Has anybody properly lived in France?
Discussion
I don't mean having a holiday home, or a job with an English speaking company.
I mean proper buying a house, dealing with licensing authorities, builders/neighbours/bureacracy, making a living, paying tax, being ill type of living?
Everytime I search the net and look at the lifstyle I could have I get this yearning, and I would want to do a proper job not live in an ex pat vacuum but the stories of getting things done and doing the basics scare me slightly. Add to that my language skils would need to be significantly better than ordering food and asking for directions. Friends recently moved back from Italy (and they are anglo-Italian) and found simple things like getting a phone connnected, registering with a decent doctor (they had always come back to the UK for the doctor for the kids, sorting out banking when they cock it up etc. They alos encounterd some anti-English racism even though he was Italian and their kids had been born and grew up there. They had been in the Uk for 7 years after spending the previous 15 over there and found it frustrating compared to the UK.
I know there is somthing of an ex pats exodus underway if you read the UK media, as the poor £ is undermining pensions and savings and making French property worth more on the exchange back to the UK.
I mean proper buying a house, dealing with licensing authorities, builders/neighbours/bureacracy, making a living, paying tax, being ill type of living?
Everytime I search the net and look at the lifstyle I could have I get this yearning, and I would want to do a proper job not live in an ex pat vacuum but the stories of getting things done and doing the basics scare me slightly. Add to that my language skils would need to be significantly better than ordering food and asking for directions. Friends recently moved back from Italy (and they are anglo-Italian) and found simple things like getting a phone connnected, registering with a decent doctor (they had always come back to the UK for the doctor for the kids, sorting out banking when they cock it up etc. They alos encounterd some anti-English racism even though he was Italian and their kids had been born and grew up there. They had been in the Uk for 7 years after spending the previous 15 over there and found it frustrating compared to the UK.
I know there is somthing of an ex pats exodus underway if you read the UK media, as the poor £ is undermining pensions and savings and making French property worth more on the exchange back to the UK.
Edited by Brown and Boris on Wednesday 11th February 19:16
Brown and Boris said:
I don't mean having a holiday home, or a job with an English speaking company.
I mean proper buying a house, dealing with licensing authorities, builders/neighbours/bureacracy, making a living, paying tax, being ill type of living?
Yes, the French do it all the time, there's feckin millions of them over there to ask. HTH.I mean proper buying a house, dealing with licensing authorities, builders/neighbours/bureacracy, making a living, paying tax, being ill type of living?
yes!
my old man lives there, had the place since 2000. but he moved over permantly in early '08.
bout 1hour north of Clermont Ferrand. very few expats around, a handfull of dutch, however our neighbours are english (neighbours in the sense they live about 1 mile away, who we dont mix with)
Locals very friendly, i've got quite a few mates over there, and the old man helps them out with diy and they help him out. very much a favour type system. Nearest big town about 45mins away, but local supermarket is 20min drive.
anything in particular you after?
oh and as wacky racer says, getting in the mayors good books is a must!
my old man lives there, had the place since 2000. but he moved over permantly in early '08.
bout 1hour north of Clermont Ferrand. very few expats around, a handfull of dutch, however our neighbours are english (neighbours in the sense they live about 1 mile away, who we dont mix with)
Locals very friendly, i've got quite a few mates over there, and the old man helps them out with diy and they help him out. very much a favour type system. Nearest big town about 45mins away, but local supermarket is 20min drive.
anything in particular you after?
oh and as wacky racer says, getting in the mayors good books is a must!
Edited by rhys27 on Wednesday 11th February 19:32
Andy Zarse said:
Brown and Boris said:
I don't mean having a holiday home, or a job with an English speaking company.
I mean proper buying a house, dealing with licensing authorities, builders/neighbours/bureacracy, making a living, paying tax, being ill type of living?
Yes, the French do it all the time, there's feckin millions of them over there to ask. HTH.I mean proper buying a house, dealing with licensing authorities, builders/neighbours/bureacracy, making a living, paying tax, being ill type of living?
