Less than 30 miles of water sits between the UK and France but, when it comes to culture and traditions, at times it can feel like we’re hewn from different worlds – and the Anglo-Franco relationship continues to be a complex dance.
One Briton, who has spent more than 20 years living in France, has shared some of the everyday differences that strike her whenever she crosses the Channel.
Dual citizen Catharine Sceats, founder of Survive France, a community-focused platform that helps English speakers smoothly transition to a new life abroad, told the Daily Mail she initially moved to the country to give her children a ‘much better quality of life’.
Originally from the South of England, she relocated to France in the early noughties and has since settled in Bénesse-lès-Dax in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.
She says: ‘I knew they would have the opportunity to do stuff they wouldn’t be able to in the UK – to ski, dive, surf, sail… family life is prioritised in France in a way that it just isn’t in the UK.
‘Working women are supported better, and my children would have a huge advantage of becoming bilingual.
British-born Catharine Sceats has lived in France for more than 20 years – and she’s now shared the lighter differences between the two countries that have left her continually surprised
‘The quality and choice and availability of fresh food and produce is second to none. You can eat well and live well in France on a much smaller budget than I think you can in many other places.
‘There have been times when living here has been tough – because of the language and cultural barriers – but it’s definitely home now and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.’
In the latest episode of her France Made Simple podcast – in which she offers insider knowledge and top tips for those considering a permanent move or holiday home – Catharine shared some of the stark differences she noticed during a recent trip to the UK earlier this year.
She had an ‘extremely nice time’ visiting friends and family across Bath, Oxford and central London, spending two weeks getting stuck into things a regular tourist would do; museums, river boats and plenty of meals out.
The ex-pat even introduced her French boyfriend to his first full-English breakfast and a bacon sandwich – he enjoyed the latter so much he asked for another one straight away.
Having resided in France for an extended period, Catharine admitted she finds it difficult to readjust to UK customs and social habits whenever she visits.
She said: ‘I always spend the first couple of days in a slight culture shock because it is just so different to France – even though, geographically, they’re not a million miles apart.’
Although she misses the friendliness of British people (and the UK’s abundance of charity shops), Catharine much prefers her slower-paced life in France
Delving into the differences she picked up on during her recent trip, Catharine wasted no time in highlighting property prices.
Purchasing or renting property in the South of England is generally more expensive than in areas such as Nice and Marseille, though she noted prices in central London and Paris are definitely comparable.
Sharing an example, she noted how a family-of-four looking to rent in the Greater London area or surrounding suburbs would likely pay around £2,000 per month, while homes in French towns outside of major hubs would cost up to £750 a month.
However, she warned: ‘Cheap properties in France are cheap for a reason. It could indicate that no one wants it, so it’s important to always, always think about the resale value.’
Turning to food and living expenses, Catharine said she ‘could not believe the cost’ of eating in pubs, restaurants, or even cafés for a light snack during her UK trip.
She said: ‘I have gotten used to being able to access a “Menu du jour” (Menu of the day) in France, which I can enjoy for €12 (£10.30) or €14 (£12), and you tend to get something really good for the money. Even expensive restaurants tend to be more reasonably priced.’
Catharine was, she says, blown away by the cost of what she referred to as ‘snackage’ – small bites or drinks including coffee, croissants and lunchtime poke bowls.
Greggs was a hit with Catharine’s French family – because of the sausage rolls and also the friendly staff
In France, she noted how an espresso would typically set one back just over one euro, while many cafés in the UK charge well over £4 for a coffee.
She further called out UK gastro-pubs for ruining a basic burger and chips with fancy ‘hummus-infused, dill-marinated side dressings’ just to charge a premium.
The only thing that truly rendered her speechless though was the price of a single croissant – so much so that she set her family the challenge of spotting the most expensive pastry during their UK trip.
She shared: ‘I thought we’d reached peak croissant price at £2.90, but, no, I won when I found one in the Eurostar terminal for £3.90.’
So, is there anything Britain does better in the long-term ex-pat’s eyes?
A trip to British pastry institution Greggs was a hit on two fronts – one for the sausage rolls – dubbed ‘Le rolling sausage’ by Catharine’s French family, and two, for the friendliness of the staff at the branch she visited.
The ex-pat said that across the board British staff in shops were much warmer and likely to strike up a casual conversation with customers than in France.
Catharine revealed she was left pleasantly surprised by the affordability of food and household products in UK supermarkets and shops, especially in those that sell name-brand goods for less.
She said: ‘In Poundland and Iceland, you can get Colgate toothpaste for £1 and large bottles of branded spray bleach cleaner for around £2 – that kind of stuff is still a lot cheaper generally than in France.’
Turning her attention to transport, she awarded France a ‘plus point’ for its ‘superb’ roads and motorways, while criticising the ‘unbelievable’ volume of traffic and roadworks she experienced recently in the UK.
She added: ‘I could have counted on one hand the amount of times I could only hit 70 miles-per-hour. The state of the roads… the potholes… the lack of hard shoulders… just incredible. Driving in France is such a pleasure.’
As for public transport, Catharine was quick to condemn the recurring delays, cancellations and general ‘f***-wittery’ plaguing the UK’s national rail network.
She did, however, praise the reliability and improved cleanliness of London’s Tube and bus services.
For an expat who loves bargain hunting, nothing beats the thrill of a great deal – and if there’s one area where the UK holds a major advantage over France, according to Catharine, it’s the abundance of charity shops.
She said: ‘On any high street, there are multiple charity shops – I couldn’t believe the quality and availability of second-hand stock within them. I ended up buying a second suitcase!’
‘The second-hand market in France is improving… we do now have charity shops, but they are few and far between.’
Wrapping up her thoughts, Catharine made sure to point out one standout thing about the UK – the warm nature of British people.
She said: ‘The level of friendliness, helpfulness, chattiness, customer service… it is something I do miss in France. For the first few years, I found it very hard to not have that engagement that you get almost everywhere in the UK.’
However, the slower-paced French lifestyle she once sought over 20 years ago is now exactly what she wants.
She added: ‘The differences [between the UK and France] are on balance, but in terms of quality of life, and how you can live… France wins, hands-down.’
Catharine Sceats’ podcast series, France Made Simple, is available to stream here on Spotify.
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