I agree that's a sweeping statement about the cold our friends from nr Leeds Castle, Kent, think it's the frozen north here in rural North Yorkshire. It's all relative.
Bob, is that office WALLAH?
Or have I missed some new "street talk" word?
I wrote a book about SURVIVING IN FRANCE but have recently changed the title to TO TELL THE TALE (after other authors - and "groups" :-) purloined the title )
I am a double survivor. Came in 1982 with husband and daughter - husband was an office wallah but must add he had a job to come to. Returned to UK in 1993 sans daughter.
Came alone in 2006 (husband deceased) and am still surviving, still writing about the pitfalls and the joys.
Going to read the other replies now. Should have done that first but am finding this site difficult to navigate.
It's all relative, isn't it? Is -3 really that cold? I spent 5 years in a place where -3 was a normal day's temperature in winter... mild even. They say the Jura's cold. But that's just what the Haute Savoyards think.
I think it would be foolish to completely depend on Pole Emploi for work. a good interim agency will find work for ANYONE. I had only heard about the shortfalls of Pole Emploi till this winter, and I experienced it for myself. they have little or no understanding of most areas of work, and so it's very hard for them to even sound like they know what they're talking about. I registered as a restaurant manager or hotel manager, and I keep getting e-mails for part time waitress work in cafe de la place type establishments. If I WANTED to have any of those jobs, I could, as could any "foreigner". I have never had trouble finding work in France. But then again, it depends on speaking the language and a readiness to integrate, like everything else. Pole emploi have some great advosirs, but most of them just go through the motions and will not get you a job. Don't count on it, and go to an interim agency.
I would advise you not to buy an isolated property. Make sure you have very close neighbours. Brits near us have been burgled several times when they are on holiday and their nearest neighbour is 20 yards away.
A lot is made of avoiding English "ghettos"... But if you don't speak French you had better seek them out. And like it or not, you will make friends with English people quicker as you can suss them out quicker.
Our humour and interactions are bound up in words...English words....in other words you may be fluent in French but can you be subtly funny...mocking...self deprecating ... etc in French as in English?
There's more to life than bonjour and ca va? Which is why the english band together ... To have a laugh!
French people are not inherently more authentic than any other nationality. And unless you have been to school here, seen all their TV programmes, spent Sundays at your relatives and summers on family holidays,etc understanding their world view can be challenging.
Whereas...your new English friend will understand that Monty Python joke immediately...
#justsaying
Bob, I didn't do this (my circumstances are & were,very different), but in your situation , if you have a property in the Uk you have the option of selling up and downsizing to a property that would be a good rental investment, converting your existing property to maybe a couple of flats that could be rented out - or sell one, to give you a decent deposit in France when you want to buy. In any case, any property that you own in the Uk will be a good investment through rental income and importantly because it will at the very least hold it's value and most likely go up in value considerably, during the period when you are looking around in France and testing the waters....something that cannot be said for France.
Then, come and live in and explore your chosen areas....Many expats end up moving around in France but it takes much longer to sell a property in France than the UK (just look at the numerous properties for sale on 'le bon coin'..).in my location not far from Bergerac, one can see numerous handwritten on cardboard, for sale signs and I know people who have been trying to sell for 3 or 4 years...
Look at what skills you have and perhaps gain actual building or Tecchie IT related skills, before coming over. So a couple of years good prep.doing these things could make the difference between a successful and less stressful,happy, transfer to France and one where you feel it's been a costly mistake.
Average unemployment rates are much higher in France than the U.K though obviously depends where you live in both countries. Seems normal to me that French nationals get preference as it is their country!
their country o
We are in Bellac, north west HV. We have friends in other parts of HV. Weather varies over such short distances here (we are from Australia which has a whole different climate!) that I am not sure you can say one commune or another is cold/wet/whatever. We wanted isolated but ended up buying a place with large garden on edge of small town. That way we get supermarkets and other facilities within walking distance which is great. Still dream of my isolated maison in its own land though...
I have been watching the new program, "a new life in the sun" or some such title. I am surprised that so many move to France/Spain with no real plan for how they will live. We do have a sort of plan, but are nearing retirement age. Loving it here so far, I cant compare how it is price wise compared to UK as I havent lived there for many years, though shopping here is not so good and seems more pricey, house prices are obviously much lower. Most English here I have met are either retired and living on pension, or tradesmen.
We didnt want to be anywhere "touristy"! Our location is close enough to go see those bits, then come home to peace and quiet!
Arrived in France in 2009 with a plan and finance! Two happy years then UK kicked us out of the NHS and France said non! Ok.........now in 2016 we are still here and have a Gite that has been running three years now with two more coming on board this year. We have a carte vitale and mutuelle and I recently acquired a French driving license having sold our English house.
My house still needs renovating but we have renovated a small barn to make a house for our eldest daughter and hubby. She makes cards and sells them in a couple of local shops. She is also a nanny and gets some work with children. Youngest daughter lives locally with her French hubby and makes jewelry she sells at markets and via the Internet. Not big bucks but keeps the wolf from the door. Youngest daughter is fluent in French and we all speak some. No problem dealing with tax office, prefecture, doctors etc and most weeks I have a chat with a lady at the supermarket checkout.
I miss Blighty, the pubs and the culture but am here for good now. I am rural in Normandy amongst the dairy farmers with access to bigger towns if I want them. Next week we will go to Le Mans for the day, about 60 miles away to visit C&A!
We mix with French at car meets and the like and although always have to ask them to speak slowly can cope.
It is what you make it!
