French Countryside living - would these trade offs be worth it to you?

[@BaguetteBound]

Bonjour!! Please read: We've realized based on the comments we gave NO context for this video! Especially for those of you who might be new. To be clear: we LOVE living in the French countryside. But not everything is perfect...it never is, anywhere. We make so many videos that are overwhelming positive about living in France, we thought it was fair to make a video about some things that are different than we know many of our fellow Americans imagine them to be and maybe even a little annoying, even if totally worth it. We want our channel to be a place that is real about the experience of living in France, as much as can be when sharing only a few minutes of life here. That includes everything. Thanks for watching! ❤ - Raina and Jason

[@marieadriansen2925]

It's always better to be aware of the disadvantages. Your point of view may also be interesting for us French

[@alkante2962]

Ce n'est pas la peine de vous excuser!

[@Zepeg78]

About the activities (yoga, sport of any kind and all the things you can imagine - quilt, sewing, stamp collection etc), most of the towns including small ones are having a "journée des associations " generally after summer. And you can choose one or several among what's available. Some municipal teams are very dynamic... About the bugs and insects, hopefully, you didn't go in Spain. I remember a house we rented some years ago and during the night, some huuuuge cockroaches were going around us 😱 I was told they are everywhere there, no matter the cleanliness of houses.

[@psour33]

The big spiders are called "Tégénaire" and are friendly, don't chase or hurt them. They'll never bite you, and are fearful. They are your best friend to keep your home clean of mosquito, fly, bug.

[@Zepeg78]

Oui. Pareil pour les pholques. Ceci étant, c'est toujours un émoi de tomber sur ces bestioles! 😊

[@Gwego-w9f]

Si dans une prochaine vidéo, vous vous mettez à râler : c'est que, ça y est, vous êtes devenu français...

[@RMcL328]

😂

[@RMcL328]

Ça y est je crois 😂

[@Fuk_Zat_Tek]

@@marieadriansen2925 T'as été adoptée !!!

[@marieadriansen2925]

Je suis française et je ne râle pas ...j'espère qu'ils ne le feront pas

[@BaguetteBound]

LolLol, beaucoup de gens nous disaient que nous donnons trop souvent l'impression que tout est parfait. Alors voilà !😂

[@heliedecastanet1882]

I guess the presence or absence of insects depend on pesticides used by farmers, farms and agricultural holdings (extensive or not). You can't know it but years ago, when I was a little child, there were even more insects in the countryside. They are all disappearing little by little. Just imagine that here in France, in 30 years, we lost 70% of insects. In Germany, it is 80%. So, if you have insects in your house or properties, well, I won't tell you to "cherish" them, but it means that there are less pesticides used in your area. Think of it 😉

[@BaguetteBound]

Love this perspective ! Merci!

[@leopratlong8312]

​@@BaguetteBound Except asian hornets. Those ones, you can kill them (and make kill the nest by a specialist). I know there are a lot in your department (they arrived in Europe first in Bordeaux, so they're very populous in the south west). They are a real plague, they're invasive and they kill other insects (especially apis mellifera, the domestic bee, and other pollinators).

[@hugovictor4651]

You are starting to "complain" like real French people. That's a good sign! You are "assimilating". Don't hesitate, on occasion, to try this national sport called "the demonstration". Yes, perfection is not of this world. Thank you for your videos.

[@Fuk_Zat_Tek]

Soon they gonna look for fax niche 🤣🤣 Our second national sport after complaining ^_^

[@francoishantz4088]

In France, we say "want the butter and the money of the butter" and sometimes add "and also the dairywoman ". I lived in small villages with less than 200 people without shops. It took 10 km to go to a small town of 3,000 people and 50 km to go to a big city. It was a choice. For the garbage I learned over time that it is best to produce as little as possible for nature and because it costs more and more to treat them . And a spider is a sign that the house is healthy. They hate moisture. As you write, nothing is ever perfect.

[@valeriebianco4505]

En France on dit que les araignées ne vivent que dans les maisons saines, donc bienvenue à elles!

[@bobbluesbarker]

Some of the points you make are maybe specific to the area that you're living? I'm on the South coast, not far from Narbonne. The village here has numerous recycling points and none are controlled by card or anything like that. We've got 2 boulangeries, a small supermarket, a restaurant, a pizza and burger takeaway, a hairdressers, a tabac, a grocers shop and a bar, in a village/small town of 3500 people, but we're surrounded by vineyards. One of the first things we learned was to stop comparing everything to the UK (where we moved from). We moved for a change of life, to get out of the rat race. The pivotal moment for me was when I stopped referring to our trips back to the UK as "going home", but started referring to our return to our home in France as "coming home". Vive la difference. 😎

[@LisaMoo54]

Curious to know which town you live in?

[@bobbluesbarker]

@@LisaMoo54 - I'm in Salles D'Aude, between Beziers and Narbonne.

[@DeanRamser]

Bonjour Baguette Bound, Raina and Jason! Great videos. We are learning so much!! Merci! Dean & Cindy

[@CROM-on1bz]

Congratulations, you just realized that you live in a real country and not in Disney land.👍

[@GorgieClarissa]

what an ignorant comment.

[@claude_1c74]

Spiders are our friends ! 🕷😃 they kill mosquitos and others litlle bugs

[@photolover6944]

In the past, French people would never have bought a house fi they didn't find any spider in it, because a house was considered "healthy" if there were spiders.

