Hi there,

A very warm welcome to this month’s newsletter. I must say at the outset that I was overwhelmed to receive so many congratulatory emails in response to the news of my impending marriage. It was truly heart-warming and I will keep you posted on our preparations. Happy news at the moment is always nice to hear I guess!

I have just returned from a wonderful trip to France. My fiancé and I took the ferry across to Boulogne and drove to our wedding venue to make plans for the “big day” on July 3rd. We are tying the knot at a beautiful little hotel with just 24 rooms and a separate restaurant built around the old mill. Patricia Aye and her husband, the owners, are so welcoming and are helping us plan our big day. There is a fabulous terrace outside the restaurant, a little bridge across the water reminiscent of a Monet painting, and last but not least, a great menu with a huge choice of wonderful wines. This makes a great stop off point if you are considering driving through France. It is just half an hour’s drive from either Calais or Boulogne.

We then carried on down to the Dordogne and had a week of wonderful sunshine and sightseeing. This really is the perfect spot and is almost like a country in itself! Nature has blossomed and thrived here thanks to the invigorating mild oceanic climate. If you enjoy exploring castles, meadows, forests and valleys, this is the place for you. The pace of life is gentle and the people are kind and friendly.

You may be planning an early summer trip to France and I would be delighted to help you with this: I have some tremendous recommendations for places to stay, ways to go and towns and villages to see so do please pop me an email or call me on the number below and I will do my best to help you with your plans.

If you are looking for a property, I would be delighted to put you in touch with some first class, experienced agents who can help you in any area of France. Just click on http://www.FranceBuyingGuide.com/property.htm and let me know your requirements. Everyone needs a little help with their homework and I have some great tips for you on where and how to start.

This month we have some super features for you: an overview of the Aquitaine area, ever popular with us Brits for good reason, some hints on how to deal with your legal position if you are thinking of living in France and perhaps earning some rental income, our very own Charles Purdy keeps you right up to date on currency and how to make the most of your hard earned cash, whether it is in euros or pounds. Also I have a wonderful property in the Gironde to whet your appetite.

So go and do as I have done (many times!) and arm yourself with a glass of Bordeaux, sit back and read on. And remember: if you really want to buy somewhere in France you CAN do it – I did, thousands of others have and the joy of achieving your dream is simply wonderful.

Do keep those emails and calls coming (call me on 0207 898 0549), it is always such a pleasure to hear from you and talk about our favourite subject: la belle France. I look forward to hearing from you soon and watch this space for photos of my own upcoming event!

Kind regards as always,

Alexis
mailto:Alexis@overseasguidescompany.com
France Buying Guide
The Overseas Guides Company Ltd
0207 898 0549 (call me!)

The Land of Aquitaine

Back in the 1st century BC it was the Romans who named this area Aquitaine, nestled between the northern Pyrenees, the Massif Central’s volcanoes and the Atlantic waterfront.

The sheer variety of landscapes you will find in inland Dordogne, one of France’s largest regions, is quite simply unrivalled. It has always been popular with house-hunters and tourists alike and the flights into Bergerac have reinforced the many attractions of this area and kept house prices relatively high - although WAY cheaper than the UK still of course!

There is a kind of ripple effect with neighbouring regions becoming almost as popular. Dordogne’s borders with Charente and Charente Maritime (rolling hills, proximity to beaches) are popular, as is the area north towards Limousin, served by flights to Limoges. Recently cheap flights have opened up the lovely city of Pau in the Pyrenees Atlantique. This area experiences a mix of climates, with warm summers and heavy rains off the mountains in autumn and winter; the beauties of the Pyrenees, with its great skiing on the doorstep and easy drives to mountain and coastal Spain never fails to attract visitors...

If you are looking for some southern warmth, gastronomic delights, rich history and a great variety of landscapes then you should be spending time exploring Aquitaine, the large region which now encompasses the old historic regions of Aquitaine, Perigord and Gascony. Vast though it is now, in days gone by Aquitaine was even larger. During the twelfth century it was ruled by the fabled Eleanor, and became British crown territory when she married Henry II. Their enormous domains stretched from the Loire valley to the Pyrenees. It’s said that she never grew used to the cool, damp air of England and always hankered for the warm breezes of her native land.

