France is our nearest neighbour – we are separated by just 20 miles of water – and relations between England and France have been somewhat tempestuous throughout history: a real love/hate relationship for hundreds of years. Enjoying life so very much, as my husband and I do, living in the South of France we have come to the conclusion that the emphasis in recent years (and for the future) has been on the “love” side of the relationship. Even in our little village there are several English families who would never consider going back to live in the UK. France has a magical quality for us Brits it seems and, as I sit and write this month’s newsletter in the blazing sunshine of the Languedoc Roussillon, I can almost feel you nodding in agreement!
The opening up of so many regional airports in France has meant that it has never been easier to get here. Nowhere is more than around an hour and a half’s flight away and travel within the country is a joy: the trains are frequent, fast and run on time. If you are contemplating buying a second home in France, or even emigrating here, you would be well advised to arm yourself with a copy of my France Buying Guide http://www.francebuyingguide.com/guide.htm Amongst a wealth of information here, I have included an overview of every single area with details of how to get there.
We are enjoying a glorious summer down here and although we still have much work to do on the house, the days are long and the nights are balmy which gives us a great feeling of tranquillity. I suppose the only thing you could say we miss about being in the UK is our friends and family but they ALL want to come and visit us (and many have done so already!) so we are more than happy to stay and have them come here to celebrate our new life with us.
Talking of means of travel, the Tour de France is as I write passing close to us and we have watched many a serious cyclist passing by in the searing heat as we tootle about in our car. Cycling is a hugely popular sport in France and is also a great way to get around the small villages where we live. Imagine my pride therefore as I watch my son Saul cycling across the USA with his French friend, Augustin, some 3,600 miles with one marvellous aim in mind: to raise funds and awareness for motor neuron disease, the most devastating of illnesses from which Saul’s uncle suffers. As I write, they are almost back in New York, having started on the West coast in May and are a true inspiration to us all. I invite you to take a look at their site here, offer them a message of support and see for yourselves http://www.moveforals.com/ – the journey has been tough and gruelling and their determination to carry on and make a real difference to finding a cure is quite remarkable.
So a warm welcome as always to this month’s newsletter. It is packed with information, ideas and useful information, and I feature an article on transport to and from France both to the UK and to Europe. In addition, we have our very own financial wizard, Charles Purdy, letting you in on the very best way to make your money work for you when you are considering buying your euros, my own hot tip for the month and I update you on our renovation progress – slowly but surely is the best way to describe this. One has to enjoy the journey!
I do hope you enjoy your read and that this month may be the one you decide to book your flight or train to our nearest and dearest neighbour. Who knows how long you might stay?
If you were to take a rough guess, how many airports would you say there are in France? I dare say it may come as something of a surprise to know that there are in fact around 170 airports in total across the country, which means that France has the highest density of airports in Europe. Consider this too: for every airport here there are about 358,000 inhabitants, as against 1.2 million inhabitants for each airport in the UK. Interesting isn’t’ it? The rise in us Brits buying property in France started in earnest around 12 years ago with the opening up of many regional airports and carriers such as Easy jet and Ryanair. Whatever you think of the somewhat cattle like feeling of boarding a Ryanair aircraft, in truth it is so easy, mostly very cheap and means that a short weekend trip to our neighbour is perfectly feasible.
To take just 2 popular areas in France, say Normandy in the North and Languedoc Roussillon in the South, I can think of at least 5 airports in each area, meaning that wherever you want to go, you have a huge choice of routes. My husband and I are close to airports at Carcassonne, Beziers, Montpellier, Perpignan and Toulouse and Normandy has Caen, Deauville, Rouen, Le Havre and Cherbourg.
New routes – particularly in the summer months – are always opening up from various regional airports in the UK and Ireland: we really are spoilt for choice now when it comes to flying to anywhere in France.
If however, like many people these days, you prefer the leisurely pace of train travel, you will find the French train system to be highly efficient. It is mostly operated by the SNCF, the French national railway company. There are over 31,000 kilometres of railway across France but the system still only accounts for a small portion of total travel, meaning that trains are rarely overcrowded. In 1981 the high speed TGV was put in operation and 1994 saw the opening of the Channel Tunnel, finally connecting France and the UK by rail under the English Channel. An interesting fact that is not widely known is that trains, unlike road traffic, drive on the left (save for in the Alsace region). The connections between towns are well considered and a trip down to the South of France, for example, can be a stress free journey via Paris on Eurostar and then on to Narbonne or Montpellier direct, some 4 hours away.
