France post Brexit.

[Hadenough]

Before Brexit we planned to cruise Normandy, head west and winter in North Brittany 2017/18 probably moving slightly further south, ie; not as far as Spain during 2018.
Where we are have had a flurry of returners (mostly bargey, inland waterway bods) full of horror stories regarding the attitude of the French to us Brits post Brexit.
My feeling is that they are exaggerating and that it is maybe an inland canal issue rather than a coastal harbour, marina problem.
So, looking for first hand, actual experience from coastal cruisers, marina berth holders, no hypothesis please.
Are Brits being ignored in shops? Refused berths? Overcharged?

 

[Poignard]

We keep our boat in France and we have not experienced anything except the usual French friendliness and courtesy.

All the people we have talked to about Brexit seem puzzled by it and sympathetic to those of us who have opposed it. As one said to me about Brexiteers "We also have our share of complete idiots"

 

[Bav34]

Are Brits being ignored in shops? Refused berths? Overcharged?

No, no and no.

And quite ridiculous.

We keep our boat in Brittany and there has been absolutely no change in French people's attitudes towards us.

What has been interesting though is the number of nationalities who have said that they envy the U.K.

 

[NormanB]

I have many French friends who are without exception fed up with their political class and the EU.

Mind you, none of them are farmers.

 

[Davegriff]

What a load of rubbish you been told!

Spent 18 months travelling the canals of France, and met some very nice people on them, British, Irish, French, Belgian, Dutch et al.

Also met a few obnoxious Brits living in canal barges who seemed to congreate in gangs, and were disrespectful of the French on almost counts. Very embarassing we found.

I suspect it is some of these you have met, and I for one am certainly glad to be rid of them. Hardly anyone we know in France has even mentioned Brexit, and I suspect they really don't care one way or the other.

Spend most of our time in S France now. You'll love I'm sure and will make many friends, as have we.

 

[Grehan]

Complete nonsense.
The French are unfailingly friendly towards us Brits, even if they cannot understand what on earth got into the water to produce the inexplicably loony Brexit result.
They're not alone.

 

[Tranona]

Complete nonsense.
The French are unfailingly friendly towards us Brits, even if they cannot understand what on earth got into the water to produce the inexplicably loony Brexit result.
They're not alone.

Not inexplicable at all. That is why the result was what it was. Dissatisfaction with the EU (rather than the EC predecessor) started in earnest in 1992 and was brought into focus by the extreme negativity of the Remain campaign. That was enough to tip the balance. Not one major argument was put forward that was positive about remaining.

 

[Poignard]

(...) Not one major argument was put forward that was positive about remaining.

True enough. Just as no-one would think it necessary to explain to someone why they ought not to throw themselves off a cliff.

 

[Bobc]

Are Brits being ignored in shops? Refused berths? Overcharged?

Haven't Brits always been treated like that by the French then?

 

[Poignard]

Haven't Brits always been treated like that by the French then?

No! You're thinking of Cornwall.

 

[Tranona]

True enough. Just as no-one would think it necessary to explain to someone why they ought not to throw themselves off a cliff.

Just speculation. Nobody hows how it is going to pan out - that was the problem with the remain case. They could only talk doom scenarios - none of which have so far come to pass (apart from perhaps the fall in currency which probably would have happened anyway.) They are still at it as you could hear from the speeches in the Lords and elsewhere. So I don't buy the falling of the cliff as a certainty - only one of many possible outcomes - and quite right that the govt has taken the possibility into account.

Just think not all the 52% are idiots. Probably just as representative of the population as a whole as the 48%. There is no monopoly on intellect and the ability to reason and come up with different conclusions.

 

[Hadenough]

Many thanks all, very reassuring.

 

[Bobc]

No! You're thinking of Cornwall.

Ah yes, you're quote right. £18 to to my anchor in the mud, and £29 to swing on a bouy. That was Cornwall.

 

[jordanbasset]

Can't talk for France but nothing but the usual friendliness from people in Greece and Spain since the referendum.
The bigger issue is whether we will have to abide by the same rules as everyone else in who are not in the E.U./E.E.A. The limit is 90 days every 180 days where you are aloowed to stay in the Schngen zone on a tourist visa.
Of course the UK and E.U. could do a deal that gives us special status but I would have thought that would have to be mutual.
For UK Nationals who are resident in one E.U. country it should possible to get a residents visa, although there are more hoops to jump through to get that than a tourist visa.

 

[doug748]

Many thanks all, very reassuring.

I think so. French coastal towns rely heavily on UK tourism, boating and otherwise. In dodgy summers you see such local headlines as:

"Where are the English?"
"Poor weather, early season, driving away visitors from across the channel."

The Breton attitude, as far as I can see, is active dislike for Parisian politicians and, at the very best, ambivalence to the EU.
I was in Brittany during the voting process it was never mentioned to me and I met the usual French kindness and good humour throughout. I guess most people took a passing note but were generally uninterested.

There was one tiny headline on the sports pages covering our antics:
"Yacht club news - No Brexit for Racers" I guess there is a subtext there; the tide of big politics rolls on, the rest of us just get on with it.

 

[Sandy]

I am Scottish, so at a huge advantage, when in France last summer we were welcomed with open arms and lots of conversations about what "le rosbif" had voted for.

 

[maxi77]

Not inexplicable at all. That is why the result was what it was. Dissatisfaction with the EU (rather than the EC predecessor) started in earnest in 1992 and was brought into focus by the extreme negativity of the Remain campaign. That was enough to tip the balance. Not one major argument was put forward that was positive about remaining.

Most of the dissatisfaction being built up with a combination of oft repeated lies and mistruths, with a hefty dose of xenophobia added just to spice up the pot, much the same as is being spouted by Le Pen and Wilders.

We have a fundamental problem in politics which is the growing dissociation between politicians and the electors but neither Brexit or Trump will solve that, in fact may well make it worse, as in both countries the executive is trying as much as possible to exclude the legislature from decision making

 

[macd]

We have a fundamental problem in politics which is the growing dissociation between politicians and the electors but neither Brexit or Trump will solve that

Worrying but wise words, largely unheeded by governments.

 

[Roberto]

I think the French general opinion about Brexit is best summed up by some words I jheard (not sure who said them):
"The Uik was always standing with one foot in Europe and one foot outside of Europe, after Brexit they will be standing with one foot outside or Europe and one foot inside of it"
Was it Cicero maybe?

 

[macd]

That's an elaborate way of describing a U-turn, Roberto, but apt.
Just thinking about it makes my groin ache (and my head:ambivalence