[@BaguetteBound]

So many have said this...I'm gett7ng a new appreciation for our spiders! Thank you!

[@IRACEMABABU]

@@BaguetteBound Spiders are natural insecticides...

[@edbi5505]

Les français n'aiment pas être envahis par les publicités et les démarchages des compagnies commerciales, cette publicité est donc très réglementée, c'est pourquoi vous devez faire vous-même les démarches pour trouver une activité sportive ou culturelle, concernant les poubelles il s'agit de responsabilité individuelle, il est bien trop facile et déresponsabilisant de tout avoir à sa porte ....

[@jeanmarc5303]

ads for yoga, baby-sitter, violin teacher ... can be found at the bakery . or butcher shop. if open . 😊

[@Fuk_Zat_Tek]

Je vois pas en quoi avoir 2 poubelles avec 2 compartiments différents et faire le tri directement chez soi serait " déresponsabilisant " ? J'ai du mal à comprendre pourquoi dans certains coins comme le sud ouest faut encore se galérer à aller porter ses bouteilles dans une sorte de " mini-déchetterie " au coin de la rue plutôt que d'avoir un système de ramassage efficace qui fait le tri directement dans le camion comme on a dans plein d'autres coins en France ... en tous cas dans le Nord région Lilloise , ça fait 30 ans que ça marche comme ça.

[@jean-claudemuller3199]

in fact these activities are much less commercial in France with many associations that communicate locally within mairies, or with word of mouth

[@alkante2962]

Peut-être mais concernant le sujet des ordures ménagères, c'est du grand n'importe quoi. Cela varie beaucoup d'une communauté de communes à l'autre et les tarifs ont fait un bon incroyable pour de moins en moins de service! Ex : 190 € de taxe annuelle pour 12 passages dans l'année alors qu'il y a quelques années nous payions 50 € pour 2 passages par semaine, chercher le loup! évidemment lorsqu'on proteste, nous nous voyons rétorquer que nous sommes bien les seuls à nous plaindre et que tout le monde est très satisfait...

[@tomcat12az]

Love all of your videos. We can't wait to move there in a couple of years. We're learning a lot from your experience

[@zoeelo1124]

I often watch your videos and you're always smiling and super positive about France and where you live so I think it's fair that you talk a little bit about the downside of living in the countryside 😊 and all of the points you made are true, that's also why a lot of french people don't want to live in a village so it's important to show to foreigners how it really is in the countryside !

[@alkante2962]

Spiders are very useful, do not kill them! What a strange idea to need a yoga session when one can enjoy Nature...

[@tolykozin]

thank you for this reality check. SO many of us are enamored with the picturesque scenes that we see in movies but it can be quite different when u actually get there!

[@BaguetteBound]

It's still completely worth it to us. But we also think we need to talk about the whole picture.

[@joistannertasidrealtor9334]

Thanks, guys. We in SC USA are accustomed to insects, even the large cockroach, named Palmetto bugs, from The Palmetto state (SC). The difference I see in France when we were there in spring, was no screens. We hope to move next year to SW France so will be adding screens of some sort. We try to keep insects outside if possible.

[@CorinneJIMENEZ-r1c]

Honeymoon’s over 😂 you complain you will soon be totally french 😂 ❤️

[@ValleyGreenNaturals]

So many good points in this video. My husband and I have talked for a year about whether we should buy our retirement property in the countryside, a village, or a small city in France. As appealing as a home in the French countryside seems, we determined that, at our age of retirement and with our desire to travel, our best option would be to buy an apartment or townhouse in a small city. We are looking in Tours in the Loire Valley. It's just the right size, with great public transportation and good walkability to markets, restaurants and such. We currently live in a countryside home about an hour outside of Washington, DC. It's beautiful, and we love it, but it has its cons as well. Keep up the great content! We love your videos!

[@martel56]

Tours est déjà une grande ville et donc tous ses inconvénients. En France, dès 10 000 habitants, normalement vous avez quasiment toutes les commodités (plusieurs supermarchés, DIY store, doctor, dentist, lawyer, train station, sewerage, trash collected in front of your home, little hospital ...)

[@BaguetteBound]

This was exactly why we wanted to make it - we love the French countryside, but the things we mentioned are things I think not every American would love about it. Our goal is to inform. 🙂 Thanks for watching and good luck with your move!!

[@LittleParisienne]

Tours is a very nice city and the surroundings are gorgeous, you will love it!

[@gabelov]

I live in Tours. It’s a gorgeous region. If you compare to a village it’s quite big. The urban area (Communauté de communes) is about 500k people. The city itself is ~140k. Of course there is everything you need. A good compromise close to Tours between a rural and an urban area is a city like Amboise (or Vendôme). It's about an hour in high speed train from Paris.

[@ValleyGreenNaturals]

@gabelov We have a trip planned for next year to spend a few weeks in Tours and get a vibe for town-living in Amboise, Langeais and Loches, as well. Since we will be retirees, having access to good healthcare nearby is something to consider, which is one reason Tours is very appealing. The TGV in Tours is also a big plus for travel. Amboise is beautiful and definitely on our list to consider. We have about 2 years to decide and find a place before we retire. For now, it's really fun to investigate, learn from others, and make our plans.

