Most French people, many of whom have grown up in apartments, want a house that is essentially an apartment with its own roof, easy to maintain, heat and keep clean.
Other nationalities (including me)buy houses that the average French family would not look at. Rural transport is very much car dependent, and if you're having to travel down picturesque country lanes, with their equally picturesque tractors and manure-sprayers, an hour's drive to work can quickly become two.
So they buy one of Pete Seeger's "little boxes" on a "lotissement" estate where they can get a bus to work. It's not romantic or shabby-chic, but it's a pragmatic choice. They are very happy, though, and grateful too, that nice Americans and others come and take care of the older houses, and why not?
Love this. So many Americans romanticize European lifestyle choices without understanding that the underlying “want” and “push” is actually what keeps them from having it.
I'll now make a gross generalisation....🤫
Most French people, many of whom have grown up in apartments, want a house that is essentially an apartment with its own roof, easy to maintain, heat and keep clean.
Other nationalities (including me)buy houses that the average French family would not look at. Rural transport is very much car dependent, and if you're having to travel down picturesque country lanes, with their equally picturesque tractors and manure-sprayers, an hour's drive to work can quickly become two.
So they buy one of Pete Seeger's "little boxes" on a "lotissement" estate where they can get a bus to work. It's not romantic or shabby-chic, but it's a pragmatic choice. They are very happy, though, and grateful too, that nice Americans and others come and take care of the older houses, and why not?
Love this. So many Americans romanticize European lifestyle choices without understanding that the underlying “want” and “push” is actually what keeps them from having it.
Love this. Genteel decay, elegant neglect, gently patinaed.