Relocating to France..pro's and con's?

[Grannygrinder]

Been contemplating a move further afield.
I've always loved the mid south west coast of France around La Rochelle.
My wife had never been so when i suggested it before we moved to Wales it was a 'no'.
She's mellowed with age a bit, and now wants to leave this green and plesant land for pastures new as much as i do
I've got a few friends about 20 mins from Limosin who have always had great things to say about most aspects of living there.
I see quite a few people posting on here, some of whom appear to be expats and some who are clearly french nationals.
So what are the plus's and minus's of living and working in France?

Thanks

Mike

 

[cyfa2809]

good cheese
good wine
probably improved wellbeing due to weather/location etc.

smells of cabbage


not sure on what else
will see what others say

 

[TheGreenRabbit]

the French

 

[IDB1]

the French

+1

 

[Jacqueslemac]

Where to start?

Just do it - you won't regret it!

Seriously, though:

Learn to speak French so you're not restricted to mixing just with ex-pats (just because they're ex-pats like you, doesn't mean you'll like them).
Do your homework and visit various destinations at different times of the year.

I spent eighteen months there full-time (until my money ran out) and I found I missed
Beer (Belgian bière is a resonable subsititute!)
Live music in pubs
Various foods (e.g. hot cross buns)
The ability to chat to anyone, anywhere (due to lack of language ability)

What I didn't miss
The traffic, the state of the countryside (litter, waste etc), the obsession with money, the nine-to-five grind!

If you go to France, embrace the French way of life. If you go there expecting it to be like Britain with sunshine, you'll get frustrated.

I don't think I met a French person there I didn't like. On the other hand, I met plenty of British people I'd avoid if I met them in Britain!

(I asked one French local about what he thought about Brits buying their old houses. His response was that he didn't mind in the least - we buy houses they don't want and "at least you're not Parisian"!)

 

[sylus]

Yup the french

That said, for most as long as you are prepared to try and mix in and more importantly speak french then as somewhere to live they seem reasonable

 

[Grannygrinder]

.

My french is not great, but i get by.
Don't get the negative comments about 'the french'?
I've never had any issues when i've been over there, i've found them very welcoming on the whole

 

[Tad]

the French

+1

+2 Yes the French are a horrible race of people. When the Brits descend on them with their beer guts sweating away in their plastic football shirts, insisting on speaking English loudly and slowly whilst flapping their arms up and down adding io to make things sound foreign rather than bothering to learn the language, it is completely unreasonable for the French to be anything other than welcoming. Likewise, the cultural exchange that goes on when the Brits drink too much cheap lager should be welcomed by all and sundry with open arms.

EDIT: smiley added above to indicate to the slow witted that the above sweeping cultural generalisations are meant in a purely ironic way



:roll:

"I wanto a pinto of beerio, no beerio, LAGER, YOU KNOW, LAAAAAGEEEERRRRRRio"

 

[orange71]

My Dad lives there now and loves it - but he says the bureaucracy drives him mad. I lived for a year in Paris and mostly enjoyed it

 

[Harryburgundy]

Don't get the negative comments about 'the french'?

Ditto...and I find those remarks offensive to be honest...we have plenty of French members here remember people.