Moving to France From the UK, What They Don't Tell You!
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- Опубликовано: 12 июл 2024
- Moving to France From the UK, What They Don't Tell You!
I rarely see vloggers discussing the more difficult side to living in France. We moved here 16 Yrs ago, here are some of my experiences that don't often get mentioned.
The Brocante video • Exploring possibly One...
Goats Cheese Pie • Crottin de Chèvre en c...
French Health Care, Residency in France ,Language Barriers and more.
Check out Jordan Patrick's, Things I wish I had known before moving to France • things i wish i'd know...
Fab Vlog to watch, Diane's Oui in France, Pros and Cons of Living in France. • PROS & CONS of living ... 
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I appreciate the very gentle way you describe your new life in France. Honestly, to select a country to live-in means normally to be forced to learn the language and a bit of history. Seems cruel and though at first (and even un-necessary for a English-speaking person but remember, other applicants come from loads of different countries. Same rule for all.) But all this is for your own good to help you become a citizen of this country and not a zombie hiding some place. Besides, once you start living here, you have to keep informed about your rights and your obligations - all this is in French. I think most incoming people have the best intentions to learn the language and the habits but it is so though that most would give up unless that threat (motivation?) to know a minimum of your new country. For us intégration is the key word. Does not mean you forget where you were born and raised but about building a bridge with your new fellow countrymen. Welcome here to both of you.
Well you’re like a breath of fresh air! Genuine and honest about your experience. Looking forward to seeing more of your vlogs especially enjoyed rhe one about SJ
Thank you for posting this 👍
I thought that was the whole point of moving abroad, to integrate.
Personal experience of Brexit: I've been living in France since 2000, I'm a fonctionnaire with tenure, and this is what guaranteed my staying after Brexit and with no obligation to be naturalised. I have a residency card, I was married to a French man and my children are French. I too do not consider myself an expat. I'm fully integrated almost since day 1. Paperwork is your worst nightmare in France. The crottin de chèvre ? Not so much ! Despite the name, (dung), they are delicious.
Attends un peu de voir la bureaucratie allemande tu vas nous regretter ici 🫣
@@Lostouille Je suis d'accord. Première fois que je vois un commentaire qui n'assassine pas la bureaucratie française.
En même temps, fonctionnaire, elle ne doit pas faire certaines choses elle-même. La parodie dans Astérix était encore plutôt gentil.
L'administration français est certainement l'une voire la plus lourde, complexe et incohérente au monde.
Paradoxalement, certaines démarches complexes sont super faciles et d'autres démarches simples sont de vrais parcours du combattant.
Have just found you! I made the move to Fuerteventura 28 years ago,speak Spanish,am well integrated and like you,hate the word expat! Look forward to seeing more of your vlogs!
I have discovered your channel and I'm excited for your new life in France. 👀✨
New subscriber and I can't wait to see more videos. 🙌
Greetings from Monterrey, Mexico ❤️🤠🇲🇽
Thank you for the video 😄
Thank you.
Really useful video, thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Oh I so enjoyed listening to you. Thank you for being real and for your perspective on several view points. Really liked the migrant comment. Loved that. Thank you.
I've lived in France since 2011, so not as long as you. I agree with a lot of your opinions and thoughts, especially that about 'why don't a lot of Brits not speak or even try too'?! It makes no sense, they are making life difficult for themselves. 🤷
Brits always keep them close to expats circle, do not learn local language nor history. They accept local food but keep buying Mermite and other UK things, eat white toast at home, see UK TV channels and pretend they enjoy a new country.
@@Noella65 astonishing!
Well... english speakers tend to be like that, this is no legend.
It is true that alot of Brits are clanish wherever they emigrate to. However this behavior is certainly not exclusive to Britons and they should not bear this constant criticism. Actually they contribute alot to the respective economies. The French & Dutch are equally clanish. Examples of many thousands of similar retired French living in gated communities in Morocco or French Caribbean Islands or spending their holidays in French speaking overseas resorts. The Dutch colonising many areas of the Dordogne and keeping amongst themselves.
I , who live in SW France, don't think the Brits are the worse culprits if that is the word. I was surprised to hear your joint mutuelle was as high as 350 eur a month, but I suppose its to do with your pre-existing health conditions. Considering that you were, in my opinion, extra brave to make the move.
