Here are a couple of important changes to French property law that take effect from 1st January 2011 that both buyers and sellers need to be aware of.
Energy efficiency
The first concerns the wonderfully named diagnostic performance énergétique or DPE. This is the report that grades the energy efficiency of your house – it provides information about the house’s efficiency, including insulation, emissions of greenhouse gases, and other factors which affect utility costs . Grades range from A (super efficient) to G (lowest rating) and your estate agent must include these details on any advert, website or publicity for the house sale/rental. The full report also forms part of any eventual sales contract. The report has to be carried out by a professional and is valid for 10 years. Your local Leggett representative will be delighted to arrange for this survey to be undertaken and the report issued, costs will vary by region.
Septic tanks
The second concerns the rather unpleasant sounding subject of septic tank inspections. Each local Mayor has been told that all houses in his commune must have an up to date inspection certificate for their private drainage systems. The onus has always been on the owner of the property to ensure his fosse septique complies with the law and now the pressure is on from each Mairie to ensure this is the case. Sellers will be required to supply this written inspection document (controle d’assainissement) to their estate agents and it will form part of the sales contract, along with the other compulsory tests. All property linked to mains drainage will also need a certificate of confirmation from the Mairie or Local Authority. If the septic tank does not meet the governmental regulations then the buyer of the property will be expected to ensure the system complies with regulations within 1 year of the purchase. Again, if your fosse septique is found not to comply with current regulations then your local Leggett representative will be happy to supply you with the name of a trusted local artisan who can carry out any works necessary.
Moving to France - Work Permits
There are two types of work permit available in France: a temporary permit and a full work permit. Both permits are aimed at professional workers only.An employer files a work permit application to the local Direction Departmentale du Travail, de L'Emploi et de la Formation Professionale (DDTEFP) but must be able to show that all attempts to secure an employee from the local job market, or the EU/EEA countries have been unsuccessful.
When considering an application the DDTEFP will consider the level of salary, education level, job market in France and the candidate’s experience.
If your application is successful and you are provided with a full work permit (carte de sejour salariée) that states toutes professions salaries you may work in any position so long as it is not a temporary role.
Christmas in our little Spanish mountain village of El Hoyo is a low-key affair, but charming. A banner pronouncing ‘Feliz Navidad’ is hung across the entrance to the village and the trees in the square are decked with white fairy lights. Although people don’t send each other Christmas cards, they do decorate their houses with a Belén, or intricate, miniature nativity scene. Our neighbours always proudly show us theirs, displayed in their living rooms in pride of place. Unlike the UK, where Christmas is a massive commercial event, Christmas in Spain is much quainter and focuses far more on the religious significance.Joe and I love Christmas in El Hoyo, so it’s quite a wrench to be here, in the Muslim Kingdom of Bahrain for Christmas. However, we’ve been quite surprised. Funny little Christmas trees have sprung up in odd places, like our hotel lobby, and some of the bigger stores are actually selling Christmas merchandise. Bahrain is home to thousands of expats, so I guess that’s to be expected.
Checking exactly when public holidays fall in Bahrain is not a simple matter of looking at the calendar. Islamic months start when a crescent moon is actually sighted by the appropriate religious authorities. Some festivals and holy days might fall a day before (or after) the predicted dates because if the moon is obscured by cloud, the holiday cannot be declared until the moon is actually visible to the naked eye. So you can imagine our confusion.
Some holidays are only officially announced 12 hours before the start of the day, frequently leading to great uncertainty on the part of schools...Read more: http://www.expatfocus.com/victoria-twead-201210
Flights at Paris’s Charles de Gaulle Airport have also fallen by 40 percent because of snowfall in northern France.
“Heavy snowfall and extremely cold temperatures are causing disruption to travel in France,” a FCO spokeswoman said.
“The French authorities have informed us that they are preventing all HGVs and coaches from using the roads in northern France and the greater Paris area, and that car travel is unadvisable in the area.
“Air and rail services are also affected and you should contact your travel operator or airline before starting your journey.”
She added: “Coaches arriving in Calais are currently being held on arrival until French road restrictions are lifted.
“Travellers should check what arrangements their travel operators are making for passengers being stopped in Calais, before they travel.
“Foot passengers should be aware that onward travel from Calais is difficult and accommodation in the Calais area is likely to be fully booked.”
A spokesman for National Express said all trips between London and Paris have been suspended because French police would not allow coaches to pass through Calais.
The earliest possible departures to France will be on Monday.
A structural survey, however, is not obligatory, and my advice to buyers is to employ a surveyor/construction expert (maître d'oeuvre en bâtiment) or architect (architecte), particularly for properties which are no longer covered by the original 10-year construction guarantee (garantie décenniale).
If you prefer to deal with an English-speaking professional check out the The Riviera A-Z directory or visit its website at: www.riviera-a-z.com or you can try www.riviera.angloinfo.com.
Note that an expert immobilier is not necessarily a qualified surveyor; their speciality is property valuation.
The dossier diagnostic technique assembles all the required certificates and reports that the seller has to produce:
Asbestos report
Amiante (asbestos) report concerns all properties for which the building permit was issued before 1st of July 1997, and indicates the presence or not of asbestos in the materials used to construct the building. Asbestos has been banned in building work since that date. The seller should ensure asbestos is removed or thoroughly covered. Note that reports issued since 2002 are valid indefinitely.
