After 4 years in Brittany I thought it may be good to record the way of life, reasons for being here and offer some content that may inform any readers about this wonderful part of the world. Brittany is the far northwest of what is now France. Up until around the 1400's it was a sovreign country and still retains unique dispensations and a definite culture that is Celtic in nature and cherishes its roots within the wider Britannic corner of Europe. Its native language is Breton,a close relative of Cornish and Welsh. They say that "by Tre, Pol and Pen you will know the Cornishmen" - well they could say the same about Bretons who still have those same prefixs to their family and place names. Its an area that separates into into the Armor, the sea, and the Argoat, the land. We live in the county of MorBihan, Breton for Little Sea, near to Josselin which is famous for its wonderful chateau. About 30 mins south of us is the world famous Gulf of MorBihan, a large body of water with a narrow channel to the sea which experiences wild tidal races and both within and without the gulf their are a myriad of islands. All around you will see evidence of its strong Catholic tradition with churches large and small, calvaries and wayside "fontaines" and crosses. The area around Josselin has strong Knights Templar connections with many Commanderies, churches and stone crosses from that era.

Brittany is the site of Carnac, the famous prehistoric stone alignements. Beside that the countryside is covered in Menhirs and stone graves with intricate carvings - so many in fact that you can come across them in the deepest woods and along the skylines of the coast and islands.

Whilst Brittany is obviously quite stunning many people ask why so many British people are leaving the UK to come here and many other places abroad.

Well, some 1/4 million Brits each year up sticks and leave, principaly because for many of us the UK is no longer home. The changes over the last 20 years have been so dramatic that the UK is barely recognisable to many of us. Mass, uncontrolled, immigration combined with a policy of multiculturalism has resulted in many English towns becoming so utterly changed that we avoid them.

By contrast France is insistent that immigrants, like me, fit in. They must learn the language and abide by French norms. No special treatment. Just ask why thousands of "asylum" seekers travel right across Europe, France included, to reach the UK?

The French are delightfully politically incorrect. They are proud of their culture, language and history - something that is sneered at in the UK. Like the British, they have a great history and have been at the forefront of civilisation. They know their way of life is superior to that of Third World nations and their fanatical medieval  religions and have the balls to say so. 

The French have it right. By all measures their people are more content and happy than in the UK.

Perhaps the UK government could learn some lessons. We all know they can't.

 OK, rant over!