[@fabien2430]

J'imagine le boulanger de leur village qui découvre cette vidéo :)

[@marieadriansen2925]

Il ne va pas regarder. C'est vrai qu'il y a des boulangeries plus ou moins bonnes ou que l'on aime moins, c'est normal.

[@martel56]

@@marieadriansen2925 Oui malheureusement le savoir-faire des boulangeries se perd, chez moi le pain de chez Lidl est meilleur que la plupart des boulangeries de la commune et bien moins cher qui plus est.

[@JD987abc]

I live in cape may nj and it is impossible to buy real bread. The plastic bag stuff is everywhere. So, I make my own baguettes, boules, pan loafs, brioche and focaccia. I know exactly what’s in it and my friends love it too. Simple solution for me.

[@selin8274]

I haven’t seen this mentioned by content creators yet- how religion is in your face in the US versus FR. How schools “indoctrinate” kids in the US with the daily morning pledge of allegiance, which contains the word God. I’m in MI and don’t feel this way but was in a debate with FR woman living in the US who seemed quite upset by Christianity being so prevalent in US politics/government . Pew statistics confirmed what she was saying which surprised me- 56% in US vs 11% in FR think religion is important to them. FR is far more secular.

[@joistannertasidrealtor9334]

It's because our nation was founded on Christian religious principles, from the founding fathers. Our coins have "In God We Trust" imprinted. But we also have freedom of religion, so all are free to worship as they see fit. Note that God is not only Christianity as most religions worship God in some fashion. Children are not forced to repeat the pledge, but should be taught civics and understand the history, principles and origin of the country.

[@stephen10.]

Try to have a lot of little birds in your garden, they like to eat spiders. Feed the birds to attract them

[@budapestkeletistationvoices]

It's a countryside thing. Popular density is low, so no point to collect litter daily, no frequent public transport.

[@SueIsRetiringToFrance]

Dudes. Bugs? You lived in Houston! They have the world's biggest Palmetto bugs/cockroaches on the planet, I am convinced. I live rural in CenTex Hill Country. Spiders are anytime, anywhere. As are moths indoors, no matter if there are screens on the door/windows (there are) or not. Luckily all the outside spiders eat the outside bugs. Except the scorpions... If I can just be rid of the scorpions in France? I'm good! Plus, spiders are the best insect "maintenance" tool, ever!

[@BaguetteBound]

No scorpions in France! The Houston comment made us laugh. It's true.

[@xouxoful]

There are some tiny minuscule scorpions in provence (the size of a big french spider) but nothing to worry about.

[@JD987abc]

Hello Baguette bound. I live less than 3 kilometers from the Atlantic Ocean in cape May NJ but not on the over developed island of CM itself. I live in a farm house built in 1890. Systems, electrics, plumbing, windows and structure have been upgraded but I still have a well and septic system. No sidewalks around here but ants, ticks, flees, hornets carpenter bees abound outside of winter. Beautiful sunset and fabulous tomatoes and vegetables everywhere in season. I’ve been looking into buying a house in France perhaps in southwest Brittany, Rochechouart, or the Saint-Mathieu areas. You’re a family while I live alone. Still I’m trying to not be very discouraged by your post today. My point is everywhere there are downsides. Please keep your posts coming and I appreciate your efforts to provide full disclosure. Regrettably i had to postpone my exploratory trip due to severe sinus infection. Im planning on rescheduling sometime after the new year. All best to the three of you. Joe and Gigi.

[@OptLab]

One must mention South west of France is known to be a remote place, either to retire, for holidays, enjoying doing nothing looking at landscapes, for foodies and tranquility seekers. A gorgeous place though. Some other countrysides have more services although it's true public services decreased everywhere in the recent decades.

[@rhythmPhil]

There are a lot of trade offs to consider when deciding to living in a city or the country side. There's no perfect situation. You're very right that there are a lot of bad industrial bakeries, or even no bakeries at all in small villages. I think you made that point in another video. Train stations or post offices tend ti disappear from small villages. Even schools. France is getting poorer overall and may not have the resources to fund all this public services unfortunately. Another big issue can be healthcare. Some sectors have no hospitals nearby, and sometimes even no family doctors. I think you would find more carte postale villages in provence but that would be more expensive too. Regarding things like sport clubs, many of these are non lucrative and not businesses like in the US. They will be cheaper, but you can't have the same expectations. For instance, my boxing club in NYC cost me 200 dollars a months, but 300 euros a year in France. In France there were less sessions, and they close in the summer. I personally prefer the vibe of a non lucrative club, it makes for more genuine relationships. Despite all these issues, i hope you'll stay with us and manage to make yourself a good life here.

[@marieadriansen2925]

Interesting and very accurate analysis Analyse intéressante et très juste

[@lollygee172]

I am in Toulouse at the moment at the tail end of my 6 week exploration of France. I want to retire here and was hoping to get a feel for the type of location that would be right for me. And I have reached some clarity. I’m NOT a big city person. I’d rather live in a smaller town and visit cities when the need and mood strikes. But I have discovered the importance of being in or near a good size town that doesn’t ‘die’ in the off season. So far, Bergerac, Agen, Villeneuve-sur-Lot, are the types and sizes on my radar. I have learned a lot and now know that I will need a car even if I only use it once a week, that I will likely live on the edges of a bigger town or in a village with some services, and to NEVER drive in the bigger cities (not that much of an adrenaline junky!) your advice from previous vlogs about not placing too much importance on needing a Train station was good. However the train system is great, and I do want to be within 20-30 minutes from one…thanks for keeping it real!

