You are quite right Diana but I think most expats (Brits, Dutch etc) feel the same as you but the fact is the French have been leaving the villages for the past thirty years for whatever reason. However, in this area things are changing. Properties have been selling to the young French looking to get on the property ladder so it isn't all doom and gloom maybe ?
Where you are is a bit different as you (the area) is a bit out on a limb with not too much industry being in between Carcassonne & Perpignan. There are'nt too many jobs etc for the young French so why should they set up home there ?
But at least you have an excellent English sausage maker on your doorstep !!!
I agree heartily with your sentiments Diana. A lot of the Brits I know here would be better off in Spain (oh dear, is that too elitist?) as they only eat Brit type food. My apologies to the indigenous people of Spain.
We moved to France in 2007 - I was then 55. We have been made very welcome in the village where we had spent holidays and built friendships over the previous 25+ years, and we participate in village activities, pay French taxes and live the French life. We can't ignore our ties to the UK, though. We knew we wouldn't have problems missing our sons - we have phones and the internet so are in constant touch. Aged parents posed different problems, again aided by IP cameras, CCTV, internet and printers. The last year of my mother's life gave us plenty to think about, however.
Living in our own home in France is one thing, while we are physically and mentally able. We could probably cope with physical disabilities - we built our French house while my parents were falling apart and built in a ground floor shower room, space for a lift, easy access to the road and the garden, knowing that we would resist change when we needed these facilities most. Home care is, I am sure, better in France than in the UK, but how would I cope with it all while confused, in my second language? How will my sons feel about managing my care from a distance?
Although we have no grandchildren yet, I have friends with grandchildren in other countries and they have had no problems or regrets, again thanks to the internet etc., so I have no doubt we would cope fine, particularly as one daughter in law is Spanish and any grandchildren will be well-travelled and bilingual, with close relatives in four countries!
So, for now we are based in France with several visits per year to the UK, and intend to decay here gradually. Whether we can stay here in our dotage is another matter, and only time will tell. This may depend more upon our sons than upon our preferences, with practicalities taking priority over sentiments, at a time when we may have to accept that we are not competent to make such decisions. (Whether Britain will have us back is another matter.)
I thoroughly agree with your sentiments - if you are living in France you follow their customs and their way of life - if not go back to wherever you came. Too many people come here to live in the sun and just transfer their lives into the sun and expect everyone else in their new country to fit in. Sorry but I don't think shows like "a place in the sun" have helped to show what else is involved in living in another country. I agree if you only wanted to come for a few years, fair enough but for those who now are happy to call this lovely country "home" we want to integrate as much as possible. Four more houses in this village have been bought for UK holiday homes and therefore less French here so will look for somewhere else when I move and check out the Brits before I decide as when I came 13 years ago, hardly any here at all only two in the village. It is a shame that rural life is changing - I agree sometimes for the better - but I came to live with the French not live to a UK holiday home. I could have stayed in Suffolk if I wanted that.
Our Year six children always did a World War Two project and that included a trip to the Oosterbeck Airborne Museum in Arnhem. As a spinoff from that a few of our pupils went to lay flowers alongside Dutch children in the Oosterbeek War Cemetery every year.
Our village is larger in terms of population (pop 800 or so) but very spread out. This year there were about the same number of expats as locals at the memorial (probably 50 or so in total). For some strange reason it's always at 11.30 am. The Maire made his usual speech but I missed the word Allies. (He actually told me once that life was easier before les Anglais arrived. In fact the village was liberated by the Americans but it was bombed by the RAF who missed the target and managed to kill alot of locals. I did not consider this the occasion to remind him of the liberations of France by Allied troops. I know he doesn't like history anyway.) We did not get the Marseillaise, but did get the Chant des Partisan. (i was told by an ex Resistant that until 1944 there were precious few Resistants and there quite a few pro German. Our village was historically communist and until Hitler invaded Russia many really were of two minds. Our village priest was allegedly pro German and was assassinated by the communists). I laid a British Legion wreath. There is a free drink afterwards in the village bar. I could not see any French of working age or less present. Next year I am going to suggest that the village school, which now has about 8% British children enrolled. does a project to inform the children of what went on. No doubt some enlightened soul will tell me it's not a good idea. However I was struck by the clips on British TV which showed many young people attending the Remembrance events. I intend to ensure that my young daughter currently aged 6 is more informed than seems likely at present and will attend the event next year. I think I'll try and get some children to lay flowers as a token of youth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDqmjObP2Ws
That's right. The mayor read the statement out and the anthem was duly played. I take your point about forefathers having died in France during battle and I understand it well. It's just that I felt the tune had become a little bit alien to me. Like when I read on my passport that I am a 'subject of her 'Brittanic Majesty's Government' Feels a bit strange but just my idle thoughts really.
Interesting to see that there were a few white peace poppies being worn along with the French blue and UK red. I didn't have a poppy so I had to make one out of tissue paper in my studio. It turned out a bit pinker than I would have liked and raised a few eyebrows I can tell you.
The address sent out by the ministry of defence for reading at the monument aux morts on Armistice Day specifically mentions all Allied troops, so there's nothing odd about playing other national anthems alongside La Marseillaise. They may not be thinking so much of their present British residents as of those residents' grandfathers or great-grandfathers who fought & died on French soil.
I agree thst some people have not thought through all the things that living in France entails. We did lots of research before we came but I'm sure some others watch programmes like 'Escape to the sun' and think ir's a case of buying a house ,moving over and there you go. For some people the pull of family becomes greater with age, for others it's the fear of being ill and not coping with the language or even the death of a partner. So long as you follow the laws while you are here and enjoy your life here thdn anything else is a bonus.
Yes Sue, we do all the 'right' things to live here and sometimes it is hard and often the system is incomprehensible but I still think people have not thought through all that living in France entails before coming here.
(Sigh), perhaps I'm being too harsh and am probably so happy here that I think other people ought to be happy too. You're right though, none of my business what drives them to desert France. Chacun a son gout!
I think each to their own and who am I to judge. We may go back to the UK, we may not. Originally we came here for a minimum of 5 years but we've been here 5 years already and aren't ready to go back yet. If your commune choose to honour the UK contingent why woukd you complain? I have never understood this need to look down on (for want if a better expression) those who may not choose to make a permenant commitment to living in France. If -while you live here-you make an effort at intigration, pay all the correct taxes here and use local shops/tradesmen ect.what more can be asked of you?