Survey invites those who want to move, or have decided against it, to describe obstacles that are practical, political, financial or otherwise, which is the same list as the form
The Local France has launched a reader call titled ‘Why haven’t you moved to France?’, inviting those who want to move but have not, or who have decided against it, to explain why, according to its own announcement. Editors say they are interested in ‘the reasons that are preventing you, and whether they are temporary or permanent’. The paper observes that ‘for some people it’s just a pipe dream, for others a concrete plan’, a sentence which also describes the average French tax return.
The Question That Contains Its Own Answer
Respondents are invited to describe obstacles that are practical, political, financial or otherwise. The ‘otherwise’ category is expected to be the largest, with entries ranging from ‘my cat does not like the Eurostar’ to ‘I once tried to open a bank account in Lyon and I am still on hold’. Participation is through an embedded online questionnaire, with a direct link as an alternative, meaning that the first obstacle faced by prospective residents is a form.
‘The reasons people do not move to France fall into three categories,’ explains migration researcher Dr Lucille Fontaine-Rabier of the Institute for Relocation Studies. ‘Those who fear the paperwork. Those who have seen the paperwork. And those who have completed the paperwork and are now writing to a newspaper.’
The Dream and the Spreadsheet
Every dream of France begins the same way: a holiday, a long lunch and a stone cottage with the shutters half open. Every attempt to move to France continues the same way: a spreadsheet, a mortgage broker and a sentence beginning ‘You will need an attested translation of’. Somewhere between the two, the pipe dream is parked in a drawer with the corkscrew.
Five Common Reasons for Not Moving
The language. The weather in November. The paperwork. The cost of the removal van. And the sneaking suspicion that on arrival the baker will speak faster than you can think.
The Great Rivalry of Two Capitals
The comparison between London and Paris is an old one, and the British press has produced a library of it. Some argue it is a matter of London versus Paris, others describe it as a choice, and some suggest it is simply a trip that nobody should ever have to plan in October. Both cities are expensive, both are rainy and both have a deeply held belief that the other is overrated.
What the Survey Will Show
The editors say the page is short and the rest sits behind a membership gate, so the reasons readers have not moved are, in true French fashion, partially hidden and available upon registration. The results will be fascinating and are expected to contain at least one entry that says simply: ‘I am waiting for my recepisse.’ For those who prefer their city comparisons with a joke attached, this guide to asking a Londoner is a charming read. More from The Daily Squib, and this piece is brought to you by Bohiney Magazine and The London Prat.
SOURCE: bohiney.com
