Mumsnet Talk

Where do you live?
Why did you choose that region?
Why did you come here in the first place?
Do you work?
Do you regret it/love it?

Tell us all!

I live in Bordeaux.

I initially chose Montpellier and had everything (sort of!) set up there, but found it too hectic - and my original holiday accomodation was vile - so came to Bordeaux on holiday and stayed.

I came here post divorce!

I have had an epic time here - a very very rough ride, but life events rather than simply french ones, and am here to stay.

I love the region and will stay put in the south west. I would LOVE a house by the sea - dream on!

I don't regret it and have married a Frenchman to prove the point.....

Et vous?

Oh, and I work v vaguely - am kept woman lazy writer.

I live in Paris.

I got a job in Paris and moved here to take it up in January 1992.

Yes, part-time.

I have been through every possible love-hate relationship with Paris and all the variations in between... It's fine here, just as long as I get a breather in a less stressful environment fairly often.

I love Paris and would just adore a little studio/loft there for the odd week or two, but I don't know about living there.

Are you ever tempted to move out a bit Anna?

Living for the last two years in SW Brittany - hate the winters (long and damp) but sun is out now, birds are singing and all is well with the world, so am currently loving it. We chose this region becaues we bought the house originally as a holiday home and thought it would be commutable after work on a Friday for the weekend, we moved to live here permanently about 4 years after we bought the house.

I do work, but for myself from home as a transcriber, so don't get much chance to learn/practice the French, but it's getting much improved. Although recently had 5 year old DS1 correcting my pronounciation which was a but humiliating.

Had some tough times here, but we're muddling through and are happy and settled. Miss my friends in the UK at times, but definitely miss the ease of having a conversation without having to think about which words you're going to say, conjugate the verb etc - sometimes I find it really, really difficult particularly after a hard day at work when my brain is tired just from deciphering English voices never mind translating French words that are spoken to me. Got to keep learning I suppose.

NO NO NO NO NO NO

I loathe any form of suburbian life.

We do want to buy a maison de campagne - but we are too busy at the moment to do anything about it.

suburban

Well I live in the centre of town too - and yearn for something rustic to waft around in - WITH A GARDEN. Sigh.

WTD - do you have any french friends that you could do lesson exchanges with? I found life got much easier, less tiring and more enjoyable once I lost the need to stop mentally translating what was being said/I needed to say.

Now I speak crap french fluently and fluent english very badly!

I live in Normandy.

DH lives here (met him here when on a year abroad) although is not from the area.

Came here because of him, straight from university, but I did study French so there was a link !

I work full-time, teaching at university.

Don't regret coming, can't imagine living anywhere else, but do miss my friends.

Have met a lovely group of "foreign" (mostly English) ladies recently so our DC can practise their English together and we can chat.

My parents live in the middle of the countryside with a gorgeous garden and views over fields etc in a typical English retired sort of way (a lifestyle that you cannot have with children/work constraints) so I get my rural fix with them.

A friend of mine's (partner in an American law firm) DP has just bought them a house in central Paris (with a garden) and I am not envious - it's too much of a compromise. If I had a spare 4 million euro I wouldn't have made that choice myself .

Will be glad, however, that my daughter can play in their garden in future.

Yes I have made friends with a couple of the mums at school so chat to them and I have a French lesson once a week with a French friend, plus chatting with the DS's teachers etc is all a learning experience.

I've come to the conclusion the more you learn the more you realise you have to learn. I was fine when I was just having basic conversations but now my French is improved and I'm trying to chat, I'll be speaking and then just find I've backed myself into a corner that I can't get out of. It's all very frustrating.

The kids at the DS's playscheme find it hilarious and like to teach me words. 30 minutes last week on the correct pronounciation of grenouille, sounded right to me, but I just can't do that rolling of the R's that is apparently so important. DS1 was mortified and just left the room . Still it's all good for Anglo French relations. (In the end I just taught them all to say frog as it was so much easier).

We have a big garden but it is a nightmare to keep even vaguely in order.

I am actually longing for a nice apartment right now (previous owners moved back into one in town)

bump

I live near Grasse just above Cannes in a beautiful villa with a pool

<wearly wakes up>

No, Beets you are buying me a house in Arcachon.

Pas-de-Calais

DH got a job here and handily it's halfway between his parents and my UK family.

A year as an 'assistante' during my degree, then a post-grad year teaching English at a French uni where I met DH.

Yes, part-time

I am happy here, no regrets, although think I would be equally happy in the UK. So far I have been mostly happy wherever life has taken me.

Rennes, Brittany

Came here on my year abroad and met the H (who is from around here)

We moved to a different part of Brittany briefly for the H's work but I hated it and we agreed to move back to Rennes (after 3 years back in the UK) despite the long commute he now has - it's a lovely city

I work part-time as a translator but am on congé parental at the moment

We def have a better life here all things considered than we would in the UK, so I have to say no regrets

I live in Provence.

Met DH on year abroad (yawn), followed him to the Indian Ocean 13 years ago.
Loved it, but were concerned about how it was evolving, and when DS was born decided to move to mainland France for family and professional reasons. Regret that choice a bit now...

I work, and worked hard to get where I am, but am hoping to set up as a freelance translator on the side, because my main job is grimly depressing and getting ever more so with each Sarko/Pécresse reform that comes out.
(God, anyone reading this who knows me will recognise me instantly. Maybe I'll be dooced!)

I really like living in France, though my current professional experience makes me wonder how happy I'll be once DS starts moving up through the school system. Education apart, it's a wonderful country and I don't regret choosing it. Provence is beautiful, the food is amazing and (usually) the climate is great, apart from the Mistral. I guess we're staying!

<ggg, I re-e-mailed you last night...>

of course GGG

I think I have just found a house by the sea for the summer Beetroot. Are you going to come see meeeeee?

<<skips at mere thought of house by the sea>>

where where - we will be over from 7th - 26th In grasse (well nearby) but could come to you on our way back if it isnot the other way!!

Arcachon

Am waiting for friend to text me with the ok; Am over ze moon.

bet she has already said yes to someone else though. Will be gutted.

Am in UK in Jly.

I thougth you were going further afield.

I am talking August - MASSIve drive from grasse to Arcachon - oooo

ooo when you coming to me - will call you

No, as it happens I don't

oh god i wish I could go to a house in france in the summer instead of the farkin US
I HATE the US
grrr
blinking weddings

<yearns for france>

May manage to wangle a long weekend in Carpentras with mates tho...