The climate in this area is governed by the mighty Atlantic whose coastline stretches from glamorous Biarritz in the south west corner to the Medoc wine-growing estuary of the Gironde further north. It brings in the rain which makes this region, with its many forests and lakes, greener than the Mediterranean but the sun is warm well into late autumn and spring arrives earlier than in Northern regions. Summers in the inland areas can be very hot, with record temperatures of 40C+ in 2003, whereas the coasts and Pyrenees remain cooler thanks to sea-breezes and altitude.

From eastern to western border, the department measures about 100 kilometres. Indeed, it's the third largest in France. It's also one of the most densely wooded, with 40% covered by woodland. The main activity is agriculture. The largest town is Périgueux, with a population of some 30,000. The population of the department as a whole, at about 380,000, is scarcely changed from fifty years ago.
The regional tourist office divides the department into four, each designated by a colour: the Green Périgord (Périgord Vert) in the north; the Black Périgord (Périgord Noir) in the southeast; the Purple Périgord (Périgord Pourpre) in the southwest the Périgord Blanc.

The Dordogne River is very majestic, flowing through a broad valley and perfect for agriculture. Drama is provided by the rocky outcrops at the edge: the Château de Beynac towers above the river at one point, while, a few kilometres beyond, La Roque-Gageac huddles between the steep cliffs and the water.
The capital of the Périgord Noir, Sarlat, is a small town with a population just below 10,000. Its ancient buildings have been extensively restored, and the town exists mainly on tourism, promoted by a series of festivals: two days of rock music in April, a little over two weeks of theatre in July and August, and a week of film in November. During the summer months Sarlat is thronged with well-heeled tourists. Outside the season it goes happily to sleep.

The west of the department is an altogether gentler place than the Périgord Noir. To the north of Verteillac and to the south of Bergerac the landscape opens out into wide expanses. English visitors find the area between Bergerac and Verteillac reminiscent of an England they half-remember – and which perhaps never existed. The landscape is intimate, with small rivers – the Isle and the Dronne – flowing between a mix of trees and small fields and meadows. The Double forest covers an extensive area between Ribérac and Montpon to the southwest, and there are wooded hillsides to the north of the Isle valley, but in general this part of the Dordogne does not feel over wooded. This is partly because the lower hills provide farmers with more agricultural land, opening up the landscape, and partly because of the distinctive quality of the light. Although more than a hundred kilometres from the coast, there is a luminosity reminiscent of coastal regions, which is much loved by artists, and explains why so many have chosen this part in which to settle. The climate is also warmer and drier than other parts, although winters can still be very cold.

The main town, Nontron, houses a sous-préfecture but has a mere 3,500 inhabitants. The area is probably the most underdeveloped in the Dordogne, but for lovers of rural life, far from cities, it has much to offer and a number of English have happily settled here. A town of any size is at least an hour's drive away. Nontron is 45 kilometres from Angoulême and 50 from Périgueux. If the Périgord Noir looks southwards to the Quercy and the Lot, the Périgord Vert looks north to the Limousin – the distance from Nontron to Limoges, a town of greater size than any of those in the Dordogne or the Charente, is 68 kilometres. The availability of cheap flights from the UK to Limoges is likely to increase the area's popularity for English buyers.

My fiancé and I stayed in Brantome, the most beautiful small town close to Nontron. It is called the “Venice of the north” for good reason: it is actually an island with 2 lovely bridges and a host of cafes, bars and restaurants to linger in.

For more information on the Aquitaine region – or indeed any other region of France, do get yourself a copy of our famous France Buying Guide. This has become many of our readers’ bible! It holds a host of information on every aspect of life in France and I have done an overview of every single area so that you can make a properly informed choice on which region is right for you.

Just click on: http://www.FranceBuyingGuide.com/guide.htm or give me a call on 0207 898 0549.

