terdancamlog

Thanks for the responses all, some interesting viewpoints. In reading them i think my point has been misinterpreted; let me explain. As i mentioned i`ve read the magazine for a few years now, ripping out and filing the useful pages! Indeed as one person mentioned, to emigrate based on a few months reading of the magazine would be very silly, so with this in mind, who is the magazine aimed at? My impression is that most subscribers are long time investigators of France, so selling them the rose-tint is a bit pointless...? However, what i was really getting at was the "by department" balanced reporting. There is a section "ask the estate agent" that never covers anything negative--nobody would buy a house without asking an agent what's problematic about the area. Telling us they have a property on their books for 50 euros is just a pointless exercise, i would have information such as "the average house price compared to France is...and this is because...howvever this is offset by...but schooling is predominantly...most income relies on....it takes x amount of hours from uk...average rainfall is..." You get the idea! Indeed, as i mentioned before, we have visited France annually for quite some time now, and have spent the last couple of years actually viewing in earnest. However, as one person pointed out, France is vast and it is very difficult to choose one location to settle on. We are well aware of the isolation, close-downs etc having visited different times of the year, but as i stated this is part of the overall "Frenchness" that we are aware of. and that differentiates Frech way of life to the UK. But any number of mags, rags and tv shows could tell us that. To give an example how would you say Indre and Creuse differ from each other, or Vienne and Charente? The magazine would describe the chocolate-box goodness of course, but what about the differentiation or the issues therein? These are huge areas to go house-hunting in, but from what we've seen from the ground there isn't a lot of difference between them (that isn't attraction based--i`m talking purely day-to day living). If, as someone alludes too, the magazine is merely a light "shop-front" for France, i may take the advice of another forumite and change to a different "regular bog-read" :) Oh and the reason i`m awsking is that we want to set up a low-key Activity centre for archery, fishing and woodland play, but that isn't too far from schools and communications!! :) warmest regards D

Hello All, been a reader for a couple of years now, and it makes a great "bog-mag"! We're currently looking to move, but are finding it hard to settle on a specific region, and unfortunately the LivingFrance magazine is no help in that regard. The Reason? Everything over there is truly spiffing. Other than the usual suspects of language and bureacracy there is scan reference made to any "cons" of one department over another. Yes we understand that interior properties will be cheaper than coastal properties that are next to an airport or motorway link, but where are all the other real-life, day to day problems that are never mentioned? A few examples spring to mind: 1) main toll booths on Holiday saturdays and how to avoid them. 2) the atlantic winds battering the west coast 3) that wind that blows through the Alps down to the south cost (i forget it's name) You may think i`m an old pessimist, but i`m often left with the overall nagging feeling that the magazine isn't doing a balanced job--it's merely being a sales spotlight purely focussed on all the good things in France. I think to arm us readers better it should also be unafraid to make, or least refer to, problems/disadvantages and negatives that come with each department, and/or general living. For every chocolate box picture of an english couple living in rustic bliss, there must be the squalid high rise flats ring-fencing the only nearby town that has any facilities--we've certainly seen them! What do you think? regards Dan

MAny thnaks for the advice and the welcome. I`ve seen the CA branches in places like La Chatre in Indre, so they seem to be very widespread. Given that banking in France has a lot more charges than the UK, i have another question. I`m under the impression that banks like "history", but i`m wondering whether it is worth opening an online account now and suffering a few charges for, say, a year, or whether there is no benefit in that and simply opening up one just before we "set sail" would be just as good? Thanks again. Dan

Greetings, We are looking for a long term rent around the Limoges area to settle the kids in school before a permanent move, post summer 2010. This will also provide a base of operations for property searching hopefully bypassing the need try and cram in viewings over long weekends! I will still be working in the UK and travelling back probably every other w/e. We are currently renting in the UK, after having downsized quite massively! Been a subsriber to the mag for over a year now and unfortunatley i`ve not seen anything about how we actually open a french bank account from the UK! I may have course of missed it.... :P I`m under the impression that we need a bank account to rent, but we can't open a bank account unless we have an address in FRance--hence the catch 22. I`m almost fearful of the answer, but i`d appreciate some help, a magazine feature or pointing in the right direction! Thanks in advance Dan