To be fair, the woman who had just bought a business, and then complained that no one told her that she needs a carte de séjour to stay in France, spoke sure good French. My original point was about making huge life decisions without so much as a modicum of research.
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We made a huge life decision John when we came here 17 years ago. My brother died of cancer in December, we put our house on the market and sold it the same month, found our house in March, moved in on July 4th. It’s true this was all before Brexit and life was a lot easier.
Modicum of research? Zilch! Other than draw lines through France saying north of this, no, east of here no.
No everyone lives their lives planning and researching. For some of us, we just go with the flow. And it really did flow. I always reckon my brother was taking care of everything for us.
Obviously, taking a chance like that doesn’t work for everyone, but did for us.
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Sure, but I’m guessing you at least knew that you could legally do it.
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Same here, we wandered into the Dordogne around 34 years ago with the caravan and then were invited to join a group playing petanque, made friends, pitched on the site next to the salle with the boule piste and started coming back so often that we left the caravan here and came down to it many times throughout the year. Found and bought a house, then was offered redudancy and were here within a week, permanently. Very soon had a new job too. Never regretted it.
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I wonder? I know that we have done illegal stuff over the years, because, at the time, no one thought to tell us (very French!) and how would we find out because these were unknown unknowns.
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Petanque is a great game… for those watching as much as for those playing…
I love noting the different temperaments… and levels of expertise…
and it can be quite cut-throat at times… 
I think you’re right in pointing out that, in both cases, people are moving to another country to have a better life.
But there is no equivalence between an immigrant criticising another immigrant for failing to do her research, or for failing to integrate, and ‘the oaf that yells at the Bangladeshi woman in the high st that she “should speak English in England or F&£k off back to where you came from”’–because he is motivated by racism.
It is not true that someone who encourages an immigrant to integrate, to share the values of the society s/he has joined, to be able effectively to communicate, is a racist. In fact, that is (as far as I can tell) the ideal in France (and in the US).
Moving to another country, enjoying all the benefits but declining solidarité seems selfish to me. It’s quite a British attitude, though!
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Hear, hear. Or écoutez, écoutez, as we say in my neck of the forêt 
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Perhaps some research but pontificating about what the future might hold to jump into the unknown removes the fun of adventure.
I have always told myself if others have done it then so can I and if they haven’t then I will be the first.
I have lost count of the risk taking, life changing, spur of the moment decisions that have come my way and enjoyed the thrill of them all. Life is too short.
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She got one thing almost right. He WAS, but still is, and always will be, an idiot.
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Just had a delightful moment of solidarity… and earned some brownie points…
frantic knocking on my door… quick chat… and off we trundle…
Seems I’m the only one available who knows how to light the gas stove in the SdF… 
I’ve given 'em a quick training session… and it’s all systems GO…
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Black Island
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If that’s correct, I’m more impressed than I can say.
Absolutely… we’ve all done something I reckon…
and our Mairie works so hard to get things corrected, often in retrospect, for example, when the whotzit hits the fan for some Brit who is now selling and finds they should have done this, that or the other… way back when.
There are so many subtle differences in English Life and French Life that we can trip ourselves up, with no intention of deliberately doing anything wrong…
and this is why our Mairie asks all Brits to visit them and introduce themselves and discuss their future plans… only needs to be a gentle conversation, but it enables both sides to help each other.
Our Secretaire has made it quite clear that she would prefer to get Brits started on the right path… than end up trying to dig 'em out of whatever hellhole they’ve unintentionally got themselves into…
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And Dutch, Belgians and Germans?
Strangely no… seems they make contact of their own accord and certainly far more freely than Brits
It is actually based on Îsle Louët in the bay of Morlaix where I lived previoiusly and is rented out each summer, waiting lists are very long.
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And of course the Dutch and Flemings speak all languages fluently, the Germans are a bit more forceful, and the Walloons are really French anyway but have a more sensible way of counting. 
Prejudiced? Moi? How could I be? I’m British. 
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