Do your home work, do not move for some romantic ideal, try to learn the language...it's easy to buy a house, but running it without an income will be difficult. For most, the taxes are fairly hefty for those under the retirement age, shopping can be expensive if you want the same as the UK, but if you are not looking for exotic then it's (in my opinion) just as cheap here, geographical location will make a difference. Choose your location with care. The French like the British tend to be parochial and minds sets differ toward immigrants. Other wise living here is laid back and compared to my previous life in the UK certainly a step up. Be prepared to integrate without that you will quickly become isolated. What ever you choose...live your life!
Do your homework before arrival. Integration is essential, not being solely reliant on other ex-pats on earning a living.
I was contacted recently by someone in the UK, he was just about to retire from the Police Force and thought he'd like to move to Dordogneland or Vienneshire and try his hand at my line of work. He had no experience and was about to pay for an online course in the UK to qualify.
I mentioned that he'll need to get a Siret N°, take French exams, use products solely with French labels etc... He hasn't come back to me, so I guess he'll try another occupation!
Rob
Learning the language is a must.
I think we have found a good balance of friends both English and French since we made the final move just over 3 years ago. We live in the Pays Basque and have found the locals very welcoming. I am now learning basque too, many of the publicity posters for events here are only in basque, and even if I still find it difficult to hold a conversation I can now order the beers in the bar.
We have joined the club des ainés, craft group and a dance class. We participate in village events and even lay a poppy at the war memorial after the pose du gerbe (very much appreciated by the locals). We feel fairly integrated and we would not have enjoyed being in a Brit-ghetto.
We chose to move to a village where we were already known and had friends, but where we were the only Brits. We have been made very welcome indeed.
I wouldn't want to move to an area where there were lots of other Brits, as I sense slight resentment against incomers, a bit like Cornwall,especially if they stick together and don't mix readily with the French. We have the same situation with the Swiss in our village. They pay over the odds for property and tradesmen, making everything more expensive for the natives, shop after work in Geneve, visit family in Switzerland at weekends and leave the house shuttered up all the time. They don't "belong". Already aware of the anti-Swiss sentiments in our village before we moved over, we were determined not to create the same impression.
We are happy to speak English with any neighbours who want to practice or prepare for a UK visit, but even friends who spent a year or more in England as au pairs would much prefer to speak in French with us, which is a great incentive.
I wonder if I hold the record – 59 years - for The French Dream? I married a man I did not - still do not - like because he held out a honeymoon in Paris as a carrot even though he hates France. As a teenager who had never been outside Wales and who dreamed of all things French I told him long before the wedding that was the only reason I said yes. I stayed for 23 years until the kids left home but did not pursue my dream until I met my soon to be second husband who shared it. So desperate are we to live in France that last year I sold my flat in the UK, moved in with him in his rented flat and bought an old house in Amboise with no kitchen or bathroom. Life in France is a shock on so many levels. I have survival French and assumed I would pick it up by osmosis. Wrong. No-one speaks English so it is very isolating. I am trying to persuade Himself to chuck in the job he hates and start the business he has always dreamed of, running photography holidays in France. He’s done the website www.photographfrance.com. I think, with no mortgage, we can live on my State/Teacher’s pension of £9k p.a. What do you think?
We have private pensions that combined come to about £13,000 per year. Our Gite business helps us progress renovations but we did come here with a large pot of savings to start the work. We have done most of the work ourselves learning new skills with the help of the Internet. We can just about survive on our pension but it is tight because the French tax it! They do not recognize early retirees and private pensions. We lead a simple life and grow lots of fruit and veg. This helps. I also make all our food from scratch including bread, cakes, biscuits, jam and chutney. We bottle fruit to go through winter. I am working towards becoming self sufficient.
I buy most of our things in France and have adapted favourite recipes to allow for what cannot be bought here. Seasonal food takes a bit of getting used to! We now enjoy the different seasons with the fresh veg and fruit that arrives.
my first five years here I had to return to the UK to sort out my father. He had dementia and was in an extra sheltered home. Due to never ending problems with his care and the lack of help from social services I had to keep going back. Since he died I have been able to settle fully here. I strongly feel you have to embrace living here and adapt to the French way of life. I have met very few French people who resent me being here! I belong to a smallholders group that are English but we help each other to negotiate the paperwork that comes with keeping animals.
I appreciate the effort made to help me with official things but never expect anyone to speak English. It is a pleasant surprise when they do! I am always aware I am the foreigner here.
There was I thinking I would get in the Guinness Book ( thank goodness I CAN get Guinness here in France ).
I have made the move twice but my two sojourns total a mere 23 years.
Written books about both- SURVIVING FRANCE and COMING BACK FOR MORE.
I too am living on my (incomplete) Teacher Pension
If I can help on specifics please message me, Pamela.. I admire your pluck.
As I've said elsewhere, the French can often speak more English than they let on, but prefer to speak French with us. However, if you go to the tax offices and start off in French they will a) praise your command of their language and b) pitch in in English or Franglais to help you out. It's as if you have to dive in and convince them your swimming isn't up to much before they will help, and they will think more of you for having a go. We have always found all officials, without exception, helpful, cheerful and friendly, but that was probably because we never expected them to speak English to us at all. We have fitted in well, but would never have contemplated working in France - we moved over the day I retired!
Indeed DP, One regular client (I'm obviously not doing my job properly!) has only spoken French to me. One day he mentioned his Dutch neighbour and his English neighbour who he only speaks English to. He's never spoken English to me he says because he doesn't need to. Aww bless.
I often get asked whether I'm Dutch "because they speak lots of languages and the English don't speak French"... Hey ho, some of us do!
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Taxes, yes - I never expected to earn much and was right. In the UK it would all have been under the tax threshold,and it is here too but not so "cotisations" as an ae (microbic whatever) prof liberale I pay a stiff 25% plus there's the CFE, taxe d'habitation and taxe fonciere. Last year I earned about 15000€ and paid 5000€ in taxes. But I get CMU-C so don't need top up medical, so there's a plus.