Habitable area
Carrez's law (Loi Carrez) applies to all apartments and housing estate properties and gives a property's overall net habitable surface (correct to within 5 per cent) in square metres. The measurement is valid indefinitely, provided that no modifications have been made to the property.
The electrics
Diagnostic électricité (electrical installation report). This is an inspection report, valid for three years, for installations over 15 years old and advises on any work required to bring them up to a satisfactory safety standard. It can be grounds for negotiating a lower purchase price, as the seller is not obliged to have to undertake any work required.
Energy efficiency
Diagnostic énérgétique (DPE) (energy performance) report is valid for ten years and it concerns all properties. This report will indicate on an A (economic) to G (wasteful) scale how efficient the energy system is for heating and producing hot water. The average French home is in E classification with an energy consumption rating between 231 and 330kWhEP per square metre a year.
Gas matters
Diagnostic gaz (gas installation report) is for valid three years. This concerns permanently installed gas systems which are over 15 years old, even if they are no longer used.
Safety aspects of the system are inspected, indicating if any urgent measures need to be taken. Gas can be cut off if the reporting technician considers there is immediate danger.
Natural hazards
Etat de risques naturels et technologiques (ERNT) is a very useful benchmark. The report covers natural and technological risks, including the likelihood of floods, potential pollution, landslips etc. In short risks in any officially classified risk area (zone à risque). It is valid for six months and is based on past and possible disasters.
It’s advisable to also avoid any properties that are below sea level or located in low-lying areas near rivers, even if they have not been declared a zone à risque.
Lead contamination
A plomb (lead) report (constat de risqué d'exposition au plomb - CREP) concerns all properties built before the 1st of January 1949 and indicates whether or not there is a risk of lead poisoning from lead-content paint or any other elements that may contain lead.
If there is a risk, the seller must either repaint (all paints are now lead-free) over lead-content paint, strip off all lead-content paint or remove any lead material. A report which indicates that there is a lead-poisoning risk is valid for one year.
Termites
A termite (termite) report is valid for six months and is necessary for parts of the Alpes-Maritimes and Var départements. The local town hall or prefecture will advise you if your area is affected.
If the presence of termites is detected on the property, treatment or eradication must be effected within six months and therefore may become the buyer's responsibility, as property sales are now usually completed quickly, within three months.
Septic tank certificate
From 2011, properties for sale that only have a septic tank (fosse septique) as possible means of domestic drainage must also produce a certificate established by the local authority showing that the system is up to the required standard.
On 1st January 2011, advertising of a property for sale must specify the “DPE or Diagnostic de Performance Energetique” (energy efficiency) report.
Since November 2006 all new homes and buildings for sale have been required to perform an energy performance evaluation (an energy performance diagnostic, or DPE), and receive an energy performance certificate.
The certificate, similar to those applied to washing machines and fridges, show both the level of energy consumption and the greenhouse gas emission level, on a scale of A to G, with G being least efficient and the highest emissions. They quote individual values for each factor.
The full diagnostic report is accompanied with various recommendations for improving the building’s energy efficiency.
Notoriously nervy Parisian drivers will have to get used to its sluggish acceleration of 0 to 60 in 6.3 seconds but the mayor hopes it will revolutionise the way they get around by car.
The Autolib will come with a GPS screen and an emergency call button.
According to polls, 2.4 million people in the Paris area intend to use the system. It requires between 160,000 and 200,000 subscribers to become economically viable.
Paris' mayor has declared war on privately-owned cars, building a network of bus and cycle lanes that are the bane of motorists and he has plans to pedestrianise swathes of the city centre and riverside boulevards.
One city hall study suggested the average car in the capital spends about 95 per cent of its time parked. Only 42 per cent of Parisians own a car, and 16 per cent use theirs less than once a month.
Bolloré has invested 60 million euros (£51 million) into Autolib, which is expected to cost more than 110 million in all.
It’s that time of year when restaurants pay top-dollar for prized winter truffles from Italy and France.
They were on display one recent weekend at Oenotri, an Italian restaurant in downtown Napa, Calif. There, a waitress carefully pulled the truffles from a small brown box and weighed them on a scale. An exotic food luxury comes at a price: The tiny fist-sized truffles were worth $4,000.
While U.S. chefs buy most of their truffles from the famed food regions of Provence in France and Tuscany in Italy, there is a truffle movement afoot in America, with growers from North Carolina to California to Oregon hoping to cash in on the highly valued mushroom that grows underground.
One of those people is Robert Chang of the American Truffle Company, which sells its intellectual know-how to would-be truffle growers.
The San Francisco Bay Area company has financial stakes in truffle orchards in 15 countries, stretching from Finland to South Africa. In the U.S., Chang is making his pitch to vineyard owners, among others.
“There is a healthy level of interest,” from California grape growers, Chang said in an interview.
Less than a week after last week’s transport shutdown, minus 18.3 degrees Celsius temperature forced fresh travel disruptions in France.