[@BaguetteBound]

So glad you had time here to figure out the right fit for you before choosing a long term spot! Because everything you mention, it's individual and no one can tell you what is going to feel the most like home...you have to know for yourself. Amazing and good luck with all that comes next!

[@wilgipp4653]

We are near Villeneuve sur lot. 2 years here. We like Agen. A good train station. Parking lot. Not an overwhelming city ( we are from NYC). Nice museum there too. Pretty areas all around. Plus prefecture is there for govt paperwork!

[@martel56]

Perigueux, Albi 😀

[@peterchapman9423]

Thank you so much. We just completed our house in Medillac, and are looking forward to moving there, but also want a realistic idea of what it will REALLY be like to live there. Thanks. ❤

[@EliasBac]

@@peterchapman9423 I wish you a happy life in France ! I’m sure you’ll enjoy it overall, with all its ups and downs. 😚 I’m from France but lived in the US and now in Canada. You already know that but nowhere is perfect. However, if I had to chose between living in the US or France, I’d definitely chose France. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the US and still live to visit. But the « downs » of living in the the US (in my opinion) when it comes to work life balance, healthcare, daycare, education etc. Are waaaay worst than any « downs » of living in France. Now if I was really wealthy, I’d probably go for the US 😆

[@gabelov]

​@@EliasBacBen faut rentrer alors...

[@EliasBac]

@@gabelov je suis bien à Montreal pour le moment. Puis je travail pour un compagnie aérienne alors je rentre en France gratis plusieurs fois par ans 😆

[@agnesmichel1286]

Thank you for your nice videos.❤ Dumping has become more and more difficult and expensive too. My sister lives in a very small village and is not able to drive. So, most of the time, her trash stays behind her house until a nice neighbour takes it to the station, 10 km away. The day to go there must be chosen with care as, very often, the bins are full. 😢

[@gabelov]

Un délire...

[@davidniquot6423]

I'm surprised you though ttaht there would be a train station in every french village ... it exist nowhere in the world, commodity depends on the population density.

[@StephaneCalabrese]

Yes, of course, Euros bills are not falling from trees and these villages and small town have to work with limited budgets, especially when there are no sizeable businesses bringing much needed local taxes. Everything is a tradeoff: Having a big enough home with a good yard, at a low price often means being further away from more lively areas. In French countryside, you definitely need a car.

[@martel56]

In France, we must not forget that there are almost as many municipalities as in the rest of the EU countries. 35,000 french municipalities, 17,000 of which have fewer than 500 inhabitants. So these small municipalities are unable to organize public services with so little means.

[@momopirou3107]

ah tiens, je n'en avais aucune idée. je me demande bien quelle peut en etre la cause.

[@martel56]

@@momopirou3107 c'était pareil dans la plupart des pays sauf que les autres ont évolué mais pas la France. La Belgique dans les années 70 a connu une grande vague de fusion de communes, leur nombre a été divisé par 5 alors que pourtant elles étaient déjà bien plus peuplées en moyenne que les communues françaises. La France a quand même perdu 1500 communes ces 20 dernières années. à Ce rythme dans 800ans on devrait être à 3500 communes 😀

[@momopirou3107]

@@martel56 interessant, merci de l'info et d'avoir pris le temps de répondre!.

[@jean-pascalesparceil9008]

Aah, the charms of the countryside! You are lucky with the kind of farming in your area. Vineyards and orchards are rather pleasant compared to pig or dairy cattle breeding, sugar beet harvest gives also a potent smell . There are many funny (not for everyone) stories about French people from large cities, generally known as "parisiens" even if they don't come from Paris, moving into small villages, complaining about the noise of roosters, church bells, smells.

[@marieadriansen2925]

For the bins, I live in the countryside in the north of France and there are only the glasses that you have to throw in a special bin. For the rest, the garbage service comes to the home. I have 3 different large bins for sorting. Perhaps I didn't understand everything you said? There are small farmers who have very low incomes or who are elderly and have more difficulty maintaining their buildings.

[@marieadriansen2925]

Do you have to carry all your garbage? I have not understood well and I do not know this system. If it's all the garbage, it's a very bad system. It is important to know that smallholder farmers have very low incomes and are struggling to get by economically. Est ce que vous devez porter toutes vos ordures ? Je n'ai pas bien compris et Je ne connais pas ce système. Si c'est toutes les poubelles, c'est un très mauvais système. Il est important de savoir que les petits agriculteurs ont de très faibles revenus et ont du mal à s’en sortir sur le plan économique

[@marieadriansen2925]

If you want to be quieter when you go to the market, you should go early in the morning, there will be fewer people Si vous voulez être plus tranquilles lorsque vous allez au marché, vous devriez y aller tôt le matin, il y aura moins de monde

[@rahansk8200]

Le système de consigne des bouteilles en Allemagne,est vraiment mieux.(J'habite pas loin). Le fait qu'il y'est une majorité de piste cyclable le long des routes en Allemagne facilite les déplacements.. l'Allemagne a des défauts aussi, n'en douter pas .

