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Pace of life

Joe

By Joe
in The Complete France Post Bag

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Mr Coeur de Lion Newbie

Mr Coeur de Lion

Posted
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I don't know, there's something about the pace of life in the UK.

Having recently got back from New Jersey, probably the most densely populated state in America, I didn't find the pace of life that fast.

Sure shops and services were open at decent hours, but compared to the UK's pace of life, which I cannot bear anymore, it was much less.

In contrast, I am finding life in France very slow and I seem to have to plan my life around going to the post office or shops etc.

I have no idea what's happened to the UK in the past 12 years.
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idun Rookie

idun

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I would holiday where you live, I'd holiday 'rural' I visit 'rural' regurlarly, but I'll take 'people' and all that goes with it any day of the week now. For 'living' I need far more than 'rural' France or the UK could ever offer me. Pace of life, the key word there for me is 'life' as even in my dynamic village there wasn't enough life for me.

Also, do none of your neighbours really not have hectic lives. In our village the kids would be up and out before 7am if at school in the local city, (back at 7pm). The mothers usually, rarely papas, would be taking babies to the nounou before 7 they too would be back, well 6,7 or 8 at night, as most worked in the local cities. Frankly the 'pace' of life in our village for some was

horrible and hectic.

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YCCMB Newbie

YCCMB

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I've just got back to the UK after 2 months in France, during the peak holiday season. I went to Royan  once during my whole stay. Spent over an hour in back-to-back traffic, sweating and becoming increasingly frustrated. Went To La Rochelle once, too. On our last day, spent the afternoon there before heading for the airport. Impossible to walk on the pavements, loads of people everywhere.  Plenty of traffic, everywhere, the whole time. And that was in trou-perdu/s/mer.  I was constantly (and I mean constantly) being overtaken on the main road near my house by people who either didn't give a stuff about the speed limit, or believed that if they didn't get to the beach in under 10 minutes they were wasting their holiday. Mostly, it just meant they joined the next traffic jam all the more quickly.

In short, I saw little difference between France in August and London at any time of year. But that's the thing: for me, most of the UK is the same all year round. And I like that. However much I might get cross about the traffic and people in France during the summer, it beats the hell out of six months of enforced hibernation in France during the winter. And, given the "pace of life" in the UK, you can get things done in half the time it takes in France.

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crossy67 Newbie

crossy67

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The UK is far too stressed for me.  We own our own business and feel forced into offering 24/7 service or falling behind the ever increasing competition. 

France on the other hand seems dead by comparison, one of the main reasons for us buying where we have is it's one of the very few places we have been where there are people in the street during the day.  I can't believe how quiet everywhere else is, we drive through villages and there isn't a soul to be seen.

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thepenofmyaunt Newbie

thepenofmyaunt

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Well it's hardly surprising then is it?  You're not exactly in the boonies there! I wouldn't say that the M20 is representative of the pace of life in the UK.

Come to Somerset where I live. Quiet, empty roads, lovely quality and pace of life, the happiest people in the UK according to a recent EU survey. Not dead like France but not manic like the big towns. All the benefits of French life but without all the hassles, they more or less speak English - and our cheese is better too. I love it and wouldn't change it for the world.

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Patf Newbie

Patf

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I love that word "boonies"[:D]  Comes from "boondocks"  a tagalog (phillipines) word which means rough and isolated country. Looked it up recently.

Our village in France is one of those places which is almost dead in the winter, and all the young folks escape to Toulouse.

But as Somerset has a good pace of life so has the NE coast of England which I miss a lot - the open horizon of the sea especially.

Maybe one day.....

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ericd Newbie

ericd

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[quote user="Poppy"]OOh stoppit, could see St Mary''s lighthouse from my bedroom window. Not seen it for 40 years but do see it in my dreams.
[/quote]

Well, i didn't want you to wait any longer. 19h06 tonight. [:D]....Taken from carpark outside Briardene Pub.

Download 200920102...jpg (22.9 KB)

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Poppy Newbie

Poppy

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[quote user="Patf"]What is it about that part of the coast that makes us so nostalgic and sentimental?

I grew up about 6 miles north of there (Blyth.)

[/quote]

Patf I think you hit the nail on the head when you mentioned 'coast'. OH grew up in Wallsend a few miles inland and has no sentimental links to the area.

My feelings are that the coastline is still unspoilt and wherever you are it seems to go on forever and ever. Have stood on lots of other beaches but felt they ended a few metres each side. The North East coast starts at Tynemouth and ends at the Scottish border with lots of delights including Lindesfarne on the way.

I spent a summer with my uncle and cousin on Blyth pier they were fishing and I learnt to swim.

.

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Poppy Newbie

Poppy

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[quote user="ericd"]It's saving the file as Jpeg that threw me. The link works and two Geordy ladies are now happier. Thanks Quillan.[/quote].

Eric many thanks for your efforts. Bet you didn't think you would make two Geordy ladies happy in one night [:D]

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