Many people I meet have the same dream, that of of making their permanent home in France. I understand this, it was our dream and for us it is a dream come true, even after 20 years, but it was not all easy and simple.
A lot of my blogs and notes are to try and let people share our experiences and to offer help – I try not to advise or preach, but I am bound to be biased by my own experiences and thoughts, but I do believe what I write and my aim is to “tell it as I see it”.
I do try hard to reply to all emails, this came in today……
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I’m a 53 year old male and I currently work for a delivery company. I’ve been studying French for about a year because I would like to relocate there eventually. I would like to spend some time there this year to familiarize myself with the area and people. I’m not a tourist. I have worked as a chef and also have skills with hand tools. I can also drive a truck.
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Hi
Carole and I relocated to France 20 years ago with our two very young daughters and have never regretted our decision for one single second.
France is not perfect, but it is a lot better than most places I have been and better than any place I have lived in.
I would like to say that “everything is possible” – but this is a silly statement (I can’t fly and will never win the lottery as I don’t buy tickets) – but – the big issue with moving to live in France will be earning a living – unemployment is high , usually in double figures and higher in the South, you need good French language skills, a recognised education standard, an accepted professional qualification (very few overseas trades, skills and professions are accepted). Finding a job is very hard for a French person, much harder for an ex-pat.
But, if you have a dream, the best solution is to come and try, stay a while, see for yourself, tens of thousands of people do come to live in France.
Let me know your thoughts and keep in touch
Bonne Chance
Tony
We did it at the age of 60; never think that you are too old to make a new adventure.
After selling up in UK and buying our ‘Corps de Ferme’ [from a bankrupt farmer] we had a year to change its use to an attractive holiday destination for groups of 12. With 14 white vans in the courtyard in the week before our first group arrived; they were delighted and came for 4 years until the chidren reached their teens and wanted more than country life, rural adventure and bastide towns. We never looked back. It is not a life of ‘gin & tonic’ by the pool – there is always something to be done and La France Profonde’ does not have the convenience of comparatively urban Britain.
However, now 12 years on and some 600 visitors plus through the ‘Gite Business’ we need a like minded couple or family to take it on from here, as we retire nearer Albi. Anyone out there?
Hello,
Yes I would be interested in finding out furthur details about your Gite business. Where is it etc..photos and of course the price you are asking. How did you chose Albi to retire to.
Merci d’avance
claudia
Dear Tony, I too, like your 53 year old blogger above, have a similar dream and relate so well to his comment. I am 52 year old naturalised Australian originally from South Africa and as ready as I’ll ever be to find a little spot in France to lay my head each night for the rest of my life – I am still trying to work out the “how”. It has been a very real desire of mine since 2006 when France and I found one another at the Marathon du Medoc in Bordeaux. I visit Bordeaux and Sarlat and surrounds every year and will be there again from 15 – 26 September. My son and his young family live in Germany and in France I’ll be sufficiently close to be a regular part of my grand children’s lives yet not too close for comfort. If there is anyone out there who would be open to communicating with me and provide and share any wisdom and information, it will be most welcome. Many thanks, Hilda Olivier
Thank you for writing Hilda
I don’t think wisdom can be shared, only learnt – information abounds but filtering it depends on the question, and then you need wisdom to interpret the answer I guess (and to be able to ask the relevant question in the first place).
In a miniscule way I try to help by feeding my thoughts and experiences into these blogs – helping me to focus perhaps and hopefully they also help others to look under different stones to find whatever they seek for themselves.
It is a basic instinct for humanity to move to new pastures if grazing is not nourishing – even if the new territory is inferior, the need for justification of the move enables and energises new experiences and actions, perhaps.
I spent months traveling around France, often by rail with a very cheap roaming ticket allowing me to go anywhere (I don’t think they have them any more) I often went to a station and asked the time of the next train – where to – I was asked – anywhere – I replied, clearly the station staff thought I was mad. Eventually after 4 years I found a place which sort of melted into my wishes, it suited Carole too, so we have been here ever since. There were hundreds of other places which I liked, so perhaps the magic spot can really be anywhere.
The reality of living means, for most people and definitely me, means earning a living or making money (not quite the same thing perhaps) – that is difficult most places and it does (to me) seem harder than the other places I have lived to earn a living in France, not just for me, but I hear from many others the difficulties with permissions and the restrictions on enterprise. None are insurmountable, but for people from most Anglophone countries this is an extra hurdle.
There are many people in France from whom you may be able to get feedback – I am finding that Facebook groups and pages offer some good introductions, also blogs and online magazines – commenting on the pages and blogs, as you are doing here, may opens some doors for you – Twitter also has groups, try searching on Twitter but use some filtering application or the nugget of useful information may be lost in a desert of dross.
I hope this helps is some way for you to see more of your Grandchildren
Bonne Chance
Tony