From our special correspondent in London,
Christian invited us to talk about his love of the British capital around a diet coke. For Fanny, it was a coffee to share. And we give the point of originality to Arthur and his invitation to his own creperie, at the Ta’ Turu Store. Through these meetings, one thing is certain: these French expatriates in London did not come here for their love of beer. And too bad for our Machiavellian plan to turn this report into a tour of the most famous pubs in the capital.
Anyway, having scoured the streets of the city for two days, we have to face the facts: the British capital is no longer in the mood for celebration, having suffered the impacts of a double political crisis and economic. After seven years of life across the Channel, Christian, both guide, community manager, French teacher and 36 other professions, sees the difference: “The first time I went out in a club here, I came home at 4 a.m. in the morning. And I was fascinated to see, beyond the window of the bus, still so many people outside. London was always full and alive, H24. “Disillusionment during his last outing, a few weeks ago: “Coming home at three o’clock, there was hardly anyone outside. People stay at home”, depicts the almost fifty-year-old, defending himself from being “a night owl”.
Privileged and charmed
The French community – 300,000 expatriates in the Kingdom, half of them in Greater London, according to the latest estimates – admits it: the city has changed a little. But if the livers are more spared, the hearts continue to beat with love for ever and more for London. Yes, despite the crises, the charm still operates for these French people.
Especially since most of these expats consider themselves “privileged” in the face of the current tsunami of inflation, which is flooding even the middle class. “Income level, we are a little above average”, admits Fanny, 31, who works in finance at the City. Of course, the rise in prices can still be seen: “The rates on loans are above 5%, and the price of houses remains incredibly high”, despairs Bertrand, 30, commercial director in a digital agency, who dreams of buying with his Australian girlfriend. With rare exceptions, these exiles eat their fill and continue to go out a little, which is no longer the case for half of the British.
“The whole planet is in London, and it shows”
So we find ourselves protected from the economic crisis and the London rain – phew, some classics are still there – in the pub The Chandos. Here, Christian praises the merits of a “cosmopolitan city. The whole planet is in London, and it shows. Diversity does not hide, it shows itself. » Make way for the famous refrain « There is no weight of ”Qu’on dira-t-on?”. The atmosphere is full of freedoms”, which you have already heard from a friend back in Eurostar.
Another great classic quoted: British calm. Fanny places the inevitable comparison between French people who tear themselves apart to get into the first RER that passes and the queues all in civility to take the London underground. And despite all our chauvinism, the observation is difficult to dispute. English civility does not stop to wait calmly: “I am less bothered here than in Paris. Londoners are very polite and very nice.” For Arthur, British phlegm is accompanied by a welcome social tranquility: “There is no stupidity of the ”yellow vests” or the SNCF strikes on Christmas Day… And when you call the services of State, you manage to talk to someone nice, whereas in France, to have someone on the phone, you have to hold on…. »
Work, the main reason for coming (and staying)
Let’s admire a little, between two interviews, the beauty of London. Its colorful markets, its monuments, its fearless squirrels, its old houses and its green parks. Here too, this deserves a few fiery declarations from our Frenchies. “Yes, it’s the crisis, but London keeps its museums, its history, its cultural richness. It’s hard to get bored,” boasts Christian, while no waiter came to take our order (the Coke Zero will never be served). Bastien loves “the feeling of space. We don’t feel at all cramped like in Paris, there are lots of huge parks in the middle of the city, in different neighborhoods, we’ve never been around”. Even Arthur, who sees himself as “a Parisian forever”, recognizes “the beauty of the many green spaces”.
A beauty that also infuses work. Fanny joins us in a cafe near Tower Bridge, a few steps from the City. “If I were in Paris, I would work at La Défense, a place that I don’t like. There, I have the beautiful neighborhoods nearby, the Thames, places where it is nice to walk. “We have Google Mapsé: to reach the quays of the Seine – the Parisian equivalent of Tower Bridge – from La Défense, it would take 1h15 on foot.
“Brexit has made room”
We continue on the professional aspect, one of the major reasons mentioned for expatriating here. Except for Arthur – who definitely doesn’t do anything like everyone else -, who joined London out of love for his other half in June 2019. So let’s listen instead to Bastien bragging to us about the opportunities in London: “more numerous than in Paris. The bosses leave you a lot of luck, don’t look too much at the diplomas. Observation validated by Fanny: “I graduated from Evry, a little-known school in Great Britain, and I was recruited anyway. “And since in everything, misfortune is good, “A lot of foreign workers left with Brexit, which frees up space. It is very easy to change jobs. Within a month, I had found a new base. »
It wasn’t just recruitment that appealed to her: “We start and finish earlier, you don’t have to stay until your manager leaves, which leaves more time for yourself. even and to enjoy the city”. Until 3 o’clock in the morning, if we follow it well.