eghhpeter

Would appreciate peoples views and experiences as several folk who have moved to where I am Crete, Greece, from France have advised me not to.

But I'm 73 and lost my wife Jan 2016 and would like to move nearer my family in the UK, BUT I don't like what the powers to be have done to the UK.

InVinoVeritas

Then you're not going to like France much either I would wait until we see who's elected as the next President, it's not long to go now and Moody's have just upped the odds of a Frexit.

EuroTrash

I'm not sure that not liking the UK much, is in itself a very sound reason for moving to France.
Are there other things you like about France, apart from the fact that it's nearer to the UK than Crete is?
What exactly is it that you don't like about the UK? Then you could maybe find somewhere in the UK that avoids that particularly problem.
The part of the UK that I go back to, when I go back, hasn't changed significantly in the last 10 years or so. You wouldn't know Brexit had happened. There are more sheep than people and the sheep couldn't care less, they just keep doing what sheep do. Right now I imagine there will be lambs frolicking in the fields playing King of the Castle, and in a few months' time they'll be wriggling through the fences and eating the flowers out of people's gardens. What's not to like

Dordogne Roofer

I'm (hopefully) moving to France from England in approx 6 month so yes it's a great idea

eghhpeter

Ref UK, to many people on a small Island, compared to France etc. and in many places YOU CAN't hear a UK voice !!! (THIS is VERY BAD)
And the authorities can't seem to distinguish the GOOD from the BAD.

My wife, who worked for the NHS for 16 years, suddenly got asthma and working at the hospital, broke down her immune system (and it was this that killed her in Jan. 2016) and this info is from a Prof. of an Asthma research unit and he put in writing etc.BUT we couldn't prove the hospital was negligent. And he advised her to leave the UK. as one of her mail triggers was Diesel (and they are still saying it's bad for you ??? BUT WHAT are the UK doing, guess what ??? zilch)
We wanted to move to France, as we have some lovely French friends, but her asthma was no better there unfortunately.

But then on coming to Crete in 2003 in June with snow on the mountains and very hot, she was so much better, and then she/we came for 3 years and different seasons and she was still much better here on Crete. So we sold house in UK and moved here in Mar 2006.

Now with no reason to stay here (as we/myself only rent) so no ties etc. But I'm 73, but in good health. Don't know what to do for the future ??? I've always liked France, BUT worry about this English-French thing ???

So help me decide with your views if you have/had the experience please ?

EuroTrash

Sorry to hear about what happened, it's very sad.
Since you obviously like France and the French, living here sounds like a good idea and if you rent, and you change your mind, you can move on easily enough. What's stopping you giving it a whirl? Do whatever you think will make you happiest, you're due some happiness.

??? not sure what "this English-French thing" is?

PS Diesel is still way cheaper than petrol in France... you won't like that!

dmu

Did you take on board the info in the "Growing old in France" and "Renting" threads in the above Read-Me Moving to France FAQs, as suggested?
There are several factors to take into account:
- do you already speak French adequately to cope with the Bureaucracy and the nitty-gritty of daily life? If not, would you be happy being dependant on nearby Anglophones, who'll consequently know all your private business?
- Are you in receipt of a UK State Pension and are covered for healthcare in Greece at the moment? If so, you'll have no problem for healthcare coverage in France, except that you'd have to budget for a "Mutuelle"' (top-up insurance) for reimbursement of what the French Social Security doesn't (this applies to every one here, not just retired expats). Highly recommended at your age - you may be fit now, but as you get older, you tend to need more medical care and the non-reimbursed expenses will take a chunk out of your income.
- Which comes to the question of location - not recommended to live in a village without medical facilities nearby. For example, we are 5 km from the nearest Doctor/Clinic//Dentist/Pharmacy, and if you're alone, this can cause serious problems..... Have you got family in the UK? You'd need to be fairly near an airport for visits, with good public transport unless you'll have a car.
- as mentioned in the FAQs and elsewhere, French landlords require a proven monthly income of 3-4 times the rent before considering a potential tenant.
Hope that this realistic summary will give you food for thought, and, if you don't speak French, suggesti to consider the Republic of Ireland if you're so against returning to the UK.
Good luck with your decision:

mikelincs

You won't hear a lot of UK voices in France either.... You really have to think about what is best for you, both lifestyle and healthcare wise. There are a relatively few, possibly less than 20, places in the UK that are predominately foreign, usually Asian and all are situated in the bigger cities, and, let's face it no-one will be forcing you to live there.

cyrian

Sorry to hear about your loss.
However, the majority of cars in France are diesel - much higher than in the UK.
To agree with Mike - where I live in the UK, I can go for weeks without hearing a non-UK voice.
As dmu has said, have a look at Ireland - just check your entitlement to healthcare.
Good luck with your choice.

Pulaski

You seem to have something specific in mind, but I could make list of things that every government/ prime minister in my lifetime have "done to the UK" that I don't like, and I am sure most other people could too, but honestly life mostly goes on, and in the grand scheme of things much of the UK goes on regardless. So I don't see how things could be seen to have turned so very bad that a British citizen would arbitrarily rule out returning home in their twilight years and couldn't find an appealing place somewhere, say in the south west, welsh borders, northern England, or East Anglia.

Given the uncertainties and probabilities of Brexit, returning to the UK is probably the only way that you can make certain that your medical expenses will continue to be covered by the NHS/British government.

EuroTrash

Well now, that all depends on whereabouts in France you move to...

But I agree that over-stereotyping the UK and painting the entire country as over-populated and overrun with foreign voices is a trap to avoid. There are plenty of lovely places all over the UK where you can live peacefully - rural Gloucs/Worcs if you can afford it, Lincolnshire if your budget is smaller, Wales or Scotland if you don't absolutely insist on every voice being cut-glass English, and lots of areas in between.

eghhpeter

I thank you all for your replies and please keep the coming, as it helping a GREAT deal.
In the last 13 months I have been equal to the UK and Crete, the problem for me is I will need to rent in the UK, and that is not cheap compared to where I am (overlooking Souda Bay near Chania with a view that would cost £2000 + a month, where as here 450e for 120 sq. mts. with 3 x beds (1 is my P.C room) So money matters are important (where's my wife's pension gone ?) to the benefit scroungers who will never work AND WILL still receive a UK pension: Where is the fairness in that ???

cyrian

And it is also going towards my mother's cousin's pension.
He is 92 and fought for the UK during WW2 and worked all his life.
He also lost his wife when she was in her 60s.
However, although he still misses her greatly, he has devoted himself to his daughter and his grandchildren and gives no indication of bitterness for his loss.

EuroTrash

You would be very lucky to find a nice three-bedroom place to rent for 450€ round here. Certainly not on the coast. And Normandy isn't an expensive area overall. However it may be possible in other regions of France, I don't know.
If money is an issue and you're dependent on a UK pension, one big advantage of going back to the UK is that you would not be at the mercy of the exchange rate. Which looks as if it's in for a bit of seesawing in the near future at least.

dmu

Another factor if you're still considering France after all the comments above:
Normal rentals are unfurnished (nothing but the kitchen sink and toilet/bathroom), whiich would involve a lot of hassle moving your stuff without really knowing whether it's right for you. As suggested by ET, you could give it a whirl and come and rent a furnished gîte for a few months, to give you a feel of the place (and the nitty-gritty of French life in general) without being committed. You wouldn't have the hassle of setting up contracts with the Utilities, necessary for a "normal" rental. (But if you stay more than 6 months, you'd be considered a tax-resident in France, with all that that entails.)