Logan

[quote user="ErnieY"] I wonder how many Brit restored properties ever get sold back to the French ? [/quote] French estate agents usually target British resale owned properties to potential British/Dutch buyers. They know British tastes do not appeal to French people. So if the Brit market dries up selling gets much more difficult.

Spot market just means the commercial value rate at any given moment. An Irish cheque paid into a French bank in Euros should not attract a charge. Banks within Eurozone countries are prohibited from imposing charges on interbank transactions between those countries. I don't know where you will find the particular law related to this, probably the EU Commission site. Technically Allenb's meaning is correct in that domestic banks don't charge for transaction between each other therefore Ezone banks should not either. I personally do several such transactions each month between eurozone states and my bank does not impose a charge. ATM machines also come under the same rule.

The DWP send it to France in Euros via Citibank Ireland changed at the spot market rate of the day. There are no charges to have it credited to your French bank because it's sent in Euros from Ireland. Under the Eurozone rules that would be illegal.

I expect Sterling to be at current levels or lower for most of this year. May be a pick up in the last quarter as the effects of sub-prime fade. However this might prevent it:- http://news.independent.co.uk/business/news/article3348025.ece  

I cannot agree with most of your post Riff-Raff. I believe in parliamentary democracy because in the end it's the most accountable and least corrupt system man has thought out to date. Of course you can find examples where it fails but in general and over time it has produced the societies with the structure and rule of law we have today. Being whipped along party lines is part of the fabric. Folks vote for a party first based on it's policies then the man/woman second. In this instance Sarkozy is attempting to change France and fulfil a mandate for which he was elected. Local government in France needs reform. Bureaucracy needs reducing. Not my valuation but that of his think tank and progressive thinkers. Car number plates are such a small thing yet it produces illogical ludites screaming 'tradition'. As the current government tries to get to grips with changing and modernising France so the opposition to it grows. Yet almost 50% of the electorate voted for it in the first place. So parliamentary democracy works because they have the mandate to proceed democratically arrived at. They can ignore the calls of dissent safe in the knowledge that they have the moral and legal high ground. How else would you govern the almost ungovernable? I know I am over simplifying this subject but unless you fancy reading an essay on the wider principals, perhaps I should quit now and walk the dog in the rain.[:(] Groslard. As residents we surely are entitled to a voice of opinion. We contribute to the state, invest our capital and vote on local issues. We are members of the EU. Are we to simply hold our tongues and not express a view? Arrogance? I think not.   

[quote user="Frenchie"] Open to the world, and I think I am, I have a British partner and I love discovering new foreign traditions from all over the world, but I also want my country to keep some of its tradition and its proper culture . [/quote] And I am sure you also want France to modernise and reduce it's over burdened state sponsored bureaucracy. For this is why these proposals are being considered. To make life easier and the system more user friendly. The loss of car spotting is surely a small price to pay.

[quote user="groslard"]I expect the price of these older properties to fall 20%   [/quote] Since the costs of building materials for new build houses are rising 12% year on year, rising labour costs around 5% and building land in good supply I don't expect much of a fall. Rather at very worst remain static and the inflated cost borne by the building and supply companies at least for a while. 20% falls look over done to me.

[quote user="Ron Avery"]  any press references Logan? [/quote] In my original post.

[quote user="The Riff-Raff Element"] Forcing things through against the majority wishes of those who elected you? I thought that was called dictatorship...[:)] [/quote] In a parliamentary democracy laws are passed by majority with the peoples consent by proxy. Their elected representatives are just that. If they vote against the wishes of their electorate they have to answer to them. A government is constructed from the same representatives and act in the name of the majority of people who elected them. It’s called government by consent. When governments try to pass laws against the majority wish they become unstuck. Dictatorship is something else entirely.  

[quote user="Ian"] Don't forget: if you laid all the world's economic forcasters end to end you still wouldn't reach a conclusion! [/quote] But it might, just might, help you make a few bob. Like the Lottery you have to be in it to win it.

[quote user="Frenchie"] Well, ask your French neighbours, friends.. The vast majority of French people are against this measure. [/quote] Nothing new there then. This and 800 other changes. Admit it Frenchie the French hate change and oppose anything new in the name of tradition. The British do that as well, that's why countries need leaders who are brave enough to force through change in the teeth of opposition. It's called leadership.[:)]

Plans are afoot to change the way our number plates are displayed with the removal of the department number and impose the more anonymous European style matriculation plate. In addition plans are also being discussed to abolish departments altogether. Alor!! I feel this change may help to make France less bureaucratic and regions more integrated. I confess personal irritation because I live on the borders of 2 departments and the ‘us and them’ scenario is discernable. I think their abolition might bring some positive changes to life here. http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article3342198.ece

Excellent post Deby. Horses for Courses again. I am retired and age and experience brings it's own rewards. So living in relative isolation in the very rural SW at this stage for me is the best it gets. However I would have hated it when I was in my twenties/thirties and making my way in life. I often see young British people stuggling with their lives here with young families, trying to make ends meet. Can they really agree they have 'quality of life'? Perhaps that is the way they see it for their own individual reasons. However I am often left with the feeling they have to justify their move constantly to themselves and others. Quality of life is an over used term. I would suggest that if you cannot find quality of life where you are, it's unlikely you will find it anywhere else. Moving to another country is not a quick route to nivana, despite all the publicity to the contary.  

