Getting to know my new home town in France

My dream had come true! I had bought my Chocolate Box house in central France. I have now owned it for more than three years and it has been a life-changing experience.

I had purposefully revised my high school French in Australia in order to have a go at living locally. I studied by taking Alliance Francaise group lessons, borrowing CDs, talking to the dog in French about anything and everything, buying children’s books written in French and conversing at any opportunity in French whenever the rare opportunity arose.

It made it easier and the locals were appreciative that I was fluent enough to meet, greet, and have a basic conversation with them and shop owners. Every day I tried more new words and local phrases, and became more confident. Most neighbours slowed down their speech, or repeated their sentence for me. I must have looked uncomprehending or confused! They seemed to love the fact that I was Australian and from so far away but wanted to live in France. There is also a lot of admiration historically for Australians in France’s wartime history.

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Through chatting, looking, listening and watching others, I came to know recommended tradespeople and a handyman. I travelled by the local bus and bought from the village store. I ate at the local hotel, had my hair trimmed in the village, visited the pharmacist and rode my bike. 

On market days I left home at 7am in the school bus, ready for a day out. If I needed to, I could return home via a taxi. It must have looked quite a sight as I sat on the church steps, waiting for my friendly driver to arrive as I could be laden with chairs, insulation, small hardware items, as well as fresh fruits, vegetables, cheeses and meats.

Over time I frequented the charity shops and became a regular client. The local hardware store staff and cafes soon greeted me by name, and genuine smiles of recognition came from checkout operators.

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I worked alongside plumbers, the builder and electrician and built up my vocabulary of necessary words (although drawings and gestures helped a lot!). I also learnt French words not to use. I would browse the local newspaper for reading practice and current events, but I was a bit restricted without a car.

Friends from Australia, USA and New Zealand came to stay with me, but my renovation on the Chocolate Box was complete. My busy hands needed a new project, so I started looking for a bigger house and a car. But that is the next story.