Should the French do more to let the British house buyers know they are not welcome in France?

Question

tompin allow me to explain, the image of us Brits being nice and polite that Americans have, is outdated. Did you catch the behaviour of the boxing fans in Las Vegas last December?; well they are the real Brits, drunk, attention seeking thugs...and they are everywhere you go in the world.

Answer 1

I have to go along with David M here - there are two things here working in parallel - firstly there is a historical/traditional antipathy towards the English (rather than the British), and then there is a rural antagonism towards incomers of any sort, especially holiday-home owners.

Unfortunately in small villages there is always a risk that any incomer might be rejected. It's even the same with English people moving to English villages. In fact in some parts of France locals are very happy to welcome English people in preference to Dutch people, who have a very poor reputation for not spending their money locally.

Answer 2

Doing more of what ? Nothing you can do, can't ban them from buying houses, can we ? After all, anyone can buy any house in any country, legal or illegal immigrant, if they don't ask for a mortgage.

Just hope the English behave themselves a bit. In my village, during summer, loads of English tourists arrive. They either stay in hotels, or in their own caravans or camping. They stay the whole summer and we can hear they talk loud in English in supermarkets , some even with insulting remarks that they think nobody understands English here. At night they get drunk in street or bars, such a disgrace ! Comparing with other tourists like German, Swiss and Belgian who are polite and all speak French, can't blame the locals to resent them.

Answer 3

I hope the other French people in your country aren't as racist as you. You don't even say why you dislike British house buyers. Maybe you could explain.

Answer 4

Well, the Welsh burn out British holiday cottages but I think everyone should cut each other a bit of slack nowadays unless you have the last house in a village of 15 and the others are owned by the British who are only there for 3 weeks a year. Then I'd be naffed off. You contribute to a society. Not take from and abuse it.

Answer 5

yes they should let at least give them a brick through the window, these irritating loud Brits who form their own ghettos all over Europe and annoy people need a good sorting out

Answer 6

Having lived in France - the problem is not with the Brits its definately only the english (c'est la vie). Scots and Welsh have no problems. Buying a house at least for Scots is no problem.

Aubigny-sur-Nere was gifted to Scotland as a thank-you for helping the french to fight the english.

A lot of the resentment is purely historical.

Answer 7

I don't know, have you been trying to buy a house in France and been met by a horde of snail wielding French people or do you already own one and are trying to stop your compatriots from coming... and blaming it on us?

LOL

Answer 8

As an american, I'm amazed that such petty-mindedness exists in such a beautiful place as France.  I'm not surprised at Americans' reaction to the "Mexicans" coming in, but I thought France had advanced beyond us.  Why the animosity?

Answer 9

It's difficult to know what more the French could do?

After all...they have 800 years experience of insulting us in both the most subtle and the most aggresive of ways!

I suppose they could produce a garlic laden pork pie?