Madame Chirac also said of Sarkozy when his relationship with their daughter broke up. "And to think he has actually seen us in our pyjamas"![:)]

Carla and Le President have indeed got married. Carla should remember that when a man marries his mistress a vacancy is created.[Www] http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article3188823.ece?Submitted=true

Carla and Le President have married. Carla should remember that when a man marries his mistress a vacancy is created.[Www] http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article3188823.ece?Submitted=true

[quote user="DerekJ"]I don't believe that anyone can define what is a better quality of life for someone else. It's entirely personal. What might appeal to me may not appeal to you. [/quote] I agree DerekJ. We all think and act independently within an environment we create for ourselves. Our lives are very personal and generally speaking should come fairly close to satisfying our needs. My environment and personal life suit me but it would be very unlikely if it would suit you or anyone else. Why should it? Quality of life is subjective. It depends entirely what you want for yourself. Perhaps getting that sorted might be a start. Living in France does for me produce a good quality of life. However so does living in North Yorkshire, North London, Portugal or anywhere else if it suits your needs. Horses for Courses.  

[quote user="Cjlaws"]Most DVD recorders allow you to chose the recording quality, and with it the length of programme you record. It might just be a case of reading the manual... Please forgive me if I'm wrong [/quote] Thank you Cjlaws. Nothing to forgive. I have a problem reading tech. manuals in French even though my knowledge of French is fairly good. So on your advice I have now downloaded a manual in English from the manufactures site and I find the answer!! Eureka. This after searching the web over several hours and all the stores in my area for most of the day!! If anyone else has this problem the 120 minutes printed on the case of the DVD is misleading. It is only 120 minutes in a particular high quality recording mode. You can change the mode for up to 6 hours of recording if necessary but with a reduced quality of recording. Understanding the manual is everything!! Might seem obvious but I'm getting on a wee bit.[:D] Many thanks all.

Can anyone help with a problem related to blank DVD discs? In particular DVD+RW. Currently I cannot find a DVD+RW blank disc on sale with more than 4.7 gb or 120 minutes, I have bought a pack of 10. They seem to make it useless to record an average film from the TV with a new state of the art DVD recorder. Their usual length is around 170 minutes. More if you include the ads. I just miss the endings. I might well have missed something myself but it's driving me slight mad at the mo.[:'(]

The only ferry that I have had experience with runs from Genoa to Palermo. It takes 24 hours and passes Corsica and Sardinia. Genoa is quite close to the French border and the route is an easy way to reach southern Italy without the long drive. However this was a few years ago now and I cannot recall the company.  Try this link http://www.directferries.co.uk/sncm_ferries.htm

With friends like these.................................................... http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article3333776.ece 

There is an overnight train service from Marseilles, via Barcelona to Malaga. Then coach from Malaga to Algeciras. It’s a nightmare trip which will take forever and leave you very stressed. Far better to fly Nice – Gatwick then Gatwick – Gibraltar with GB airlines. Believe me that is very much better, cheaper and quicker. I write from experience.

[quote user="Sprogster"] The main reason is the escalating UK trade deficit due a high level of imported goods. Devaluing your currency is a convenient way governments can reduce this, by making imports more expensive and exports more competetive. Therefore, the UK and US governments are quite happy to see the £ and US$ go southywards, unless it gets out of control. Institutional currency speculators don't help either, as once it becomes clear a currency is headed in one direction it becomes a one way bet to make money and therefore currency swings usually overcompsensate.   [/quote] Your analysis is correct Sprogster. However governments as such have no direct control over exchange rates or interest rates these days. In my opinion the principal reason for the fall in the value of Sterling is market sentiment. That is expectation that Britain is heading for a major financial slowdown fuelled by a falling property market. In turn caused by the so called credit crunch and sub-prime crisis in the US. These things all have knock on effects in the economy of both countries. The raison d’être of capital markets is speculation. It’s their life blood. Unfortunately we are all at their mercy. Just as we receive the benefits of that speculation in their returns. For example our pension funds. The UK has just entered a new economic cycle which is likely to last some time. Things will get worse I am afraid before they start to improve eventually. Expect and plan for very difficult times. Alan Zoff is correct in his description of the origins of the Northern Rock crisis. It was a flawed business model entirely dependant on raising money from capital markets. When that dried up so did their cash flow and the bank technically became insolvent.   

Icarus no longer. More un Français embarrassant. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/ben_macintyre/article3168263.ece http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article3328411.ece

[quote user="Sprogster"] Logan, The main thing to watch out if you are going to rent the property on a short term basis to holidaymakers, is to check you are buying in an area that permits this. Some areas of Florida restrict short term holiday rentals of houses, to protect the local hotel trade! [/quote] Thank you Sprogster. Florida has a lot in common with the protectionist instincts of France and overheads do seem rather high which rather offsets the advantages of taking Euros. I'm rather going off the idea especially since I have quotes for long term medical insurance which are completely unaffordable. Tram - Sterlings current weakness was sparked by the falling Dollar caused by sub-prime losses which had a knock on effect in UK. Europe has fared better and is not so exposed. Although the slow down will envelope the eurozone later this year. The Euros strength is deeply damaging long term.