Are there other Americans in Vendee (85) or Deux-Sevres (79)?

General Discussion
1

Hi. This is an enquiry to attempt to discover if there are other American members of this group who live in the Departements of Vendee or Deux-Sevres ?


I'm English myself (as you can probably tell by my writing style), but my wife Maddie hails from Maryland / Virginia, and could do with an infusion of American contact from time to time. Basically, Maddie finds herself to be in somewhat of a 'cultural desert' at times, and she could do with some reasonably local American friends with whom to converse without the need for an Anglo/American interpreter. :-)


Any volunteers ?


Best wishes to all. Robert.

2

Nancy you offer sounds great, but I will be in San Jose a short time, just to pick up my grandson and stay in Santa Cruz I will be there a short time.

However it would be nice to visit with you when you are in La Rochelle, we aren't very far from it and I wouldn't be so tired from the long flight. I am off to Bordeaux tonight for my early morning flight tomorrow.

Amitiés

Marie-Antoinette

3

Absolutely Robert - we are 1 hour south of Niort.

Look forward to hearing from you.

4

Hi Robert,

Sounds wonderful! We would love to meet you!

I am sure there will come a moment where we will desperately need a friend for help and your kindness would be most welcome! Definitely, please send a friend request. I am new to using this website and I was wondering how one can write to just one person. Is that it?

Best,

Nancy

P.s Totally agree on speaking French as best as one can. I've been taking lessons, and speaking and reading is easier than understanding. I am using News in Slow French for help with that. But I have far, far to go with all of it. I'm hoping that if they see that I am trying that it will help me with the French folks.

5

Hi Nancy,

La Rochelle is about 1hr 15 mins south south west of us, and is a lovely town that we always thoroughly enjoy visiting from time to time.

Maddie and I would very much enjoy getting to know the two of you, and as Maddie has been with me here for over 10 years now, perhaps she will be able to help you both to settle in to your new life here in some way. May I make so bold as to send you a 'friend' request so that Maddie can write to you directly ?

We wish you the best of luck with your long stay visa application. One little tip ---- Speaking as much French as you can will go down really well, even if it is only "Bonjour Monsieur".

Best wishes to you both, Robert.

6

Hi Jo, and thanks for responding.

The nearest main town in Deux-Sevres to us is Moncoutant, though we are just over the border in the Vendee, the village of Montournais to be precise. Niort is therefore about 1hr south south east of us by road. Maddie would love to be able to write to you directly, so with your permission I will send you a 'friend' request if I may make so bold ?

Best wishes to you. Robert.

7

Thanks and merci!!

If you have a spare moment and would like to meet up for coffee when you are in the SJ area, let me know! We live in the Willow Glen area not too far from San Jose State.

Enjoy your time in California!

8

Hi - we are in south Deux-Sevres so not sure how far away you are. Your wife may want to join Americans in France Facebook group. A good group of people. We moved here from Florida but lived in Maryland in the 80's.

Would love to speak to your wife.

regards

Jo

9

Hello Robert, hello Nancy,

My husband Larry is American, I am French but spent 43 years in Illinois, all my children and grandchildren live in the US, we are retired and are in Charente Maritime close to Royan.

Nancy, I fly to San Francisco this coming Thursday will take the Cal Train to San Jose to visit with my grandson, he is a student at the University there, his two cousins Christy and Madeline are at University in Santa Cruz. I will spend 10 days with them for their Spring break since they aren't going home, in Illinois for the girls and Missouri for Christian.

La Rochelle is a lovely town we go there from time to time as well as Bordeaux.

Wishing success in your visit to the Consulat Tuesday.

Cheers

Marie-Antoinette

10

Hi Robert,

My husband and I will be moving to La Rochelle in June. We are currently in San Jose, CA; and we have our appt with the French consulate in San Francisco this Tues to apply for our long stay visa. If all goes well, we will be starting our France adventure soon.

Not sure how far La Rochelle is from you....

Best,

Nancy

11

Hello Robert - I hope Maddie has settled in and finding friends. I’m sure her French is much improved by now (if you’re still in France given Brexit). My husband (Roger) is English and I’m American (Karen). There aren’t a lot of us here (UK/USA mixed couples) so if you’re still around let us know. We’re in St Maixent l’Ecole, about an hour from you I assume.

12

I TOTALLY get this, there is a sever lack of Aussies in my area and I understand how she flet / feels(? this was obviously a long time ago!). I know I speak the same language as my husband (well sometimes) and other ‘Brits’ but just not quite the same!

13

Hi Karen,
Yes, we are indeed still here in Vendee. Wouldn’t want to be anywhere else really. The UK is generally too expensive and I’m sure you are aware of the cost of healthcare in the US.
St Maixent is about an hour and a quarter from us and is a pleasant cross country drive. We do come to your neck of the woods from time to time, as St Maixent has a good little medical imaging establishment where the wait for an appointment slot is often much less than here in Vendee. Some time ago we found a good lunchtime restaurant (L’Annexe) on the north east outskirts of the town on the D611. Perhaps you know it ? I hope that it has survived all the Covid restrictions.
Interestingly enough, I was only saying to Maddie earlier today, that now we are fully vaccinated it is time to make a conscious effort to end the moratorium on life that has been forced upon us all during the last 18 months.
So may I send you a PM in order that we can get to know each other better by a slightly less public means of communication ?
Best wishes,
Robert.

14

Only the other day I was having to explain to Maddie what it means when “a lorry parks up”, and that it isn’t quite the same as simply parking a truck.
Two nations divided by a common language ! :slight_smile:

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15

For my first week in London I couldn’t understand a word anyone said. Even though my native language is English. The words became understandable, but the cultural gap has always been there

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16

My first job in the UK was for a promotional distribution company in Oxfordshire. I was OK with the others in the office / face to face and most of the calls NOT however our drivers (iwth thick Oxfordshire accents) who would call from the NEC or where-ever asking which gate or where the client was meeting etc! Nightmare, I felt so stupid as I actually had to pass the phone to the other girl in the office a few times! :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

17

For professional reasons, my daughter had to go on a course to learn “American English” as it is so different from UK English. :rofl:

18

Yes of course. We couldn’t be happier in France, but all of our friends here are French and our conversations are limited by our lack of cultural awareness (songs, fads of our youth, etc.) Like a pub quiz gone badly wrong.

I haven’t used the PM function yet, but yes please do utilise it!

Kind regards,

Karen

19

Super. I have just sent you a PM.

20

Yep. The TV aerial becomes the antenna, the pavement becomes the sidewalk, and the black tarmac strip that the vehicles drive on is the pavement. All very confusing for the beginner.