[@marieadriansen2925]

Hello, I live in the countryside as well but in the north of France. I think that the quality of pastries comes from the training of the pastry baker. In the countryside, many have a baker's diploma because it is important in the daily life of the French. They also make pastries but it is less "fine". This is the case of a bakery I know that makes wood-fired breads that are magnificent! Sometimes, it's the other way around, there are some who will be more specialized in pastry. When bakeries and pastry shops are larger, there is often both a baker and a pastry chef. They are artisans, each bakery and pastry shop is different even in the city. I prefer to buy my bread in one particular bakery and the cakes in another. That's my analysis, maybe I'm wrong? The bread freezes very well (I take out the slices and toast them in the toaster, it's very good). For cakes and pastries, I've never made ... maybe we should try for croissants etc. I don't have any insects inside the house except sometimes a spider like everywhere. I don't know why you have so many bugs.

[@Fuk_Zat_Tek]

You're not wrong , you're totally right about bread and pastry specialists

[@Fuk_Zat_Tek]

Special tips , if you love toasted bred , try to put some " beurre demi-sel " on it ... enjoy :)

[@marieadriansen2925]

There are also probably fewer insects in the north of France because it is less hot

[@Fuk_Zat_Tek]

@@marieadriansen2925 It's true , but 'im from Lille , and there is also a lot of mosquitos in summer, it's not as if you were in Siberia , there's only a few degrees difference.

[@marieadriansen2925]

Freezing is really a good solution for me to have good fresh bread every day.

[@tiffinicrum589]

Thanks for keeping it real😆

[@LisaMoo54]

Thanks for getting real! I'm still in the States but spent a month in a little medieval town in the Southwest of France and experienced some of the things you mentioned. We are very spoiled here in the States with curbside trash pick-up weekly and biweekly recycling of both organic waste and hard goods (like plastic, glass, wood, and paper).

[@didzz4275]

OCTOBER is THE one month of the year when plenty (really a lot) of bugs are flying around and massively invade houses. Just keep your windows and doors closed in October.

[@aurelietourba3320]

Petit conseil si vous voulez faire une activité sportive ou artistique dans votre région : allez au forum des associations de votre commune et celui de la grand commune la plus proche, ça a lieu à la rentrée de septembre le plus souvent. C'est le moment où toutes les associations présentent leurs activités et prennent les inscriptions pour les cours.

[@nmcclanahan969]

It's all in the details, isn't it Jason, you look tired😄.

[@DanielNestlerode]

I think more than half of the struggles you mention in this video have to do with the fact that you're in a small village in a touristy area. Bakeries, trash/recycling, and extra-curricular activities for the kids are all pretty easy here in L'Aisne. Between San Quentin, Soissons, and Laon, we have enough population to draw a decent amount of and variety of shops and services. (I used to live in a small village. Our house was directly across the road from the bakery. Breakfast was often purchased while in a dressing gown and slippers... unless they were closed for vacation. Then I had to go 7 or 8km to the next village.) But websites ... Yeah, they are often next to useless if they exist. I think that's a nation-wide condition. ...And I do have my yoga class --no kidding-- in a 17th century abbey that is now a catholic school. :)

[@frenchcoyote5198]

I live in a little town (about 6000 inhabitants) in southern France not far from Spain. We have 8 (or maybe 9) boulangeries. One has the best bread but I buy my viennoiseries in another one. A third one has the best flans ever and very good sandwiches. There are two where I never set foot because they're not good. You start to "raler", that means you're integrating. Congratulations !!!

[@brucesallee6100]

What town?

[@hellohjbgjh]

2:21 I am drooling..😂 where is this bakery please? All these foret noires.. it's my favorite cake of all time! Yes you're right for the bakeries. I've lived for years in a little village and it's when you travel to other cities and towns that you realise that some bakeries are much much better 😉 for the ants, don't bother much, to me I think they are associated to a healthy place. I wouldnt think the same if roaches were passing now and then...

[@thedavidguy01]

Based on my conversations with French friends, the real national sport of France is not football (soccer) but complaining. I think you won’t be fully assimilated until you learn to complain a lot more. Overall, your life in the French countryside seems better than my (past) experience of living in the American countryside.

[@brezhoneg9159]

Insects are part of a healthy ecosystem. A country where there were no insects would be worrying. A quick check on French sources says: "Without insects, humans would lose on average 30% of their global food crops. Vegetables and fruits such as apples, the cabbage family, cocoa, or strawberries would disappear." ... "80% of plants depend on pollination." ... "Insects are essential and have a major place in the proper functioning of our ecosystems. In France, 7,500 insects are affected by the agricultural sector, including 5,500 as direct help." About boulangerie, putting candies on top of pastries as 'decorations' is absolute cr*p, not qualitative at all.

[@georgeszurbach444]

Ya 36000 communes en France imaginer il y a une gare dans chacune d entre elles semble etrange .Les fermiers utilisent des engins modernes pas des tracteurs du 19eme siele n a rien de surprenant. J ai l impression que cette video c est un peu chercher la petite bete histoire de faire une video.

[@rickflood]

Not "skeered". I've lived almost my entire life. You just learn to plan for supply runs, etc.

