge about the industrial revolution that I've never been able to share with the 3eme Insertion ) But yes, I was an English assistant (twice, but that's another story) and my husband was a stagiaire in the same school. Just to be different, he's a hist-géo teacher, not English.
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We've recently bought a house in the Dordogne and hope to live there permanently within the next two years.

Reasons for leaving the UK? Property prices! Our pensions and half the proceeds of our UK house should (I hope) provide a decent retirement income. The other half of the UK house proceeds will be spent on buying a small UK flat for our son to live in, or to let. Other reasons......the UK is just so crowded, full, busy, over-populated and over-priced. I have no confidence left in the UK government of the day, or prospect governments. Having had a recent health scare I feel if I don't retire now, I'll leave it too late.

I fear: Resentment by French residents of Brits moving in (and not sure I blame them). Not getting to grips with the language. Being unable to socialise with the French. Being ashamed of the UK due to government policies. Missing my children. Missing the history of the UK.

I look forward to: Hiding! Not discussing, knowing or being expected to voice opinions on UK American influenced policies; living a simple, quiet life; gardening; eating simple good food at reasonable prices; Better weather; Researching my dad's side of the family (French), and his work with the French Resistance!

 

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[quote]We've recently bought a house in the Dordogne and hope to live there permanently within the next two years. Reasons for leaving the UK? Property prices! Our pensions and half the proceeds of our UK ...[/quote]

I also live in 24 and have done for many years. You will not find much resentment among the French to the British residents. Although they are getting concerned with rising house prices and blame the incomers for it. You will also find them polite, warm and willing to make friends. For your part you should make lots of effort to speak French and embrace their culture. Leave Britain where it is and try not to bring it with you.
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Peaceful, beautiful countryside, lower house prices, better climate, cheaper booze!  If I could have got all these things in the UK at a price I could afford I would probably have stayed there. 

By the way, are you writing or doing research for a book or yet another no going back program?

Nic

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We left UK in 1975 to emigrate to South Africa. Shock, horror in the bad old days of Apartheid, but with 29% inflation in GB at that time, we felt we had no option. Since then, stints in SA, Oz and Belgium. We would not/could not return to the UK primarily because we have been priced out of our own homeland but having said that, the mentality is no longer what we are used to.... sorry if this offends the majority of posters here but we find a great deal wrong with England nowadays. That's not to say that anywhere else is paradise: even dear old Switzerland, dear in both senses of the word, is no longer what is was 35 years ago. Cracks are appearing there too. Can't wait to get to France, at least the standard of living that is to say housing, is infinitely better than in the UK for a fraction of the price.
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We are leaving Britain for Averyon region soon.  As we are fed up with the way the country is heading.  We lived in a nice area up until a few years ago but it is going down hill fast.  I just want a better life for my children and for them to experience life without playing computer games, watching the tv and junk food and the yobbish behaviour that the town is under.  My children are 4yrs and 6yrs I want them to be able to play in the garden without worrying if their's any weirdo's watching from the fence.  It's coming up to xmas and watching the childrens xmas nativity is lovely time accept if you want to video it for your husband to see you are now no longer allowed to take pictures or video your own children just in case this is not for your own use it gets worse and worse.  I know that every country has these problems but children are not children for long in Britain they are made to grow up so much more quicker.  

My husband is a builder and he works 6 days and week and I work on his day off just to pay the bills and the mortgage.  We just want a much slower pace of life, some time together, our children to have a better culture and upbringing and we want a whole new life.  We are having french lessons and want to mix with the community.  Over here its all about what you have and what you havn't got, what your wearing, what your driving etc. 

We can't wait for our new life, we know its going to be hard but we are willing to give it a go after all what have we got to loose.  We don't want to say in 20yrs time we should have done that.

 

Tracey

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Hello Tracey,
Reading your post I can understand why you wish to leave Britain and give your children a better life.  I am glad to hear that you are taking  French lessons as this is a big part of living in France, some people get by but really to fully integrate learning the language is the greatest step, I was very lazy for the first few years  of living here and now because I have language skills it has really opened up doors for me within the community.  So never underestimate this, it is hard.  I had the luxury of speaking German before I came to France so I did know how hard it would be and had a basic understanding of grammar but get those books out and listen to those tapes!

Moving to France is not Utopia it is what you make of it and then are lots of changes and frustrations ahead, but if you can deal with these and not apply the English way of doing things to French life you have a good chance of success.  I do not wish to pee on your bonfire as everyone has their reasons to move here but the more research and the less expectations you have/have done the more happiness you will achieve.

France is now becoming aware of this crazy world we live, the teacher had to ask permission to take photos of my children recently and so it goes on.

I wish you success.

Deby

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 Tracey, I hope your move goes without hitch; I imagine in the Aveyron, you will find quite a lot of what you are looking for.

I did smile a bit while reading your post; computer games, TV and junk food are just as available in France as the UK. And as for yobbish behaviour, some towns have  no go areas even for the police after nightfall. From what i've seen of children in the UK and France, the British ones do seem to grow up a bit quicker and I treasure my children's "youngness" (and sometimes it worries me)

Enjoy the nativity play: I envy you. It's something I really miss in France, the chance to see my kids dressed up as a shepherd with a tea towel on their heads.  As Deby said, in France individual school photos are illegal so the schools try to get round it by asking for permission (we're not sure that we're legally covered but it means that parents are less likely to complain if they've signed a permission form)

My sister in law and husband live in Aix en Provence. he is a barman and works 6 days a week. She is a shop assistant and works 5. Not only do they hardly ever see each other but they have to bring their daughter up surrounded by that same, what are you wearing/driving ..... attitude you describe.  It's soul destroying.

Good luck in your move, Averyon is going to be a big change from Bishops stortford (I'm from hertfordshire too)

 

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[quote]Tracey, I hope your move goes without hitch; I imagine in the Aveyron, you will find quite a lot of what you are looking for. I did smile a bit while reading your post; computer games, TV and junk ...[/quote]

Re Tracey and the move to the Aveyron

Many of us will remember "Buster" on the old forum. She made the move from busy London to peaceful Brittany and found it just too quiet and very lonely. Hopefully she and her family are now doing well with their move to Paris.

Gill

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