Miki
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Posts posted by Miki
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[quote]>>I agree Miki. How long did that agent claim to have been working in France? His accent was even worse than mine. And what sort of person would try and sell a business catering to French people to a ...[/quote]
"The sort of person who runs a large forum (not LF).......who oddly didn't seem very keen that this was known! "
Right on the nail Gay.Anything that was mentioned about that agent (or agency) by the members on that forum found their postings missing and in some cases, warnings given to them, reminding the member about their code !
I could tell you some of the fibs (nice little gentile word eh?) that have been told to us by a few of our clients who have either found houses or shown houses by that particular company. To make things equal, they do allegedly have some good management as well.
Miki
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[quote]the change is done and thats that,was the old forum better than this new one?MrO[/quote]
We won't really know for a while will we but just as I have to wait to see if the present Chelsea side is better than last seasons side, only time will tell, on both scores but as in both cases, it sure looks to be better
Miki
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Bill,
I find this is a tough one to answer.
One half of me says let people try and good luck to them and the other half, that has witnessed the heartaches and grief due to seeing families having to go home with very little money, to even less than they left the UK, before arriving here.
They are still about, according to another forum, having moved a little more to the centre of Brittany. The Dinan area (as Tink stated and by the way it is the C de Com that deals with B&B's if you wish to register) is more expensive, so no, there was no way they were going to be able to buy something for under £250K to enable a family of 6 to live comfortably off.
Didn't they say they had £90k to spend on a business? What chance of that around Dinan !
And as for buying a campsite for anything less than £300k with a big enough turnover to support them, forget it. Did they not look on the net or ask Estate agents about prices before they left the UK?
Funny enough, they had all the right atributes to get on really, complete faith in themselves and blissfully unaware of what was needed for everyday living in France. The E111 was a fine example!
It only goes to prove that to really be on top of things on arrival here, one needs to do your homework and a good start for many, is perhaps, looking through this forum.
I really do put a lot of the blame with the programme makers for the way they tell the "clients" that they have 4 weeks to prepare for one of the biggest moves they will ever make. They take the people away from their homes, still mostly unsold, what severe pressure that does that put on you?
Then they barely know any more than the family do about their new life, which goes to show just how much they care for their victims, whoops sorry, clients. It is just about making a programme isn't it.
The estate agent is well known around here (I said that on another forum and it got pulled. It was detected by another member that the company are in league with the site!) and I will not add further, enough said? but what was he doing trying to selll them a bar/boulangerie/resto ?
Their French was non existant and business acumen not far short either. They would have gone under within months, if that and was I glad they gave that a swerve, a disaster waiting to happen was written all over it.
All the agent was interested in was making a sale at any costs and that does cheese me right off.
There are 2 more like this (diffrent shows) in the can, so to speak and one shows a family , again in the centre of Brittany with disasters all through the sale and after, will it put the tide of people off who want to come here?
My opinion; No more than King Canute did.
Miki
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A guest left a Sunday Mail newspaper here this week (just got around to reading it last night)and there was a full page advert from P&O stating in headlines "Direct to Britain"
Then goes on to say "Our routes Home etc"They must obviously feel there is now a big need to advertise for deals the other way due to the sheer number of Brits now living abroad.
They offer Calais Dover for 138 euros each way for up to 9 people and the usual one that has been running for a while now, up to 50% off travel with them. Plus extra nights free in UK hotels.
On another page later on was an advert for "Reeling and a rocking" billed as the greatest 60's show ever :
Wayne Fontana, Dave Dee, Mike Pender, Brian Poole, Dave Berry, Tony Crane plus special guests, wait for it............The Nolans
"Greatest" wasn't the word that sprung to mind for me !!!
Coincidence or what, sorry P&O, tempting enough though it is, I shall have to resist until Xmas !!!
POferries.com/visitbritain
Miki
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Diane,
I guess that it was obviously you or your husbands choice (or both) to move to France, what thought had you given to your daughters education and further on, what work do you think she will eventually find in France ?
Or have you bought a business large enough to offer her proper employment in a few years time?
Did you not sort out schools a while ago in readiness for the rentree (return to school)in just over a couple of weeks time?
Does she speak good French? She will have to also accept that she will start in a class at least one year below her level.
I don't know the full story as you never said but although I wish you good luck, to my mind, you may well be in for a tough time. At 15 our kids wanted away from the N.Dordogne, as for much of winter, spring & Autumn, many villages around us simply "closed down" and we were forever taking them to friends houses etc which was often us much as a 60 minute round trip.
OK, quiet country living may suit some kids I'm sure, it did ours for a while but then teenage years really kicked in and they needed a little more in their lives.
