We made ‘Little Britain’ in French town but neighbours hate us for our ‘English’ shops & ask workers not to get DRUNK

A NEW documentary following the life of British ex-pats in France has revealed their struggles to integrate due to neighbour feuds and culture clashes. The Britons have described their welcome by French locals as “lukewarm” in a series called Little Britain In The Dordogne. AlamyA new documentary follows the life of British ex-pats who have moved to the towns and villages in the Dordogne in the south-west of France[/caption] Graham, who moved to France with his wife, aired his frustrations with the locals he’s tried to employ to work on his £1million 18th century giteLittle Britain in the Dordogne -ARTE.tv One local claimed that some residents have given ex-pats a ‘lukewarm’ receptionLittle Britain in the Dordogne -ARTE.tv The show has been airing on French and German channel Arte and focuses on the tensions between locals and the Brits who have moved to the towns and villages in France’s south-west. After snapping up country estates at bargain prices across the region, now dubbed “Dordognshire”, things haven’t been smooth sailing for the Brits. French locals have bemoaned the influx of English butchers and barbers in their rural villages, but the cultural differences are also felt by the ex-pats. One former Norfolk handyman, Graham Parker, aired his frustrations with the locals he’s tried to employ to work on his £1million 18th century gite. He revealed how he’s hasn’t had much success getting workers to adopt British hours as they take two-hour lunch breaks and return to the job “half-drunk”. Mr. Parker said: “I just don’t get it. 12 o’clock – everything stops. Literally they stop, doesn’t matter what they’re doing til 2 o’clock. And then they can’t work because they’re half-drunk!” Graham had decided to use his 38-year-experience of working as a handyman to makeover a French property with his wife Nicola, an accountant. The couple moved to Montignac-de-Lauzun, a commune in the Lot-et-Garonne department, just under a year ago after selling their barn conversion in Norfolk for £1.8million. They soon snapped up a beautiful three-bedroom gite with a pool, built in 1780 and costing around £1million. They decided to add a fourth bedroom to capitalise on the space but face a race against time to get it done before their first set of guests arrive. And with Graham unable to get the French staff, he is now working more than ever. The couple say they have enough money to live off their savings for the first year – but must make money from their investment soon. Graham also tells the documentary that the welcome from locals hasn’t always been warm for them. He said: “You’ve got the British coming over with their money and buying up all these old houses and renovating them. “A lot of the French couldn’t afford what we’ve bought, and that’s where the divide comes.” Elsewhere, British couple Steve and Helen Robbins, originally from Oxford, have been living in the small Dordogne village of Eymet for eight years. They made the decision to move to the region after watching a television show about it in 2015. The pair have been running a traditional English butchers at the local Thursday market where they have been selling Cumberland sausages, back bacon and a variety of pies. Although they source their meat from local French farms, not all residents in Eymet are enjoying the impact of the ex-pats on their village. One local, who sells French baked goods at the stall next door to the Robbins, said: “There are English shops, an English barber. You’re often among the British in the shops here. “Some people are happy about it, others lukewarm.” Despite trying to learn the local language, Steve and Helen say the majority of their customers are English. And one villager expressed their frustrations at the reluctance of Brits to try and learn the language. They said: “They learn French slowly. They would need more lessons but they keep to themselves. So we have to speak English or there is no sale.” The Robbins may be approaching a decade across the Channel but they say tightened laws post Brexit mean they wouldn’t advise other Brits to follow their path. Britons living in France have to prove they can speak A1 level French to be able to keep their working visa. But for both the Parker’s and the Robbins, localised accents have been hard to understand. If they fail their tests, there are between 200 and 600 free French lessons to bring them up to speed. But some of them can be up to a 90-minute drive away from their home. The 30-minute episode of Little Britain In The Dordoigne is available to watch on the Arte YouTube channel. Steve Robbins runs a traditional English butchers at a local Thursday marketLittle Britain in the Dordogne -ARTE.tv Him and his wife, Helen, have made efforts to learn the local language since arriving eight years agoLittle Britain in the Dordogne -ARTE.tv The couple claim that the majority of their customers are EnglishLittle Britain in the Dordogne -ARTE.tv