Following a post on a Facebook group where one member said that they would be on a Channel 4 re-run this week and the fact that I can access C4 on my tablet I watched a couple of the programmes last night. The programme followed three British groups who had moved to Europe to start businesses in France and Spain. I really haven’t watched this sort of programme before except for a moving to the Dordogne series recorded on VHS that was lent to me many moons ago.
The French business mentioned on the FB page looked lovely, a small hotel in a Dordogne town without any competition and as they had discovered there were no local restaurants they had brought a young French chef in to create one. All good stuff. The other two businesses featured were a Tapas bar on Mallorca and an Irish bar on the Costas.
My main observation was that, apart from the father in the family opening the tapas bar, English was used exclusively even when talking to workmen who obviously did not understand the language and when asking customers if they’d enjoyed their meal. Is that for the television cameras or is that typical behaviour? It really did seem to be promoting the idea that moving to Europe did not have to involve any form of integration or any need to learn the local language. Another observation was that two of the three casually mentioned that they would be flying in family from the UK to cover staffing problems.
Has anyone been influenced to make the move based on these programmes or are they a form of escapism for dreamers!
I watched these programmes avidly for years and at one point I dreamed of owning a chateau. Now at a sensible age( and having watched Escape to the Chateau) I am quite happy to be retired with a modest home. Some people really do have amazing get up and go and obviously thrive on a challenge.
As for learning the language we did French at school and go to French class but I find I understand far more than I can speak. If we have a workman to deal with our neighbours will quite happily help although this sometimes means they forget about us and talk a bit too fast or to each other.
I watched a couple on Grand Designs converting a home in France and Kevin McCloud would turn up and chat to the workmen whilst the homeowners hadn’t got a clue! He also speaks Italian. Jealous much!
I remember years ago watching a programme where a couple who lived near London and had only been on a booze cruise to Calais were looking for their forever home in Aveyron ! I think the programme producers should have sat them down and said rent for a year
Not that there’s anything wrong with Aveyron but whilst they said they wanted peace and quiet I think the difference would have been a little too much
All those “Place in the sun” type programs have a lot to answer for. I wonder if the producers will rise to the challenge of making our post Brexit nightmares palatable to the UK audience.
I watched a couple of them once and was ashamed of my fellow countrymen/women and hugely embarassed. Also convinced us to avoid places where there were already many people from UK - not that we have anything against fellow nationals in general, but just that it would increase the probability of running into equivalent insular types.
Well we’re in the Dordogne! Near Brantôme though so actually other than tourists not a lot of Brits. We go to our French class in Verteillac, lots of Brits there. So far met really nice people both French and British.
Did sit next to a Brit at a function last year and he was the worst sort of ex pat. Rude and kicked a dog in the local café. I suspect he would be just as obnoxious in the UK.
Had never been to the Dordogne until 2016 and always wanted to be in Provence or Languedoc but the extra travelling with a dog was too much and also my husband fell in love with our house.
We mostly visit with our French neighbours who are amazing.
I thought that the area around Brantôme was very popular with British incomers.
Perhaps we’ve somehow avoided them or they us.
We know of two couples who live in another village but don’t know them socially. We are frequently in Brantôme and rarely meet Brits.
When the world cup was on we saw a few Brits in the cafés.
We neither sought out, nor sought to avoid Brits but wound up slightly disappointed to discover that there are about 5 properties owned by Brits within 50m of the house (and, apparently the house three doors down the street has now been bought by a British couple)
The nearest British owned house to me is on its third set of British occupants. The first couple there sold up and moved back to the U.K., the second couple have moved within France. Perhaps the latest couple will put down roots.
I Love these types of programmes and even applied to go on A place in the sun ( 2 year waiting list to appear). These type of program’s are aimed at a UK audience who dream of buying abroad. They defiantly planted a seed of an idea but was after several visits to different areas we finally did it. We ended up buying a house in a Hamlet with 6 houses, 4 being French owned 2 being UK holiday homes all 4 of the French homes are happy that these houses are now occupied and being maintained after many years of neglect. English is the worlds universal langue and I think that people who want to truly immerse themselves in a culture should not buy in Europe or about 300 years to late.
What do you mean by 300 years too late? I’ve lived in Europe continuously since 1986 and have experienced plenty of culture and have never been arrogant enough to believe that my English will suffice.
If you take any village in UK, France, Spain etc etc 300 years ago there would have been a culture totally different from each other. Due to newspaper, radio, TV and now internet the world is just a smaller place and cultures are becoming less and less defined. Remember all these shows are about a beginning of a journey maybe they need to show a 5/10 year later show to see if there dreams worked or they can speak the langue. Most of the people on these shows can speak very basic French, Spanish etc and i’m sure will learn, but you will always find people that wont make the effort.
We visited L.A. and Michigan 5 years ago. I found L.A. to be so different culturally to anything I’ve ever experienced in the UK and I really enjoyed my visit. Michigan although a bit different to the UK was beautiful but not as exciting for me whereas my husband preferred it.
In Brantôme everyday we are learning how to behave more like the French. I only just found out that you shouldn’t say bonjour twice in a day to the same person.
We visited Brantome back in the summer and would say that the Dutch were in greater numbers than the brits, we really enjoyed the canal trip on the boat Dutch owned and run I would guess.
Nope, that’s what re-bonjour is for…with a smile.
I’ve done the boat trip and kayaked both round Brantôme and to Bourdeilles.
Yes, lots of Dutch who are so good at languages. A Dutch lady told me that once a week all Dutch children have a days lessons conducted in English.
A lot of their TV has been in English with sub titles in Dutch rather than being dubbed too.
I had an interesting greeting experience in Lidl an hour ago. The girl on the till was greeting people by saying, Bonsoir, but as they left wishing them a, Bon apres midi.
Covering all bases. 
Oui. c’est re-bonjour 