Paris- Londres

J'ai lu avec intérêt un article de The economist qui traitait de l'émigration française à Londres. J'en avais déjà entendu parler, c'est le rêve des parisiens aisés. L'émigration est un sujet fantasmatique, il rassemble les tenants de l'anti-France. A lire les commentaires, de nombreux français s'expliquent et ils écrivent bien l'anglais. Celui qui est le plus apprécié est celui ici-bas, qu'en penses-vous?

As a 26 yo French (based in inner Paris) I'll toss in my 2 cents.

1 - Overall this is a good exec summary of why many young French people wish to flock to London. There are indeed 300-400k French in London, which is why Sarkozy dropped by in 2007 while campaigning for the presidential election. (And we call London the 21st arrondissement, not the 17th!)

2 - Paris is architecturally quite stunning indeed, but that does not make much difference in the daily life of Parisians. Nothing beats the relaxed, vibrant, open vibe of London – and that is what appeals to people of my generation. The bar / pub / clubbing scene in London is leagues above Paris; it simply does not even begin to compare. Parisians are only starting to question now why ‘la night’ has become so dreary in ‘le gai Paris’. (Answer : too many old people complaining about the noise; rigid laws; rigid mindset; lack of competition and expensive labor, meaning expensive drinks and venues; no feeling of belonging to a common public space due to the high & growing number of ‘racailles’ everywhere you go. Take a sample of Parisians and you’ll find them to be amongst the most party-loving crowds once out of France; but they will lead a very quiet life when in Paris, for lack of want and/or opportunity).

3 - Corporate life in France really is quite awful. (No after work drinks with colleagues, stifling hierarchy, lots of facetime, god-awful corporate district in La Défense - the Jubilee to Canary Wharf at 9am is a shining paradise compared with a commute on the RER train!)

4 - That feeling that nothing will ever change in France and that the unions and public sector employees are condemning the economy to in inexorable decline.

5 - Street food (£10) has gotten generally better in London that in Paris. Wtf?

6 - Beware once you step out of the Périphérique in the Paris broader area: the quality gap (in terms of everything) vs inner Paris is mind-boggling. In London, the difference between zone 1-2 and the rest is not so steep, and that matters hugely for the majority of city dwellers.

7 - Which brings me to my conclusion: London beats Paris because of
(i) that English, anything-goes mindset, which makes life soooo much easier & funnier;
(ii) because of the English language, London is and always will be Europe’s cultural center; everybody in Europe speaks English nowadays, therefore anybody can try out a new life in London, contributing to that cosmopolitan, worldly feeling. Good luck doing that in Paris;
(iii) to state a very politically incorrect observation, it seems to me that third world immigrants in London are either (a) less numerous than in Paris or (b) kind enough not to come to the city center and import a lousy vibe. If in doubt, feel free to stroll along Regent Street; and then compare that with the Champs Elysées. If still in doubt, go clubbing to the Ministry of Sound or something; and then come spend an evening at ‘Le Mix’ in Paris. Believe me, you will see my point.

I like Paris but would like to live there only when turning 50 or something, a time when one looks for a more relaxed, dignified pace of life and has the means to retire in a happy bubble somewhere on the good side of the Périphérique. But until then, London rules!