The main Charles de Gaulle-Roissy airport in France was forced to shut down for hour-and-a-half as heavy snow caused huge travel chaos in the country as well as across Europe.
Nearly 100 flights were disrupted during the temporary closure as heavy snow covered the runways. Upon France's civil aviation authority’s (DGAC) request, one in five flights were cancelled due to poor weather prediction.
Paris’ second main airport Orly also forced to shut down briefly to clear snow from its runway, however, half-an-hour closure did not affect flights.
The bad weather also disrupted road traffic in capital Paris as only a few of the 350 Paris bus routes were operating. Truckers were asked not to use highways until conditions improve.
Paris on Wednesday was also forced to close the Eiffel Tower as snow blanketed French skies. Initially, the operators closed the first floor but later closed the whole giant monument, which is one of the world's most loved sites among tourists.
French property has managed to retain its allure despite the global downturn, which started in 2008. Tim Swannie, from Home Hunts, who helps British buyers to find their dream property in the South of France, says: "We didn't have the same lending boom in France and this has insulated the market a little. But, like anywhere, there has been a coming off of prices, say 10 to 15 per cent, but not to anywhere near the same extent as other major global markets."
In the key markets – for British buyers – of the Cote d'Azur and Provence, sales and prices have swung around over the past 12 months. "British buyers have definitely come back. There is a sweet spot with the euro-to-pound exchange of about €1.20, and as we have neared that it has encouraged some to take the plunge. But it's not just the Brits buying: there are the Russians, Dutch and even, increasingly, the Chinese," Mr Swannie adds.
Maria McLean, director of Ellisium Partners (ellisiumpartners.com), which, alongside Home Hunts, offers a bespoke service to buyers and renters of French property, says business is good. "There has been a flight to quality when it comes to overseas purchase. People still have the ambitions to own abroad but they want the Is dotted and Ts crossed, and that's where we come in."
Likewise, Nick Leach, UK director of the huge French property and tourism group Pierre & Vacances (pv-holidays.com), says the problems encountered by buyers elsewhere – in Spain and the United States, for example, and in "frontier markets" such as North Cyprus and Bulgaria, has focused minds on the appeal of France. "Buyers are doing a lot more research than they were during the boom years, which is a good thing for France. It's on the doorstep, a long-established favourite with a sophisticated legal and planning system, and rental guarantees are often supported by big groups – such as ours – making it a sensible choice for Britons," Mr Leach says.
Pierre & Vacances has seen British buyers focusing again on the Alps – in particular, the group's new developments in the resorts of Avoriaz and Flaine. But closer-to-home locations such as Normandy have seen an uplift in interest from Brits.
So, with the market ticking along and prices beginning to rise in some locations, where are the French bargains to be had? The Languedoc-Roussillon region is nestled between Provence and the Pyrenees, and is attracting interest from British buyers wanting the French lifestyle but not at premium prices. "This is the authentic south of France: you have the wine, the heritage, close proximity to skiing in the Pyrenees, and the beaches of the Mediterranean," says Daniel Martin, senior real-estate adviser at Garrigae (Garrigae.com) which is opening two new developments there.
British Airways has announced the launch of a new route for the 2010/11 winter season, taking passengers from London City Airport to Chambery – the 'gateway' to the French Alps.
Starting on December 18th 2010, the BA CityFlyer service will operate flights four times a week until March 2011, enabling Brits to visit the popular French ski destination for a weekend or week-long stay.
Almost half a million Brits currently own property in France, with the Alps being one of the most popular locations.
Just an hour from Chambery airport, the traditional village of Saint-Martin-de-Belleville has seen tourism numbers steadily increasing over the past few years. The region boasts an established second homes market, with approximately 1,460 holiday properties and a booming buy-to-let sector.
This post just reminded me of their obsession.
So yes, France has this really great health care system in which you only need to pay like $5 to treat your cancer and you can even finagle your insurance paying for designer Chloé sunglasses.
But if you’re American and are on some type of medication, it is A) probably not available here, and B) most likely frowned upon. OK, so I generalize, but to be specific, the French obviously don’t think the same way about antidepressants.
Over in the States, we pop them like candy (and if you pop one, you probably down a whole cocktail of uppers and downers). In my opinion, perfectly healthy. The French are way into the whole homeopathic thing, which, for the most part is bullshit. I remember growing up with my Franco-American girlfriend and how her French mother always used to stuff her overnight bag full of these packs of homeopathic meds from France. They came in little tubes that you clicked like a pen and three small white balls would pop out. They were sugar coated, so you put them on your tongue and let them melt.
Meaning we went to town on echinacea and whatever else was packed along, which usually covered every part of the body. “This one is for your ears. (Sugar.) This one is for your eyes. (Sugar.) This one is for constipation. (Sugar.)” So, I should have known that I’d get myself into a nightmare over here.
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This is not my first Thanksgiving in France, it is however my first Thanksgiving celebrated without Americans. It never dawned on me that I was the only American until the fourth Thursday of November was just around the corning. I realized it was up to me, and only me, to make Thanksgiving happen in my little village lost in Provence.
