Janine Marsh decided to pack up her life in busy Beckenham and relocate to Pas-de-Calais in rural France.
She soon discovered that it’s a world away from London. Janine is now the proud owner of 52 pets and pays for beer at the local bar with her chickens’ eggs. She spoke exclusively to GB News about her big move.
Janine relocated from London to Pas-de-Calais
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This time, Janine offered a top tip for anyone moving to France. She urged those considering the move to learn how to speak French. It will make for a more authentic experience, not to mention remove lots of obstacles.
Asked whether or not learning the language is “necessary”, Janine said: “I would say so, now more than ever.”
The expat explained: “Not just because it makes daily life easier, but recently the French parliament passed an update to the immigration laws that includes being able to pass a French language test for applications to the residence card.It’s not in place yet but it’s expected to begin in January 2026.”
As explained by Language Magazine: “The new law will mean that individuals applying for a multi-year residency permit will have to provide proof that their French is at least A2 level (the second-lowest level on the Common European Framework—CEFR—scale, just above the beginner level).
“With regards to the 10-year Carte de Résident, the required proficiency level has been raised from A2 to B1 (intermediate). Simultaneously, the level required for French citizenship has been raised from B1 to B2 (the higher level of intermediate French).”
The amount of French an expat would need to speak on a day-to-day basis does vary from place to place though.
Janine said: “If you live in a tourist hotspot like the French Riviera, English is fairly widely spoken and in Paris, plenty of people speak at least some level of English.
“But don’t expect everyone to speak English, especially in rural areas. In my village, we are the only Brits, and no one else speaks English as part of their daily life. Older people in particular often don’t speak any English.
“What’s more, the French consider it a bit rude to start talking to them in English and just assume they will understand.”
Indeed, Janine explained that “France generally is at the bottom of levels of competency in English compared to most countries around Europe”.
However, all hope is not lost for expats who are not yet proficient in French. The expat said: “You do find some things in English here. Some of the official government systems online like the tax office provide an English language version, and the health care system also has an English language helpline.”
Speaking about how Britons can go about learning French, the expert claimed it’s best to “just get stuck in”.
Janine reassured British expats: “Don’t worry if your French is not up to scratch – most French people find English accents charming in the same way we find French accents charming.
“I’ve found French people aren’t just happy to help you with your French, they generally can’t wait to correct you.
“Don’t take it personally, it’s just the way it is – it’s a French thing. They love their language and even have an official academy – Académie Française – that is set up to preserve the language of the French. They are basically the language police and it’s taken very, very seriously.
“The highly influential Académie Française also publishes a dictionary. Created in 1634 by Cardinal Richelieu, who was chief minister to King Louis XIII, the academy functions to ensure that the French language is ‘pure and comprehensible by all’.”
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Being able to speak French in France is necessary ‘now more than ever’
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There are plenty of ways Britons can go about brushing up on their French making the move to France. Janine recommended looking into clubs designed specifically for new arrivals to learn and practice.
She revealed: “Some are run by the government. For instance, if you work in France and are self-employed, you’re entitled to financial support to pay for French lessons, and of course, there are loads of online options for learning.
“I watch French TV and films and that’s a good source for picking up French. It’s maybe not the easiest language to learn but it’s not impossible.”
But there’s no need to worry if you’re not yet fluent and are moving to France, or if you can speak French but still struggle with the complexities of the language.
Janine said: “With difficult things to deal with, there’s always help on hand, hand-holder companies who can help you either learn how to deal with some of the more complicated items like annual tax declaration, or they can do it for you – for a fee of course!”
Janine is the author of several best-selling books and the editor of The Good Life France, for everything you want to know about France and more.
