Although she was born in Quimper in Brittany, Laetitia Andre has been living in Ireland for 23 years – a chance situation which occurred after she dropped her CV into an Irish recruitment agency at a job fair in Paris, citing an interest in working in hospitality.
“I was doing exams at the time and was recruited right in the middle of them,” she says. “Then just three days after they finished, I got on the ferry with my car, luggage, duvet and dictionary and was told to head for Dromoland Castle in Co Clare. I started working there straight away and although my initial desire was to travel the world, I ended up staying in Ireland and building my life here.”
The now 44 year old, who has two teenage daughters, says it took some time to settle into Irish life, but says she was given every opportunity to adapt and grow.
“When I arrived, I had to relearn everything – the language, culture and morals – it was like being a baby again,” she says. “But I was given a lot of opportunities and firstly, signed up to college to become a teacher. I was also given the chance to do a tour guiding course and for quite a few years, I worked as a tour guide for French tourists which allowed me the chance to travel around Ireland and learn a lot about Irish ways, which can be quite different from what they are like in Brittany.
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“I was also teaching French but found it difficult to settle into a school, so ended up doing a variety of different jobs, including giving lessons to individual students. I found changing jobs to be quite easy and also began working as a promoter for an American company whose travel app is called Travel Advantage as it helps people to save money while travelling.”
Andre grew up in Cotes D’Armor and says that once she got used to the new way of life in Ireland, she really began to enjoy it.
“There are a lot of things I love about Ireland – the scenery, the people and their sense of humour, plus the fact that some of them are a little bit crazy but at the same time very normal,” she says. “I am a singer and also love how into music they are and that there are musicians and singers everywhere in the west of Ireland. There are also a lot of artists, poets and writers, and I find it very interesting to meet so many creative people all the time.
“I think the Irish are extremely friendly and very approachable, and there is a great sense of community. People seem to help each other more in Ireland than they do in France, where they are a little more individualistic in their ways, but perhaps that’s just my personal experience.
It took me a couple of years to find these suppliers but now I have access to really great produce so I don’t complain as I am very content with my life
“Initially when I arrived I thought people were quite judgmental towards people coming from other countries, not necessarily with those from France or Brittany, but other nationalities which the Irish weren’t used to. But now things have really shifted and every little town has a range of nationalities which creates a really nice melting pot of culture, but at the same time traditional Ireland is still very present.
“Coming from a country where the extreme right party is very strong and people are always afraid of the person they don’t know, whether they are French or not, I don’t get that feeling here and find Irish people to be very approachable.
“Another positive is the schooling system – my daughters go to a Gaelscoil so they learn through Irish and are now trilingual; this is such an important skill for them to have for the future.”
Andre may have found many pluses to living in Ireland, but there are, of course, some ways in which her home country comes out on top.
“I think the biggest negative is the lack of sunshine compared with France,” she says. “Also the fact that some produce is very expensive and it can be more difficult to access certain foods. You need to be able to cook, otherwise it can cost an absolute fortune, thankfully this is something I can do well and I’ve had some great feasts here as I have access to local fish, crab, lobster and even rabbit and venison. It took me a couple of years to find these suppliers but now I have access to really great produce so I don’t complain as I am very content with my life.”
Along with missing her family in France, the Breton also has the odd pang for French restaurants, local markets, the different type of scenery, and also the French road system, which she says is easier to navigate. She visits as often as possible and while Ireland will continue to be home, she still plans to travel the world.
“I try to go back home once every year as I want my daughters to know their family and also to give them access to the French language as they need to be surrounded by it as much as possible,” she says. “I also want to travel more, perhaps because of our seafaring heritage, Breton people love to have adventures in other countries, so that is my plan. Because my daughters are still young, I am discovering Europe by doing one destination a month. Then when they get older, I will travel further afield.
“My advice to anyone from Brittany considering moving to Ireland would be to be aware of the accommodation crisis which is just as bad in Ireland as it is anywhere else. I have been renting since I arrived as I haven’t been able to get a mortgage so there is always a fear that my landlord could sell the house and I will have to move on. But, having said that, there are nearly 20,000 French people in Ireland and the embassy in Dublin and consulates in Limerick and Cork are very helpful. Also, people like me can be found [on social media] and may also have tips. I found these networks very helpful as everyone does things the Irish way – by helping each other – and that is the main thing I absolutely adore about Ireland.”
We would like to hear from people who have moved to Ireland in the past 10 years. To get involved, email newtotheparish@irishtimes.com or tweet @newtotheparish