This Thanksgiving Dinner may be one of the smallest dinner parties I’ll ever host (it’s just me and my colleague from Ireland), but during the week I’ve had numerous opportunities to share the meaning of Thanksgiving (how it all began, why we celebrate it, what we do, the things we cook) with my students and the professors I work with. On Monday, I spent hours working on a special Thanksgiving presentation for my classes and it has really paid off.
While most of the students could tell me that this is the time of the year Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, they had no idea it was one of our most important national holidays. In fact, most students were surprised that Thanksgiving rivals Christmas as America’s favorite.
It was important to me not to give them the impression that all we do is eat and watch football. I’ll admit that that’s a part of it but I can’t remember one Thanksgiving that didn’t include a few rounds of sharing something we were thankful for. And, personally, my family has never watched football on Thanksgiving. While researching Thanksgiving for the slide presentation, I had my own refresher on the history of Thanksgiving and even of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade – which, by the way, was started by European immigrants during the 1920′s who were working at Macy’s and wanted to celebrate Thanksgiving in a bit of a European fashion. Did you know that 3.5 million people visit NYC for the parade each year? That’s twice the population of Lyon, France’s second largest city.
I also thought it was important to add that American’s do what they can to ensure every American has the opportunity to join in the festivities. Food drives pop up at every grocery store and centers prepare boxes or bags full of all the treats necessary for low-income families to partake in the bounty. The very first Thanksgiving’s I can remember include delivering these packages to families who beamed with humbling gratitude. I’ve also remember helping out at food shelters in San Francisco where we served hundred’s of those living on the cold streets of SF a warm Thanksgiving Dinner.
I’m proud to be a part of a country that comes together in the chill of November to celebrate friendship and family and to naturally include others who may be alone or celebrating a “low-key” Thanksgiving. I’m proud to have a tradition where everyone joins in the fraternity of laboring long hours over a roasting turkey and countless side dishes, where everyone focuses on the things they are grateful for. With a tradition like that, no wonder American expats scramble to find the delicious ingredients whose familiar flavors carry with them cherished memories and the warmth of family and love.
Though I’m the lone American this year, I’m feeling a little extra pide as it’s also my first Thanksgiving where I’m doing all the cooking myself – no helping mom out in the kitchen this year and no one to help me with the preparations either, not even from prepackaged Stuffing or Mashed Potato Mixes (I even had to make my own stale breadcrumbs). To make dinner all the more of a challenge… I have no oven (last time I mention this, I promise) and only two burners that sometimes cause my apartment to short circuit leaving me in the dark. Good thing I enjoy challenges.
Despite that and the scarcity of some American staples, the menu is nearly complete and includes the turkey (just turkey breasts), garlic mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy, chestnut stuffing made with delicious bread from the local boulangerie, sweet potatoes seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar then garnished with marshmallows, cracked-pepper butternut squash, zucchini and steamed carrots. All will be homemade from scratch and served steaming hot.
The one item I’m missing this year is pumpkin pie but the pumpkin pancake mix my mom sent me has quieted the craving for my favorite Autumn flavor. And the one dish I’m not making myself is the apple tart my friend is bringing from the little artisan patisserie.
I’m very excited, and considering that the first Thanksgiving was celebrated by Europeans in a strange, new land – it seems only natural, and admittedly ironic, that I’m celebrating it… with leftovers to spare.
Happy Thanksgiving, my lovely readers!
Yes, it is that time of year again!
Christmas Fairs and Carol Services abound across France. So if you want some Christmas cheer - check out Connexions' List.
ONLY 8.6 per cent of newly qualified doctors last year set up in independent practice, as opposed to working as replacement doctors or employees.
Doctors' professional body the Conseil de l'Ordre, which has just published its latest map of trends showing the spread of doctors around France, is concerned that so many of them, 66.8 per cent, chose to take salaries in hospitals or other large institutions, leading to shortages of accessible local specialists and GPs.
The problem is compounded by an unequal spread of doctors around France, leading to some rural areas becoming "medical deserts", plus the fact that that, according to the study, 70 per cent of working French doctors are aged 50 or more, so access to local doctors is expected to get worse as more retire.
All of the most southerly French regions (as well as the Rhone-Alpes) have plenty of doctors per 100,000 inhabitants, as do Alsace and the Ile-de-France. However the Auvergne, Limousin, Brittany, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Lorraine and Franche-Comte have an average amount, while eight regions, including Normandy and Poitou-Charentes, are poorly served.
If you have looked at property for sale in the South of France, you have almost certainly seen some strange objects placed on the lip of swimming pools; the pool alarm, which is one of the simplest means of complying with the French laws on swimming pool safety. The principal law, dating from January 2003, finds its origins in the desire to reduce the number of accidental drownings in private pools in France, and particularly in the South of France and the French Riviera / Cote d’Azur. In this region, drowning in private pools was the first or second cause of death of children in the 1 to 5 year age range.
Pool Alarm
Following this law, all private swimming pools set into the ground (as opposed to above-ground pools), in France must now be equipped with a safety device, which has been certified in conformity with French or European norms (NF). Failure to comply with the law may mean a fine of up to 45,000€ and a possible prison sentence. Basically these devices fall into four categories:
The pool alarm mentioned above is certainly the cheapest and least difficult system to install. It may be activated by someone falling into the water, or by crossing a perimeter line marked by an infrared beam. There was an unpleasant surprise for many pool owners in 2009 when the authorities decided that several of the alarms authorized to detect people falling in, were in fact unsatisfactory and their type approval was withdrawn, meaning they had to be replaced.