How a Guide Reader saved £11,504 being Smart

Paul and his wife Deborah had decided to buy a condominium in the USA. Their son had married an American girl and they were determined to be part of their lives and to get to know their new daughter-in-law.

Paul needed to send the equivalent of £135,000 to Florida at the end of September. Fortunately he had heeded the advice given on the Smart Currency website and phoned in early - June in fact - to discuss his needs. At that time, it was recommended that he look at reserving money (for purchase in the future) at that day’s exchange rate – Paul takes up the story:

“Who was to know that we were just about to fall over the precipice of the biggest recession in living memory? I was told by the Smart trader that, given how unpopular sterling was, the pound / dollar could go down the further along the year we went - he must have been psychic! His thoughts were that it may be best to arrange a ‘forward contract’ – to buy currency at today’s date for transfer in the future - as soon as possible, thus locking in the rate at the time to use at a given date in September. Suffice to say it’s the best piece of financial planning I have ever done,” says Paul gratefully; “not to mention that Smart made the whole transaction so simple, a couple of short pieces of correspondence and it was all set to go.”

Paul was able to reserve the US$ 264,600 that he needed to send to the USA at a rate of 1.96 GBP/USD on a forward contract from 02/07/08 to 26/09/08. In Sterling, the cost to Paul (when the contract matured in September) was fixed at £135,000 less the deposit paid. (US$ 264,600 ÷ 1.96 = £135,000).

Had Paul waited until September to buy the currency needed, which was his original intention, the rate would have been 1.84. This would have meant a cost of £143,804 (US$264,600 ÷ 1.84 = £143,804), making a loss for Paul of £8,804 over buying a forward contract.

Furthermore, this was not the only saving that Paul made. Had he traded with his high street bank rather than getting exceptionally good rates from Smart, it would have been approximately £2,700 more expensive for the USD purchased (or he would have received $5,292 less).

All in all Paul saved £11,504 by being Smart with his international payment for his overseas property!

Incidentally, with current rates at the time of writing at 1.46, if the requirement had been for now, and booking forward when Paul did, the saving would have been an outrageous £46,232 (US$264,600 ÷1.46 = £ 181,232 - £135,000 = £46,132).

These figures really bring to light the importance of using not only a currency company, but the right currency company – one where you get a really proactive service.

As soon as you know that you’re going to send money overseas, contact Smart Currency Exchange!

To read the latest market information on Serling and the Euro go to: http://www.FranceBuyingGuide.com/Currency280509.htm

If you haven’t had a chance to discuss in detail what the alternatives are for your currency concerns then please give us a ring and we will be happy to talk about your possible options. Call on 0808 163 0102 or if you'd like to get a Better-than-Bank exhange rate quotation go to: http://www.smartCurrencyExchange.com/smartsquotation.htm

Why overseas property buyers lose money...and how you can avoid it!

This 10-page educational report outlines:

• Case Study: When Property Buyer, Mr Reed, Purchased an Overseas Property, he Made Three Mistakes that Cost Him £10,256...learn how you can avoid them...
  
• How the Banks make HUGE profits from their long-standing unsuspecting customers
  
• Ways to safeguard yourself against adverse fluctuations in exchange rates (or in other words, helping you to keep your money in your pocket)
  
• The entire process of moving money from the UK to any overseas location, so that you're armed with all the knowledge you need to make intelligent decisions about your money
  
• How you can ultimately save £100’s and £1000’s so that you have ample money to buy furniture and white goods…
  
• More case studies of people that lost money due to foreign currency strengthening against the pound, so that you learn from other peoples mistakes rather than your own!
  

To get a copy of the report at no charge go to: http://www.smartcurrencyexchange.com/freereport.htm

The darling buds of May – in France!

Lovely Girondine property for sale

Price: €392,200

5 bedrooms

3 bathrooms

You really do seem to get far more for your money buying in France today rather than the UK. For instance, have a look at this.

