This weeks podcast is all about why you should move to France. I’ve come up with mine but give it a listen and please feel free to add yours, because yes, there’s definitely more than ten!!
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Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley. OK you don’t technically need to move to France to get hold of this, but all wine and food is best consumed as close as possible to its origin. 
(Digression: Years ago I brought back a bottle of retsina from a trip to Greece - we had it with a Sunday roast and it tasted disgusting. )
It would have tasted disgusting if you had it in Greece too
Not at all, it works well with souvlaki or grilled octopus.
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Then why did you open it for a Sunday roast?
Oh, you have a podcast… I’m a bit slow to be fair. Where can I find it, please?
So, I’m lucky in that I had no expectations when I moved to France. I’m not that blown over by the food and wine. I wasn’t really sure if I’d enjoy the French countryside. Still not sure after a decade here.
What sticks out for me is the “bonjour” that most people give everywhere. I love this part of French culture. I’d say, for me, that’s one of the best things because it’s something you experience whenever you go out or you see a fellow walker, cyclist and so on.
EDIT: I’ve found the podcast - France Made Simple 
Because I was young and foolish. 
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Well done you with your prudence - I brought back an effing carton… 
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A wine expert would suggest partnering it with sunny weather
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One of the reasons we chose to live in France, aside from the weather, was because there is rule of law in which we can trust. It may sound funny to some but having lived many years in countries where corruption and money ruled, we know that is not a world we want to be in.
And, from France we can travel anywhere in Europe by road or rail with dogs!
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The Sarkozy affair is an interesting example of corruption in French politics and its (some might say light-handed) eventual comeuppance.
But what I don’t understand is why le Pen’s case is taking so long to come to .trial.
At least in France there is legal oversight! 
It’s probably a happy coincidence, but 3 days before the courts issue their verdict on Le Pen, the Constitutional Court is due to rule on a very similar issue of an elected politician being deprived of the right to present themselves for future election, involving a Mayotte élu. It’s presumably wiser for the courts to await a definitive decision on this very principle, than to opine in advance, then risk being overtaken by a subsequent ruling from on high.
I can only speak for myself (thank goodness) and I’m talking about rural France, not the big cities. People are chilled, friendly and enjoy mixing. The sheer beauty of the countryside, the woodlands, the warmer weather, even going to the local supermarche makes it better than any UK supermarket - people smile, say bonjour, and accept we are all here as one community. We lived in a fab town/country village in the UK, loads of space, farms, good community and spirit - but rural France is breathtaking, ‘it earths your current’ lowers your blood pressure and lets you breathe again, like a child.
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I’m amazed. Round here, rural Lot et Garonne, people do not smile. They do say “bonjour”. I have learnt, going into a shop for example, not to smile inanely but to keep a slightly reserved expression and to murmur “messieurs/dames”.
The other day we collected a pallet load of buches from our local Gamm Vert. The weight deflated the tyres on our trailer so I went back inside to ask for help. The man on the counter for “professionelles” called to his colleague who emerged with a scowl, looked at me and promptly wandered off. I stood there, not sure anything was really happening. OH came in, we talked about having the pallet taken off and moving the trailer to where we could get at the cigarette lighter inside the car and plug in our small pump.
Scowly man finally reappeared dragging an elderly large pump, its wheel fell off, so he scowled some more. His phone rang, so we were no longer of interest. Young lad on the till, came to our rescue, fixed the wheel on the pump, pumped up our trailer tyres, practised his English, despite our speaking French (how did he know 
) and we went on our way.
We have learnt over many years here that a scowl and a seeming refusal does not mean the French won’t help. Smiles are not always necessary.
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Hi Sue, I’m sure we will experience some grumpiness as time goes by! But for the last 11 weeks I would say the ‘happy factor’ here is 9/10 and our UK ‘middle England’ town was 7/10! And that’s with our French being less than 1/10🥴
Best Regards
Mat Jenkins
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Mat, I suggest you edit your post to remove your telephone number and website - unless you are deliberately advertising your business here. This is an open forum and you are inviting spam from anywhere in the world.
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Sorry! I replied via 365 which auto signatures my stuff! Edited now
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Mat. remember the edit remains available to view, by clicking on the edit button - if you are worried. Billy can completely remove them…
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All good - we’ve just moved the company over to 365 business and the email just said ‘reply’ or ‘reply on site’ obviously now I know in 365 it adds my contact details as default! So I’ll just reply on site now👌
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