[@nathanangelus]

⏩⏩⏩Actually, in France, it's usually said that having common spiders inside your home means your house has a healthy environnment because these spiders don't like too much humidity and polluted environnments. Moreover, they can help you regulate other unwanted bugs. 😉

[@Ellinillard]

I see that you’re living in the real countryside, somewhere in the southwest of France. From your description, not even in a village, but reasonably close to one. That usually means no real public transport system like in a city with high frequency buses. Fewer shopping choices. So,you’ll depend more on car driving than you probably expected. For that you’d have to live in large cities : in Paris, fewer than 20% households own a car nowadays. And you trash situation seems very specific to your area : in mine, every house has regular and recycling trash cans, atty the garbage trucks come to collect every other week. For glass, yes, it’s usually a shared one you have to walk or drive to. And spiders : well I’m sure you had some in the US. At least, you don’t have to worry about a rattlesnake. 😉

Hi ! Thank you for all your videos. I would like to know more about your professional experiences, about work ethics, are your revenues higher or lower than in the US, and also : as the US are the most innovative nation in the world, were you afraid, or are you now, to be left behind in your whole career, I mean not being at the right place at the right moment ? Was this a question ?

[@pedroghirotti]

Don’t usually comment on KZbin, but basically what you are saying is “don’t behave like an American if you decide to live in rural France”?

[@dastain4600]

About the "punaises" we are just all infested since the climat warms :(

[@dastain4600]

by the way , you re both lovely , glad to count you by us !

[@Belaziraf]

Nice to see you become more critical to bakeries. Starting to differentiate between good or excellent ones for tourists / new residents and more "experienced" citizens. I bet you won't even taste some of what you ate upon arriving. Trash in France and Europe in general is becoming a bit of a hassle. I do understand the thinking behind but all the sorting we're doing don't always translate in the recycling cycle. But it does improve recycling and trash collecting companies profits. Less employees as people do the work employees used to do.

[@IRACEMABABU]

In countryside 90% of trash collecting is made by "communautés de communes" owned services. They don't make profits., they just try to find solutions for not rising trash tax due to higher gas/transportation prices and more demanding sanitary treatment of the trash.

[@Yxvandoolu]

Remember to mike up on the side your partner sits. As you are looking at them you will be speaking in that direction.

[@munkiesyeah]

Moi, je suis une étrangère ici en France et pour moi, la meilleure chooses, c’est les gens ! 😊

[@marieadriansen2925]

It's true that if you are looking for a course or an activity, especially in the countryside, you have to ask either at the town hall, or at the tourist office which will guide you a little and then either in the associations that offer activities, or in music schools or others, Often the people who offer lessons leave a leaflet or talk about it (maybe not enough in your case) but don't have a lot of information. always a website. We're used to doing it like this, but it must be confusing for Americans who aren't used to it and don't know what to look like. How do you do it in the United States?

[@aldonastraczek]

What you describe is really countryside life. You don't need to be American to be put off. I'm Parisian and would never live in the countryside. You need your car for the most basic daily things. In some areas, you don't even have a decent bakery, easy access to an airport, or even access to culture (theatres, museums, cinemas...). Living in the countryside is definitely not for everyone regardless of the country.

[@gerarddaclin542]

Bien d'accord avec vous , je suis en région parisienne , je ne me vois pas du tout vivre à la campagne , quel ennui .

[@ohpatriote5622]

Très bien restez y !😅 cela fera moins monter les prix comme à Bordeaux

[@martel56]

Stay home! We don't need you in our countryside.

[@Oatmeal_pdx]

If you could do the move to France all over again, what you do anything differently? I bet you learned a lot along the way, so anything you learned but didn't expect?

[@marieadriansen2925]

It is not possible to have the same services in the countryside and in the city. The socio-economic context must be taken into account. The countryside has advantages and disadvantages, it's true that you have to be aware of them if you're a foreigner. If there aren't more bakeries outside the tourist season, I think it's because there aren't enough customers. The same goes for transport, etc. Small farmers have very low incomes and do what they can, they also have to adapt to their economic reality. Il n'est pas possible d'avoir les mêmes services à la campagne et en ville. Il faut tenir compte du contexte socioéconomique. La campagne a des avantages et des inconvénients , c'est vrai qu'il faut en être conscient si on est étranger. S'il n'y a pas plus de boulangeries hors saison touristique, je pense que c'est parce qu'il n'y a pas suffisamment de clients. Pareil pour les transports etc. Les petits agriculteurs ont des très petits revenus et font ce qu'ils peuvent, ils doivent aussi s'adapter à leur réalité économique.

[@marionsnous3080]

j aime beaucoup la critique sur le trottoir en france alors qu il y en a meme pas dans les grandes villes américaine 😂

[@IesKorpershoek]

Not the ants, but spiders, yes, and bigger than normal. We see them whenever we are in France and get used to the bugs. Closing hours or seasonal closings are really annoying. Walking is dangerous. There are pads in the vineyards, it's okay, but the sidewalk is so different and dangerous on country roads. Walking out to eat at a restaurant just 2km away is not fun. I love to walk so I can drink a glass of good wine.

[@sitode]

Moved to France a week ago, still in our AirBnB…I can tell you that one thing that bothers me that you mentioned in a previous video - SQAURE PILLOWS!!! These are so frustrating!

