Bwrack

Blimey Peter what a busy life you lead ! I felt tired just reading your last letter...Re your questions, bear in mind,we are not permanent residents in France .. I guess we spend around 90 days a year there, scattered over long weekends weeks etc.. as I mentioned before the natives are curious and rarely unfriendly..if you have O level French, and are contemplating living there it means you are interested in the country,and I guarantee your language skills will blossom...we have one O level equivalent between us, having to tackle new kitchen projects plus new lav. and bathroom jobs..all using local labour it elevates ones skills greatly..

Steve - Sorry for the delay in responding. I live in London during the week and come back to the Island Thurs - Sun. Our house is in Fishbourne - down on Wootton Creek. Like you I spend the summer months (well, the weekends anyway) sitting in the garden watching the birds in the Creek. We can walk from here to the Fishbourne Car Ferry, walk round from the Interchange in Portsmouth to the Continental Port, fall asleep on the Ferry and wake up in Caen. When our daughter was there we could join her for breakfast and come home on Sunday afternoon. A nice way to spend the weekend! Now she's moved to Paris so it's Eurostar - less fun but quicker!
Son is taking a year out of University to improve his french as he wants the option of living and working in France in the future. So it seems likely that both kids may end up there. Problem is: my french is stuck at O level standard. Would be concerned at being being seen as a foreigner in some small village, not able to join in village life. What's been your experience? Are the natives friendly? Peter

Read your thread 'where would you feel safe?' I feel fairly safe here on the Isle of Wight but like you am a frequent visitor to France (daughter lives in Paris, son thinking of emigrating). May end up moving there one day. What's been your experience?

Peter