A very antiquated dictionary, perhaps (to beat was the 17th century original meaning). Merits of public floggings and whether deserved or not aside, since the late 19th century the meaning has been to criticize harshly, usually in public
Weâre 50km from Switzerland, so pop across the border quite often. A couple of the small crossing points have been closed at night, but there is so much movement across the border I think it would take a huge amount of staff to control car traffic in any detail. Half of Geneva does their shopping at leClerc in France.
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A lot of people who settled legally and permanently in France resent the fact that their entire lives were put on hold by Brexit and their right to continue living and working here was threatened.
Had Theresa May acted swiftly to ringfence citizensâ rights that might have been different.
Thatâs the background to the fairly widespread dislike of people who happily admit to voting Leave, but still expect to have all the rights they enjoyed within the EU.
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The Geneva, and I would add, Basel, borders seem to pretty much let anyone in/out. When we crossed in/out from Italy via Chiasso on our way to Lugano, we were stopped in both directions, and the Austrian/Swiss border at Höchst/Fussach also seems to see regular inspections by both Austrian and Swiss border control, although to be fair, most of them appear to be checking whether youâve bought the motorway vignette 
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All true, and, considering that many of us were denied the right to vote in said referendum while lots of foreigners, some Irish and Commonwealth citizens for instance, were.
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So, if you are travelling from France to Switzerland (I am asking as a non French resident but with a house in France) does they period you spend in Switzerland count towards your 90 days ?? (since it is not in the Schengen area)?
Also, if you stay in France for say 45 days - when can you come back again ?!!
Yes. Switzerland is an affiliate Schengen country having concluded an agreement with the EU, so the time spent there as a non-Swiss resident currently counts towards your 90 day limit. From 01/01/2021, the UK and Switzerland have a new agreement, with the current details here:
What a irrational reply to the Schengen post, you lost Brexit happened, so you cannot have a go at me I was dis franchised 
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Brexit happened. Everyone has lost. And will continue to keep losing.
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From my perspective, the biggest losers are those poor unfortunates remaining in the UK.
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Wouldnât it be more appropriate to punish hypocritical remainers living in France by restricting their visits to the country they no longer wish to live in? Itâs not a real question.
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Where is the hypocrisy?
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I read in a French paper this week that the Spanish/ French border at least is currently fully manned at all crossing points and they are even flying drones over known foot crossing routes that were used by escaping RAF personnel during the war. This no to do with Brexit but to do with Vigipirate.
We self restrictâŠI think quite a large chunk of the Anglo population here donât go back to the UK at all, and others only for a few days here or there. OH hasnât been to the UK in 3 years. And I spend no more than 10 days a years there - less than in other EU countries. Why would I want to?
And from HMRCs perspective spending less than 16 days a year in the UK firmly meets the first automatic overseas test to be non-resident.
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I should have said âsomeâ, those that want their âbeurreâ (live permanently outside UK) and the âargent du beurreâ (maintain all UK privileges). Itâs normal to vote for oneâs own self interest (maintaining EU rights), but not to decide the fate of those most affected by leaving EU (The UK inhabitants). We ex-pats have the right to vote, not to be back seat drivers. PS, I would say the same whichever way the Brexit vote went.
You as an ex pat might have the right to vote. Myself, as an immigrant like lots of people here no longer have that right.
What do/ did you do with your vote?
Hi Mark, yes I know we Brits have the right to vote though one loses that right if you are not registered in the last 15 years (I believe) which is my case, though it is over 25 years since I left UK and I donât believe I have a moral right to interfere in UK politics since I left so long ago. But I think you can guess how I wouldâve voted (if that was your question).
Sorry, donât really know where youâre coming from.
Have you lived in France the past 25 years? If you have, I canât really believe you donât even know 5 French departments, sounds like you donât want to be hereâŠIMHO
Heavens guys! Please stop taking Gary so seriously - I sense mild self-deprecation, no more than that.
Sometimes I feel there is an overly enthusiastic determination to see no fault in oneâs adopted country. We have friends who come here for two week holidays and give us a round telling off if we grumble at all at our life in France they are so desperate to believe we are living in paradise.
By the way - much of what Gary says about his life here would be an apt description for when I escaped home and moved to a flat in London - nobody there fussed about âintegratingâ âgetting to know oneâs neighboursâ, âbeing able to name more than five London boroughs.â I think the only time I had a conversation with my downstairs neighbour was when we were all burgled and the police came round.
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France isnât my adopted country but I think it has plenty of faults, just not necessarily the exact same ones as its neighbours - but I could say something similar of all the countries I have lived and worked in for any length of time.
I suppose what may irritate people is that it seems fairly illogical to stay in the Anglosphere (or any other immigrant ghetto) and then vituperate about the place you live in from a not necessarily very informed position.
Oh, couldnât you speak English either?