I think this is a little sad :-( Living in France is an beautiful experience however I think if one moves to France for retirement then this is another question altogether, moving here and being retired is not moving here and working, mixing and getting to make some brilliant friends, the french are as the french are, as are the british !! I am employed here in France and have been for the last 14 - 15 years ! The french can be so very very kind when you try to speak their language and make mistakes :-) they will take the p... and then tell you the correct way of saying something :-) I still go on and make my mistakes, but they appreciate that I do make an effort :-)
If I had moved here to retire I am absolutley certain that I would not have had the same feelings about living here, it would have been more difficult to adapt at a later age
Sometimes I think that I would love to go home to Blighty, then again I think of all the advantages that I have here and the lovely life and friends :-) The food, the cosy Sunday lunches whereby we all sit and chat over a meal that takes over 3-4 hours to consume :-) The family / friendly feeling when we all get together is lovely :-)
The medical care is second to none and the children not being bought up with mom and dad going to pubs is another reason to be happy here :-) The crazy soaps on tele are another thing that I do miss, however I dont miss the fact that oohhh Eastenders is on everyone be quiet now !!! etc....... My children are all grown up now and when they go out in the evenings they are usually invited to friends houses for a meal and not 4 or 5 hours down the pub !!!!
Di fferent opinions :-) Different lives:-) Different experiences :-) Thats life and thats cool !!!!!!
HUGS AM