Applying for residency is simple. Not doing so is mindless. Mindlessness has a cost.
Agree.
Nice to hear you were able to gain French citizenship and willing to integrate. Not all foreigners want to do the same. You seem to be very open-minded people. Welcome to France. Wish we had more people like you coming over!
Some of the comments below are really unpleasant. Just ignore them.
BTW, goat's cheese is said to be healthier than cow's milk cheese. And you get all sorts, not just "crottins".
@Alex-mp1zb thanks for your kind words.
You are so funny. It is the same for everyone in all countries. Nothing new. UK was not very gentle to me when I moved there. In Switzerland was even worse. In Scandinavian countries you have to do the same. Language, tests.... What did you expect? 🤔
I think what I find a bit strange is that actually all nationalities underestimate the complexities of emigrating, and also are surprised that another country is - DIFFERENT FROM HOME! Isn't that one reason we like to travel overseas?
hello. i am a new British youtuber talking about the real side of living in france... glad to find you. :)
Wonderful video 👍🏻
Disagree. This is a matter of individual common sense. We are talking about adults here who decide to settle in another country. 1st rule is to get prepared before even buying a property, i.e. learn the language, the history of the country and its laws. Most of these Brits settled in France, Spain and Italy for financial reasons, for the most part, buying cheap properties compared to GB and ending up creating communities living often among themselves, isolated from local people, not making any effort of integration and certainly taking advantage of the Schengen treaty. But the irony is that the UK never signed this treaty. So no whining, please! I know the problem. Born in Paris, I have spent my whole life abroad (my father's and my husband's job) and still do, living in different countries.
I am considering becoming a migrant, and quite possibly choosing France. Great info.
You're right that there should be more content about the tough side of things.
There has to be a first person though...:)
I agree with you that we should use the term migrant or immigrant. I was ignorant to the difference between that and expat until a while ago, so I presume many others are too. I use expat in my business because it's more searchable and glamorous.
I liked that you changed position early in the video. Keeps it fresh.
Of course if you're reliant on searches for your business Expat makes sense.
I may make another Vlog about differences, this one was an off the cuff one.
Great vlog very .honest
It only took you a year or so to become a French citizen?
It took 6 years for me to gain citizenship here in the US when I came here in 1956.
I do see a lot of British youtubers over there in france.
I've only heard Billy on "Doing it Ourselves," speak French. He spoke it well too. He was at a brocante, now that I think of it, speaking to the proprietor.
I wonder if any of the others do.
4 years.
He is with a French lady
I’m from the USA and not planning to leave the USA. The USA may be expensive in comparison to all European countries, but we are veterans so costs are lower then for the average American. Thank you for talking about the things most won’t tell us. Funny, I love goats cheese due to allergies to cows milk.
Cost might be lower but quality of some products might not be better :/
I enjoy this, it is far more real than a lot of other channels. I have a lot of family in France, it is lovely but it is also, ordinary in a lot of ways too, which is just fine and normal. There are aspects of life which are better, and other which are different and others which or ordinarily similar. Such is life and I would still much prefer to be there, with my family than stuck here on plague island with the awfulness we now have. Enjoy . And thank you 🙏
Thanks Deborah, very kind. Life looks pretty merde over there from over here 😟 Never sure if I am just seeing a small example which has been exaggerated. We have family we want to visit but right now we're still watching the data and hoping that October may look better.
Jsuis morte elle a dit "Plague Island" ☠️☠️
Looking to do the same ourselves..... do you have any information on the practicality of living in France ie council tax
Enjoyed your vlog
Thank you.
Hi Theresa, how are you doing?
Hi Kathy! That was excellent. Yes, I have been thinking about living the dream too. Thank you for keeping it real. I had no idea there was so much to becoming a permanent resident of France. I immigrated to the States (US) 30 years ago from Canada and even though I was married to an American for 20 years at that point it still took 2 years to get my green card. I would love to move to France and live out my remaining years there. I too would have no need to make an income as I would live off of my pensions and investments. What do you think? Do I have a chance? Cheers!