Driving in France is a joy compared to the UK and is something my husband and I frequently remark on. The motorway network consists mostly of toll roads and is in fact the fourth largest motorway network in the whole world, coming behind the United States, Canada and Germany. The “routes nationales” are major roads which do not seem like major roads! They are often lined symmetrically with plane trees, straight and well kept. One is often spoilt for choice. Although the motorway system is first class, with few road works (due no doubt to the toll system and lesser density of traffic), the major non-motorway roads are still a quick way to get around. They offer a great way to get to one’s destination quickly but interestingly too!
France has a huge natural and man-made waterways network extending to over 8.500. We often marvel at the great Canal du Midi, for example, which stretches right across the South of France from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean coast. Canal trips and holidays are hugely popular and many towns are built around the canal, lending them a peaceful air. Rivers abound of course and many are navigable.
Once in France, it is often tempting to explore a little further and many other countries are easily accessible. We have frequently driven down to Spain for example and on our honeymoon last year drove from France through Germany, Switzerland and then into Italy. Because the borders are used so often, you will often find you simply sail through without being stopped at all. There is something very pleasant about driving an hour or two and getting out in another country and living in France does afford one a greater appreciation of Europe.
If you are planning your own trip to France and would rather have someone else do your homework for you, do pop us a line or fill out our short form with your individual needs and concerns, we are always here to help: http://www.FranceBuyingGuide.com/resources.htm It may be you would some day like to buy your own property here and would simply like to visit and bide your time for the moment, consider your options and build up from there. Does that sound like you? Then you have come to the right place!
France remains one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations and one can easily see why. It offers so much: beautiful countryside, great history, storybook castles and monuments, stunning cities and glamorous beaches on both the Atlantic and Mediterranean coast. This is a country with dramatic differences: consider Paris, then the greenery and rivers of the Loire Valley, the imposing mountains of the Pyrenees and the Alps, the lavender fields of Provence for example. Why, I hardly need to mention the food and wine!
Tempted to get on a plane, boat or train and head off to France? Write to me and I will help you plan your trip, you will not be disappointed!
How much are the banks ripping you off?
Vince Cable is one of five Lib Dems in the Tory-Lib Dem coalition cabinet and holds the position of Business Secretary. He has come out publicly and said what we at Smart Currency have been saying for simply ages: that the high street banks are ripping their customers off.
His comments come as Panorama, in researching for their television programme on the subject, reveal that some high street banks surveyed are charging on average 32 per cent interest, despite advertised rates of around 19 per cent. With costs and other charges factored in this can reach an unbelievable 167 per cent over a year as an average rate across the high street banks.
There are fewer banks after the recent recession (and therefore less competition) and still use what some would say is an almost deliberate device of making the small print so complicated that few actually read it. This means that clients aren’t really kept in the picture. All the charges are no doubt explained, but in such a way that few ever get to know about them before running into these enormous costs.
A quite considerable sum is charged when you transfer money abroad through your bank. What we at Smart Currency have found is that we are often able to do away with certain banking fees if your currency exchange is done through us and, let’s face it any money saved on unnecessary bank charges is a real plus.
That is not the only way that the banks rip off the man on the street when sending money abroad – or indeed returning it to the UK from abroad.
Smart Currency have long commented on the fact that high street banks do not go to the money markets to get exchange rates for clients as and when they require foreign currency. Rather, they fix an exchange rate at the beginning of the day, one that what ever happens during the day will still bring them a profit. Looking at the way currencies have fluctuated recently you can imagine how high they set the bar to ensure they were not caught short at any stages – a scary thought indeed.
At Smart we call into the trading floor to get an up to the minute exchange rate just for you, at the time of your transaction. Smart charges neither commission nor do the traders take any commission cut but operate on a fixed salary. This guarantees that they have only YOUR interest at heart…indeed, we are the only currency company to operate in this way.
You will also get your own dedicated Smart trader, who you can call directly. Try speaking to anybody when phoning your bank: if I have to push one more button or speak to one more automated voice when I attempt to contact my bank I feel I will scream! Spot contracts, forward contracts, order to call, order to buy: these may all seem like confusing concepts but a few moments chat with your trader will set you on the right path – the one that is right for you.
It will cost you far less than your high street bank – guaranteed!
It’s often the people that wait until the last minute that are forced into buying at the worst times – don’t let that be you. Request a Quote from Smart Currency Exchange below or give a ring today to discuss your options!
