We are looking at the possibility of returning to France (we are an English family) and this time there would be a few changes we would make after some hard lessons we learnt last time.
But putting all that aside I would be really interested in peoples daily experiences of the changes in France at the moment. We have been advised by our French and English friends to not return as things are not good at the moment, but is this more for people with high salary expectations/ comfort of life?
We are just a normal family with 3 children, we don't earn a huge amount so our only reason to move back to France would be for lifestyle and not finacial gain. We would be looking at running our UK business still in the UK (I'm following another thread on this here at the moment). What I'm trying to get at from one expat to another is.... what has changed (if anything) ie weekly food shop increasing considerably, businesses closing in your town, people cutting back, general moods of people about the current climate....anything that would give me a slight insight.
I know of course this is our decision and it is what you make it, just would love to hear some stories.
Thank you!

Unemployment is high in France at the moment - 10.5% in Nord-Pas-de-Calais according to a recent article in the local newspaper. That's not good. I have not seen, however, many shops closing on the high street. A few have, but they have been replaced with other shops. The little shops - the small businesses, that is - have by and large remained open. My favourite manga shop, for instance, which, as far as I can tell is run by one man, remains open and that says that people still have enough spare cash to buy luxuries like mangas, which are not cheap, believe me.

We haven't had to change our lifestyle one bit here, but then my husband has a good job with a CDI. I'm working towards being self-employed, but that's another story. Lille seems to be about the same as when we came here four years ago; it's a very nice place and has remained nice. The public transport is excellent and the streets are reasonably clean and safe.

I know it's not the same for everyone, but I honestly think our lives are much, much better than they were in England. Perhaps that is because we have done our best to assimulate: we speak French reasonably well (we both were at the level of B1 when we came and have improved since), we eat what the French eat (or, at least, we don't spend our time looking for British food), and when we watch TV, it's in French (or Japanese with French subtitles). We're also geeks and France supports that sort of lifestyle much better than England ever did.

In the end, it all depends on what you want and how you can adapt to France. I hope that is of some help to you.

Hi, here in the Languedoc the unemployment rate is much higher than elsewhere in France and small shops are closing in our nearest town, to be replaced by Insurance brokers and other Professionals ... Big supermarkets have fewer customers, stores like Lidl and Netto thrive.
I would be concerned about your professional future - take good note of what is said in all the recent threads from people expecting to be able to run a UK business while living in France.
You'd also have to consider healthcare coverage for your family and add a Mutuelle (top-up insurance) in your monthly budget.
Concerning your children, if you've already lived in France with them, then you'll know all about the French Education system, which hasn't changed despite endless proposed reforms. How long ago did you leave France? Your children will have grown meanwhile, have they kept up their French? Depending on their ages, they'll have to catch up with French Grammar and general culture, esp. if they are of Collège/Lycée age. What do they think of your proposed move?
A lot of factors to take into account before you make your decision!
Good luck!

Thank you for your replies its interesting to get the feel for families living the real day to day life.
We left France at the end of 2011 so with that in mind our youngest who is only 6 would go into CP as she thrived in her maternelle but our older 2 would go into an English section of a school.

I have a feeling that the day to day life would still be better in france as we live on a modest salary for us being able to take the girls to free fetes, eat with friends outside at weekends, look forward to a summer of sunshine and watching our children grow in confidence means alot but I have to also be real about this and understand what is actually going on in France since we left.

All stories welcome as I genuinely appreciate any advice that people take the time to read...I lived by this forum when we were in France!

Hi traveller - I'm guessing you have already run your UK business from your earlier time in France, so I am guessing again that it works for you providing a 'modest' income.
Being retired, our family experiences will not be those you have had. I work a little via an on-line route, freelancing. Like cmread we have sought to be part of the small community in which we now live and, in a previous town before we were very much part of the neighbourhood in our street and made welcome (house had been a holiday home). We are still very much in touch with our French neighbours there. There's lots more but ... the bigger stores seem to do reasonably well and dmu is right Netto and Lidl are popular (we use the latter as well as other supermarkets). You will know a lot of this from your own history.
Adjusting to French life and culture has had its moments, especially dealing with administration. Again, you will know that.
Life is good and we love being in France, though the Six Nations game with France created debate in our Sunday bar!
I feel the benefits outweigh any negatives. Incomplete language is the only potential negative, but that's our fault. Our experience of the French health system compared to the NHS has been positive++. If you drive diesel then that's a bonus. Also no road tax. Cost of living I feel is on a par with some swings/roundabouts. Houses don't always sell easily, even in our part near the coast.
In the end you both will need to make decisions for you all as a family and how you see your future going forward. Good luck.