Great Migration a la Francais!

Many many years ago, way back in the 60s, I was stranded in France, the aircraft I was flying in developed engine trouble and we were forrced to land and await parts from the U.K. before we could continue on our journey. The wait and subsequent repair to the aircraft lasted about a week, so we were housed in a "transit hut" on the airfield, but were allowed to ander around the local area, that is when I said to myself ................................... One day I'm going to live here..................

Advance now to 1994, I am due for retirement, my wife, Sue, is six years younger so we decided I shall work on until she retires. I had already started trying to prime her about a move to France, but, she is pooh-poohing the idea, saying we are staying here in the U.K.

Like most long time married men, we tend to back off when the wifey decideds any ideas not of her liking are rejected, but I was determined. Eventually she came round to my way of thinking, saying that she wanted a "bolt hole" back in the U.K. I explained to her that it we not only couldn't we afford it, but, the ongoing costs would drain our pensions, so it was a case of burn our bridges, moving lock stock and barrel, she was terified.

August 3rd. we handed the keys to our bungalow over to the new owners, stayed in a local hotel ovrnight, then moved in leisurely way towards Dover. On arriving there we were informed that the ferry was going be delayed for at least four hours , as they were having problems with toilet system aboard. We eventually set sail arriving in Calais at some unearthly hour, it was pouring with rain, most of the citizens of Calais were tucked up in bed, we couldn't find a hotel that was open so decided to start our way south.

The car, a Renault laguna, and was packed to the brim with the bits we thought we would need prior to the removal van arriving, we were going to stay in a Gite until the people we bought from, moved out............ definately a wrong move ........... unbeknownst to us, they had NOT EVEN started looking for another place, saying that they couldn't afford losing their deposit on any house should we have backed out on the sale ........... we eventually movd in on September 29th.... which meant a very expensive "holiday" whilst we waited.
I don't know if youv'e ever slept om a tiled floor at the age of 65, with just a tablecloth for bedlinen, I can tell you, it's not what I would call one of my most favourite pastimes. Sue at least had a lilo for comfort.

We had moved from Devizes , in Wiltshire, to the rural area in the south west of France called ---The Charente --- dept16 and part of the greater Poitier Charente region, we had spent several "holidays" looking around France, sussing out the areas, and much to my delight, and with a little gentle persuasion Sue said she loved it here in the Charente..( my first choice for years)

The removal firm told us we wouldn't be getting our furniture for at least ten days .......... Well we had the house...and apart from a few items of crockery, that was it........................................ Then the neighbours came round, an offer of pots and pans, chairs and a table to use until our stuff arrived, French and English alike.

The " Sou- Sol bungalow", that is basically a bungalow that sits on top of a cellar, was set in just over an acre of land, half of which had gone back "to the wild" because the previus owner said his "bad back" wouldn't let him work to much, a fair sized swimming pool was at the side of the house and a huge "veggie" allotment.

We were wandering around, taking it all in, when a "Bonjour" greetwd us, it was "Eric", he started chatting to us at fourteen to the dozen.... in FRENCH .............. I stopped him, asked if he spoke English ... no he didn't ... He indicated we should follw him to his house, where the wine and the dictionary came out. Four hours later, slightly squiffy, and my brain aching from trying to translate,he had our life story ... we had his..... As we went to leave he told us to wait, called his children, related something rapid... in french ... to them, then escorted us back to our house, out of the gloom of the evening came the children, carrying two camp beds and various items for cooking in. We thanked him, what else could we do,and THAT was the begining of our love affair with France.............................

Re: Great Migration a la Francais!

Our invitation arrived in the post, inviting us to attend the ----- REPAS DE NOEL ----. Its a christmas dinner offered to all citizens of the village who are seventy years of age and older. We were looking forward to it as we had been invited to last years ocassion and thoroughly enjoyed it.The snow was still on the ground, making it quite dangerous underfoot and we weren't sure if it might have been cancelled, but as we drove up the car park had quite few cars in it so we knew it was still "on".

We were the only "Englsh" couple to attend, which didn't worry us as we were the only English people there last year and the reception we had, from the local French people, was fantastic.

We walked into the hall, there about fifty people milling around, not quite sure what to do, we hestitaed, looked around for a familiar face, then decided to hang our coats up, I helped my wife take her coat off and was just about to hang it up, when came a tap on the shoulder, I turned to see the ruddy face of George and his wife.

" Hello my friend, we thought you might not come because of the bad weather" He said , smiling his head off and offering his hand to be shaken, (All this was said in French, and my French isn't that good). His wife came up and offered her cheeks to be kissed, THREE times, that meant---you have ben accepted, My wifes turn next, and the ice was broken, nearly evryone in hall shook our hand and welcomed us, we really did feel "at home" with our French neighbours. We sat down at half past twelve, after being pulled this way and that way by friends wanting us to sit with them.