The effect of low cost airlines on property prices
I am often asked, and not only by investors but by each and every one who wishes to buy abroad, how to identify property hotspots in the right area and at the right price.
Of major importance is easy access to your property. After all, if you are investing, that will be a real ‘plus’ to any intending renters/buyers. And if you are buying a home abroad for yourself, whether for holiday or residential purposes, you still need to know that you (and your family/visitors) can actually GET there easily and at a reasonable cost.
In recent years the inception of low-cost airlines has been a factor in determining traffic to certain destinations and, in turn, the accommodation required on arrival.
It’s a bit of a ‘chicken and egg’ scenario: is it lots of people visiting a destination who need more and cheaper transport, or does cheaper transport drive more people to a destination? For someone buying property, the end result is the same: the need for property increases and so, in direct relation, does the price of property in the area.
So…how about using this as a research tool?
I first visited Turkey’s southern shores, now-called the ‘Turquoise Coast’, in 1984. It was a far cry from what you will find today: there was not a single tourist in sight and the hotels were - let’s be kind - rustic. If someone had told me then that it would become a tourist hotspot I would have been amazed. Not surprised – it’s lovely – but amazed, as it was so quiet and so tranquil – sigh!
I have just Googled low cost flights to Turkey and come up with 24 carriers, most of them flying into this area - these include Easyjet and BA. They fly mostly into Antalya airport, currently the only major transport hub to serve the 1,000 mile long stretch of Mediterranean coastline which includes the resorts of Marmaris, Dalaman, Gocek, Fethiye, Olu Deniz, Kalkan, Kas and Alanya.
Gone are the days of tranquillity and seclusion, and property prices have risen accordingly – if I had done my homework at the time this rash of new airlines started I would have some really good investments under my belt by now!
France is another example of the low-cost airline syndrome. Once Ryanair began flying to the Dordogne in 2000, property sales in the region rocketed - and so did the prices. So much so that until recently it was estimated that property prices in the Dordogne had risen by a staggering 160% in the last seven years. Parts of Italy, Poland and Bulgaria showed the same trend, namely prices increased once they were served by the low-cost airlines.
All this to say that if you are thinking of buying abroad, a little canny research in this direction may prove very helpful.
However, a few words of warning. For years they have been promising to open a brand new airport at Gazipaşa, on the self-same Turquoise Coast in Turkey. It is expected to have a passenger capacity of 500,000 and is only a 20 minute drive from Alanya. Accordingly property prices in the Mediterranean region were expected to boom - this has been going on since 2003 and still, to my knowledge, the airport has yet to open. The same thing happened to an airport in Crete…
It also bears remembering that, during the latest economic downturn, several of the low-cost airlines have either shut down or reduced/cut their flying schedules. This being the case, you need to make sure that your property is not totally reliant on an airport that may or may not open, or indeed on just one low-cost airline that may fold.
Good luck – and remember: the OGC Resource Centre is just a phone call away at 0207 898 0549. They have oodles of advice and recommendations that may just be the thing you need to make your property journey easier! You will be under no obligation to use their suggestions nor will it cost you anything.
Are you sure you are covered?
Floods in France, fires in Greece, hurricanes in the USA, Spain and Portugal, earthquakes in Italy…these are disasters that can strike anytime, anywhere – and there is nothing we can do to stop them.
There is however something we can do that will enable us to pick ourselves up and get on with the business of living…and that’s canny home insurance with a company that is reliable and ethical.
Nothing can take the place of things like photos or books collected over years – some things are simply irreplaceable. But let’s face it – the trauma will be far less stressful if normal household contents and damage to the actual structure and fabric of your home can be sorted out at no cost to yourself.
That’s where a company like Intasure come in. Are you covered for floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters? If you place your holiday home house insurance through an insurance company abroad you may not know the answers to these and other really important aspects of your policy.
The answer is to insure with a specialist in second home and overseas property insurance right here in the UK. Intasure will offer you the reassurance of English language documents and UK back-office service and support: a plain English property insurance policy underwritten by some of the world's leading insurers and administered in the UK via helpful and knowledgeable staff.
The Overseas Guides Company (the OGC) was formed with the express aim of helping people to research and to solve the numerous questions and problems that arise when buying property and/or moving abroad.
Kim Brown, Director of the OGC, saw up close and personal just how badly things can go wrong when her parents-in-law suffered at the hands of unethical people when buying in Spain. It all ended disastrously and Kim decided then and there that this should not happen to others.
