Mon, 28 May 2012
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Catharine Higginson misses pubs and car boot sales but recognises that the quality of life in France is better than in her native UK.Name: Catharine Higginson
Nationality: British
City of residence: near Biarritz
Date of birth: 17.10.69
Civil status: Married
Occupation: Freelance journalist and translator
Reason for moving to France: Where do I start? Well, we wanted an adventure and I was really disenchanted with the education system in the UK. I thought learning another language would be a great advantage for the children and we wanted a better lifestyle.
Lived in France for six years.
What was your first impression of France?
We moved to a very rural part of Brittany and the culture shock was immense. I couldn’t believe how quiet it was and how bars and restaurants shut so early out of season, if indeed they opened at all...
What do you think of the food?
If I am being totally honest, in general I think French food is overrated and unutterably boring. Yes, traditional French food can be great but I am sick and tired of going out for lunch and being offered ‘steak frites’ on the menu de jour. I love steak (and chips!) but it would be nice for the meat to be accompanied by something else, sometimes...
What advice would you give to a newcomer?
Expatica 2009
If you would like to share your perspective about life in Belgium and contribute to Expat Voices, send an email to editorBE@expatica.com with 'Please send me an Expat Voices questionnaire' in the subject line.
In Courbevoie, 3 metro stops from Paris, they roll up the sidewalks at 22h00. There is nothing going on here except "Metro, Bolo, Dodo".
Can Courbevoie be just as quiet as in rural Brittany?
I think so!
You are right about the food too. The French are eating sickening versions of other culture's foods, cheese, or hamburgers with French fries. I have yet to find any restaurants I would honestly be happy to take you. My neighborhood restaurant is acceptable but the price is around 50 euros for lunch without wine.
There is also no choice when shopping just as you said.
Like you, I shop elsewhere and definitely not in France.
I love the USA for shopping!
I love to dance, and in Paris they have a club that you can begin ballroom dancing after lunch. However, everyone is so serious and all look so unhappy. No one ever has any fun. All are very uptight and afraid.
I would say to her ' bloom where you are planted'... you cannot recreate Britain like things and experiences in France..love France for what it is : so very FRENCH! Judi Dunn
Aloha!
I am American, not British.
You gave good advice when you said "Bloom where you are planted".
I attended thier conference. I am doing the best I can, but it doesn't change the facts of live in France.
What on earth has happened to France? Where I live, in the South, most of the restaurants are awful (same old boring menus) and overpriced. The supermarkets are getting larger but are being filled with even more tedious produce. Shelf upon shelf displaying jars of gherkins and mustard etc. and a complete lack of anything cosmopolitan.
Thank goodness for the Internet for other purchases, competative prices and far more variety but so many problems if things go wrong as well as the enormous postal charges.
In spite of my complaints, France is a fine country and far more enjoyable to live in than modern Britain.and from personal experience the health system is second to none!
I can't believe what she says about restos
Catharine Higginson is absolutely right.Try living here for twelve years! Remember the South isn't just the exclusive Riviera region. I really have seen the restaurants here deteriate in both value and quality. Basically, they seem to have sold their souls to tourism. It may well be different in other parts of France of course.
You are a nutter! In the UK you pay a fortune for a tomato that tastes like nothing-your fruit and vegetables are expensive and have no flavour. Perhaps you do not cook and this is why you can only comment on restaurant food (most English women cannot cook in my experience) but if you know where to go for restaurants, relax and enjoy the culture rather than expecting it to be like you are used to, you will be surprised with the lovely atmosphere and what is on offer. Otherwise, why are you here??????!!!
Anyone who uses the term "nutter" because an opinion is expressed based on years of experience is certainly rather odd. I am male, the female version of my name has an "e" on the end, I am half- French, live and work here and have family in the region. I am an expert cook and buy my produce in local markets and small shops! I think most of us on these posts are referring to the globalisation of the supermarkets and restaurants. Certainly down here standards have fallen. I have already mentioned that this situation may be different in other areas.
Regarding England, I have spent much of my life in central London which is, of course, very cosmopolitan and though I don't expect it to be like that here, nor indeed would it be in rural England, I certainly think it about time the French broadened their horizons!
Pascal without an 'e'-I have no doubt you have years of experience and are an expert chef. i was, as many of us commenting are, discussing the article and Catherine's comments-I did not read yours. Sorry to offend but really don't understand why people continue to complain about where they live but don't do anything about it! Its your choice, you have many wonderful things to be thankful for in france but it seems the English only come over to complain. They do so in all the countries I have lived and found UK expats! Sorry, but its an observation and am certain will offend some but it is true. Part of the charm of France is that it has maintained its charm and culture, it would be sad to let in too many that try to change this.
Catherine, if you find chips too boring, then remember to appreciate adventurous combinations when they offered to you! As for cosmopolitan food, well, I d much rather appreciate a pizza in Naples and fish and chips in Southampton! I really don't get why people are obsessed with getting pale imitation of the original anywhere at anytime!!
