Knowing what it takes to make the move; EU-minded Brits and the real deal in ‘Dordogne-shire’.

By Tim, 17th October 2017

Among the anti-Brexit Facebook groups there’s one dedicated to those, like us, wishing to escape the UK; the ‘Plan B’ group has around 2.5K members, all sharing valuable info about their plans to relocate, and the actual requirements of potential new home nations.

It was here I came across the incredibly helpful Monika Theisen – who dived in on each of my rambling enquiries with useful links and connection to great people.

When she learnt of our trip through France, showing the kindness typical of many remainers...
we’ve encountered, she and her husband Phil offered us a base from which to explore the area for a couple of nights at their farmhouse conversion in the Dordogne...

Although Monika was away at the time of our visit, Phil greeted us at the top of his drive, waving and grinning as we drove up, proudly wearing his ‘One Of The 48%’ bright blue t-shirt.

Phil and Monika’s glorious, near-completed ‘do-er-up-er’ sits at the top of a small hill, surrounded by rolling countryside, now populated by oaks in full autumnal glory and curious reddy-brown Limousin cattle. It’s mid-October and hello 26 degrees. Oh yes.

(Not the Brexit advocates I refer to, left)

Phil and Monika met while working for the EU Commission many years back; these days their labour of love French home is near fruition thanks to Phil’s tireless labours, while they split their time between the Dordogne and the western part of Germany.

Within two minutes of our tightly-packed Fiesta rolling up, we stood on the terrace, necking some bubbly Phil had put on ice – and discovered a mutual love of colourful swearing about Brexit and its political advocates.

Both Phil and Monika both possess a razor sharp understanding of the conditions that led to the Brexit vote; Phil also delves much further than headlines to get a sense of where this will all lead.

One of the most staggering things Phil told us is that his best guess is that the UK public will be around 30% poorer on the whole, post-Brexit, based on his own interpretation of various experts’ analysis, including the Treasury’s own.
We spoke about the depressing notion that people have voted away their rights, conditions and a way of life that they didn’t notice were there – such was the near invisible implementation of vital treaties and regulations over 40 years.

We watched the sun go down together over a further glass, recalling each  regressive move we’ve seen in the last 18 months; the stealthful introduction of post-fact political and public discourse; the now exposed/legitimised bigotry, ignorance and unfettered right wing ambition and where it leads; half a country conned, mired in a nostalgia-fuelled, reverse-telescope view of bunting-tea-and-cake-cricket-on-the-village green 1950s Britain, topped off with a Spitfire flypast.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

During our stay, Phil drove us a few kilometres away down a wooded track to the picture postcard valley home of Mike and Val Povey  - Brits who’ve properly embedded themselves in the local community and have a successfully integrated small business – a process made easier no doubt by the popularity of their delicious artisan beers they produce in their microbrewery. (Yep, we spent some time in their tasting room. I’m not really a drinker, but thanks to Mike and Val, I may become one).

Le Tasting room at Perigord Beers. ('Tashting room...hic")

They have a realistic take on making a go of life in this part of France, or ‘Dordogneshire’ as Mike laughingly dubs the area so heavily populated with Brits.

Mike said that after nearly a decade in France, they don’t feel French. That British and French cultural norms are pretty different.  And there’s a danger in the superficiality of a holiday visit, to think that you could easily settle into this rural idyll - but LIVING there is POLES apart from visiting.

There are major differences and potential frustrations for Brits in how things get done, and these must be accepted and adapted to if one is to be happy in this part of France – because that’s just how things are; things that shouldn’t and can’t be bent to the will of English immigrants just because they like them a certain way. Mike and Val understood this, learnt to speak French well, worked patiently with local administrations to get their awesome little business on its feet, and got to know their French neighbours. And that, folks, is how it’s done.

Oh – and trust me – Mike and Val's beers are LUSH. www.perigordbeers.com

Err...keepin' it real...courtesy of Perigord Beers.