| Frances and her husband are expat freelancers from England who are now living in the Lot in southwest France, where they are aiming to become more involved in the local community. Read about Frances' writing and filmmaking work - plus all the other things she plans on doing, and what she loves about her simple but fulfilling life in the French countryside. |
 Frances Penwill-Cook |
-Where were you born?
Johannesburg, South Africa, but I have lived in South-East England all my life.
-In which country and city are you living now?
I'm living near Cahors, in the Lot, in South-West France.
-Are you living alone or with your family?
I'm living with my husband. My parents have recently moved here too and live about half an hour away.
-How long have you been living in France?
We have been backwards and forwards between London and France since October 2007 and rented a farmhouse in Lot-et-Garonne until we could find somewhere to buy. It's a year since the winter rental started on our old house.
-What is your age?
32
-When did you come up with the idea of living in France?
We came up with the idea last summer. In September 2006 we had got married in France and before that we'd got engaged in Paris and holidayed in South-West France as often as we could together. After having such a positive experience with the wedding we thought we'd just go for it.
I first went to the Dordogne on holiday with some work friends before I met my husband. I fell in love with the area and country then. I couldn't believe the silence and how I felt part of the panoramic surroundings - having lived in city all my life I thought it was an incredible feeling.
-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
At the moment, because we've been backwards and forwards, we still work out of the UK and pay UK tax and national insurance. We're both freelancers and will continue to do our current jobs even when we're officially French residents, but we're planning to combine our skills and find self-employed work that we can do together here.
-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
At the moment we're applying for a E106 from the Department for Work and Pensions, which should enable us to get 70% back of all healthcare we receive. You can keep all the invoices that detail your payments and reclaim them back once it's organised. We've yet to top up that 30% with medical insurance.
-How do you make your living in France? Do you have any type of income generated?
My husband and I both ensured that we could continue to work freelance when we moved here. I provide English editorial services through 'Spot-on Subbing' (www.spotonsubbing.co.uk), I mostly do writing, but also sub-editing and proofreading. I write on various subjects including health, food and drink, business, technology and also now on ex-pat life. I'm also a film producer, which I can carry on with over here, and am hoping to get my feature "One Degree Closer" into production next year. My husband is an engineer and also an artist and so we're fortunate that those careers are possible via telephone and via the internet/email from anywhere in the world.
We plan to continue our current work, but also aim to work on a business/project together in France to generate income. It will be a natural progression and enhance our involvement with the people living in our community.
-Do you speak French and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
The language is a barrier to begin with if you're not advanced or fluent. My French is definitely improving, but I've got a long way to go.
Most of the time, as long as you make an effort (for example, if I'm going to the vet's I'll make sure I look up in a dictionary how to describe symptoms for one of the animals so I can explain) people appreciate that and will help and be kind to you!
If you start talking English straight away it is usually a quick route to putting someone's back up and them speaking to you even more quickly and with their best accent.
Accents are a problem, it's nothing like what you're used to hearing at school or college! If you don't have any French knowledge I would advise having lessons pretty much as soon as you settle in. It will help with confidence and with getting to know people in your community.
-Do you miss home and family sometimes? Describe your favorite recreational activities there or those that are available.
I really do miss my friends, but I'm very fortunate that my mum and dad have moved out here too.
Not being in Soho very much where it's easy to meet friends for a drink or a catch up at lunchtime is something that I do miss…so many of my friends are in London, including one of my closest friends and I miss not being able catch up face to face.
The thing I have to remember is that in the end I was working so much in London, to make ends meet and house prices were so expensive (we couldn't buy and were still renting), that towards the end of my ten years there I wasn't enjoying it or making the most of living there anyway and that was a major reason for why I started to seriously desire a different, more frugal and simpler life in the countryside.
We have Skype and broadband and regular visitors and when people come we have real quality time.
In terms of activities, one of the reasons we moved here was so that I could experience the wonder of having my own horses (impossible in London) and in February we rescued two: Oscar (who was about to meet the meat man) and Olga. They live right outside the house in our 'paddock paradise' and it's so easy now to go out for a ride around the countryside or just hang out with them.
To me that is a dream come true and the best part of living here.
Other activities I have more time to enjoy now include: cooking, writing, walking, playing with the animals and reading.
-Do you have other plans for the future?
To make a go of a business here, to make a success of our current jobs, to make films – one feature film in particular "One Degree Closer" that is my life's ambition to make, to fulfil my writing goals, to have bilingual children, to be fluent in French, to eventually have more rescued horses that we can rehabilitate and rehome, to convert our outbuilding into a gite so more people can come and stay, to save the money for an infinity pool, to save rabbits that need homes, to help our community, support our neighbours…there are so many things that I want to do…
-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
We initially rented a farmhouse – a winter let – from 1 October 2007 to June 2008. Usually the price of these winter rentals varies from £400+ per month. Our rental was £450+, which included broadband and a shared telephone line.
At the beginning of 2008, we found a property that we both fell in love with. I had always wanted a stone property, with enough land for horses, on top of a hill with an amazing view. We found it – we can't believe that we did! - and we loved it.
It was the fourth house we saw. We were very lucky. A friend of ours saw fifty houses before finding the right one.
The next step was trying to secure a mortgage. We tried to get the loan just as the credit crunch was hitting Europe, so not the best timing. We are self-employed and had to get a French mortgage – in the UK we could have got a 100% mortgage, but you can't in France. After filling in a lot of paperwork and having sleepless nights, we ended up taking a 70% mortgage and moved into our new house in June 2008.
-What is the cost of living in France?
Honestly, it's hard to tell how it compares. The food crisis, the rising cost of fuel and the credit crunch has meant that we have noticed an increase in costs here, but are unaware of how that compares with the UK, as food and fuel costs have risen there too.
Some things are much cheaper, i.e., your television licence is covered in the cost of your rates, which are also really cheap at about 150 Euros per year – yes, really! Electricity is about 40 Euros per month and the phone is about 40 Euros each month, which includes line rental and calls (we're on a special package) to the UK and France.
-What do you think about the French?
All the locals that we've met – both French and English - have been very kind and welcoming. The sooner you can go and introduce yourself to your neighbours the better. You need to put aside worries about not being able to communicate and just go around with some wine or a pot of jam or something. They will appreciate it.
-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in France?
Most aspects are positive. The only difficulties are language problems (which will disappear over time), missing my friends and sometimes I wonder if I'm missing out on business opportunities – you're more likely to spontaneously meet the 'right' person in the middle of London than in the middle of nowhere.
The virtual world is very connected though, so actually I don't feel as though I'm missing out on that much. Everything else is fantastic.
-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in France?
These are my three top tips before moving to France:
- Make sure have a valid MOT before coming abroad - you don't want to be unable to renew/extend your UK car insurance because your MOT has run out. Also, find a car insurance company that doesn't have a time limit on how long your car is abroad. Companies offering more than 30 or 60 days do exist.
- Have an official UK address until you're settled – don't do anything permanent with banks, car exporting/importing etc until you are sure about the move.
- Book a winter rental and experience that before buying. Winters are not mild like you might think they are - it could make you think twice about buying a big farmhouse with no central heating!! If you can survive winter in France you can survive everything else.
-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about France?
My blog, France and the Unknown - on France and all sorts other things - can be found at: http://franceandtheunknown.blogspot.com.
This French Life - http://www.thisfrenchlife.com/thisfrenchlife - useful blog featuring latest French news.
French Entrée - http://www.frenchentree.com - a comprehensive, 'one-stop shop' on French life.