Andy Zarse said:
Brown and Boris said:
I don't mean having a holiday home, or a job with an English speaking company.
I mean proper buying a house, dealing with licensing authorities, builders/neighbours/bureacracy, making a living, paying tax, being ill type of living?
Yes, the French do it all the time, there's feckin millions of them over there to ask. HTH.I mean proper buying a house, dealing with licensing authorities, builders/neighbours/bureacracy, making a living, paying tax, being ill type of living?
mybrainhurts said:
Andy Zarse said:
Brown and Boris said:
I don't mean having a holiday home, or a job with an English speaking company.
I mean proper buying a house, dealing with licensing authorities, builders/neighbours/bureacracy, making a living, paying tax, being ill type of living?
Yes, the French do it all the time, there's feckin millions of them over there to ask. HTH.I mean proper buying a house, dealing with licensing authorities, builders/neighbours/bureacracy, making a living, paying tax, being ill type of living?
fellow Rotherham people.(From Treeton \ Swollonest how about you?)
It's been 'home' for us since 2004 and we've no regrets whatsoever (says me typing this from Singapore??)
If you make an effort with the language, little cultural differences and get to know the locals you should be made to feel very welcome, we certainly were.
As for working or earning a living there, depends on what it is you do to earn a crust. We set up a limited company in France last year and it's not an easy thing to do - compared to the UK or Ireland in any case. The social charges are enough to make your eyes water, but if you are going to be here longterm, you need to be in the system to get the benefits of it.
I've lived in many places and I truly feel at home in France, something I couldn't say about Dublin/London where I was born/raised. Have a go on the French regional section to see if anyone can give you some area specifics (assuming you've an area in mind) or PM me for other info.
ETA, are you any good witgh weapons as we need more bodies to see off MBHs' planned attack & forced migration policies!
If you make an effort with the language, little cultural differences and get to know the locals you should be made to feel very welcome, we certainly were.
As for working or earning a living there, depends on what it is you do to earn a crust. We set up a limited company in France last year and it's not an easy thing to do - compared to the UK or Ireland in any case. The social charges are enough to make your eyes water, but if you are going to be here longterm, you need to be in the system to get the benefits of it.
I've lived in many places and I truly feel at home in France, something I couldn't say about Dublin/London where I was born/raised. Have a go on the French regional section to see if anyone can give you some area specifics (assuming you've an area in mind) or PM me for other info.
ETA, are you any good witgh weapons as we need more bodies to see off MBHs' planned attack & forced migration policies!
Edited by HappyGoLucky on Thursday 12th February 03:14
My parents have lived there (Longues Jumelles, Maine et Loire, about 80kms south of Le Mans) since 1996. They retired, so don't have the day-to-day work BS to deal with, but live an idylic retirement lifestyle (big, rangey farmhouse, beautiful environment, good local wine - close to the track!)
Down-side is quite horrendous beauracracy, 6 weeks to get a plumber out and the postman is rat-arsed before he starts his delivery round.
I think it helps to be fairly wedged-up, before you embark on this journey - and if you aren't retired, health insurance can put a pretty sizable dent in your living budget.
Other than the absolute fact that most French people loathe the British with a burning passion, my folks love the place - and are very conveniently placed for my Vingt Quatre Heures du Mans pilgrimages.
Down-side is quite horrendous beauracracy, 6 weeks to get a plumber out and the postman is rat-arsed before he starts his delivery round.
I think it helps to be fairly wedged-up, before you embark on this journey - and if you aren't retired, health insurance can put a pretty sizable dent in your living budget.
Other than the absolute fact that most French people loathe the British with a burning passion, my folks love the place - and are very conveniently placed for my Vingt Quatre Heures du Mans pilgrimages.
Matt Harper said:
Other than the absolute fact that most French people loathe the British with a burning passion
Wher we moved in I invited the Mairie around for aperos as is the done thing down our way. I asked him what he thought of all the blowins and he said he'd rather have a village full of Enlgish/Irish/Belgian/Dutch/Germans than have a load of Parisians or Bordelaise.... I think the anti-English (or other outsider) sentiment is more Predominant in the North. Never experienced anything negative from the locals.I've been living in France for just over 10 years, on my third house, etc. Its a love/hate thing for me.
