Read it as you like Tim. As I wrote, I enjoy a higher standard of living here. That’s all value for money. I thought the whole reason to have these discussions was to hear different points of view. That’s mine.
The thread is about the cost of living here not about a standard of living comparison with the UK.
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That is simply wrong. Simon started by comparing different prices in Spain and France.
If you prefer I will put it in fewer words.
I like living in France. If I think something seems a bit expensive I will pay the price or do without. My everyday living expenses seem very reasonable.
Well, if you re-read that you may see how it can suggest you think price is irrelevant, and are dismissing anyone who looks at prices as too dim to understand the difference between price and value.
Actually I think the entire question becomes meaningless as soon as the exchange rate comes into it because you can’t compare living costs across different currencies. France and Spain you can compare because they’re both euro countries, but euro countries and the UK you can’t. For instance the exchange rate suits me just fine where it is, though parity or below would suit me even better - makes the UK seem cheaper every time I go back 
but I don’t suppose it seem to be getting cheaper to people who live and earn there.
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I lived on the Dutch/German border for a very long time. The same happened there. Different countries have different structures and different prices. I never bought coffee in Germany it was much more expensive but petrol was much cheaper. Swings and roundabouts. By living in a border area you can take advantage of price differences that other residents cannot.
I’m sorry, that was a casual, throwaway line. There are more important things in life. In the last four days I have accompanied one friend to have a mammogram and another to her father’s funeral. The price of fish? Who cares.
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I can understand what you are saying David.
I have been to a friends funeral a week ago and other friends
have had been diagnosed with serious threats to their life…health wise.
As long as I can carry on working we can manage our short breaks , to run our 21 year
old car and to enjoy really good produce…and sometimes a restaurant.
When our luck runs out and we can no longer work then we will have to live
on bread and jam and sit under a tree in the garden.
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Life goes on folks, life goes on…
What’s wrong with dripping? You southerners have to show off, jam indeed!
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ah Tim we have fruit in the garden and can make our jam.
Maybe I should have said home made bread and rain water.
We were on holiday in Murcia the other year and stocked up on baked beans and cheddar cheese.
Much less expensive than in France.
We also bought our calor gas barbecue, a big item, on line from a Spanish ships’ chandler which cost us 100 euros less than the same in France, even after transport from Spain.
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A garden, a lot of people only have a yard!
Just been reading an article in the Fig about the planned contract changes to SNCF employees. Cheap rail fares in France may be the norm but it all looks a bit cloud cuckoo land - SNCF Réseau (track managment) is currently in debt to the tune of 45€ billion !
You Tim have a garden with your chateau.
most people who live in the French countryside have a garden.
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No, we have an estate with the chateau.
a yard…some people dream of having a yard…
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Yes every one has a dream Tim. Well at least I hope they do.
What is yours?
To have a yard instead of a big garden?
I hope you realise I’m pulling your leg Barbara, although my house looks like a small chateau (because the central roof is slate) it is only one room deep and we’ve got less bedrooms now than we had in our house in the UK. As for land we’ve got just under an acre which is more than enough to maintain.
My dream (apart from world peace) is to get to retirement in decent health so we can enjoy it although now having two grown up children back in the house I’ve no idea when that will be.
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That sounds like a good dream.
As a buraliste, please don’t talk to me about Spain or Andorra…!!! 
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