Why is the Costa Azahar full of French people?
Oct 28th 2016, 5:56 pm
#1
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Why is the Costa Azahar full of French people?
We have been in Benicarlo on the Costa Azahar for a week. Lovely place. But it is like being on the French Riviera. Everyone we have passed / heard is French. The menus are all in French. Our apartment has local guide books in French and the TV is tuned to French satellite. Not just here, same in Peñíscola and Vinaros. We've never encountered French people in our normal stomping grounds of the Costa Blanca. So why this concentration here? Do the local tourist boards target different potential customers? If you google Spanish holidays in France, do you get results for this area?
Just curious as to why we have this concentration of French tourists. It has led to much confusion about us. We are always assumed to be French, apparently Scottish people speaking Spanish sound as if they are French. So all week everyone has spoken to us in French. Even when we've said "We're Scottish" we get told we're actually Belgian.
We have had a fabulous week. Love the place (and the people) to death.
Just curious as to why we have this concentration of French tourists. It has led to much confusion about us. We are always assumed to be French, apparently Scottish people speaking Spanish sound as if they are French. So all week everyone has spoken to us in French. Even when we've said "We're Scottish" we get told we're actually Belgian.
We have had a fabulous week. Love the place (and the people) to death.
Oct 28th 2016, 6:02 pm
#2
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Re: Why is the Costa Azahar full of French people?
Assume same reason as the increased French numbers in the Alicante area - better weather, lower prices, better beaches and safer than France all with an easy journey. My lady friend has her own business and had a lot of French clients in the summer (helps she speaks French as well)
Oct 29th 2016, 3:51 pm
#3
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Re: Why is the Costa Azahar full of French people?
Don't worry about it, here all foreigners are German..................
Oct 29th 2016, 5:41 pm
#4
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Re: Why is the Costa Azahar full of French people?
Perhaps it is because they cannot swim.
Oct 29th 2016, 8:26 pm
#5
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Re: Why is the Costa Azahar full of French people?
It could be that Valencian/Catalan is more similar to the French language and thus seen as more accessible to them? I have seen French people swim so it may not be that
Oct 29th 2016, 8:36 pm
#6
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Re: Why is the Costa Azahar full of French people?
Oct 31st 2016, 11:46 am
#7
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Re: Why is the Costa Azahar full of French people?
The French used to visit North Africa for the French speaking areas there.
The Arab Spring and the terrorist atrocities have dulled their roaming spirits. I dont blame them.
Also they are all over Portugal due to the great prices and tax haven type status for expats and are exploring each side Spain and Portugal. Word has spread and they can visit the sunny parts very easily.
Jon
The Arab Spring and the terrorist atrocities have dulled their roaming spirits. I dont blame them.
Also they are all over Portugal due to the great prices and tax haven type status for expats and are exploring each side Spain and Portugal. Word has spread and they can visit the sunny parts very easily.
Jon
Oct 31st 2016, 11:56 am
#8
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Location: Sheffield, UK and La Safor, España
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Re: Why is the Costa Azahar full of French people?
Thanks for all the replies and theories. It didn't detract from our visit, I just found it curious that we appeared to be in a French colony.