You have a rare opportunity to acquire a stunning formal Girondine property at a fraction of the price it would cost you in the UK. The house nestles in the centre of a very pretty little village yet is very private, with fabulous and far reaching views over rolling hills, woods and countryside.

The rooms are all bright and spacious, with high ceilings. The kitchen is fully equipped with an island and leads through double doors into the large living and dining room. There is also a snug/T.V. room – this could be used as a study or even a bedroom depending on your requirements. A bathroom, a separate w.c and a utility room complete the downstairs offering.

On the first floor are 5 (yes, 5!!) good sized bedrooms, 1 with an en suite shower room as well as a family bathroom. The property is in immaculate order throughout and has been tastefully refurbished. It would make an ideal family home – it is just a short walk to the local boulangerie and epicerie as well as to the village school.

Interestingly, I bumped into an English chap a few days ago who had worked in the Diplomatic Services and had been based in Morocco. He was only there for a few years but had educated his children in the French Educational system in Rabat and kept them in the Lycée system once he returned to the UK – he swore by it. The amazing thing about this system is that, where ever in the world you are, the classes are at EXACTLY the same place in the curriculum, an enormous advantage if you have a job where you may be transferred worldwide at any time.

I digress!

The house is in St Vivien de Monsegur, just 5 minutes from a very sought after bastide town of Monsegur, which has all the commercial requirements you would need plus bars and restaurants, schools and leisure. There is a weekly market in the village where all local produce can be bought and during the summer there is the weekly night market as well as many other animated festivities. Just the thing to meet your new neighbours and become part of the community! Also you may be pleased to hear that because Monsegur is situated on the border of the Gironde and Lot et Garonne regions of south western France, it makes an ideal base for those who enjoy wine tasting, as the historic hilltop towns of Duras and St. Emilion are but a short drive away. In summer Monsegur is best know for its International Jazz Festival in July, which attracts jazz musicians and singers from all over the world. During the three day festival, the whole town comes alive with the sound of music

Bergerac airport is just 50 minutes away whilst the beautiful city of Bordeaux and its international airport is just 1 hours drive.

Are you interested in this, or indeed in any property in France? I’d love to help – just give me a ring on 0207 898 0549 or, if you fill in the form at the following link, I will call you to discuss your requirements:

http://www.FranceBuyingGuide.com/property.htm

Legal Corner: Know Your Obligations

Remember that French source rental income is taxable in France. There are different rules in France for calculating rental income according to whether or not the property is let furnished or unfurnished and depending on the amount of gross income received in the French tax year (the calendar year). Anyone renting out a property in France should ensure they understand the French tax laws before letting.

Remember that a UK tax resident is also liable to income tax in the UK on the same French rental income. This means you will have to decide on your future “domicile”. However, under the UK/France double tax treaty, any French tax paid, if you are still a UK resident, will be deductible against UK tax on the same income – if the French tax is more than the UK liability, you pay the difference in France.

UK tax on rental income is due even if the money is deposited in a bank in France or the Channel Islands and never brought into the UK.

We strongly suggest obtaining the advice of a good bilingual solicitor well versed in both English and French law before you start on your gite business: it will save you money in the long run. You have come to the right place for this: we have truly excellent recommended professionals who can help you in all areas. Click on the following link and simply let me know in which way we can help: you will always get a personal, friendly and hopefully helpful reply!

http://www.FranceBuyingGuide.com/resources.htm

Top Tip

If you are making appointments with French property agents, remember to give yourself enough TIME! Ideally you should think of spending a whole day with one, then perhaps taking a day off to recover, regroup and on to the next.

Remember that you may be looking at properties which are quite far from each other – France is a huge country!

Maybe you have a tip you would like to share with your fellow readers? If so, have you had a look at our France Forum? Click on: http://www.FBG-Forum.com for more tips, comments, questions and answers on France.

Saving money abroad on mobile phone charges…

I have a mobile phone, I use it, I text, I phone…but I have to admit I’m not clued up on how they work nor do I understand the various fees and charges. And when I’m overseas I tend to turn my phone off or spend as little time on it as possible. I can’t help but feel a impending sense of doom after I take a call – all the while I’m wondering if I’m being charged 25p/minute or £2.50/minute?!

