Which CCer was it that lived in France?

[cookiemonster]

I will be working in France in 2 years time, hopefully, depending on exam results.

I have worked in France before but mainly for a few Summers and I loved it.

Any tips would be appreciated.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Hoverfly lives in France. But probably in rather different social circumstances...

 

[yello]

I know there's a few of us that live here... but lived is what I'm after. Folk that have returned to the UK.

Tips cookiemonster? You don't have to tip anymore! Depends where you'll be living. City life differs to rural life (as in the UK). The French lunch 2 hours is the most obvious and in your face difference, but I believe it's disappearing in Parisian life where particularly office workers are grabbing sandwiches and eating on the move or at their desks. In the sticks, everywhere (except restaurants and cafes obviously) closes. Opening hours generally; if somewhere is open on a Saturday then they'll probably be closed Monday, or Monday morning at least. Such stuff you quickly get used to.

I find my part of France to be conservative, resistant to change and surprisingly racist. I'm okay but then I have a skin colour that fits in. But maybe the same can be said of parts of rural Britain. It's odd, after 4 years here, I see little things that hint at nothing in themselves but when added to other little things point to an underlying picture.

 

[cookiemonster]

Sounds just like the part of France I worked in and may be living and working in soon (Midi-Pyrenees)

Every Monday in May is a bank holiday. Everything is closed on a Monday, except the Boulangeries, 2 hour lunch break and items are still priced in French Francs as well as Euros.

However, I cannot wait to get the hell out of the UK, I'm planning that move now.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Satellite? There are many many (perhaps even most) ex-UK folk settled here receiving UK tele. And receiving deliveries of essentials from Tescos etc. To each their own.

I was kidding, I doubt I would even notice if they ended it all in nuclear apocolypse tomorrow.

 

[lukesdad]

I worked and lived there for 2 years in the mid eighties. I came home coz I got pi**ed off being called roast beef by the french chefs and waiters I worked with Nah I thourghly enjoyed myself but the plan was only for 2 years in the first place.

 

[yello]

No, wasn't you ld. I was thinking of someone that was a little more 'all in', if you understand what I mean. Came over with high hopes and dreams but ended up returning.

 

[gavroche]

Well I did it the other way round. I came to live in UK in 1970 from France and am still here. I like it here but I do miss some things from my home country like food, wine and most of all the social side with my brothers. I miss not seeing my family often enough. I have bought a house in Normandy 7 years ago and go there as often ad I can, just to feel "at home again"

 

[yello]

It's been obvious to me during my time here that the social aspects of life are important in France so I can understand you missing that gavroche.

Indeed it seems to me that many of the bizarre fêtes that they have around here (donkey festival, potato festival, tomato, chestnut, frog, etc etc etc etc) are important events on the social calendar and reasons for people to meet, talk, eat, drink, etc. It has made me question (but not yet change!) my largely insular lifestyle. Seriously, you do realise that such events do mould you and, to some extent, a nation. Perhaps that's what the UK needs - more potato festivals!

 

[PpPete]

We (OH + I ) lived in France from 1990 to 1993.... but it was work, and work brought us home again.

What I didn't like was that there was a whole cultural background that was missing. And that was despite the fact of being (at that time) perfectly fluent in the language.... and having spent a good proportion of my early childhood in a French speaking country. Nearest thing I can compare it to is having a "gap" of several years in one's memory.... although I've never experienced that, spoken to people who have, though.

Oh yes - and their education system sucks! One of my biggest fears is that UK education is trying to emulate them.

 

[djmc]

We have lived here for ten years (both retired) do not intend going back. We both really enjoy it here. However
1. We both speak French reasonably fluently. I spoke French fluently before coming here, David has put in an awful lot of work to become so.
2. We live in a largish community (about 80,000) and there are lots of things going on, I think small communities tend to be more insular.
3. We are fairly heavily involved in local associations. We both cycle, David plays table tennis, I am involved in various intellectual and artistic groups, we are both members of the local AVF.
4. We have good friends and neighbours.
5. We no longer have any property in England and only return very occasionally.
6. Our cultural references (newspapers, television etc.) tend to be French rather than English this means that we have much of the background that PpPete felt was lacking.
7. I think that one needs to be fairly outgoing and deliberately try to meet people. David is like this naturally, I am far more outgoing in France than I ever was in England.

I think to be successful living in a foreign one needs to identify with the country one is living in. No-one would claim that France is paradise on earth but we are settled here.

 

[yello]

1. We both speak French reasonably fluently. I spoke French fluently before coming here, David has put in an awful lot of work to become so.

That really makes such a difference to living here. I know many English people here are at best rudimentary with their French. I'm not being judgemental about that btw. It works for them and they're happy so that's the end of it I feel. I wouldn't even say they're 'missing out' which is what you so often hear said of the non French speaking residents. There are parts of French life that many would prefer to 'miss out' on!

I couldn't be like that however and I am still very conscious of my level of French. I'll get there but there is no denying that it's hard work, and the effects of misunderstandings etc can be demoralising. Got to plug away though! I have a good circle of friends here (predominantly through cycling) and I've never had a problem with them, or with anyone here to be honest.

Interesting what you say about identifying with the country because whilst I'd say I'm starting to 'tune in' I wouldn't say that I necessarily feel at home with it all. But I was that way in the UK too. Always felt slightly outside of it all. But, as you say, no place is a paradise. Good and bad in everyone and everything.

I like France though. There is some stuff that frustrates me but on balance it's a good place to be. I think the French generally do have a good approach to life, and have a healthy work-life balance.