Portugal is the new Eldorado for the French, many of whom move there every year. If Lisbon is a particularly popular city, the Algarve region, in the south of the Peninsula, is just as popular. Reportson TF1, followed several couples who settled there (youtube link).
In PortugalThere is the sky, the sun and the sea ...", to quote the lyrics of the song by François Deguelt. Especially in the Algarve, in the south of the country. A region considered as the Lusitanian Riviera, where the weather is nice 300 days a year! It is therefore logical that the French choose to settle there. They would be nearly 15,000 to have left everything to settle there.
Their lives change dramatically
Among them, Céline and Jean-Louis, who want to open a French bakery; Christophe and his family, who want to launch the first cabaret in Portugal. Or Stéphanie and David, initially owners of a funeral home. Who dream of buying a hotel. All were charmed by the beauty of the place. "Some discovered the region on vacation while others saw reports on television or in the newspapers. Then, they fell in love with the sun, the kindness of the inhabitants and the sea, very close. The words that come back most in their mouths are 'sweetness of life'," explains Brice Martinelli, who followed these families for nine months, from October 2017 to the end of May, for Reports.
If we often talk lately about the French who settle in Portugal for the tax advantages of the country, not all expatriates have this motivation: "Those I met come to look for the sun and a new life, that's what's interesting," he continues. But this change of life is not always as easy as it seems. The documentary follows the installation of each one, with its happiness and its disappointments. "The other side of the coin of this sweetness of life is a kind of "nonchalance" in the work. At the beginning, it's difficult, but then everyone adapts to this new culture."
As the story unfolds, each of the businesses establishes itself and begins to operate: "All of them moved to Portugal because they wanted to get off their feet. In the end, they work like crazy", concludes the director.
Between tourism and authenticity
The Algarve is known for its beautiful beaches and party-friendly resorts. "In some of them, there are 90% of tourists," explains the director. However, the countryside is not far away: "In a few kilometers, you change the scenery. The hinterland has remained very typical with a real local culture. That's what makes this region so charming.