alittlebitfrench

I am like Idun in that I can't learn languages even my own. I have not used a pen since I left uni. Well apart from signing my name and doing the Loto. My name never looks the same and I often struggle doing a cross. There is a medical reason for that and such people tend to be very gifted in other areas although called lazy and thick by languages teachers. It sounds like Idun came here at an early age like myself but it seems not being able to speak the language to a high level has not impacted on their success of living in France. Why is that I wonder ? I wonder Betty if language teachers can spot those people who suffer such conditions (recognised or not) and adjust their method of teaching accordingly. I could teach phrasial French, French that is spoken on a day to day basis in a couple of hours. There is no real need to understand what is the first person singular, the meaning of a tense or what a verb is.

[quote user="You can call me Betty"]We bought a house in an area we'd visited often and liked a lot. It would never have occurred to us to look anywhere else, because to me, buying a house in a foreign country in an area I didn't know at all would have been a bit silly, and Epinal would have been out of the question for reasons I've explained already! We wanted to be near the coast ( after all, to me, "holiday" means "seaside") and close to a decent town. I know lots of parts of France quite well, but when buying a house I (in common with the majority, I suspect) I tend to prefer to buy somewhere where I'd be happy to live. It's exactly the same in the UK, or wherever you call home..you buy where you WANT to live, not to fulfil someone else's expectations. Didn't give a monkeys about living near other English speakers, as I can manage fine in French. As it happens, it seems we live between the two great swathes of British settlers in Deux Sevres and Dordogne. Had no idea at the time. Doesn't affect my life at all. I wouldn't buy anywhere in Normandy (hardly worth the fare to cross the channel if you stop so soon) or Brittany (OH grew up in Cornwall...can't see the difference other than language) and the (summer) weather is nicer further south. When people ask (because I don't volunteer the info UNLESS someone asks), I tell 'em we live about halfway between La Rochelle and Bordeaux. Mainly because they don't really give a monkeys and most people have a somewhat tenuous grasp on French geography unless they've been there.[/quote] I get the coast bit although La Baule would be my choice.

Hi JandM. I am no snob. No expat/immigrant will choose to buy a house where I live in France. I do admittedly find the whole subject very interesting. I like your suggestion that maybe it is because SW France reminds them of home. But, I have been to most corners of France and that one does not work for me either. Stoke on Trent...Dordogne. Not really the same thing. So.....it is not the climate; most suggest it is not snobbery and well lets be clear Milton Keynes is not Sarlat. What else could it be ?

I reckon Oranginblack is the CFO for Amazon. Orangeinblack....it is the same reason that ebay fr is a complete waste of time.

Gardengirl That is proper living in France. An appartement as a second home in France is the way to go...IMHO. Norman.. I have no Stats...just asking why no immigrants on Forums are looking for an English speaking Electrician or hairdresser in Franche comté. I caught a plane last year from Southampton to Nantes. The planes leaving before mine were for Bergerac, Limoges, Poiters, and Clermont. They were full to bursting with English speaking immigrants....with loads of kids. My flight to to one of the top 3 places to live in France was half empty.....mostly French. LOL.

Ok...Ok.....OK..... it is not snobbery or climate. Why do most expats live/want to live in SW France? It is a fair question.

I have say 'Ventodue' you are doing a grand job helping out the OP. I have to say this forum is quite novel in that people actually do help each other out without it becoming a contest to who offers the best advice.

I think there is a snobbery factor as well. I live in SW France. I live in the Dordogne. I live in the Lot et Garonne. I live in the Gard. I live in Franche Comte. That is not going to impress anyone in a pub.

Now I get the Vosges connection.

[quote user="You can call me Betty"]As I lived full time in the Vosges for quite a while many years ago, (Epinal, if it makes the slightest difference) I can say that it is quite picturesque but it has a climate that is much the same as Manchester for 9 months of the year. Not for nothing was it one of the centres of the cotton industry.... I notice that 99% of my contemporaries (if Copains d'avant is a barometer) have upped sticks and fled from there to more temperate regions.[/quote] My mother in law is from the Vosges (not far from Epinal) so I know the area quite well. Spent many a summer there. I would agree it is quite cold and area is more for the outdoor type. Gerardmer is lovely. I love the East of France. I amazed why more expats are not attracted there. I would move there tomorrow. Just for the food. I have never really understood the mass expat exodus to SW France. Given the beauty of whole country you would think there would be more of a balance of expats across France. Climate is not the reason. I watch the Meteo.