While the alarm is an easy solution it is not ideal when there are young children present, as it does not stop them falling in. To prevent a young child getting near the pool a pool fence is the best solution. Again, it must be of an approved type and this means at least 110 centimeters high. Particular care is taken in the specification of the entry gate, the opening of which must be childproof and it should be self-closing. Beware, a good homemade fence may be a much safer solution than an approved alarm, but it does not necessarily comply with the law.
The inconvenience of a fence is that it can often be rather intrusive visually. This is the reason many owners prefer to install a pool cover particularly one that retracts underground. The cover must be able to support the weight of an adult. Depending on the shape of the pool and other factors, it may be difficult to install such a cover, and it is often reserved for new pools where it can be integrated from the design stage. While it also keeps the pool clean and retains the heat when closed, nothing stops a child from falling in when it is open.
Probably the least visually attractive solution is the pool shelter which is generally a free-standing entity that provides sheltered swimming in the cooler months, but can be rolled back in the summer. Lean-to versions also exist. However the same safety comments apply as for covers.
How much does it cost to live in France? I’ve received a few e-mails inquiring about the cost of living in France, so here is a listing of my monthly bills and yearly taxes. Hopefully this information will be useful for those who are looking to move to France and want to compare the costs. I do not live in Paris, where the cost of living is especially high, but I do live near the Alps and Switzerland in one of the more expensive areas of France. My city is the capital of its department, and has a population of about 50,000.
Monthly Bills
Rent: 550€
- one-bedroom apartment in old building (with poor electrical installation; can’t use hairdyer and microwave at same time for example…) about 10 minutes from train station and city center; 52 meters squared with two balconies and storage space in basement
Electricity/Gas: 65€
- We have a gas stove & oven, but luckily regular radiators instead of those expensive electric ones (so heat is included in our rent.) Our hot water heater only heats at night during off-peak hours.
Water: 20€
- washing machine but no dishwasher; hot water heater only holds 100 liters which is just enough for two showers and doing the dishes
Internet/phone/TV: 30€
- ADSL internet + land-line with free calling to US & Canada and free calls to land-lines in many, many other countries + basic “cable” channels
Groceries: 250€
- Even shopping at Aldi and Lidl! We are trying to reduce this obviously.
Gas/Tolls: 150€
- We only use the car once or twice a week – to get groceries or visit David’s parents. Our car is an automatic that takes the most expensive gas though.
Car Insurance: 30€
Cell phone: 15€
- I just buy prepaid cards and very rarely need to use my cell phone thanks to the internet.
Mutuelle: 30€
- This means my prescriptions and contacts are “free” and I get another 30% of consultation fees reimbursed. Government-run healthcare that almost everyone has (la sécu) generally reimburses the first 70%.
When I used to commute to work (100 km round-trip 4 days a week), I paid about 250€ per month for gas and tolls. David walks to work and I work at home now, so we have no public transportation costs. For reference, a monthly bus pass in our city costs 30€ while a monthly passe Navigo in Paris is between 55€ and 123€ (depending on which zones you need). However, it is now law in France that your employer must pay 50% of your public transportation costs for your commute to and from work.
Yearly Taxes
Income tax: 611€ for my part. Since I am PACSed, my income tax is lower than for a single person plus I received a credit of 194€ for the prime pour l’emploi. The amount of income tax I paid was 5% of my imposable income (about 15% of my gross income minus a 10% deduction). In France, la sécurité sociale which includes health insurance, unemployment & retirement benefits is automatically taken out of your paycheck, but income tax is NOT. I calculated that 18% of my gross income was deducted for la sécu. I have no other source of income in France because I am not eligible for CAF, or rent assistance for low-income individuals or families, that most language assistants and lecturers receive. To be on the safe side, most people say you should save almost one month’s salary to pay for income tax.
Taxe d’habitation: 736€ This is a renter’s tax that you must pay on the place where you are living on January 1st, even if you move out on January 2nd. (If you own your house or apartment, you pay la taxe foncière.) The amount of la taxe d’habitation depends on the city where you live, the size of your apartment, your income, etc. so it can be hard to know how much you will have to pay until you receive the bill in October or November. In general it should be around one month’s rent. Added to this taxe is the TV tax (or Contribution à l’audiovisuel public as it is now called) which is 121€. Every household that owns a TV must pay it. Two ways of ensuring you do not have to pay this tax is by living in university residences managed by CROUS or renting a furnished room (not apartment) in a person’s home. Sometimes you can get this tax decreased if you have a low income by explaining your situation to the tax center (a dégrèvement).
It's coastline borders the English Channel, Bay of Biscay and Mediterranean while it has land borders with Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Luxemburg, Germany, and Spain.
The country is divided into twenty two regions and ninety six departments. Alsace, Aquitaine, Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne, Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Corse, Franche-Comte, Haute-Normandie, Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine, Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes. The landscape and climate varies considerably across the country, from the rugged crispness of the Alps to the gentle atmosphere of Provence.
