It is said by the local French population in these parts, that British immigrants to this beautiful area of the country have a three-year window.
What they are trying to say is that the Brits leave within three years, or divorce within three years, or go mad within three years, or unfortunately die within three years. However once passed that three-year window they stay forever in their adopted country. We are all still here, still together, still as sane as any family that exchanges the country of their birth for another, still alive and half way through our fourth happy year of togetherness.
For the children it is a perfect life and life style, their French is now fluent and it is almost impossible to stop them speaking their adopted language amongst themselves. We have table rules and insist that around the dining room table English is the language of choice, unless they have French friends eating with us....which is most of the time. It took about six months before their French friends were brave enough to actually eat our strange food, but today there is no stopping them.
For me the French language is perfect for the two girls to argue and bitch each other over who wears what, boyfriends, music and which French TV programme to watch?.it is a language crafted for art, affection, aperitifs and arguments.
Henry the crazy black Labrador loves the French life and has been joined now by George an equally mad French Golden Retriever whose relatives strangely enough come from Manchester, proof that even animals are moving out of the land of their fathers.
We have built up a small successful business with incredible help from those infamous French bureaucrats who have moved heaven, earth and the French state to assist us.
Our little venture started out guiding non-French speaking British, Dutch and Danish families through the trials and tribulations of living and working here in South West France, but has grown to include working with a small group of incredible artisans helping maintain permanent and holiday homes around our region, renting out a wide selection of holiday properties to vacationers and assisting in the day to issues faced by people living in and around the town.
Saint Antonin Noble Val Owners Club can be found at www.saintantoninnobleval.com
Sebastian is now studying sales and marketing at Lycee (college) in Toulouse and playing rugby for a local league team, Bambam has excelled in sports and languages now, speaking French , Spanish , Occitan and a little English and Alexandra has passed her brevis (O-level)exams and is now at Lycee in Montauban.
As for Elaine and I, we don't have to face the daily grind of commuting, business power plays, ignorant shareholders, British weather, chemical rich meat and two veg. nor the doom laden prophesies of the British media and politicians. During the summer we lie by our pool and watch the planes flying overhead back to Britain and feel a little sorry for the tourists going home....with a sly smile playing across our sunburned faces.
What started out as a crazy idea has turned into an idyllic lifestyle with fantastic French friends fit and happy children and a joie de vivre I never knew was attainable.
The adventure has only just begun.
