Tag: buy a property in france

English language in the Ariège landscape

On By Michelle LawsonIn British migration to France2 Comments

Symbols of Englishness in the Ariège Pyrenees of France

I follow a few French Instagrammers as I love to see what others are doing in the Ariège mountains. Some of them post using English rather than French language.  I guess it’s to reach a wider audience. Now that’s interesting because in Ariège, English isn’t widely spoken. People tell me Spanish is taught in schools before English.

Signage in the public sphere is what we call the linguistic landscape. You don’t see written English very often in the Ariège public sphere, but below are some interesting observations from when I researched English migration to France.

Continue reading “English language in the Ariège landscape” →

Where the house was: Why do British people move to France?

On By Michelle LawsonIn British migration to France2 Comments

The Ariège is a depopulated area in the French Pyrenees. Why is it popular with Britons seeking a new life in France?

When I first began researching British incomers in Ariège, I was curious as to why they’d chosen that out-of-the-way corner of France. It turns out that choice wasn’t always the right word…

For quite a few people it was simply where the house was, rather than an informed decision based on what that area offered as a way of life to them.

Continue reading “Where the house was: Why do British people move to France?” →
Ariege, France

A new life in France: How the British media write about the Brits in France

On By Michelle LawsonIn British migration to FranceLeave a comment

Thinking of buying a property in France for a new life? Beware the British media!

A flood, an invasion, bloodsuckers… we’ve all seen immigrants depicted using this kind of language in the British press. Did you know British journalists living in France use the same language to refer to their compatriots who’ve also made the move?

Migration often fosters resentment, but resentment of the British abroad is often generated by other British people, in a kind of ‘us and them’ scenario. 

Fascinated, I began a research project, investigating how the Brits in France were portrayed in the British media in the first decade of the 21st century. 

Continue reading “A new life in France: How the British media write about the Brits in France” →