Good luck again.
Miki
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Not sure if you can still do it but we used to go to the far end of the port, still on the "tarmac" so to speak and just put the legs down and off to sleep, after the Hot chocolate of course !
There were always other caravanners/motor homers doing the same thing but it's many years since we last did it.
Miki -
Guess who is with them Chris!
I am surprised you didn't scroll through to Brittany and have a butchers!!!
We signed a 3 year deal with them in 2000. Then we took out a further 2 year contract in 2003 to take us to the end of this year.
They are based in France and in Henley on Thames. The reason we are with them is simply that the first 3 year deal was really cheap, the 2 year one, not too bad but what had made us stay with them in the last 2 years(apart from getting a fair number of enquiries), is that they have joined up with several European countries to have the guide book (always a good thing to be in, as the books can hang around for years, even after you have perhaps left the organisation!) called Thomas Cook best bed and breakfast in a few European languages.
We are in the Italian, Dutch, German (I think?), Spanish and French as well as the English book.
They have been going 10 years this year and we have had promos on during the year. You become a member of Bonjour and Maisons de France, with stickers available for your front door !!
2005 will see Regional brochures to complement the National guide book.
G de Fr members are not officially allowed to be with them. It is simply big brother tactics by G de Fr to try and bully the members of the much smaller B&B France, in to being with g de Fr only.
It is supposedly all to do with grading G de Fr say that their 3 epis are harder to obtain then the 3 etoiles of B&B and if a member was with both it might degrade their sytem. Bulls--t, I claim ignorance of their ruling and have only been warned once in 5 years !!
Strasbourg are sitting on their hands telling them both to clear it up sensibly, yeh right, it's only been close to 5 years so far !!
They will take 10% for every booking that comes through Paris or Henley. You have to offer them a RIB as the money is now paid direct to your bank, usually after the client has actually left your place !! Otherwise you will be contacted by fax, email or phone, by clients, either direct from the website or from their guide books (better learn half a dozen more languages Chris !)
What do I think of them, well I'm still with them and will sign up for another one or two years, so.....................
but remember that the big problem is knowing which of your advertisers is working for you. Not so simple as one thinks, that's another subject and too long to go into here.
Miki
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No probs Coco,
Weren't they a lovely family. As you are probably aware now, they travelled out on the Pont Aven but what with all the troubles with that ferry, had to find another way back but they thought, "Oh well might as well make use of the extra days in France" and simply got on with making the best of a bad thing!
What Gay says later reminded me of something.
Did you see his portable email machine? It's called (hope I get this right) A Blackberry and he kept in touch with his company in Ireland by email. There's a thought for anyone wanting to go away on hols in the off season but needing to keep in touch with their emails, e.g bookings etc.
Chris "the gadget" Quillan can try it first, can't you Chris!! Report back soon please!
No I agree, I have fun on here and often want to make light hearted quips but leave it to the real pros like SB !
Many people unknowingly have offered indirect help that I have snuffled for myself. The thing is, I didn't even know I needed to know until I read some of them either !!
Top of the Forum to you all...............
Miki
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It might be a long time in your area but it is now with us around here.
Has anyone been to their Docs with a sore throat or associated problem and the doctor asked you, if can take "swab" from the back of your throat?
He then proceeds to test the swab with a machine, to see if you are in need of an antibiotic. The Doc was pretty proud of his new gadget (he is a pretty young doctor who loves his gadgets etc)and said it was the new way of finding out, if what he finds means giving an antibiotic or another form of medecine.
Not long now until you stick your tongue in the computer somewhere and get instant results. Say AAARRGGGHHHH.............
Miki
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>does any one know of a
>formula for average yearly occupancy
>for chambres d'hote and gites
>please? I need one to
>use for a business forecast/plan.
>Have looked in the archives,
>but no luck. Thanks in
>advance.
It really does come down to where you are talking about, Location, Location...etc.
Reply where you are thinking of opening your venture and perhaps those living nearest will be able to offer some help, as well as others of course.
Mikk
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Deby,
You really must stand firm by your own rules and regs.
Little point in having them, if guests do not abide by them. All security deposits (I guess that is what you are talking about?) we accept are cashed 8 weeks before arrival, along with their final payments.
No point in sitting with a cheque, any breakages and the the guests, when they get home, can cancel the cheque.
Insist on the cash, in the nicest way of course. If you have it written in your regulations, you are within your rights to ask for it. Do you make your clients sign to say they have read and understood the rules and regs when they book one of your properties?