Bien sûr que vous avez une chance épouser un FRANÇAIS.
a truthful , honest appraisal. Its now 2022 what are your thoughts now ?
Regarding Brexit, in France, there are two types of positions. The first one is that it is a shame the UK just went and left, and a shame that they never really considered themselves properly european. The second one is more about relief. Some considered that the presence of the UK in the EU was noxious because it was the american worm in the Union. It remains true that the UE shouldn't be subservient of the USA, and the policies of the UK (like regarding Irak and other dubious wars in the past) are generally aligned with the USA's. Especially, France always regarded the EU as a way to remain neutral in the cold war, so having a vehemently 'pro-USA' country in the EU is a major problem.
"If you don't learn the language and keep to your 'expat' bubble"... Well, then we bid you farewell. Whether you are english, American, african, Asian or come from the outer space, it is a bye bye. Now, it is not that we assume that you know because we know. Frankly speaking, we simply don't care. If you have questions, ask and we will help.
In some english speaking countries, people are forbidden to simply retire there. You can't just move from, like the USA, to Australia when it is time to retire and simply get all the advantages of healthcare because it starts to be costly where are from. It makes a lot of sense if you ask me.
"crottin" is goat poo.
Oh but you should have settled down in Tuscany 😄. In my tiny medieval village (not far from Volterra and no more than an small castle sits at the top of an hill) the main part of inhabitants are Britons and English in particular. It's so exquisite and funny living in a village like this. It is like a small melting pot in which Etruscans and Celtics have decided to live together. 😅🤗
Another reason I can't stand SJ is she only hires Brits and not locals when she actually does do work on her chateau, She doesn't seem like she has tried to integrate into French society at all.
Best wishes and I enjoyed your video.
It is really not difficult to get a sejour - if you want to live in France, you can find a way of doing so. There are agencies to help you get your sejour.
It's free if you do it yourself. Paying an agency for them to tell you to search for and supply all the required documents is money down the toilette.
@@KathysFlog Agreed. On top of that there are associations in France, wwhich are free... and do the same... but well. This kind of thing seem to be a very anglo-saxon habit.
People, who just want to get indefinite leave to remain in the UK have to pass the 'Life in the UK Test' - without any kind and gentle people to help through it.
Good stuff. Thanks
Thanks. You're welcome.
do they have basements in houses in france? and do they have basements in houses in england ? because they do in the USA
Many houses here have basements (sous sol), less so in the UK although I remember visiting the odd house with a basement as a child. I'd love to have a basement.
I made that it was delicious
Hi I'm Doug from Scotland I was thinking about basing a cozy murder mystery book set in France and I was thinking about moving there one day tell me what you think ASAP
I think you need to learn some manners, some grammar and punctuation.
Maybe I missed something but if you didn't pay in to the "system" by taxes for years, it doesn't seem fair to the French that you are using their resources.
We do a tax return each year, our income has never reached the level where we are liable to pay income tax. There are several other taxes we pay. Taxe Fonciere is similar to Council Tax in the UK and Property tax in the US. It’s used by the local commune to provide local services and council facilities i.e. schools, crèches and paid by owners and tenants.
We pay separately for our garbage collection which is included in the UK Council tax.
the 2 people i know that moved there hate it shame i want to go cause i feel out of place here now in uk cause im not from Africa or India and most of the uk now is just that so i hope i like it great video
I did it the easy way. My wife is French 🤣😂😅
I’m so glad you don't call yourself an expat.
Thanks so much, your video quite encouraging.. I want to move to France can you be of help to me pls on how to do.. please
Where will you be moving from? I'll do a vlog soon about how to but a lot depends on where you live currently and your ability to support yourself financially.
Is the same that the UK does with people applying for residence there. Why the French should consider you special?
I wasn't asking to be 'special'. I would have thought in the land of fraternité that some mutual support and help would be normal.
@@KathysFlog Yes you did. Apply as the law asks you to do and do not ask for “fraternité”, help or mutual support. That attitude from the Brits is what builds up your bad reputation in Europe. You are not special. Good afternoon!
Omg this is exactly why I want to leave the uk! Ppl like this
Why did you choose France?
Better quality of life and it meant we could retire together from our stressful jobs in the UK. Thanks for your interest.
