Comments on: Happy Christmas for expats?

By: Boris

Boris — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 05:21:34 +0000

I suspect that quite a high percentage of the people who arrived during the last three or four years, much publicised on the ‘Life in the Sun’ type TV programmes, had been caught up in the hype without really thinking about the realities and have since returned to the UK. While old-timers like yourselves (and us) just carry on.
C’est la vie!

By: MedievalBlogger

MedievalBlogger — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:14:56 +0000

There as been a lot leaving from here (Deux-Sevres) when sterling took a tumble a lot who couldn’t afford to return previously went back, some reduced their house prices quite dramatically to sell.

We have been here for 8yrs and wild horses wouldn’t get me back

By: frogblogger

frogblogger — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 10:18:10 +0000

Oh and no, I don’t know of anyone leaving this part of France (Vaucluse), but then the expats are pretty thin on the ground here – it’s never been an area targeted for the English partly for that reason. So most of those I know are long-term inhabitants with family ties, etc.

By: frogblogger

frogblogger — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 10:05:53 +0000

Boris, that’s pretty much what I said to the journalist, a certain Bill Coles. I pointed out that there will always be those who miscalculated, headed to France on a shoestring budget, relying on gite/b&b income on top of limited sterling revenue (both of which will be affected simultaneously), or who took out euro mortgages financed by sterling income, etc. Obviously there will be an increase in these heading back to the UK, but it’s hardly an exodus. Not really what he wanted to hear, he had the story already written of course. I saw a post from him later on an expat forum, wanting to contact a family in the process of packing their bags. Typical soundbite sensationalist journalism that unhappily is par for the course even for the so-called quality media these days…

By: Boris

Boris — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 05:51:52 +0000

Frogblogger, are people leaving in droves from your area?
When we first came to France we used to get calls looking for people who had moved to France and were happy (for a spate of TV programs being made at that time about life in the sun); than after a few years that changed to calls looking for people who couldn’t stand France any more and wanted to return to the UK (for another glut of TV programmes). When I pointed out that we and the majority of expats we knew were happy where we are they weren’t interested. Now it has changed to people who reputedly can’t afford to stay here any more.
But there have always been people who are staying, people who are leaving, and people who can’t afford to stay. It’s just normal if people try something new that it doesn’t always work out.
I find it disappointing (but not surprising) the way that television and newspapers create a story or invent a trend where it doesn’t really exist. Ah well, c’est la vie.

By: frogblogger

frogblogger — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 20:09:04 +0000

Funnily enough I had a call from a journalist working for the Express mid December, also looking for information on the subject of Brits leaving France in droves. No idea if the article appeared, the Express is the last paper I would read!

By: Boris

Boris — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 07:15:12 +0000

Thanks all.
Brian, I don’t read the papers much any more. Try the 8pm news on TF1, they have a new lady presenter who smiles even when she’s talking about catastrophes and disasters which makes the news a bit more acceptable. Glad to hear you are in France for the long-term.
Babooshka, I took a look at your photos (very nice by the way). I imagine the Isle of Man is a bit cooler and wetter than Provence. Committing yourself to a photo every day sounds a bit of a challenge though, think I would have gone for ‘photo a week’ – or do you take lots on one day and then just publish them slowly over the coming weeks?

By: babooshka

babooshka — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 02:18:11 +0000

I would happily drink blue nun, just to be in Provence.

By: Brian

Brian — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 15:47:12 +0000

I think we may have been among the last batch of Brits to slip into the country as we arrived in March this year. I hate reading the newspapers because it really is all doom and gloom. We did have a very good first season here and are hopeful for next year as we are off to a good start.

Be a bit of a liar if I said the exchange rate isn’t hurting, how could it not be when we are almost down to 1 to 1, but in for a centime in for a euro as they say, we are here to stay.

By: Enid Wilson

Enid Wilson — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 18:07:27 +0000

Well I’m happy here – this is my home – so now we have your very useful tips I’m sure we can face whatever is coming. The press loves doom and gloom!