Maria, I think that's a little strong. Carol has every right to express her opinion and she has not been rude to anyone.
The figures are interesting....and Ireland is doing great, as I think we all expected. Having had holidays in Ireland over the years, most of the people we met with who ran businesses etc, worked their backsides off, both before the boom years, during the boom years and since their financial problems. They saw the problem and addressed the problem, so rightly they will come out the other side. Last time we were in Dublin everything was open, all the restaurants were courting customers...and the bars were open all day long.
Cyprus and Greece havent done so well, neither has Italy....there is anger amongst the population because they blame their governments.... many object to paying taxes...and many dont pay their taxes. They are looking for a magic solution to their problems. There is no magic solution other than hard work and the governments being business friendly and encouraging more businesses....more tourism and making sure people pay their taxes. Its the same for all countries...but some will come through stronger and others will be less than they were.
France is a stunning country, when we leave we will still come back and spend our money here on holidays and enjoy them. We find the pace of life too slow to live here permanently...thats us. I am just sad that there is so much that could be done to improve the situation which isnt being done....not to change France...but to keep it going. Now my daughter has arrived for a weeks stay....so I will now take the challenge of no internet for the week!
With all due respect to the Cypriots I don't think the countries are really comparable in any relevant way.
Better social and health service than where....than what? sorry...but the UK health service is free, and not to just the Brits... and certainly from the health service my OH has experienced here..we were lucky enough to experience better in the UK. Social services too...free in UK...for everyone...not just the Brits, but everyone. Andrew I have looked at the statistics, if anything I spend too much time reading about statistics and the present financial situation of all countries involved in Europe....but as you know, statistics can be played with....transport links are good in France due to the motorways and access to other parts of Europe.....certainly not the railways anymore...as they closed so very many.
Financially France is not in a good place....and as a matter of interest...do you really think you would be working the same number of hours in the UK to make a living running a tabac? I dont think so. You would be able to employ people without giving your life away. Bottom line...if France wants to be this way, fine...it isnt going to affect me, but it might affect others in the future when France is no longer a big player in Europe. Some serious and interesting articles below....and if people in France want to keep France healthy and solvent, maybe everyone should read them.
http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2013/01/09/france-economy-crisis/
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/coming-soon-europes-biggest-economy-will-be-uk-2013-05-15
Good point Andrew. If you take a look at those figures, you will see how well Ireland has performed, so if we can haul our asses out of the fire, so can the French. And in any case, I love the life here. I am used to the opening hours of our epicerie/boulangerie/tabac, etc. Yes, I work hard as does Henry, but we still have time to bisous friends/acquaintances on our way to get the bread. I love that my 80+ neighbour gives me tomatoes every week from his potager even though his Languedocien accent (and the lack of teeth) makes it hard to understand him. Yes, we have to drive 20kms to get to the nearest Carrefour or Intermarché but what a drive! Out of our litle valley, through the garrigue, vineyards and villages steeped in history. Yes, the French drivers can seem a bit mad at first but try driving in the Irish countryside!
Good stuff but I think that every country needs to be able to see the bad points as well as the good points- surely one should constantly encourage beneficial change. Anyway that's what I spent my working life as an architect doing. Mid you you could find plenty of people whose main activity is criticising others whilst actually doing very little
Thats what the Cypriots said Vero......
Bien dit Andrew. What it boils down to is that this is our country and by and large it works and what is more it is the way WE want it to be (even if we do moan, and we would even if it WERE perfect in every way, because as I have said before we like to rale;-) ) but we don't want to be exactly like the UK or Germany or Spain or the US and why should we?? We do things OUR way and if that seems weird and unsatisfactory to foreigners that isn't really a consideration for us any more than it is for any other sovereign state. Swings and roundabouts. We aren't interested in being a theme park for tourists even if tourism is a very visible industry.
We have our own lives to lead and foreigners on holiday probably don't see more than 10% of how we actually live (& through their holiday rosé goggles at that). If everything is so wonderful in the UK or the US why aren't THEY the No. 1 tourist destinations?
