(maybe tb filed alongside irritating Guardian features 
)
Here’s a post on the broad subject of social integration with respect to the unique and particular circumstances thrown up by the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement (WAg). It may be of general interest in as much as it articulates how criteria of assessment are applied by the authorities concerned to those seeking closer integration into French life.
Although enjoying WAg (10yr) residential status, I’ve rather come to view it, as posted hereabouts sometime previously, as a tolerated protected presence under light-touch tutellage. The chief reason for this is that one is caught in a twilight zone of limpid citizenship deprived fully of cultural norms (e.g. full suffrage). You are largely liable to all the obligations of nationality, like those around you, but you cannot participate seriously in political life. You’re encouraged - expected, even - to engage in civil activities to a degree, but not to the extent of being able to access contitutional rights. You are taxed, but you have no civic representation.
One route to resolve the perceived anomalies of this particular environment, as an intending permanent resident, would be to seek French nationality. Having lived here for over 25 years with no British family ties but economic interests in the UK, here’s what happened to that proposition in my case, first lodged in 2019, and for why:
Il appartient au ministre chargé des naturalisations de porter une appréciation sur l’intérêt d’accorder la nationalité française à l’étranger qui la sollicite. Dans le cadre de cet examen d’opportunité, il peut, notamment, prendre en compte l’origine des revenus du postulant ainsi que la localisation du centre de ses intérêts familiaux et matériels comme critère d’appréciation des liens avec la France à la date à laquelle il est statué sur la demande.
[Pour rejeter la demande de naturalisation], le ministre de l’intérieur s’est fondé sur le motif tiré que les ressources de l’intéressé proviennent de l’étranger et qu’il ne dispose pas de revenus de source française suffisants pour assurer, à eux seuls, sa subsistence, et que cette circonstance ne permet pas de considérer qu’il a totalement fixé, en France, le centre de ses intérêts matériels.
… Des lors, et quand bien même le requérant, propriétaire dún bien en France, s’acquitte à ce titre d’une taxe foncière, le ministre de l’intérieur … [peut] … rejeter sa demande de naturalisation au motif que ses revenus proviennent de l’étranger.
… les circonstances invoquées, relatives notamment à son intégration en France ou à son engagement associatif, sont sans incidence sur la légalité de la décision …
Well, I know that nationality via naturalisation is a discretionary award, but often public law can regulate propriety in the application of ministerial discretion (as Yvette Cooper’s just learned 
).
Alors, the extent of integration in France has no bearing on it ? And the whereabouts of one’s revenue source is supposed to define one’s life (how would they handle intellectual property/intangible assets/cyber currencies) ? Self-evidently, the second criterion is economically irrational.
De plus, I’m not sure what difference it would have made if my revenues were derived from a UK pension instead of (or as well as) a property letting (I’m there these days).
It has to be said now that the shine’s rubbed off the idea somewhat - I’m not sure there’s any recourse available anyhow - but the recit is here in case of use to those contemplating the time and resource drain of launching an application.
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TL;DR: be wary of relying on revenues outre-manche for lining your retirement pécule