We have guests arriving Saturday who have booked late (a cancellation by previous guests)and did not send the security deposit along with full payment. So on Saturday, I shall have to grit my teeth and then get Tina to ask them for the cash !!
Miki
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LAST EDITED ON 16-Aug-04 AT 10:51 AM (BST)
>After following through with some of
>the things mentioned last year
>about registering your B&B and
>making yourself legal I have
>now started to receive official
>documents and requests for payment.
>I have to say so
>far they dont seem to
>be that bad (at the
>moment).
>
>I have two questions really.
>
>Firstly, I have received a document
>headed Renseigements Sur Le Paiement
>De LImprt from which I
>notice we are registered as
>a Micro Bic which is
>what we wanted. However on
>tapping away at the old
>calculator I see we are
>getting the 72% allowance yet
>we only sell a service
>i.e. Chambres DHotes. I was
>under the impression that we
>would only get 52% as
>we dont buy and sell.
>Any idea which one we
>should getting and if it
>is wrong should I tell
>them (so it does not
>catch up with me latter)?
No, the tax people have given you the correct abbatement. They are in charge Chris, do as they say. It has often been said by people on here, keep things simple and on this occasion you have been given correct deductions and now it is best to simply go along with their decisoin.
>Secondly, when I went to register
>I got the impression that
>my tax regime may depend
>on the number of days/months
>we are open for. Is
>this correct and if so
>how long can you stay
>open for?
I have answered this privately to you and repeat what I said then. It could be that you have not understood what they meant. Perhaps they thought that if you opened for longer you may have taken more money to put you in to a higher bracket, that could mean you being no longer on micro bic. That figure is beyond your probable reach.
It is not, to my knowledge, how many hours or months etc that you work that interest the Hotel des Impots (saisonires or full time) but the bottom line.
With cotisations, it is different, you can de-register at the Ch de Commerce and not pay cotisations for certain periods but even then, it normally comes down to the annual turnover.
I am sure the Impot only need to know your yearly figures.
Perhaps others have had it happen differently?
Miki
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Coals to Newcastle Dick ??
What's up with the Carshalton chish and fip shop these days?
My old mate Dickie Teale was the goalkeeper at Carshalton some years ago, when they had a decent side. (Bit of useless info I guess but.....)
Miki -
Coco and anyone else, see how this chap in Provence takes deposits and payments. He has shown people on the French forum how he does things.
I don't know if it would work but no harm in trying I guess but as I said before, it is just the costs of around 4% but if guests don't mind paying the costs or indeed the host or sharing them in some way, it could be a good route to take ?
If anyone else wants to try this method, do let us know how you get on, others may want to follow suit.
http://visitenprovence.free.fr/B-payment.html -
LAST EDITED ON 12-Aug-04 AT 04:07 PM (BST)
Following a thread by Coco about non arivals and non payments etc, I had reason to go to a neighbour a little while ago who is also with G de Fr and asked her in passing just how she got on with no shows and early leavers.
She said she made it hard for them to not pay, quoting the morality issues (big in Brittany!)and a load of other reasons, short of threatening to chop their wotsits off (the men that is !)she would get their money.
I think there was a bit of bravado thrown in but then her husband asked if we were with a certain French B&B site, I said yes and he said "take a look at their forum and see what happens on there"
Well all the problems we all get, it is reassuring that the French get them as well, so take a look yourselves, makes interesting reading.
One thing it will do, is help anyone with their B&B business by learning many of the French terms.
http://www.chambres-hotes.org/phorum/list.php?f=1
Miki -
Coco,
I have to admit that is unfortunately part of the business we are in. There is very little or indeed nothing one can do about it, more's the pity.
I tell them they will have to pay but according to G de Fr rules and the clients that come through them (direct, by the guide book or through their website etc)they can cancel at up to 24 hours before without charge !!
What b----y rubbish, how they can expect us to re-let a room at that short notice, more galling if you have turned away lots of other potential clients in the meantime
Some will pay for fear of a legal letter coming through the post but that is highly unlikely from our part, far too much hassle for the likely result of nothing !
I think maybe you should make a list of your policy on cancellations, such as:
1. All reservations must give 7 days cancellations notice, otherwise all advance bookings must be paid in full.
2. Please ensure you have a current insurance policy in the event of a cancellation, this will help you to get re-imboursed for any such happening.
There are many other things you could put down but most of it is bluff but we do it and of course with the threat of us having their card details on record, makes them think twice befoe not arriving or leaving early.
On the subject of credit cards.
I had reason to go to a bank here with a friend who wanted to hire a machine and use it in his gite/B&B business.
As you have already stated, no can do without a siret number, in other words, registering at the Ch de Com is the only way.
