Only in France is something expats say a lot, but really it is simply cultural differences. We explore some of thoses here at PumpjackPiddlewick

There’s a saying amongst expats here: ‘Only in France…’. It tends to mean when you see something that to you is unusual, but to the French is normal. Cultural differences are always fun to explore. We may not like all of them, but interestingly over time, those moments become lessContinue Reading

Life in France is all about adopting, adapting and sometimes ignoring cultural differences we explain here at PumpjackPiddlewick

So, you’re thinking about moving to France. You’ve pictured yourself strolling through a market with a wicker basket, casually selecting cheese as though you were born knowing the difference between Comté and Cantal. (It’s actual quite important to a life in France to know your cheeses.) You imagine long lunches,Continue Reading

The French stare a lot. But why? We look into the variations of their stare and why they do it here at PumpjackPiddlewick

You will notice it if you come to France. Especially into the countryside, and especially when driving through a village. The French stare. I mean they stare a lot, at least to non-French people. At first it is very disconcerting, especially when driving. Do I somehow know you?! Is thereContinue Reading

There are police in France and there are Gendarmerie. So what is the difference we ask here at PumpjackPiddlewick

I am a great fan of detective fiction. Give me a Sue Grafton, J.D. Robb and especially the classic Agatha Christie ‘who done it’ any day. Consequently, I read frequently of police asking questions, garnering answers. It’s something you read about, but it just doesn’t happen in real life. UntilContinue Reading

Making friends in France is hard. But why is that? We delve into here at PumpjackPiddlewick

I’m involved in a number of Facebook groups of ex-pats living in France or wishing to move here. Discussions vary about the vagaries of this country, but time and time again the question about making friends in France comes up. And this always boils down to – why is itContinue Reading