Sgt Fab

Hi everyone,

I'm French, from Brittany. I've been living in the UK for more than 2 years and I'm now back home, but I plan to leave and work in England again.

I just would like to have some information about British people who live in France. We all know that you enjoy our country because of its culture, fields, security, its quality of life..

But, when you arrive here, have you got any problems to find a job, especially if you dont speak French ?

What do you think about the "impot" and taxes in France ?
Do you meet french people ? What do you think about them ?


In my case, I love England and its culture, I love British people, I think they are much more nice and open than us. The only problem is I think there are too many foreign in the UK.

Oh one more thing : I read some people here saying that they didn't feel safe in the UK. I was surprise because I never had any problem up there and there are some CCTV everywhere. I don't think France is safer in the big cities.

Please reply, British friends !

cheeky_ monkey

hi there. i'm british
i've lived in paris for 20 years.
i can say that i was really happy many years ago(although i had long hair when i was 18, and i used to get controlled by the police every 5 mins)
i should have moved away a few years ago, here is atrocious for working, with bad pay usually.
the french tax system is -sorry- has ruined the country,
i first worked making hamburgers,in quick in paris-the only way i could get a job not speaking french, was the manager was english, and he told me to "hide in the cellar if the bosses came round" because he did'nt have the right to hire non french speakers.
its nearly impossible to get a job if you dont speak fluent french .
even being qualified, you are in for a very hard time.
also, i think that many french are very chauvin in many respects, often in the workplace alot of jealousy seems to come your way, because you speak the language that the french don't-and often- dont want to master.
when i worked in switzerland, i heard many times "in france, the technicien does the sweeping up, and the broom man is a technicien"
this is quite often true.
security??
i live in 93 area, and i can say it's pretty grim.
around the paris area is the wild west really, you can't leave anything lying around without it getting nicked.crime is rife around paris, and the police are completly overwhelmed, its only pure luck if they catch anyone..
generally, i would say on many occasions, the french only like themselves, and they have a big hang up with success and money .
i think the mass exodus of people leaving france must show something- its just so hard to get work- i'm pretty skilled in several fields, and the "chomage" and rmi is a good aquaintance of mine....
for some reason, i have discovered through a revelation, that the following is true in france-
"if it works anywhere else in the world, it won't work in france"
i truly believe that if you remember this,you won't go wrong.
tell me sir, why are you returning to england to work???
unemployment, is ultra high here, and it's not getting anybetter for at least 20 years.
#1 rule in france
if you don't speak correctly french your in for a very tough time.
in france they call it "individualism"
i would say moreover its just an excuse for being arrogant and pedantic.

sorry, but i suppose my opinion won't please many, but i think it really..

jonathan

bramblebush

Hi I am british and have been in Cote D'or for 18 months now.

I have found the french people to be very friendly and welcoming.

My french is poor and I have found that if you are seen to be trying then they will try to help with understanding each other.

As for jobs, well, I don't hold out any hope of finding one. My children are still quite young but when they are older I will want to return to work and I don't feel that I will have that opportunity here.
My husband has had bits and pieces of work from other english working on their houses but nothing permanent, we don't feel that we can have financial security here.
We are in a rural area though so that doesn't help the work situation.

I didn't feel safe in the UK but I do here. I think though that it is maybe because we can't understand the news or newspapers here, therefore we are making full use of the saying - ignorance is bliss. I would welcome your opinion on that.

Tax's here are lower in some ways but higher in others, for example there is no road tax, the equivalent to council tax is much lower, however I have heard that self employment and employment are heavily taxed.

I hope that helps

Sgt Fab

Jonathan, I agree with all what you said. I think you described all what is driving French people unhappy : the French "mal etre".
Hopefully, the French election will change a little bit the things, but I am not really confident.

To answer to you, I will probably be returning to England next year to work and hopefully to open my own business. I just feel good in England, the athmosphere is good, I mean it's just a self good feeling.




bramblebush,

In the UK, every day there are stories in newspapers and TV about crimes, pedophyle, sexual harassment .. and you have to live with that. It is true that in France, all these stories are not making the front page of the news. However, I dont think France is safer. The French people I was leaving with in the UK often tell me that they do not feel safe when they walk in the street at night. In England, they didnt have this bad feeling.

Regarding the taxes, unfortunetly, like you said, the self employement is horribly taxed, thats why I will never run a business in France. My parents had their own company here and it is scandalous when you see where the money was going.

susiq

hi

i've lived in rural france for over 4 years. and to be honest there are many ups and downs. i do think that the english as a race are friendlier. but for the lack of language skills i find the french far more helpful than the english. i can reclal working in and someone not speaking good englishn the typical thing, they are in my country they speak my language!! i have rarley found that here.

crime is lower i think in rural france than rural england.

the lack of fecilites drives me crazy. i mean stuff for kids to do, proper play parks etc.

i do feel safer here, i never felt insafe in england, but i was used to it then. here i would happily leave my bag inthe car unlocked and know it would still be there after collecting my son from school.

as for work, well my french isn't that great so there is little to no chance of me getting a job in france till i am fluent, i understand that completly

i will freely admit that if it wern't for my soni would move back to england in 2 seconds flat. i was happier there, butit is far far better for a child here.

susi