I questioned as to why this was as you can take a cheque which is simply a "paper credit card" as the funds all comes from the clients account, well with the French anyway but the bank say that the Ch de Com or Greffe are responsible for this and their hands are tied.
Having a machine is seen as being professional, so in fact, it is probably all the Hotels, Campsites and the like who have forced this issue. They do not like B&B's as we take some of their business of course.
The banks would willingly hire clients the machine but cannot without the siret number. This was not always the case by the way.
By the way Coco, Malcolm Wood and his wife thank you for a lovely stay last week and are with us here now !! Small world eh!
Miki
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That explains a lot Richard.
We have come across people who have been here over 12 years who have had the same problem, so now they speak only English to the French and that nicely avoids the very problem you speak about.
Sorry but I can't explain your original question but perhaps the French like to play games ?
Miki -
Thanks to Suzy & Lizzy for the chambres d'htes.
Here is the link for table d'htes
http://www.inforeg.ccip.fr/fiches/pdf/table_hote.pdf
Miki -
One of the uses, if you can call it that, was that we could drive in to the centre of big towns, for us Rennes, on certain days when others without the sticker couldn't !
It is useful when a a "pollution" day is declared in the big towns and only those with the "pastille verte" can enter certain zones.
Miki
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LAST EDITED ON 02-Aug-04 AT 11:20 AM (BST)
Yesterday when returning from Les Viviers (huitres et moules for lunch, delicious !) we passed through Saint Malo and saw a rather grand looking ship in the harbour.
We went over to take a better look and it was the HMS Endeavour, made famous by Captain Cook and his travels to the south seas.
There was quite a crowd waiting to take a tour around the ship.
It is of course a replica, the original being sold to the French in 1790 for whaling purposes and then when she run aground in 1793 at Newport Rhode Island, she was broken up.
It is a magnificent "old" ship, which had sailed from Brest (where it had been agreat "hit" during the Tall Ships Festival) on Monday 19th July to arrive in Saint Malo on the 23rd and was this morning sailing to Fowey in Cornwall to continue her tours.
Read more at http://www.barkendeavour.com.au/index.html or
http://college.hmco.com/history/readerscomp/ships/html/sh_031000_hmsendeavour.htm
Miki -
Bienvenue (welcome) to the "no mo" club then Julia.
I agree entirely with your sentiments, well I did about 6 years ago to be honest !
When we have stopped the business here and all the time that takes up, I look forward to having a second (or is it 10th)stab at growing my own. As I have stated before, the ladies around here sell wonderful veg in the local markets and I leave all the hard graft to them to grow the lovely produce.
Good luck to all the self growers, I will return (was that Arnie or even Ali?) when I have no other time consuming activity to interfere with me spuds, lettuces and toms etc!
Miki
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That really is a worrying percentage. Do you know if the school has always had a record so poor, or is it a recent drop in pass rates for going on to 2me.
Perhaps it is an area where "manual" trades are more required than "white collar" jobs? and the pupils have no "want" to do any more than get in to Lyce Pro? (those that don't want to re-double that is, of course)
Miki -
Richard it is simply because of all the catching up they have to do.
Miki -
Coco,
Tonight we had a call from 4 Americans booked in a while ago for 3 nights from this evening.
Well we all know by now how Lance Armstrong has won a record 6th Tour de France, so we get a call at 9 p.m to tell us, "don't worry, we are just leaving Paris and will be with you soon, we've been watching Lance"
When Tina told them that they were around 4 hours away, they simply said, will you be waiting for us. She then asked why hadn't they left Paris a little earlier or indeed stayed in Paris and travelled here on Monday, "Oh no, we need to see Mount Saint Michael first thing in the morning"
It's no good we have to understand that all countries have vastly different cultures and grin and bear what doesn't seem to be "rather British" in nature.
We have told them the key is hidden somewhere (I'm not telling you lot !)and we will see them at breakfast.
We have a card machine, as you know and we get about one a year, possibly 2 in a bad year, not show up and unless they have a really good explanation as to why, they are billed under the "No Show" agrement with our bank.
Mind you Coco, the price we pay for it, we often think about elbowing it, as the French all have cheques anyway (or most should have)and we have a ATM in the nearest village (2km) for others to get some cash out.
Miki
change for the better?
in The Complete France Post Bag
Posted
[quote]Hey Miki, I hear that my Blues played your Blues off the field last Saturday - but I s'pose it is the score that counts in the end Deby Forum Admin, How can I see who is posting/replying - do ...[/quote]
Who told you that, Steve Bruce by any chance
No, it was close but it's not how but how many, or is that golf ?.
Miki