I'm sure they are but there's no need to ram them down our throats, particularly when we live in a republic here and despite the fact that it's way off being perfect, many like myself far prefer that and can't see the legitimacy of a monarchy, how on earth can anyone accept being ruled by someone because they were born into a certain family...! vive la république et vive la république laïque en plus !
Andrew Hearne BA (hons), PGCE, Maîtrise...!
PS like the new photo, far more in keeping with this site ;-)
best to try and see the glass half full rather than half empty ;-)
Is it wrong to be proud after being decorated by our Queen? I have changed my picture as it obviously annoyed some.
Sarah,
We did some wise investments and developed a healthy portfolio to allow us both to retire at 50. I can put you in touch with some people if you are interested in putting something together for the future.
My passport statement remains valid re “guests”
Whilst in Brum the other month I needed to call in to a depot across town. The drive was an eye opener and an indication of city life today in Brum. However not being from up north I’m not sure if this is new or how its always been.
Perhaps the Grafiti on the first M1 bridge going north is correct!
Thank you Celeste, when you know that the outcome could be the death of an innocent person due to the intransigence of the French authorities in realising that they were not applying the EU Regulations correctly, you don’t give up.
I still have not been officially advised by them that they were wrong, and what is worse, they actually gave false information to the Commission and when I challenged it, their reply was that they had ‘assumed’ I had been treated in UK as that was my original intention.
I find it totally astonishing that you can give information to the EU without verifying it first and, even more so that they have not received any rap over the knuckles for it either.
I have not finished with this, so watch for further news In the English press.
Martin, why do you think my comment was nasty.
My personal feeling is that there must be many people on this forum who have earned recognition in their particular walk of life. It is just not advertised so openly.
Hi Andrew, my husband remembers when the East Enders came down to Kent for the hop picking. The shop keepers put chicken wire over their counters to protect their stock.
However, I couldn’t believe it when I was told what I thought were animal housing were, in fact, for the hop pickers.
Well done. Nasty comment at the end was not required though. All of my decorations and awards has been earned.
our local council is housing a whole load of Roms and crime has rocketed since, creating daily problems in our shops too :-O Far more of a problem than the original pieds noirs !
As for population density, it's not quite that simple, Celeste. The Hérault, Gard and PO are some of the most densly populated départements in France but the Aude and especially Lozère are much lower, Lozère being the least densly populated département in mainland France which skews regional picture. Have a look here ;-)
Parts of southern France do quite nicely too, Midi-Pyrénées being an example with the aeronautical industry amongst others ;-)
Yep, it was a very close run thing between France and Italy for me, could have been Germany too if I had stayed with my German ex...!
In the same boat as you, Sarah :-(
Retirement? There'll be no retirement for me. I'll be working 'til I'm 70+ and doubt there'll be anything left in the kitty by the time I need it.
When I needed the help of the Embassy, they were worse than useless.
I took my case to the EU and with the help of my ex MEP and the Department of Health in London I have now made sure that any British retiree living in France and needing to return to UK for medical treatment can now do so.
I don't suppose I'll get a 'gong' for it though!
We are not guests here Martin. We are exercising our right of freedom of movement under EU Regulations.
Just as the many young french people do who go to live in London.
We are Europeans living in France.
I really agree with you!! As a "refugee" from the Coté d'Azur I can not understand what makes some travel journalists sometimes write such things. And about experiences with regular visits to Paris, I'm glad when I'm back in Uzes. My dogs can chase wild porcs, sun is warm during the winter and the cultural niveau is not below that of Paris, not to mention this giddy-gidy tralala of Cannes. Everywhere there is always something to complain about, but in the two places mentioned above, I always feel much more ripped than in LR.
I won't be knocking on the British Embassy door. I wouldn't trust the present lot to help me cross the road.
yes but no! yes I still have a UK passport but no I wouldn't go back. I have the naturalisation paperwork but haven't had the time to fill it in yet or collect the multitude of parental birth certificates etc; together. Why on earth would I want to "go back" leaving my OH and kids here. Everything I have is here, naturalisation will be the next/last step. But with a business to run which is open 6.5 days a week, two young kids, a recent move and another one in a couple of months time the paperwork will sit in the file a little longer!