Janine Marsh bought a property in Nord-Pas de Calais some 20 years ago and has been in love with France ever since.
Initially, she split her time between Beckenham, London and her new home in France, but around five years ago, she decided to make the permanent move to Nord-Pas de Calais – and she’s never looked back.
‘In Boulogne sur Mer, near where I live, there’s a Charles Dickens appreciation club as the writer used to live there’
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This time, Janine offered some important advice for Britons thinking of trying out life in France, sharing her top tips for meeting locals and other expats.
According to the London-born Francophile, making friends is no trouble at all – as long as you’re willing to get stuck into an activity.
She told GB News: “It’s actually quite easy to make friends in France if you make a bit of an effort. Even where I live in very rural France – a village of 152 people – there are lots of clubs, from gardening to art classes, fitness, sports and all sorts.
“There are also very specific and sometimes unusual clubs. For instance, in Boulogne sur Mer, near where I live, there’s a Charles Dickens appreciation club as the writer used to live there.
“Anglo-French clubs are quite common too. Many French people are keen to learn English, so there are plenty of opportunities for practising French, while French people get to practice their English.
“Voluntary work opportunities are also plentiful in France, helping out at animal refuges, for instance.”
Janine has found that living in a small, close-knit community has been great for forming friendships, as there are so many local events to join in with.
She said: “In rural areas like mine, there are lots of get-togethers throughout the year. There’s the annual street cleaning, where we all wander around with largely empty bin bags because there’s hardly any rubbish to pick up.“
There’s also the annual harvest party and the Armistice Day remembrance at the village memorial – which is taken very seriously here.
“The mayor reads out the names of those who gave their lives in war and always includes the name of a British soldier who died in World War II and who is buried in the local cemetery. I think that surprised me too, how much the French honour those who fought for them during the war.”
Janine added that most community gatherings are followed by a vin d’honneur (a glass of wine offered by the mayor).
She said: “It’s a great chance to catch up with your neighbours and it’s really appreciated by the locals if you try to fit in.”
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‘It’s actually quite easy to make friends in France if you make a bit of an effort’GETTY IMAGESAs for making new friends in cities, the expat said: “It may take a little longer to sort through the bigger pool of potential pals than it does in rural areas. But you will find more opportunities for making friends through joining a gym, clubs and classes, and that’s a great way to meet people who share an interest in the same hobbies as you.
“There are usually plenty of opportunities to get involved in the community, from dog-walking at the local animal refuge to helping kids practice their English language skills at school.
“Many big cities also have clubs and networks specifically for expats to meet other expats – either set up by individuals (if you look on Facebook there are many in France) or by companies like Internations.
“And language exchange groups can be great for meeting locals and expats, like Meetup which has communities in Paris, Lyon and Lille.”
For those considering relocating like Janine, the expat spoke to GB News about the things you need to know if you move to France.
Janine is the author of several best-selling books and the editor of The Good Life France, for everything you want to know about France and more.
‘It’s actually quite easy to make friends in France if you make a bit of an effort’GETTY IMAGES
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