The OGC Resource Centre team will assist you to avoid pitfalls, minimise risks and save money! Talking to hundreds of people on a daily basis means that they have come across most of the problems that arise from time to time and, in many cases, have been able to help resolve them.
Here’s what a happy OGC reader has to say:
“…Let me say how happy Philip and I are with your [OGC Resource Centre] service. You have opened so many doors for us….I like to take things one step at a time, to fully take on board every situation, but I could never have been prepared for the multitude of options that you have presented us with. …You can be sure that we will be using your recommendations because we are gaining more and more confidence in your company and that is all down to the interest you take and the advice you give"
Just pick up the phone and call 0207 898 0549 and the OGC Resource Team will be happy to help you. The team is available Mon-Fri from 9am to 6pm. You are under no obligation to use any of the recommendations and this service is absolutely free at the moment, so give them a ring today!
Buy the Guide: Let me help you plan your property purchase...
Contrary to ‘the movies’, dreams usually come true only after a lot of hard work, planning and dedicated effort rather than just good luck…As South African golfer Gary Player used to say, “The harder I work, the luckier I get”!
Here is an email from one of my readers (abbreviated slightly):
Unfortunately, we have no definite time line. We want to have one [overseas property], BUT with 3 teenagers in school here in Ireland, our dream of moving abroad must wait.
We have purchased the Guide from you and love reading through it. We just have to wait ...maybe not as long as we think....maybe, just maybe we can purchase sooner than we realise. If we can go on a holiday or two in the coming few years....then....hopefully we will know exactly the place where our Heaven lies!
It is so wonderful to get all your expertise in the Guide, so glad I fell upon your site and purchased it. We TALK, THINK and DREAM of (buying abroad) each and every day.
So thanks again for all your news and updates, keep them coming! Love hearing from you - well done!!!
Best Regards,
Paula and Michael.
Plan exactly what it is you want from your dream. Travel there and find out the location that suits you best. Factor into the equation things like access, transport, cost and so on and read the Property Buying Guide if you have not already done so.
To get more information on each guide on offer, or to order your copy please select the country below:
You are also welcome to phone the OGC Resource Centre where you will find a team of friendly and helpful people happy to assist with your queries. The number is 0207 898 0549.
Top Tip: Greetings!
The French are a nation of hand shakers. We have got used to greeting our builders, people we know in our village, restaurateurs and the like with a handshake and a “Bonjour Monsieur/Madame”. Once you get to know someone, you will find a kiss on both cheeks is offered along with “Je m’appelle Pascal” for example. This is when you know you are integrating well. Remember to use the “vous” form until you get to know someone well: it will become second nature after a while!
Colour and Light
We have been down here in the South of France for 5 months now and not a day goes by without our noticing the beauty of this area: the colour and the light. We are enjoying stunningly hot days with bright sunshine and an azure sky, all the flowers are out and the dappled light, broken by the tall trees, affords sharp shadows, so welcome in this heat. Our house almost seems to smile at us as day by day we do a little more to restore her to her former glory. If you would like to follow the story of our renovation, you can do so here: http://francepropertybuyingguide.blogspot.com/
Living in a rural community is a joy but, as in many parts of France, there is often a beautiful city within striking distance. We are close to Carcassonne, Narbonne, Montpellier, Perpignan and Toulouse – and without wishing to boast, Girona in Northern Spain is but an hour and a half away…. We drove to Narbonne the other day, a distance of some 25 kilometres from our house and I spent a good hour or so looking around “Les Halles”, this fantastic covered market in the centre of the city. Not only is it filled with the most remarkable stalls selling all kinds of produce, it has several pretty bars where one can stop and have a coffee or glass of wine. There is a real hubbub of life here and I look forward to going back one day when our kitchen is fitted, determined to plan my whole week’s menu and get it all here: it is all so fresh. The colours are astounding; I have never seen anything like it!
I had a lovely letter from a reader recently, it is always a joy to receive feedback and I love to hear your stories.
"I am sure it is through your efforts that many people that would have given up the idea of having a holiday home or emigrating have only succeeded by following the path through your Property Buying Guide also with your following support has made it possible. I am just at the beginning of the long path but with your help I know we will end up living in our tranquil surroundings in our dream home.
For your continuing support Mary and I thank you,
Eric , Mary White”
I do hope this newsletter finds you well, happy and enjoying the summer. Remember to love your neighbour – and France is our nearest and dearest one!
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