French Residents Off-Piste: Fed-up ski resort residents want 'English invaders' to stay away

The Telegraph ^ | January 4, 2003 | Charlotte Edwardes

[quidnunc]

Chamonix – In this pretty ski resort that hugs the foot of Mont Blanc, an ugly Anglo-French conflict is brewing. Aggrieved with what they call l'invasion Anglaise — a growing influx of Britons buying apartments, setting up businesses and acting as if they own the place — local residents are fighting back.

Until a few days days ago, the insult CENSORED Les Anglais (CENSORED the English) could be read in black aerosol on a wall of the Passage de L'Outa. Elsewhere, the sentiment is repeated: "English go home" is sprayed on car bonnets and the walls of British-owned businesses. Tyres are slashed, glue and matchsticks pushed into doorlocks.

The cause of the xenophobia and the vandalism is explained with a fierce throwing up of his hands by Bernard Prud'homme. "It's English economic imperialism," he declares. "The English have taken over and only want the French to cook!"

Mr Prud'homme is not just an angry French resident, but the town's director of tourism. He'd like the English to come on holiday and then go home — he does not want them to stay permanently.

"They're taking over," he claims, citing the fact that 70 per cent of clients on the books of estate agents are English, property prices have risen 40 per cent in three years and one family in six out of the 10,000 permanent residents is now British.

"My message to the French people of Chamonix is, 'Don't sell to the English'," he adds. "It is the only way to stop the destruction of our identity."

The invasion of Chamonix, in south-eastern France, on the border with Switzerland and Italy, however, continues. On Rue de Mougins, called "Rue d'Anglais" by the locals, are the Queen Vic, Dicks Tea Bar, Bar d'Up, Cy Bar, Le Terrace and Le Bumble Bee, all run by English people. Here, the signs are in English, tea is served with milk and few speak French. Many companies, such as the Airport Transport Service, which ferries skiers to and from charter flights, and Mark Warner, a tour operator, recruit staff in the UK and pay wages in sterling — avoiding crippling French taxes and rigid employment laws.

"It is unjust," says Michel Charlet, the Mayor of Chamonix. "It is not fair on French business for the English to come here and operate under British commercial law.

"We welcome the category that speak French, live here all year, integrate and pay taxes," he adds. "But the second category, well, that's different. They don't want to be part of the community. They force prices up so high, buying second homes to rent out tax-free, that local French can't afford to live here."

-snip-

[Always Right]

typical action of solialist bigots.

[Support Free Republic]

Without the support of Freeper donations, Free Republic would go belly-up, leaving guys like The French Gynecologist to be unopposed. And we can't have that!

[xrp]

Hah...in 30-40 years the French will all be chanting Allahu Akbar. They should worry more about their explosive Arab youth who burn churches and synagogues rather than well-behaved English investors/retirees.

[Criminal Number 18F]

C'est dommage.

...bwahahahahaha

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[speedy]

C'est la vie, Chamonix. What about all those Algerians and Moroccans in Marseilles? Worried about THEIR invasion? Maybe you should take your "British problem" to the UN. Tant pis, mes amis. Ha ha ha.

[MidlandDesperado]

How do say in French "Would you like fries with that?"

[kstewskis]

It'll be a cold day in hellChamonix before I ever ski there.

[Rebelbase]

Reminds me of of the way Floridians are treated in WNC. :-)

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

"Vous aiment des fritures avec cela?"

[Paladin2]

Käseessenauslieferungaffe!

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

HAH! Reminds me of what Mark Twain said about German words.

Better, the answer to the questions, how does a Frenchman say, "You want fries with that?" should be:

"Möchten Sie Pommes-Frites damit?"

[SAMWolf]

[fso301]

The cause of the xenophobia and the vandalism is explained with a fierce throwing up of his hands by Bernard Prud'homme

Did he wave a white hankerchief also?

[speedy]

Or, alternatively, "Vous aiment des freedom fries avec cela?"

[KneelBeforeZod]

all french are bad, just like all americans are like clinton and the DUmmies

[cookcounty]

Les Anglais are taking over SW France, too. On to Morocco!!!

[GeronL]

if the tourists stay away.... these people will be... oh.. well, they have a generous dole there.

[outpost44]

The French should just surrender...

Lets get this straight...
Muslims welcome:English not.

[Frank_2001]

LOL I would not accept a FREE trip to anywhere in France!;)