It seems to me that accepting people from the UK in France is a pretty good deal for these people. I wouldn’t leave the US and go to any country in Europe except to visit. Freedom of speech is being restricted and sooner or later due to their own policies they will be taken over by all these people who won’t assimilate and they want to change the European culture. We’ve already seen it when we were in London, Paris and Rome.
Where do uk people live in France 🇫🇷 will you tell me please madame please
crottin is horse shit, some cheeses are named crottin after the shape of dung, some are called brick or log (buche).
Too many Brits going with too little finances.
Another Brit couple found yesterday after what seems a murder suicide, in the Pyrenees foothills.
Often watch the progs where they sell up in the UK, and go off with a 1 or 200 K thinking it`s enough.
Remember, you won`t afford to come back, and i bought there and sold in the 80s. in my 20s.
☹
Hi, thanks for this, it was eye opening. What about if you are seriously close to buying a house in France, so not currently living there?
Ask your questions here.
facebook.com/MovingtoFrance
facebook.com/groups/314848378911306
@@KathysFlog Thank you
It is true what you are saying!
You should speak more why you chose to live here and not continued to live where you both were born and worked and have your working pensions from every month now posted now here living in France,
I have spoken about that in other videos.
I think usa, legally is one of the hardest to leave or move to. A friend of mine, in late 70s, moved to uk and she had to undergo scrutiny at usa embassy on whether she had been brainwashed to leave, had she been coerced by communism parties and basically was there something wrong with her. Her partner, in a separate room, underwent something similar but had he brainwashed her, was he communist etc. He described sitting behind huge deák and having a lower seat than interviewer, all tactics to intimidate. I was interested in medical issue. I live in Scotland and if we do not get away from england I shall either move to Europe or kill myself. I have health issues and was unsure how that wld pan out in a European country. In Scotland we have no prescription fees, if we did I wld have more worries as it wld drain my finances. Thanks
I moved to the US in the 90's through marriage, and didn't find it hard. When I moved back to Europe 10 years ago, I gave up my green card. It was so uncomfortable showing up at the embassy to do just that, like the US is the only great place to live😂 -such dick attitudes🤮
50 years ago and still agrieved!
welcome to you .
Lovely video , have always fancied moving to France but sadly don’t speak any of the language apart from very basic phrases . Is it still possible to do in these terrible Brexit times ?
It is still possible. Check out my earlier Vlog. ruclips.net/video/Njzy445M60g/видео.html
Oh, my I had no idea you had to take a nationalization test!
We chose to as we applied to become French citizens. Not everyone does that.
I love that you call yourself a migrant, really good to hear enlightened views. Shame on all who voted Brexit.
I voted to be free of those British hater rascals in the EU and am not ashamed to have done so.
I voted Brexit. I love France, I love travel. I gave up some of my freedom to gain another, more important freedom. I respect everyone's freedom to vote however they wish, I don't hate them if they have a different opinion to me.
@@Michael-4 I don't hate anyone 🙂 What is the freedom you speak of?
@@netty9534 the freedom to eat turnips ☠️
BREXIT messed up everything. Thank you to UK! :( You must have been living in France a long time now, because UK has really gone downhill. Nobody in my area wants to help with anything. Most times they don't know the answer anyway. Your lucky you got away. My family and I are living in Wales now, and we haven't been able to see our GP since the pandemic. They will speak to you on the phone, but not physically see you. (That is if they phone you back)
16 years this year :)
Crottin is droppings
Rather live in the UK where people are friendly
Why frightening? If people are lazy to properly do things, they must accept the consequences of their carelessness.
What IF you think you've done everything properly? Let's allow some lassitude for the human condition.
morning we are thinking of moving over to france from the uk next year what are your thoughts after brexit
i would like to sell the products i make on a artisan market and become self-employed ?
do you know anybody that has gone down this route ?
many thanks
david /diane
Hi,
There are groups you can join on Facebook where you can pose your questions.
facebook.com/MovingtoFrance
facebook.com/groups/314848378911306
facebook.com/groups/344805716259201
I don't know of anyone who has followed the route you plan.
Before Brexit one could come over and muddle through, now it's not so easy and you will need to prove you can support yourself.
Good Luck.
