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We sometimes get asked for advice from people thinking of coming here. It’s almost impossible but we do our best.

Perhaps more often, we hear from members who, expressly or by implication, are selling up and going. I’d never dare ask why, but it would be interesting (not least for the prospective incomers - my boats are well and truly burnt) to have a sort of parting overview: what went well, and what less so; do you, in retrospect, think you chose the right place; what do you wish you’d known then that you know now.....?

It’s traditional in the UK FCO for Ambassadors to send a last telegram at the end of their posting (not, of course, a real telegram now) which is more personal and “unbuttonedâ€￾ than usual. Something like that, if it could be written comfortably.

Here’s one opinion.
http://anglophone-direct.com/returning- ... -years-po/

We’ve lived here for more than two decades and have seen a few Brits come and go. In our experience these are some of the more common reasons for leaving:

-Family pressure. The call of the grandchildren, offspring with problems.

-Tension. Couples where only one party has really bought into the idea of living in France.

-Financial. Living in France in holiday mode. Budget planned on an exchange rate of £1 Stg = Euros 1.45. Inadequate resources.

-Death of a partner.

Oddly enough we’ve also come across couples who decided to return “homeâ€￾ and then reappeared a few years later!

Kate wrote:Here’s one opinion.
http://anglophone-direct.com/returning- ... -years-po/

This is beautiful, thanks for sharing!

Sus wrote:

Kate wrote:Here’s one opinion.
http://anglophone-direct.com/returning- ... -years-po/

This is beautiful, thanks for sharing!

Chacun at his goût, as the author might have said. It read to me like Peter Mayle (RIP) on an exceptionally bad day. But to be fair to the dead, much worse (and more condescending) than that.

martyn94 wrote:

Sus wrote:

Kate wrote:Here’s one opinion.
http://anglophone-direct.com/returning- ... -years-po/

This is beautiful, thanks for sharing!

Chacun at his goût, as the author might have said. It read to me like Peter Mayle (RIP) on an exceptionally bad day. But to be fair to the dead, much worse (and more condescending) than that.

Oh Martyn!

It isn’t a novel, so what if the style is a bit self-indulgent, i don’t think it merits a critique.

In amongst the ‘franglais’, the writer makes some valid points about things he likes about life in France.

I've read many short pieces by Simon Newman over the years and always found them entertaining. I even had the pleasure of meeting him once. Charming chap.

And yes, he made some good points. In fact it was just what was asked for at the start of this thread.