British expatriates need more than basic French, says resident
12/06/09 21:13
Bill Cordiner, a British owner of French property, has noted that a basic knowledge of French is often not enough for people living in the country.
Writing in the Telegraph, he explained that a lack of language skills could leave expatriates in difficult situations.
He recalled one case where a British couple told a local tradesman to re-plaster their ceiling, only to return to find he had covered the hatch to the attic.
Mr Cordiner went on to tell of an instance when a local plumber had not understood one British lady's request to take a bath, the result of which left a labourer - working on the floor below - soaked to the skin.
"These examples illustrate that even some knowledge of the French language might not always be enough to get a full understanding with your contractor," Mr Cordiner told the paper.
According to the British Embassy in France, approximately 200,000 British expats currently live in the country.
Mark Pawlak
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