@@KathysFlog Many thanks I will take a look at these Facebook pages
what they don't tell you is that the pies are bigger
Nice vlog, gentle and sensitive way of describing things. I am sure if you explain to people you are not aware yet of all French procedures, most of them will kindly help you. Welcome to France anyway ! (and f.. off to the dishonest Tories that engineered Brexit !)
Thanks Franck.
We're almost 100% on French bureaucracy now having attained citizenship a year ago.
I have been living in Thailand on a retirement visa for many years. i never learned the language because i absolutely dislike it and also have too little contact with thai people to practically practice the language. these thai sounds always remind me of the movie mars attack... i get along well with english here and if i need a translation, i have someone who is nice enough to help me.
Apprenez le Français.... If you don't like it... You can found a new residency card in England.. Like EU Citizens in UK... N'est-ce pas !.?
🤣
I have to travel though France twice a year and found the food to be very poor and very expensive, we were racially abused by a waiter for not speaking perfect French !!!
😯
Racially? What race are you?
Poor British expat struggling with the French language and French system but she is better off than in England with the horrible Brexit which the worst blunder ever.
I was talking about others who are struggling. I am already naturalised and yes, Brexit is a catastrophe and no blunder sadly!
I think huge amount of people in the UK was disillusioned by Lords who wanted to leave EU as they did not like being humble, acceptable and negotiative with EU. House of Lords is old, grumpy representative of special, rich group of people. Unfortunately normal citizens were not advised what will really happen after Brexit....
Sorry by saying old I was not meant to be mean, racist just "old"means to me dated views, opinions, and false impression of how Britain should be
I think you'll find the Lords worked hard to reduce the impact of the Brexit Bill. It was the Tories who wanted it pushed through at all costs.
Another person who thinks all Brexit voters were thick .Well guess what we are not .
@@stevepodd5461 lol
Why France though ? The detention is not recognised in the care homes / nursing homes... So it's still completely arbitrary whereas in the UK people see a judge and have a chance at being released... It's not a safe country for the disableds and elderly. Be careful of social workers here.
Anyway in a few years it'll get better. Some activists have been working for a while to force France to recognise the detention in those hellholes. It is working but a slow process.
Well in UK they have sent back old people with covid in care homes and decided a late lockdow (let the corpse pile high...) and this lead to the highest death ratio of Europe. In france, some of our care workers decided to be lockdowned with the old people to protect them. Btw, lastest news on GP are bad (as all news since Brexshit): your number of GP is lower than ever and GP are furious about the face to face polemic from that filthy gvt accusing them of lazyness. The NHS is next to fall as planed and be ready to pay more for less to your americans friends...
Just another "it should be different for us since we're coming from the everlasting Bristish empire".
Will you expect English people learn French if I decide to live there ?
Those coming in boats to Britain are not refugees they are illegal economic migrants. Just saying... love your videos, thank you.
Let's hope you never have to escape from a war torn country.
Sorry you struggle with U.K. residents deciding that not having sufficient control over decisions made out side of their own country should influence how they feel about Europe. I wish you well but not every body has a first priority of living in 26 different countries. Indeed, the vast majority of people belong “some where” and NOT “any where!” I wonder if you have any comprehension at all of how selfish it sounds to people in the largely shut down North East of England to hear people complain about “Dear old Brexit” because they’ve now had to fill in a few forms and and take a test in French history and culture in order to stay? I guess not!
Trying to understand your comment.
I refer to UK nationals in Europe needing now to jump through hoops to stay.
Do I really say, "Dear Old Brexit"? I certainly don't think of it that way at all.
I had no idea the North East is largely shut down. Why is that?
I believe none of us can know how people think or feel in their own situation.
Brexit is the worst thing to happen to the UK and to those who made decisions to live elsewhere based on the freedom of movement rules.
At the end of the day we have all lost. I wonder who has gained.
Well Said
People who voted for Brexit should stop whining about the consequences of it. They voted to take rights away from people in order to satisfy their own deluded bigotry. Or else they were too stupid to see through the charlatans who were, and are still, promoting it.
Maybe it is me, or the hour, but even at 1:02 you are complaining that "we HAD to apply for residency cards!....."