Pros:
-weather (I'm in the south)
-skiing 30 mins from front door
-the whole outdoor lifestyle in general now I think of it (I do lots of motocrossing as well)
-long lunches (this is also a con, see later)
-spaceous homes and gardens
-4 times more land per person than the uk (ie the feeling of space)
-general relaxed attitute to the laws of the land.
-no big brother
-I find the french general very friendly and accepting.
- no chav culture
- fanstatic health system
- very family orientated.
Cons:
- the food - yes I said the food , its all the bloody same ofter 10 years there is no variety at all.
- administration/service on any level, from ordering a spare part to building a house, or even ording somethign online, everything WILL take forever and you're lucky if it actually arrives (most things seem to get stolen in the post if its not registerd mail). This is not to be under estimated, as it'l;l basically take a day of your week up every week, ad infinitum.
- crap service everywhere.
- running a business (or being independant) is simply a complete nightmare.
- very very very very high social taxes.
- I miss pubs, british humour.
- I beleive I would have a better social life back in the Uk.
- opening hours - everything is shut when you want to buy something ( everyone goes for lunch from 12 to 2), so you have to cram in all you shopping in on a saturday which is a bit of a waisted weekend day.
Pros:
-weather (I'm in the south)
-skiing 30 mins from front door
-the whole outdoor lifestyle in general now I think of it (I do lots of motocrossing as well)
-long lunches (this is also a con, see later)
-spaceous homes and gardens
-4 times more land per person than the uk (ie the feeling of space)
-general relaxed attitute to the laws of the land.
-no big brother
-I find the french general very friendly and accepting.
- no chav culture
- fanstatic health system
- very family orientated.
Cons:
- the food - yes I said the food , its all the bloody same ofter 10 years there is no variety at all.
- administration/service on any level, from ordering a spare part to building a house, or even ording somethign online, everything WILL take forever and you're lucky if it actually arrives (most things seem to get stolen in the post if its not registerd mail). This is not to be under estimated, as it'l;l basically take a day of your week up every week, ad infinitum.
- crap service everywhere.
- running a business (or being independant) is simply a complete nightmare.
- very very very very high social taxes.
- I miss pubs, british humour.
- I beleive I would have a better social life back in the Uk.
- opening hours - everything is shut when you want to buy something ( everyone goes for lunch from 12 to 2), so you have to cram in all you shopping in on a saturday which is a bit of a waisted weekend day.
Wacky Racer said:
From what I can gather, the first thing to do is get very well in with the local town mayor.......
Absolutley. If you want to do anything you will need the mayor's permission.I have a friend who bought a load of property in Gavray in 2002. I would go tommorow if i could. . . . . . . . without hesitation. . .
M3333 said:
Wacky Racer said:
From what I can gather, the first thing to do is get very well in with the local town mayor.......
Absolutley. If you want to do anything you will need the mayor's permission.I have a friend who bought a load of property in Gavray in 2002. I would go tommorow if i could. . . . . . . . without hesitation. . .
HunchBack said:
mybrainhurts said:
Andy Zarse said:
Brown and Boris said:
I don't mean having a holiday home, or a job with an English speaking company.
I mean proper buying a house, dealing with licensing authorities, builders/neighbours/bureacracy, making a living, paying tax, being ill type of living?
Yes, the French do it all the time, there's feckin millions of them over there to ask. HTH.I mean proper buying a house, dealing with licensing authorities, builders/neighbours/bureacracy, making a living, paying tax, being ill type of living?
fellow Rotherham people.(From Treeton \ Swollonest how about you?)
Puggit said:
Luckily our 'next-door' neighbour (half a kilometre) away is the mayor's cousin.
Our planning request went through quite easily
I thought that might be the kind of thing. I used to live in a small South Herefordshire vilage and a bottle of fine malt was required to get planning permission.Our planning request went through quite easily
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