Famously agricultural, France also has a variety of modern and hi-tech industries. The Government has stakes in a number of major companies and a significant proportion of the workforce comprises public sector employees who enjoy relatively generous benefits and pension arrangements. There is a current national debate about the sustainability of current pension arrangements.
Northern France - especially Normandy and Brittany, and the Dordogne - have been especially popular with a growing number of Britons buying property in France. That number has increased significantly over the last five years and it is estimated that there are now as many as 500,000 British owners of French properties.
The new law came into effect on 14 May 2009, although for Civil Partners who have paid tax on a gift or inheritance since 22 August 2007, a reclaim may be possible.
Purchasing a property in France has always been viewed as a lifestyle investment for the many who love the country's cuisine, wine and the general way of life. Since the nation is one of the most popular international tourist destinations, it has naturally become one of the most well-known and sought-after investment areas in the world. This is why being part of the French property investment world is seen as one of the most profitable undertakings by many individuals with a keen eye for hefty returns.
While there are various reasons why people buy properties in France, property investors zero in on solid rental returns and exceptional capital growth which for over seven years has continued on average double digit rates, states online portal FrenchEntrée. The most popular areas for property investors are Paris, Cote d'Azur and the Alps. Even though the potential to purchase properties is hindered by supply and building restrictions, the long-term outlook continuously appeals to property investors.
Where to invest in France
As with all property purchases, choosing the location of your property is extremely crucial. The idea is to search for a property in an area that is not yet pricey but is being gradually discovered by tourism. But one of the most practical French property investment strategies is to buy in areas where many people go to on holiday in large numbers or where there is an abundance of jobs, where communications and access are excellent and where there is a flourishing domestic economy.
Letting your French property
If you already have acquired an investment property in France, the next thing you want is to make it pay its way. You can do this by renting your property. In general, a property located in a French city provides a better opportunity to successfully let it for a long term while one that's situated in a rural area is more suitable for short-term letting. Since France is typically every tourist's dream destination, you are well-positioned for a healthy rental income.
Get in touch with others in your area that rent their properties, try to determine typical rents and think about speaking with rental and lettings agents. You can also have a professional survey done on the property and have them inform you of its earnings potential.
One of the most well-known ways to let out a property in France is through a leaseback. Known as a good long-term investment in the UK, a leaseback can have rental yields of 5.5-6% but the main thing to consider is the viability of the investment. Thus it becomes crucial that you look at the site yourself so you get the assurance that the strong rental return figures are strong indeed. Under a leaseback scheme, the shortest lease available is 9 years. With a French property investment scheme, you need to make sure that you get indemnity insurance prepared as well as the typical buildings and contents insurance.
If you have chosen a French property investment carefully, you will now have a property in France in an appealing location. To ensure capital gain on the property, it is recommended that your investment outlook is long-term.
Parmdeep Vadesha
Author Bio
Parmdeep Vadesha is a property investment expert and founder of the largest community of property entrepreneurs on the web who buy below market value properties from distressed homeowners facing repossession, divorce and bankruptcy. He writes a monthly newsletter for over 70,000 property investors worldwide - http://www.Property-System.com
While living in Europe, one of the more fun annual events was anticipation of the annual Beaujolais Nouveau, or the new wine from the season’s gamay grapes.
One minute past midnight bottles of the year’s new wine would be uncorked, appropriately inhaled and sipped with a bit of pomp and circumstance.
After living in France during college, my daughter Jori told us that the day after the Beaujolais Nouveau was opened, public transportation goes on strike. Too much vino? All said and done, millions of bottles of the new wine are waiting to be opened to celebrate the harvest of new grapes.
I stopped down at Malloy’s Wine & Spirits at 1020 Maple Ave. in Lisle just west of Walgreens, and spoke with Rich Dabbert, manager for Malloy’s, about this year’s Beaujolais Nouveau. Dabbert said they are expecting at least four different brands of the new wine and prices will most likely range from $9 to $11 a bottle.
He added that Americans don’t quite celebrate the Beaujolais Nouveau as they did a decade ago, with crates flown in at great expense for the third Thursday of November.
What changed, I asked Dabbert.
“Sept. 11th,” he replied. “It was part of the backlash against France ... part of the ‘freedom fries’ protest after Sept. 11, 2001.”
Dabbert has been in the retail business for many years and in liquor sales since 1990. Previously with Osco, Dabbert is quite happy to be in the “classy wine store that also sells spirits” as one customer described Malloy’s.
Described by many as one of the most frivolous and animated rituals in the wine world, Dabbert explained that in fact the celebration of the new season’s wine was actually tied in with agriculture.
“It’s a festive time, sort of like agriculture because all the gamay grapes are handpicked and labor intensive,” he said. “It’s a quick wine, so people take the time out to enjoy and celebrate the first wines.”
While Beaujolais Nouveau is a very light, red wine, it’s not a wine that would not normally keep well for more than a year. Many people who are not a fan of red wines do enjoy the Beaujolais Nouveau because of the lack of tannins, which can give a strong taste.
Malloy’s has been in Lisle for more than three years and according to Dabbert, was designed to be an upscale wine store. They recently added a selection of fine cheese, which is also featured every Saturday during wine tastings.