How about 'we have applied for our residency permits and blah. blah, blah! Or how about---- Yippie, we are on our way!!! We applied and were, some how or other, bad French and all, accepted!!! We are SO LUCKY!!! AND VERY THANKFUL!!!
That use of 'HAD' kind of hit me like what the heck is wrong with YOU!
YOU want to live somewhere so.... gee, you need to speak the local language, and might need to know some basic history and civics but you want to complain and act like your are being put upon???? SERIOUSLY!!!??? BEING WHITE, OLD AND ENGLISH YOU SHOULD BE EXEMPT FROM THE MINIMAL RULES/EXPECTATIONS?
That just seems really, really shameful to me!
But as I said, maybe it is the hour!
I might try another video but I sure hope it is better IN ATTITUDE than this sad face/complaining/woe is me one!
This was such a downer!
So ungrateful, rude and just plain 'wtf were/are you thinking????!!!!!!!'
If I was a neighbor I would meet you and NEVER come back to visit! I just wouldn't! Ever!!!
Even if I just lived just across the road!
You will never, ever be 'French'!
''I just hate goat cheese!'' GOD!!! HOW about: 'I haven't acquired a taste for goat cheese yet but I found a real scrummy recipe for..........'
Too much to hope for, I guess???
Perhaps, you might consider reading from a script! Not everyone can or should just 'wing it'!
Good luck/Bonne chance!
Are you french? Well, i am. I don't like the idea of having to welcome people i never agreed to have here. I don't like americans and i don't like the british (both for very obvious historical reasons). But still... Do you not kown why she says that? While i overall agree with your statements, it is important to consider her situation.
The UK was part of the UE. When you are pat of the UE, you gain some prerogatives. Amongst those, you gain the right to travel, work and live in any of the 27 countries of the Union. To do that, you have NO prerequisite. They simply moved to France for retirement before Brexit (actually the one problem lies here: the french suddenly have to pay for the healthcare of foreign retirees who never contributed to the system, which is arguably unfair considering that healthcare starts to really cost a lot when you retire. They should rely on the british NHS). Then, Brexit happened. And with the Brexit, they lost their status as UE citizens. Meaning, they suddenly became foreigners in an illegal situation in France... Which is not something that they could really have planned for. They are retirees in their 70's. It is not so easy to suddenly go through all this crap when it wasn't meant to be necessary.
Thanks for your reply. Before Brexit there was a reciprocal arrangement in place to pay for health care. This meant French citizens living in UK were able to use the NHS without payment. (Not even a mutuelle). Of course, that has now all changed.
We are now citoyens of France as we had planned to apply way before Brexit. It wasn't easy to make an application but we did it as we feel France is our home.
None of us can predict the future. None of us knew we'd lose our freedom of movement.
What a total mess Brexit is and has been.
@@KathysFlog Yes, i can understand you. Although, i am sure you understand where the post of the guy above comes from. This world is rotting. Everyone instinctively wants to perform an amputation of sorts (figuratively) to save what can be saved. Can you read in french? I have spent a few hours reading the news of these last few months. This stinks. I don't know what the past is worth, but certainly, the future is more likely to get MUCH worse than any better.
@@KathysFlog The word 'BEFORE' means 'NOT NOW' or "NO LONGER!"
500 YEARS AGO THINGS WERE REALLY DIFFERENT! WHY DID EVERYTHING HAVE TO CHANGE??? Even 3 years ago things WERE different! Perhaps you were just caught totally unaware with the brilliant plan of jolly ole England (UK) leaving the EU! It all came about SOOO quickly and all, didn't it? But it's only been about 17 months, so what's the big fuss if we just want to sneak in, under the tent flaps? Indeed!
Do you EVER listen to yourself blather on and on. With your 'Woe is me' attitude?
I guess NOT!!!
'THE RULES HAVE CHANGED FOR EVERYONE---- BUT WHY DO THEY HAVE TO APPLY TO LITTLE, OLD, ME/US???'
WHY?? Indeed!
@@KathysFlog and naturally none of that was ever explained to ANYONE pre Brexit!
Exactly what would the point of Brexit be if nothing changed?
It is best to deal with REALITY!
To deal with what IS. Not with the way you think things should be or want them to be. Or with the way things once were!