Why does nobody want to live in France?

[mfd101]

Vive la France! I lived in Paris for a couple of years as a student in the early 70s, and have travelled there several times since. Coming from the NZ of the 50s & 60s , it was a revelation ...

 

All good except (1) the bureaucracy, as mentioned above, and corrupt too (at least in Paris) - but of course anyone who's lived in Thailand has been well trained (2) mention the words 'change' or 'reform' and half the country goes on strike, which can be a real embuggerance.

[1FinickyOne]

17 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

Are the French still there ??

not likely in the house shown... more a tearer down than fix er up.  

[Nanaplaza666]

17 hours ago, BritManToo said:

How about a farmhouse with attached barn and 1.5 Acres for 15,000 Euros?

 

Wouldn't want to be found dead there, even if they gave it for free .

[BritManToo]

2 hours ago, jesimps said:

Took me ten years to sell my property there at a fraction of what I paid for it. 

I've got some friends who broke even on the buying/selling after 20 years.

It's not an investment for me, more a cheap address to keep my state pension increases coming.

Don't think I'd be there in the winter.

[Aforek]

2 hours ago, mfd101 said:

... (2) mention the words 'change' or 'reform' and half the country goes on strike, which can be a real embuggerance.

... it's true that French are big moaners, that's what we say when we speak of ourselves 

[RichardColeman]

I know, I mean, not even the migrants want to live there !

[mfd101]

12 minutes ago, Aforek said:

... it's true that French are big moaners, that's what we say when we speak of ourselves 

Yes, and in many ways an intensely conservative country. Which is why they have to have revolutions from time to time to overthrow a static but no longer tolerable present.

[Kurtf]

Have you never heard of the Muslim invasion there? Have you never heard of French arrogance? Have you never heard of people that aren’t thrilled with living in a socialist society? Get your head out of your ass.

[Pedrogaz]

Too many rude, unhelpful and ignorant French people who seem to get a kick see Brits struggle.

I have friends doing a farmhouse up in a lovely area....it costs a fortune to renovate....they found it cheaper to get some Brits to move over for a few months and do the work. 

The locals were very expensive (dual pricing?) and poor quality. My friends are still in court suing the original renovator who did a truly appalling job.

[Jimbo1964]

Lots of people want to move to France. Africans, Moroccans, Afghanis, Iranians, Serians, Iraqis, Palestinians, the list is endless and they are dying to get there. 

 

[toofarnorth]

Only slightly off topic , couldn't afford to live there now as down to my UK pension but before coming out here in 2005 , we spent about a dozen years in a row taking holidays in Normandy and  Brittany .  Loved the people the slower way of life and the baguettes and wine from Super U every day . Have said to mates here if I won the lottery I would go back to France rather than Plymouth for a holiday. St. Malo  , better by far than Plymouth ( just over the channel ). Might of all changed now as some of the holidays we were paying in Francs .

[BritManToo]

22 minutes ago, Pedrogaz said:

Too many rude, unhelpful and ignorant French people who seem to get a kick see Brits struggle.

I have friends doing a farmhouse up in a lovely area....it costs a fortune to renovate....they found it cheaper to get some Brits to move over for a few months and do the work. 

The locals were very expensive (dual pricing?) and poor quality. My friends are still in court suing the original renovator who did a truly appalling job.

I never employ people to do work I don't mind doing, I'm retired my time and labour is free.

New roofing felt/membrane is 45 pounds for 50m2, add a few treated battens at 25 pounds for 50m and a bag of nails.

About 200 pounds to fix the roof in the photos.

As for the French, I wouldn't speak to them, same as I don't speak to the Thais, and didn't speak to my Brit neighbours.

[Rod the Sod]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Hard to see how they could do that as both the houses I pictured are already residences with electricity and water.

The farm in the last photo isn't in all that bad a condition 1/3 of the property has already been fixed (roof and inside).

Looks a complete heap to me. Good luck. I have just upgraded a few bits in my French home in Charente and it cost £62k. I am not "handy" like you, but found a great Brit Builder who worked with local Artisans and did a good job. Never ever get the money back on the house value I am told, but, I don't care because that is my home in the summer until I peg it, or can't physically get there anymore. Great place to spend the summer, but I avoid the winter as it is cold and wet and miserable. The locals shut their shutters and France closes down until the Spring. In the summer this is where I see my British kids and grandchildren and there is nowhere in the world that I know of that beats it.

[Ireland32]

Sub Continent Tourist, Mayhem Soon...

[myjawe]

Because nobody wants to live in a muslim country ?

 

 

[IssanMichael]

Where does nobody live at the moment?

[myjawe]

13 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I'd agree with you about Paris or any other Major European Capital... they're all amazing for a Visit or to live in the right area (very expensive and exclusive parts of town). 

 

Bangkok is the same - but its the only place in Thailand with the right combination of Good Schools, Good Hospitals, Good regional connections (flights) and civilization.

 

I prefer Bangkok to many of the other Capitals I've been to. But, were not comparing Cities - the question was about France and there are some areas of France, particularly in the South where the people are great, the food is great the lifestyle is incredible and relaxing...  areas like St Jean De Lus or Narbonne on the other side.  But with France, you would have to be a little bit careful where you choose as there has been an 'immigration issue' which has rendered some areas (in towns, even the smaller ones) unsafe. 