Leclerc? BTW I think that frequently the choice in French supermarkets is frequently less than in the UK ones but at least they do seem to concentrate on selling French produce and there appears to be less importation of goods from Africa and Brazil etc. However local producers here in Brittany are suffering and factories preparing smoked salmon, pork and chickens are all closing. Egg producers are protesting and the local tax office and Lidl were pelted with thousands of eggs last week. I put most of this down to the high cost of employing people in France, where the cost of employment is still going up whilst in Britain it's gone down since the recession started.
have a look at my comment below, Norma, on foreign investment and productivity... ;-)
err, try having a look at the statistics, Carol. No, the picture isn't wonderful but foreign investment is still pouring in due to better social and health services, transport links etc. despite the higher social charges, France also has one of the highest productivity rates in europe, higher than the UK... ;-)
Barbara, possibly not you but those bleating on about how wonderful it is to have a24hrs a day shop run by a hardworking Pakistani etc., etc. plus those who can't hack taking a picnic or a cooler with them when they go out for a day, sure as hell sound like people who want to change the this here.
Fact; I am 73 years of age and I work every day - 7 days a week for at least 8 hours starting at 4.00am, do I work in France - no I don't. Thanks to the internet I work via Australia, and still manage to enjoy France.
You are all being totally parochial and nationalistic in my view. If an old fart like me can adjust to the new world and new ways of making money surely the younger ones can?
It is NOT my responsibility to sort out the employment situation or solve the financial situation of France, and I would consider it extremelyt arrogant to suggest same to the French (as I suggest you would if the French told you how to run the British economy?)
OK as Carol believes Britain is wonderful and America has the best hambugers and chips in the world washed down by gallons of Coca-Cola - well so be it, that's her choice and tastes.
Sorry but it has to be said (again) if you can't hack it then go. Whinging and moaning I can assure you won't change anything, find this wonderful land you carve, go back to the UK if that is what you crave. There are no chains on anyone who wants to do that.
Well said Carol
I am argued out on this one....what happens to France, as we are trying to move, is not going to directly affect me. I just think its amazingly sad reading so many of these postings...almost like the authorities are trying to make those in business suffer. If things dont change...then France will go down the tubes. Outsiders are not investing in France...unlike the UK which has had a bumper year of foreign businesses moving there. I just hope everyone who thinks its quaint that France is closed for business most of the time, still thinks its quaint when they are suffering the same problems as Cyprus.
David, it is not that there seems to be an anti-entrepreneur attitude , it is evident in the atitude of government, artisans, hoteliers etc. The unions used to have a closed shop in UK, here it is business which is afraid of competition, and quite rightly.
We were told that there would be no demand for a charitable vide grenier in our village but a group of expats decided to organise one anyway! Now in its fifth year and we also invite local artists etc to "expose" their work. Even the locals are coming now and a few are even helping!
Last year the Tour de France came through a local town. Obviously a bit of an opportunity for bars, restaurants etc, albeit momentary. What happens? The Fisc arrive and raid all the restaurants to see if there are any undeclared workers, even family members. Massive fines are doled out. One bar fined 12000 euros. There seems to be an anti entrepreneur attitude. I simply don't think that would happen in the UK even though they are clamping down on immigration.
Good luck with the festival - it can be a really good thing! We had a nightly "marché gourmand" in our village for the last two years, with local food, butchers, bakeries, caterers participating. Unfortunately, this year nobody is bothered to organize it, so that was that. A shame really.
Is anyone really asking for them to open all hours ? just common sense hours would be a realistic starting point .. as an example our local decent sized town has 4 pharmacies , none of them open Saturday afternoon or when the doctors hours have finished and the pharmacy ' en garde ' is 10 kms away , very frustrating to say the least when you have a poorly child.
So we need to keep on trying to find ways to help.Help with tourism if that is the only
way in which we can help.
My clients who visit during spring and summer spend money in the cafes and restaurants, supermarkets, pharmacies, canoes, wine tours.....here there and beyond. If we can find ways
of enhancing this and adding to the attraction of our local regions it can only help.
I am trying to organise a food festival prob for next April and it will involve French chefs as well as others. I wish I could conjoure up more enthuisiasm rather than the ugh it is impossible ....gets harder to do anything when everyone is sleeping on the job.
Yes France is laid back....
but we must not allow her to loose her identity and become the poor old grandaughter of uk;
Get her up on her feet dancing. S France?