Another problem with this is that never ever go through the process of buying a house in France that will involve the month of August. Especially when their are reports being conducted. The OP made reference to the point the Notaire was in receipt of the report in July.

I would go with Betty's sticker idea...after sorting out the rust problem. That is a top tip. Painting it could easily become a nightmare.

Cold......but it is cold all over France in the winter. A couple of degrees here or there does not change much in the grand scheme of things. But, if there is one thing I need when living in France is the 4 seasons. Only these regions of France will give you that. I would rather be cold and happy than lukewarm and depressed in winter.

Franche-Comté is fab. Alsace is sublime. The vosges not so bad.

It is not just the renovation costs, Notaire fees are a killer too. Interesting point to show how different France is to the UK. Most people in France of course borrow money (like me) to buy a house. With the cost of the notaire fees and the cost of the loan you will have to live in it for at least 4 years without losing money. If you plan on living there anything less, then it is cheaper to rent. The more expensive the city/town the longer you have to live there. Lyon is 8 years. In Paris it is 13 years. So, do you pay 2500 euros rent per month for 12 years or do you buy ?.......Notaire fees will be on a typical family flat in Paris over 50,000 euros. Who said the housing market is cheap in France ?

It may sound right Chancer, it may read right, but unless it is written down (and it needs to be written down) by someone who job it is to say that it is indeed right then it is pure speculation. Hope there is no historic buildings about. What concerns me more is the owner has gone through all this expensive renovation and suddenly decided that the house is to small. So they have spent money on notaire fees in buying the place (expensive) all the renovation (very, very, very expensive) and now going to spend more money on Nortaire fees buying another place (expensive). This house is not being gifted away. Without a shadow of a doubt the house will be well overpriced and someone (probably British) is going to get very stung. Furthermore the Notaire fees (paid by the purchaser of this house) is going to be a lot lot more than it was originally. Scary.

I have seen it in most Bricos. You need to search for 'Peinture Electroménager'. I would use spray can but if your heart is set on paint in a tin then et voila.......... http://www.castorama.fr/store/Peinture-de-renovation-Electromenager-Blanc-05L-prod10790021.html

You are very funny....nickP.....hiccup Just asking...what does the P stand for ? Pint ? Picpoul de pinet ?

I am being a bit unkind with my first answer. I would buy off a British/expat seller, but I want to see all invoices from French artisans for any major work carried out in the house. There are two types of British expats living in France. Those who choose to live in France and those who don't. Those who don't have unfairly muddy the waters for those who do. I am not answering your initial question but I doubt anyone can. Certainly I would not take the explanation given by the seller as fact.

Is the seller British by chance ? Why are they selling ? I would never in a zillion billion years even for a price of a beer (no disrespect to anyone British trying to sell their home) buy a house in France from a British expat. I might not sound like I am helping but methinks I am.

[quote user="You can call me Betty"]This seems to be the thingy that people are talking about: http://www.immoprix.com/ipStat.php[/quote] I think as I understand it the OP wanted historical data on a particular house rather than the region.

Loads of wolfs in France and they are not all P&O British builders. http://www.lefigaro.fr/sciences/2014/08/26/01008-20140826ARTFIG00331-quatre-cents-loups-font-des-ravages-dans-nos-campagnes.php "La protection du loup coûte près de 12 millions d'euros à l'État" I am not sure sheep support that kind of expenditure.

The point I am trying to make is that if you had no idea of the ins and outs of dry rot (like me and most people) and you wanted a test then you would go for diagnostic mérule in France. To have to list all the specific 'champignon lignivore' that you would reject the house on would be unfair. France is bad but not that bad. Well maybe in the north. Both Notaires are trying their luck because the OP is an expat

A = Les zones Agricoles U = Les zones Urbaines (The 'C' in UC may sand for 'Constructable' AU = Les zones à urbaniser (in the future) AU1 = Is something like the above with conditions

This is how I understand it. Mérule is a 'Champignon lignivore' http://merule.comprendrechoisir.com/comprendre/champignon-lignivore It seems to me that a diagnostic Mérule is what you would undertake to detect the presence of all Champignon lignivore. http://www.merule-expert.com/diagnostic.ws http://www.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/Merules-et-autres-champignons,22397.html Whilst they have not dected mérule but two other forms (as I understand it more dangerous) of champignon lignivore you perfectly in your right to reject the house and your deposit returned given that 'mérule' is used so generally in diagnostics. No one is going to prevent you from getting your money back. This might be useful. http://www.jurisprudentes.net/Comment-regler-un-litige-avec-un.html