[@YvBernard]

Il y en a qui ont vraiment des gros soucis dans la vie !

[@bobbluesbarker]

You can also get rectangular pillows too. Ours are 700 x 500mm pillows that we bought from a Carrefour.

[@ohpatriote5622]

Your only problem are pillows ?

[@joistannertasidrealtor9334]

Ok, as a designer in the US, I have to laugh at the square pillows debacle. I have used square pillows for years to be the backdrop pillows on beds. The rectangular pillows (to use for sleeping) are usually under the bedcover or stacked in front, then a few decorative accents pillows to finish off the look, giving a three layer visual. All decorative pillows are set aside for sleeping.

[@EliasBac]

Actually, spiders will not stay in actually dirty place. And by dirty I don’t mean dusty. I mean like moist/greasy. So yes, cleaning is not gonna help chase them away, they’ll just be like : 🕷️ : Awe thanks for cleaning up 😘

[@BaguetteBound]

😂

[@MarianneInmarsilia]

Why did you decide on living in the countryside in a quiet region out of curiosity ?

[@davidniquot6423]

Thrash : stinky things ... i do not know what special businesss you are having at home .. :D, but your should ... put all your food remains, (potato skins for example) but also papers, paper board, wood... etc in a box in your yard, you'll use it as a fertiliser the next year when it will be compost.

[@BP-nn7tq]

Yes to all! The trash dumping was an excellent excuse to monitor my food consumption and buying addiction 😂 now I am aware of what I buy/get rid of because I actually have to carry it out of the house and sort it out before disposing it. I live in a small village (less than 1k ppl) and I was thrilled to find out that we have TWO bakeries, la poste, a corner U market, a barbershop, a legumes shop, an ATM and a pizzeria😊 Everything is closed on Sundays, and most of the shops close everyday after 1230😅except for the pizzeria, that one only opens from 18-2200 and is closed on Mondays.

[@reneclaude6711]

Je m'aperçois que vous êtes en train de devenir Français !!! Vous râlez comme de vrais Français !!! 😆😅🤣😉

[@stephen10.]

You bring your US spirit in europe and france and you give great ideas to modernize. The USA are more activ.

[@lionelschmitt6657]

Elle bouffent mouches et moustiques : chez moi, les araignées sont les bienvenues.

[@antoinedescours2459]

Ah ah ah you're assimilating, hilarious

[@artbuehler5943]

Come on! If those "complaints" were not facetious they were trite, à la a Seinfeld episode.

[@gabelov]

Half of the comments is about spiders lol. People are funny.

[@fp2374]

That is a big spider, we had them but much smaller! The country is much better , living in big and small cities all over the world. Won't change a bit my Morbihan !!!

[@thierrycoupechoux7660]

je n'avais encore jamais vu ce système de poubelles en France ...

[@sbadreau]

Do you ever let your husband say more than 3 words?

[@bodilyc]

I can't help but wonder if you're being overly polite and underplaying the issues of life there? No disrespect intended at all I am just looking for a really really realistic critique of France vs USA. You are always so careful to avoid saying what seems to perhaps lie just beneath the surface as you do not want to come across as negative? I get a sense that you are more frustrated than you appear and I think for some viewers who are seeking a true and honest comparison, it might be a little too sugar coated. What do you think??

[@itslatasha4726]

This is very well stated and I actually feel this way regarding some other particular content creators.

[@alaind276]

Sounds like you are projecting a little how you would like them to feel. They mention things that to me are highly negative and deal breaker (septic tank, taking trash in my car). However, many people live with septic tank just fine. Life is not rainbows and sunshine, but you can accept the situation as it is and not add more negativity to your life by pouting about it. I’m sure if they weren’t Ok with those things they wouldn’t have bought a house there.

[@bodilyc]

@@alaind276 Thank you so much for your response. Unfortunately I think you have not quite interpreted my post for the sincerity in which it was intended. But I do appreciate that you cared enough to add to the conversation. We all have our own interpretations and open dialogue is a good thing. So again thank you kindly.

[@candaceclark4427]

Like Raina and Jason, my husband and I are American and live in a rural area of the Dordogne (for almost 3 years). I think based on my own experience that they are giving it to you straight. We have a septic system and it is not ideal but we are working on it because we love where we are. We have to take our trash to the nearest poubelle and that's just the way it is. We do it without complaint because we love where we are. It has taken us quite a while to find a boulangerie that we really like and we have to drive there (15 minutes, gasp) but we do it because we love where we are. Our village is much smaller than Raina and Jason so there is no train station so we drive 15 minutes to the nearest large town (with stunning medieval architecture) to get there. With all the amazing benefits of tranquil countryside and culture (Raina is not kidding, there are seriously talented musicians and artists in our local area as well), we can't complain. I bet R&J feel the same.

[@deniseclark2139]

There are similar small towns in the US where you take trash, etc to a landfill or a recycle place and septic tanks exist and need to be cleaned out in the US too. It's just where a person wants or is willing to live. And many times there isn't a good bakery close by...lol.

[@jmbig]

Il ne faut surtout pas tuer les araignees ... En france elles ne sont pas dangereuses, mais surtout elles éliminent tous les insectes nuisibles (mouches, moustiques ...etc. ...) 😁👍

[@somerdutrieux4619]

J'hallucine de voir ce systeme d'ordure que chacun doit amener à la collecte du village...! Quelle galère! A savoir que c'est un systeme récent, et qu'heureusement beaucoup de communes ont toujours un ramassage hebdomadaire qui vient vider les poubelles que vous sortez devant chez vous.