 

A bit ridiculous to consider Bkk the best choice when EVERYTHING is better around Pattaya + the sea.

I would never raise kids in a polluted $hit city as BKK.

And of course nobody needs to go to the Pattaya naughty streets if he does not want. So only idiots think that Pattaya is not a good choice.

 

 

 

 

[tlandtday]

21 hours ago, Pravda said:

Thing about Serbian women is they are hard to get, tho.

 

If you're old and ugly no amount of money is going to help you. We as a nation also make fun of foreigners, especially Americans. I can tell you for a fact most Serbian women find Americans revolting.

 

The Serbian women didn't even want me and I was born in Serbia. The first time I had sex with a Serbian woman was 7 years ago in Canada. She was nurse (they make over $100k there), well off husband, million dollar house 3 kids, but liked playing around. She was horny as hell and boy did she pick a wrong guy as I found her quite comical with her displays of horny affection. I cracked up in the middle of the sex session.

But Serbian women are indeed gorgeous. Even in their 40's they maintain a healthy body features unlike Russian women.

good points but i think you are not talking about the younger generation of russian women now in their 20's and 30's from what i have see of the one's visiting thailand they are in fine shape... 

[tlandtday]

2 minutes ago, myjawe said:

 

A bit ridiculous to consider Bkk the best choice when EVERYTHING is better around Pattaya + the sea.

I would never raise kids in a polluted $hit city as BKK.

And of course nobody needs to go to the Pattaya naughty streets if he does not want. So only idiots think that Pattaya is not a good choice.

 

 

 

 

sorry to break it to you but pattaya has excessive 2.5 particle pollution for at least half the year well in excess of world health organization levels... 

[NoshowJones]

Living in France?? I spent one weekend in Paris and was hassle by both the police (taking a photo of the Eiffel Tower from about half a mile away) and told to move on by a security guy while waiting for my girlfriend when she was in the toilet in a shopping mall.

On both occasions, I had very strong words with them.

[Mukdahanman]

21 hours ago, madmen said:

Ok then no worries

And cheaper than a Pattaya go go girl, trust me I know ????

 

 

When’s the next flight from Bangkok ????

[sawadee1947]

22 hours ago, vogie said:

Nice country, nice people, I was made very welcome there. Pub prices are very expensive although the booze in the supermarkets are cheap. Very cold winters, no gas in the countryside so needed log fires. Cess pits are a must have.

Had my own walnut tree, apples and pears.

Marseille is cold in winter???? Cote Azur? Oh dear, update your geography... 

[Date Masamune]

I know a French resident Thai lady. She had a baby with some guy (a bum), never married. Still she can stay there 

as France is so liberal, I'm not against that but she is on track for citizenship and all the bennies that will provide.

Running small Thai resto she has plenty of customers but supposedly the taxes are something incredible.

[vogie]

8 minutes ago, sawadee1947 said:

Marseille is cold in winter???? Cote Azur? Oh dear, update your geography... 

I have no idea what you are talking about, poteen? 

[BritManToo]

2 minutes ago, Date Masamune said:

I know a French resident Thai lady. She had a baby with some guy (a bum), never married. Still she can stay there 

as France is so liberal, I'm not against that but she is on track for citizenship and all the bennies that will provide.

Running small Thai resto she has plenty of customers but supposedly the taxes are something incredible.

All my money comes from pensions taxed in the UK.

As far as I know France would have no claim on anything, I would also only be living there part of the year.

Not sure how much property tax is in rural France, which would be my main liability.

[connda]

If one was to step through the Gillet Jaunes lists of grievances regarding the government, one may get a clue.  However, it seems their neighbors to their south across the Med are dying to live there.  

Me personally?  I found French more difficult to learn and pronounce that Thai.  Outside of the cities though - beautiful place.  Great wine.

[connda]

Playing with 'making the move' too BritManToo.  Me too, but I've always have had a hankering for Asian gals.  Thailand has sorta become like week old unrefrigerated fish.  The dogs love rolling in it, it makes good fertilizer, but I'm finding I have less and less use for it as time goes on.
The grass may not be as green on the other side of the Asian fence, but it doesn't smell as bad.    

[thaiguzzi]

20 hours ago, BritManToo said:

How about a farmhouse with attached barn and 1.5 Acres for 15,000 Euros?

 

Yep, my cup of tea something like that.

I too, like the French and the French lifestyle, and i would much rather live in something like the above, with my workshops and be able to work from home, than live in a 2 up 2 down terrace and have to travel to my workshops like i used to have to do back in Blighty.

Alas, i too cannot handle Euro winters anymore after living here too long and i'm approaching retirement age in less than 10 years.

 

[Thingamabob]

Civilised people, great food, lovely countryside. Many Brits living there.

[thaiguzzi]

23 hours ago, madmen said:

Ok then no worries

And cheaper than a Pattaya go go girl, trust me I know ????

 

 

Me personally - i'm not into ladyboys.

Each to their own.

That's a geezer, innit.