Are you a Francophile or an Expat?

People move to France for a huge variety of reasons, but I think there are several that are common to most :

• The weather - in some regions
• Lifestyle
• Relaxed way of life
• Cheaper property
• Wine and food

I am sure there are many more, but those are the most commonly quoted reasons.

Whatever your reason to re-locate in France, you may or may not actually love the country and culture, just bits of it. 

As an extreme  comparison, you only have to look at the Costa's in Spain to see that a great number relocating there have little interest in the culture.  The majority are pobably there for the warm weather and cheap cost of living.  This is evidenced by the large number of businesses appearing purely catering for the British.

I don't believe that the same attitude prevails in France, where a larger majority move here to seek a different kind of life from that in the UK.  I am talking about British in particular here as there seems to be such a difference in Spain and France regarding reasons for moving.

So back to the original question, are you a  Francophile?

I suppose a definition of Francophile and Expat is appropriate here :

A Francophile is a person who has a strong positive predisposition or interest toward the government, culture, history, or people of France.  (Taken from Wikipedia)

An expatriate (in abbreviated form, expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing or legal residence.
(Taken from Wikipedia)

So do you need to be a Francophile to make a succesful move to France?  There are certainly some that think that, but I don't believe so.  Of course it can help to make your integration into your new home / village / town easier, but is not essential.

I must admit to being one of those that moved here for the weather, wine and food!  I do not go out of my way to find other British people, and have made many new French friends already in the fourteen months or so that we have been here.  I suppose that puts me closer to the Expat definition

I am most definitely not a Francophile, but that will change as I become more settled and part of the community.  I also believe that I will always be regarded as one of the British, by the French, but have no problem with that.  I am British and proud of it, but I have chosen to live in France. 

Is my attitude wrong?  I am sure that some will feel that I should be head over heels in love with the country if I want to live here, but I don't believe that to be the case.  So long as I try to become part of the community in which I live, what does it matter if I still love the country of my birth.

What do you think?  Are expats living here on false pretences, just taking the good bits, but not wanting to fully commit to their new country, or is this how the EU should operate, with people living wherever they choose?  (That opens a whole new can of worms!!)

Let me know where you stand.
 
Posted by: Martin Parker on 30 May 2010