Brits: Moving to France is like going back half a century
Living in the Dordogne remains the British dream
The exodus of middle-class Britons to France is being fuelled by the desire to regain the lost social and community values of the 1950s.
A new study reports that many are looking for a village idyll in which neighbours know each other, streets feel safe and homes are affordable.
The research, carried out at Montesquieu University, Bordeaux, made a detailed study of 2,750 British people planning to move to France in the next three years.
The findings suggest there will be no let-up in the exodus. Most Britons heading off in search of unspoilt open spaces come from urbanised areas. They are looking for an authentic experience that fits in with their dreams.
Freshly farmed food, the security of a tight-knit community — all of these things people associate with a typical French village that they feel no longer exists in Britain. There is a nostalgia for the way British villages used to be 50 years ago.
Nearly 70% of those planning to buy a home in France want to live in the countryside, with Aquitaine in the southwest and Poitou-Charentes, the next region to the north, by far the most popular areas. The most sought-after part of Aquitaine is the Dordogne.
See also: Britons flocking to rural France for the joys of la vie Anglaise
Sun 21-Jan-07 | Posted in: Country & Travel, Society, Statistics
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Comment from Arnold
Time: February 3, 2007, 6:32 pm
They do need to consider the downsides of living 50 years ago because it's nearly everything that's 20-50 years behind the times. For instance, customer service is pretty much an unknown concept with the companies being largely run for the benefit of their employees (OK, possibly a good thing speaking as a former union rep).
The speed of service might be cute most of the time but, believe me, it's quite a different story when you need to get the electricity fixed and there's no service at weekends.
Don't forget too that in the UK 50 years back they couldn't cope with non-English speakers in the schools. In our region of France, they actually refuse to teach non-French speakers of 16 years age or more (and, no, not everyone can become fluent before they move here).