Twice a year Malloy’s offers a wine tasting with more than 100 bottles of wine.
“The fall tasting usually is held the first weekend in November and the spring tasting is the Saturday before Mother’s Day,” Dabbert said.
I asked Dabbert which was his favorite wine out of the more than 2,000 bottles in the store.
“If I’m going to be sitting down and eating a nice light meal, the ‘A to Z Pinot Gris’ is marvelously light,” he said. “But if I’m having a meal, a lamb roast, boned with lots of garlic, I like to have a Syriah. Lamb is a little fatter and the acid (in the wine) produces a marvelous flavor.”
Dabbert also said the Malbec wines from Argentina have been extremely popular recently, and a personal favorite of mine.
If you’re looking for a reason to celebrate the week before Thanksgiving, consider trying the Beaujolais Nouveau on the 18th. A loaf of bread, a bottle of wine and ... cheese!
Holidaying in France is an activity that attracts thousands and thousands of Britons every year, however many are now heading towards the full commitment and are moving to the mainland of Europe in search of different things.
For more about moving to France see http://residential.bishopsmove.com/moving-abroad-to-france/index.htm
Holidaying in France is an activity that attracts thousands and thousands of Britons every year, however many are now heading towards the full commitment and are moving to the mainland of Europe in search of different things. These could range from culture rich surroundings, a warm climate, a vast and varied landscape, or perhaps to immerse themselves in the language that they adore. Many desire the lifestyle of early morning trips to the boulangerie to buy the croissants and bread for the day, the cuisine also being an attraction for many.
When moving to France, although it is not geographically far compared to some places there is still lots of research to be done. The main thing to investigate is where abouts you want to move to. The French have a very different lifestyle to Britons that is appealing to many, however this will vary from different parts of the country. Some areas will be outlined below to help you decide which is ton region prefere:
Paris: Dripping with culture, Paris is an amazing city if your preference is to live the Parisian lifestyle by residing in the cafes and the getting caught up in the bustle of the Metro.
Loire Valley: When moving to France the Loire Valley is the ideal spot for a quiet life. Surrounded by Chateaus, vast countryside and small towns full of character, you will never grow tired of these quaint surroundings.
Cote d’Azur: This is one of the most picturesque spots in the Mediterranean, with beautiful beaches and beautiful people. You have a huge choice of towns in this area such as Nice, Antibes, and even small villages such as Saint Maxime.
Marseille: This is a busy, exciting city with a great night life, a diverse culture and a range of cuisines. This is a great spot for young people moving to France in search of a place full or grit, grime, and underground parties.
Other things you must consider when moving to France: Depending on whether you have a family or not, you will definitely want to investigate schools in the area to make sure your children will be getting a good level of education. The French property market, French mortgages, as well as the French taxations system will have to be investigated to see how things may affect you and your family.
Depending on your employment plans you may need a good grasp of the French language to gain employment, so this is also something to think about when moving to France. An finally you will need help to move all your possessions, so find the best international removals company to assist you, c’est facile!
Provence may be able-bodied accepted for its airy atmosphere and beauteous backdrop but addition allure to the accepted arena is the bounded markets.
Market day is an important one in the anniversary for both citizenry to the breadth and those who accept bought French property. It is about apparent to be as abundant of a amusing accident as a grocery shop.
Many bodies who move to the breadth acquisition aimless about the bazaar not alone abundant for accepting to apperceive the sorts of foods which are accepted in the arena but a adventitious to accommodated new people.
Markets in Provence will advertise all altered types of aliment best of which has been brought in by bounded farmers.
Some of the added accepted bake-apple and veg on affectation accommodate melons, peaches, apricots, courgettes and aubergines, all of which are a above allotment of the bounded cuisine.
Most bodies branch to the bazaar will break for a few hours chatting to vendors, assimilation up the sun and about adequate the colourful atmosphere.
Markets pop up in about every boondocks with at atomic one every day of the anniversary activity on about in the region. This about agency that if you biking from one bazaar to addition you will see the aforementioned farmers and marketers in altered towns.
As able-bodied as bake-apple and vegetables a huge alternative of angle and meats are usually on affectation from bounded butchers as able-bodied as added French specialties such as bread, cheese, olives, spices and wine.
Whatever the activity, it is better to get the best Aboriginal bottomward start and finish at 8 again the sun is too hot for the prize pool at 1:00.
Who would believe it? But Lewes hits the news and it is not Norman Baker or Fireworks mishaps this time.
Lewes is in conflict with The Times, well David James Smith at least. The well known (in his own blog) Times columnist and Blogger.
Seems as though Lewes is a racist hotbed of activity. Some comments in a Sunday Times feature have upset the residents of county town Lewes. Yes, this is sleepy old Lewes in the heart of rural Sussex.
So provoked were the residents that they burnt an effigy of him on November 5th.
Don't mess with the people of Lewes! Yeah right on
Halloween is not a traditional French holiday. The first formal celebration of Halloween, apart from parties in French language classes attended by Americans, was in 1982, when the American Dream bar/restaurant in Paris began celebrating Halloween. At first the bar staff had to explain the holiday to each customer.
