Product Description

Are you ready for the ultimate French lesson? Forget Avoir and Etre - what do you do when the electric company turns off the power? When the well dries up and you find yourself washing in Perrier water? When the nanny drives the car over the side of a cliff? And when a semi-feral dog bites off the nose of a guest? MORE FRANCE PLEASE, WE'RE BRITISH is a sparkling insiders' guide to the secrets of making a new life in France by Helena Frith Powell, writer of the French Mistress column in The Sunday Times. Now she has collected scores of real-life stories about the expatriate life in France into an indispensable guide, sharing her savoir faire in a book that will become a standard text for all would-be expats and owners of second homes. From buying a vineyard or chateau to having a baby on the French health service, Helena's French lessons start off where GCSE French stopped. You'd be mad to leave home without it.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #376136 in Books
• Published on: 2004-11-12
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

Review
'Sparkling' Sunday Times columnist

Everything France
'A fresh, fast and humourous narrative. More France Please, We¹re British shatters more than a few myths.'

thisfrenchlife.com
'A new book about moving to and living life the French way has achieved just that something a bit different.'

Customer Reviews

Witty, entertaining and factual
I picked up this book because I have just bought a house in France. I thought it would either be a dreary saga about somebody's idyllic life in the south of France, coping with plumbers who didn't show up, or an even more dreary practical guide to dealing with French bureaucracy. In fact the author, who I gather writes a monthly column in the Sunday Times, rather cleverly combines anecdote and personal experience with practical hints and advice on how to thrive and prosper in France. It's also very funny in parts. I shall be giving copies this Christmas to all my friends who are thinking of moving to France!

Was this useful?
This book is a real gem....not only is it extremely useful (if you are thinking of moving to France which we are) its written in a wry, amusing tongue-in-cheek style that helps to make a guide book into a totally enjoyable reading book.

I had been nearly put off by some of the other reader's comments about it being a bit 'G&T' but actually its absolutely not...Helena's examples are real people from her social set and thats perfectly o.k. why wouldn't it be?

Well done Helena I am now going to buy your other book - keep writing for us on France - more please we are British!!

French Newsletter 'Blablablah'
More France Please, We're British, by Helena Frith Powell

Call me old fashioned, but I'm not one to sit in the searing sun and read. For me, there's nothing better than stretching out in front of a crackling warm fire in darkest winter with a good book for company, and More France Please, We're British certainly makes for a cosy and reassuring companion whatever your French experience.

Having lived here for the past few years I freely admit that I approached the 15 lessons on life in France with an all-knowing 'been there, done it, got the t-shirt' kind of attitude, and so was pleasantly surprised to find the book as informative and comprehensive on the French experience as it is. In truth there have been far too many books written on the subject in recent years for even the keenest Francophile to stomach - with only a handful leaving anything other than a bland taste on the palate. The difference with More France is that it is a worthy reference book whether you have been here for a decade or are just toying with the idea of looking for a holiday home. Discovering a dearth of resources to help those contemplating a southern exodus, Helena has collected her cumulative experiences of living in the Languedoc since 2000 and recounted them in an accessible style well sprinkled with witty anecdotes. The book strikes a good balance between practical advice and real world experience, with the added pleasure for the Languedoc reader of being able to recognise numerous local places and attitudes - quirky or otherwise.

Whether you're wondering where or what to buy in France, how schooling differs, want language or survival tips, a guide to the French regions, help with potential loopholes and pitfalls, or of course, advice navigating the notorious French red tape and taxation systems, it's all here. As Helena has placed her children into French schools and rushed one of them to hospital on more than one occasion, education and healthcare are very well researched. Throughout the book the author never loses sight of the many delights of southern French life, and never takes the pleasures of living here for granted - whatever the frustrations. This is a veritable Bible for any newcomer to France, or indeed, for anyone still contemplating taking the plunge.