Yes, standards are falling, not only in France but in the whole of Europe, because of a bunch of ignorants who cannot appreciate local food or select the places they go to and prefer flashing the cash in mediocre restaurants!! CQFD
What a shame Catherine is unhappy with the French food where she lives. I am living in sud Vendee, and there are lovely restuarants, with really good French food, well served and not all with french fries. I emigrated here alone with then two cats, at the ripe old age of 63 from south of England. I love it here, speak the language and have wonderful French and English neighbours. I think that onee has to speak as one finds, and there are good and bad restuarants, people etc wherever one lives in the world. It's a question of trial and error. The shops locally sell wonderful seafood, not too expensive. I do have to say that clothes locally are of poor quality, ghastly colours and expensive, so I shop on line until I can get to the large towns, where there are quite good outlets - there ias a local M
In Courbevoie, 3 metro stops from Paris, they roll up the sidewalks at 22h00. There is nothing going on here except "Metro, Bolo, Dodo".
Can Courbevoie be just as quiet as in rural Brittany?
I think so!
You are right about the food too. The French are eating sickening versions of other culture's foods, cheese, or hamburgers with French fries. I have yet to find any restaurants I would honestly be happy to take you. My neighborhood restaurant is acceptable but the price is around 50 euros for lunch without wine.
There is also no choice when shopping just as you said.
Like you, I shop elsewhere and definitely not in France.
I love the USA for shopping!
I love to dance, and in Paris they have a club that you can begin ballroom dancing after lunch. However, everyone is so serious and all look so unhappy. No one ever has any fun. All are very uptight and afraid.
I would say to her ' bloom where you are planted'... you cannot recreate Britain like things and experiences in France..love France for what it is : so very FRENCH! Judi Dunn
Aloha!
I am American, not British.
You gave good advice when you said "Bloom where you are planted".
I attended thier conference. I am doing the best I can, but it doesn't change the facts of live in France.
What on earth has happened to France? Where I live, in the South, most of the restaurants are awful (same old boring menus) and overpriced. The supermarkets are getting larger but are being filled with even more tedious produce. Shelf upon shelf displaying jars of gherkins and mustard etc. and a complete lack of anything cosmopolitan.
Thank goodness for the Internet for other purchases, competative prices and far more variety but so many problems if things go wrong as well as the enormous postal charges.
In spite of my complaints, France is a fine country and far more enjoyable to live in than modern Britain.and from personal experience the health system is second to none!
I can't believe what she says about restos
Catharine Higginson is absolutely right.Try living here for twelve years! Remember the South isn't just the exclusive Riviera region. I really have seen the restaurants here deteriate in both value and quality. Basically, they seem to have sold their souls to tourism. It may well be different in other parts of France of course.
You are a nutter! In the UK you pay a fortune for a tomato that tastes like nothing-your fruit and vegetables are expensive and have no flavour. Perhaps you do not cook and this is why you can only comment on restaurant food (most English women cannot cook in my experience) but if you know where to go for restaurants, relax and enjoy the culture rather than expecting it to be like you are used to, you will be surprised with the lovely atmosphere and what is on offer. Otherwise, why are you here??????!!!
Anyone who uses the term "nutter" because an opinion is expressed based on years of experience is certainly rather odd. I am male, the female version of my name has an "e" on the end, I am half- French, live and work here and have family in the region. I am an expert cook and buy my produce in local markets and small shops! I think most of us on these posts are referring to the globalisation of the supermarkets and restaurants. Certainly down here standards have fallen. I have already mentioned that this situation may be different in other areas.
Regarding England, I have spent much of my life in central London which is, of course, very cosmopolitan and though I don't expect it to be like that here, nor indeed would it be in rural England, I certainly think it about time the French broadened their horizons!
Pascal without an 'e'-I have no doubt you have years of experience and are an expert chef. i was, as many of us commenting are, discussing the article and Catherine's comments-I did not read yours. Sorry to offend but really don't understand why people continue to complain about where they live but don't do anything about it! Its your choice, you have many wonderful things to be thankful for in france but it seems the English only come over to complain. They do so in all the countries I have lived and found UK expats! Sorry, but its an observation and am certain will offend some but it is true. Part of the charm of France is that it has maintained its charm and culture, it would be sad to let in too many that try to change this.
Catherine, if you find chips too boring, then remember to appreciate adventurous combinations when they offered to you! As for cosmopolitan food, well, I d much rather appreciate a pizza in Naples and fish and chips in Southampton! I really don't get why people are obsessed with getting pale imitation of the original anywhere at anytime!!
Yes, standards are falling, not only in France but in the whole of Europe, because of a bunch of ignorants who cannot appreciate local food or select the places they go to and prefer flashing the cash in mediocre restaurants!! CQFD
What a shame Catherine is unhappy with the French food where she lives. I am living in sud Vendee, and there are lovely restuarants, with really good French food, well served and not all with french fries. I emigrated here alone with then two cats, at the ripe old age of 63 from south of England. I love it here, speak the language and have wonderful French and English neighbours. I think that onee has to speak as one finds, and there are good and bad restuarants, people etc wherever one lives in the world. It's a question of trial and error. The shops locally sell wonderful seafood, not too expensive. I do have to say that clothes locally are of poor quality, ghastly colours and expensive, so I shop on line until I can get to the large towns, where there are quite good outlets - there ias a local M
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Here's a short introduction to our Banking section for those living in France, from how to open a bank account to Islamic banking and investments.
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