An aperitiff arrived, a duet had set up their gear and were playng music as we sipped and chatted, then came the "entree" with a glass of wine to compliment it, the duo were getting into their stride now and playing those songs that everyone sings along with, another course arrived, with wine to commpliment it, more music, more courses, with a wine to compliment each one.

EIGHT courses and five hours later, the coffee arrived, all now had the blush of, either satisfaction, or alcohol on their faces. The food was excellant, prepared by local people in their homes.

Looking back on itI was amazed at the amount of people that came up to where we were sitting and chatted with us, some we knew by site, others we had never seen before, and those that could speak a few words of English just had to try it out on us, smiling with pleasure as they did. But nobody, apart from my wife and I, could speak, conversationally, so it was up to us to speak THEIR language, by the time we came home my head was buzzing with the exhaustion of translating English to French in my head, but it was a very satisfying and worthwhile exercise.

The day was memorable, and await with eager anticipation, for an invitation to come in the post for next years gathering.

Re: Great Migration a la Francais!

Next episode eagerly awaited Jonsey !!!!

Re: Great Migration a la Francais!

Me too. Thanks for taking the trouble to type it all up.

I'm loving it.
You do realise you'll have to tell us about everything now!
Does the Tour de France go through your way?
Is it a sleepy idyllic rural village where you live?
Do you reckon you have a higher standard of living there than you'd have had here?

hee..hee ... you going to regret this.

Re: Great Migration a la Francais!

Very interesting Jonsey. Did you do this to give yourselves a new challange or to improve your lifestyle?

Re: Great Migration a la Francais!

A very good and interesting read Jonsey............like the others I look forward to the next chapter.

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My daughter went to live in France, bought a house there got the children into schools and had no end of trouble.The children hated the schools and couldnt get on at all in the end they came back to England and Sophie was a year behind in her education, she did well with the language and has taken an A level in french this past month.They lived near to Limasin.

Re: Great Migration a la Francais!

Alan,

Yes , I suppose I did, I realised that when I retired there was going to a huge gap of --"nothingness" --- in my life, ohh yes there was the garden , we could play golf at least twice a week,I could do all that decorating etc I had said I was going to do at some time.

But when my, 'postage stamp" of a garden was weeded, and the lawns cut would I then sit waiting for weeds to to 'pop up" or the grass to grow, how many times do you decorate a room.


From a young age when HAVING to stay in France, ( i will try and put the experience down on here later) I loved the country, the backwardness of it, the rural tranquility, the slow easy going pace of life, bearing in mind this was back in the early sixties, silly things , like the smell of cooking, the shyness of young girls when they saw four hairy airmen staring at them, the warmth of the sun on my hair, so many "silly" memories.

After retirement I just didn't want to turn into a "couch potato" I needed stimulus, so coming here , to me, was the answer, I could hardly speak a word of the language, I ignored all the internet "pundits" who said I should learn French before arriving, I should get an English soloicitor who understands French "law" etc etc etc

But no-- thats not me -- it was the "deep end" or nothing, six years on wer'e still "doggy paddling" our way around, but the learning curve, not only regarding life here, but the "inner physcie" of me and my wife in almost having to learn how to "walk and talk" again, in a six year period, not a life time, has been truly amazing.

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For every tale of woe there is one of success, when you are sat outside of a cafe, having a coffee or beer and there are a group of youngsters all gabbling away at nineteen to the dozen in French, when suddenly one of them turns to his /her friend and says in English ---" ooops here's Mum, better go, bye now". And then slips back into fluent French to say goodbye to the "French" of that group still amazes me.

I can honestly say, having spoken to many youngsters, ranging in age from 12 to 20, not one of them has resented the move their parents made coming here, yes they do say they hated it at first because they felt like "lepers" but then, when the langauge skills kicked in it was a totally different thought.

I do think some people arrive here , either with an air of superiority, or that of arrogance, ----- "I am English SO speak to me in English" ------- or -------- "ohh my god , are you lot THAT ignorant that you can't speak the Queens English" ---- they seem to forget, they ARE LIVING IN FRANCE WHER THE NATURAL LANGUAGE IS FRENCH. These people are usually associated with the --"Brit Pack".

Re: Great Migration a la Francais!

My nephew and his family moved to France through his job and they all loved it. His children grew up there and then came back to England to University. His wife had a bit of trouble with the language but she persevered with it and they stayed there for about 14-15 years. His job has brought him back to this country again but I will be surprised if they don't end up settling in France when he retires in a few years time. They loved the life there and so did the kids.