[@IRACEMABABU]

Mais ça coûte de plus en plus cher en gas oil et main d'œuvre, et dans les petites communes ça fait s'envoler la taxe d'assainissement. La seule vraie solution c'est de générer moins de déchets, niveau années 60 par exemple, qui ne connaissaient pas les emballages carton et plastique, où tous les récipients étaient en verre et consignés et aucune épluchure jetée....

[@palupalu5647]

C'est pire que ça : il faut trier les déchets -plastique, verre, papier et les apporter séparément. Mais les ordures ménagères, les épluchures etc, il faut les garder et attendre le jour du passage du camion-poubelle. Bien évidemment, la répartition et les jours changent pour chaque village. Si tu es comme moi un résident occasionnel mais récurrent, impossible de s'en rappeler, et je reprends tous mes déchets quand je reviens dans ma résidence principale.

[@IRACEMABABU]

@@palupalu5647 Impossible de s'en rappeler ?? Ah, la vie moderne, quelle complexité inhumaine !!!! LOL

[@RaySqw785]

vous vous habituerez, sinon allez en suisse, l'or des nazis en a fait des gares la bas lol

[@mearalain3006]

Reality strikes back.

[@MonnOmsap]

It's a little obvious, isn't it?

[@steiphweb]

You complain about things that did not exist 40 years ago. And that were destroyed by political choices, in particular with the integration of the absurd laws of the European Union (Switzerland is not part of it). Each small town or village had its train station, its church, its town hall, its post office, its bakery, its butcher's shop, its cafes, its grocery store, its schools, its craftsmen, its farmers and all the services of a big city like today and all year round. These are nothing more than clichés in certain regions. You would have loved this era everywhere in France but it is over. We are also very nostalgic for this France that is disappearing.

[@HenriDucrocq]

The neanderthals had an even better life I'm sure

[@kolerick]

nope... each *medium* towns used to have train station... and it's more a matter of personal choice, people wanting to use their personal car to travel rather than to use the public transportation, that killed it where there was no economic incentive to keep it. Peoples moving from little town to big cities killed the many commerce and utilities from lack of activity... now, peoples are starting to move back in the countryside and wonder why they don't have all the commodities they have in cities... it may very well come, as if there are opportunities, peoples will size them, but it take time. give it time and even doctors will come back by themselves, without need for mandate or incentives. Meanwhile, a good investment for small town would be a aptly sized vehicle driven by a town employee (a professional chauffeur that is tested for drugs and alcohol and driving aptitude often enough, not the "commune gardener" that does that as his side job), and set 3 runs on morning and 3 on evening (or more if there is a need), 1st for the workers, then the kids going to school, then for the people going to shop or a RDV/appointment in the city, and same thing in the evening, according to the common schedule of the majority of users... could even band up with a few other localities to have a common service for all of them. Then people work around the schedule the same they would with trains

[@michelesauret7779]

😭😩😖😠🥴😡 sad sad

[@evechatelet9003]

Better Americans people stay in America!!

[@carolinefavier-bz6tx]

Ah oui ça alors ces histoires de tri et de poubelle sont une honte l'état français et les communautés de communes ont trouver un moyen pour nous pomper encore un peu plus notre argent moi je pense qu'il est bien de trier mais bon de faire payer parfois tres chere est une honte et les gens du coup parfois ils mettent tout a côté des poubelle et du coup c'est ni fait ni a faire😮😮😮. J'adore regarder vos video chère amis des États-Unis 😊😊😊❤❤

[@palupalu5647]

Attention, en France, l'administration a le droit de venir fouiller tes poubelles pour vérifier si tu fais bien ton tri, et bien sûr mettre une taxe si ça ne l'est pas. A posteriori, les moyens de retrouver qui a pollué les centres de tri sont insoupçonnés.

[@carolinefavier-bz6tx]

​@@palupalu5647bonjour palupalu mais je vois pas le rapport avec le fait que la population mettent leur poubelle à côté car elle est pleine se qui pollue les endroits où les gens mettent leur poubelle. Ouvert le rapport avec le tri 😊😊

[@elsenm3965]

Sorry it doesn't suits you. "What it's really like to live in the French countryside ?" : only bad things, nothing positive. That's sad, hope you will find your dream home one day.

[@HenriDucrocq]

You didn't watch other videos on this channel did you?

[@brianwhite1189]

You misunderstood their purpose of this video and that is to just make people aware of the differences. Most expat videos only show an idealized existence and people need to be aware of real day-to-day life.

[@isabellep8995]

I would love to understand how the Americans build their views about that « fantasy France ».’’ Is it litterature? Movies? Series? Is it a cultural « bias » in every family?

[@HenriDucrocq]

What do you think? How did your build your view of the US? Of Brazil or Bali?

[@isabellep8995]

It maybe different in every country. The French have been in awe with the USA for decades, because of WW2…

[@stephen10.]

Ils ont souvent une mauvaise image de la France surtout sur les réseaux sociaux. C'est peut être ceux qui haïssent qui parlent le plus ?