Cahen created Le Samain cake in 1997 and registered the word “Halloween” as a world trademark. He also challenged 25 artists to come up with works with a Halloween theme, and the results were exhibited at the Victor Hugo Clinic. In 1996, the village of St. Germain-en-Laye held a Halloween party on 24 of October in the middle of the day, to give locals a sense of what it was all about.
During the 1990’s, companies like France Télécom, McDonald’s, Disney, and Coca Cola began using pumpkins and other Halloween images and ideas in publicity campaigns. This increased French people’s knowledge about Halloween but made it seem like another imposition of American culture.
Halloween in France is usually celebrated by costumed people of all ages going to parties at friends’ homes, restaurants, bars, or clubs. The costumes are more traditionally scary such as mummies, ghosts, witches and vampires rather than the variety of costumes seen in the U.S. Trick-or-treating is getting to be more common. It started out store-to-store, rather than house-to-house, but the latter is picking up. Pumpkins are not that popular in France so having a carved one sitting on your front porch is not really much of a tradition here. It’s too early to really tell if Halloween will develop into a long-term tradition in France or just be a passing fad.
Happy Halloween to everyone who celebrates this tradition!
Some of you may have heard about the protests and riots in France recently. Last week I watched a video of looters on one of the main streets downtown, right where we walked every day going to the office and school. Cars are burning and store windows being broken.
In our little apartment in Lyon, you could only get about 20 feet away from the kitchen. Even if you tried, that was as far as you could go and still be chez Masson. As a result, I seem to have lost the ability to cook and do anything else at the same time. Out of sight, out of mind. (Hence the burned lima beans at dinner.) So the lesson is that when you cook dinner in an American-sized house, watch out! It's not safe to leave the kitchen, even for a moment.
Likewise, when you go the mall in the US, be on alert. It's not like when you ride the bus to the centre commercial and then take it home again in a couple hours. Nope. You have to concentrate and make careful mental notes about where you parked you car! (Again, a skill I seem to have lost while living in France.) Losing an entire car... very big, expensive danger.
Read more here:
WITH its 18 bedrooms set in 138 acres, Le Preverger, in rural France, is a symbol of the ambition of the girl from Merthyr whose life’s work it was to make it her home.
When Laura Ashley honeymooned in St Tropez with husband Bernard in 1949 they were captivated by the region’s opulence and glamour and vowed to make enough money to own one of the region’s most sought-after homes.
Decades later, when a cottage industry designing and printing headscarves at home had grown into a £100m global brand, the Ashleys were ready to realise their dream.
In 1983 the couple bought Le Preverger, in the medieval French village of La Garde-Freinet, in the hills of St Tropez, from actress Jeanne Moreau.
Now their fashion businessman son Nick, 53, has put the lavish property in Provence up for sale at 9.9m Euros (£8.9m).
He told The Daily Telegraph: “My mother’s love affair with Provence reached back to 1949, when she came here on her honeymoon on the back of my father’s motorbike.
“They were both captivated by the glamour and the wealth but ran out of money and had to sell the motorbike and limp home early. They vowed to work like hell, become successful and buy the most incredible home in St Tropez.”
Ashley, who often spoke of her fond memories of growing up at her grandmother’s two-up, two-down Dowlais home, kept exalted company at her French retreat. Only the great and the good of 1970s and 1980s society graced the pre-Napoleonic farmhouse’s eight reception rooms.
Diana, Princess of Wales, enjoyed drinks on the terrace, while Margaret Thatcher and leading 1970s designer Roy Halston Frowick both sampled the Ashleys’ hospitality.
Despite the property’s elite heritage and exclusive price tag, Nick says his mother favoured humility over grandeur.
“My mother was a down- to-earth woman who was raised in a two-up, two-down in South Wales. Airs and graces were never her thing,” he said.
“Although Laura Ashley the brand was all about chintz and flounce, Laura Ashley the woman had more low-key, almost spartan taste.”
The home was the last owned by Ashley and her husband before her death from a brain haemorrhage at the age of 60 after she fell down a flight of stairs.
Located just 13 miles from the millionaire’s playground of St Tropez it was one of several homes the couple owned alongside properties in London, Brussels, Maidenhead, Wales, the Bahamas and Picardy.
And though she lived in the property for just 18 months Nick believes it was her most favoured abode.
He added: “My mother kept chickens and the intention was to import some Welsh sheep.”
The estate includes a guest house, a caretaker’s lodge, a swimming pool, a pool house and landscaped gardens.
Naturally enough amidst such wealth and splendour A-list Hollywood stars for neighbours come as standard – including Johnny Depp, the Redgraves and Liam Neeson.
After his wife’s death Sir Bernard remained in the house until he passed away in 2009 aged 82.
His second wife, photographer Regine Burnell lives in Portugal.
Nick said with his mother’s four children and 10 grandchildren based in the UK and US, the property was being used only as a holiday home.
He also believes his mother would have favoured a sale.
“She was of the school of thought that nobody ever owns a house. We are just curators of it for a certain length of time,” he said.
“She would see it as only right and natural that La Garde- Freinet would pass into new hands, be lived in, loved and then handed on again.”