Well…there’s a service specifically set up for people that want to use their mobile overseas yet not be charged random high fees for doing so.

The service is called Sim4Travel and provides users with a special SIM Card…As I have just learned…a SIM card, also known as a ‘subscriber identity module’, is a smart card that stores data for mobile phone subscribers. This can include user identity, location and phone number, network authorisation data, personal security keys, contact lists and stored text messages.

A SIM card can be switched easily from one phone set to another. This can be useful in a number of ways. For example, a user that buys a new phone can install the current SIM card to associate the new phone with the same number and user preferences (such as saved phone numbers) as the old one. Also, if a phone's battery runs out, the user can easily install the SIM card into another person’s mobile without costing that person anything – you will be using your own credit.

With the SIM4Travel service, you swap your UK SIM for the SIM4travel SIM and that allows you to make and receive calls from abroad for a low cost and even for free. If you go on their website, the main benefits of getting a SIM4 Travel SIM are:

• Receive mobile calls for FREE in 36 countries
  
• Cut the cost of mobile calls in over 110 countries
  
• Call ANYWHERE in the EU for only 25p per minute
  
• Use the same number every time you travel
  
• Top up at anytime - direct from your phone

For £15.99 you can join SIM4travel and this comes with £10.00 of credit for pre-paid phone calls. So essentially, it only costs £5.99 to join the service and then you just need to top up your pre-paid credit whenever you want to use the phone. You can join SIM4travel and top up your SIM card either online or by phone.

Get more information on SIM4Travel on their website: SIM 4 Travel

Let Me Help you Plan your French 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…Here is an email from one of my readers that has recently started the planning process (abbreviated slightly):

Unfortunately, we have no definite time line. We want to have one [overseas property], BUT with 3 teenagers in school here in Cork, 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 realize. 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 France Property Buying Guide if you have not already done so. To order your copy, go to:

http://www.FranceBuyingGuide.com/guide.htm

If you have any questions after reading the Guide I’d be more than happy for you to ring me (or my associates) – we’re here to help! Please phone on 0207 898 0549 and either I or one of my colleagues will be delighted to have a chat and see if we can help you make your dreams come true.

Talking to people buying abroad on a daily basis gives The Overseas Guide Company access to well respected, tried and tested property professionals that have helped others. Perhaps we can help you too? Give me a ring!

To end...

Since I came back from France last week all I have wanted to do is to go back there. I expect you know the feeling. The pace of life is just so lovely and this time I noticed a real sense of happiness and peace when compared to life in general in the UK at the moment.

And of course the lovely news is that this really is an excellent time to buy in France. There is a wealth of stock, you really are spoilt for choice and many buyers are willing to accept offers.

I have another little secret for you: my fiancé and I are going to buy a renovation property in France! Once the wedding is over, this will be a fantastic project to get our hands on and he already has his designer hat on in anticipation. So I will keep you posted on our progress as we go along. We will be hopping across to France again in the next couple of weeks so more news soon no doubt!

I leave you with a lovely email from Eric and Mary.

“Hi Alexis,

Thank you for replying in such detail to my email, when reading your emails they always seem to make problems and queries seem so trivial. Are you any good at laying paving slabs? Only a joke!

I look forward to reading any update that you may publish after you have had your meeting with your various appointments in France.

I am sure it is through yours and Kim’s efforts that many people that would have given up the idea of having a holiday home or emigrating to France have only succeeded by following the path through the France 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 both,

Eric , Mary White”

I wish you well with all your plans. Don’t forget you are so welcome to contact me or any of my colleagues here at the Overseas Guides Company at any time. We are here to help, we love what we do and look forward to your continued feedback and comments.

Till next time!

Kind regards,

Alexis
France Buying Guide
The Overseas Guides Company Ltd
0207 898 0549 (call me!)
mailto:Alexis@overseasguidescompany.com