letrangere

Terry, I'm a mere mortal on the mailing list too and my copy comes a very circuitous route as it's posted to my company's London office address before being DHLd to me overseas when the kind secretary there has time.  M

Gay, this is strange beyond belief.  Whilst searching my shelves for a book to read yesterday morning, I finally opted for John Mortimer's, Summer's Lease, a wonderful story of a family renting a beautiful house in the Chianti.  The thought crossed my mind that despite the ever increasing number of books set in France, no one has ever written anything quite as good as this.  I recommend it to everyone, I'm on my third or fourth read.  We also loved the Rumpole series.  I'm already preparing Christmas Wish List at Amazon (assuming they can find a box big enough!) so may well add this.  Thanks.  M

What are people reading by the pool or in the garden this summer?  Any with French themes worth recommending?  How about Savoie Fair by Caroline Guigonnet reviewed in the magazine this month?  Or anything else in English or French.  M

Americans who have settled through choice in France are a league apart, I know many in Paris and they are really exceptional people.  I just love the way they embrace everything French and make such a huge effort to learn as much as they can about their adopted country.  But the last few years haven't been easy.  And it's not just their French colleagues, friends and neighbours giving them a hard time.  One couple we know started receiving, "what-kind-of-people-are-you-that-you-want-to-live-in-France?" type mail from people back home.  Scary stuff.  M

"And just how much of the info came from these very forums I wonder " I had similar wonderings myself, Miki.  Here are a few more: 19 Buying property:  "French property values tend to increase in line with inflation, which means you need to own for at least three years to recoup purchasing costs." 27 Running a car:  "The cost of running a car (insurance, taxes, petrol, servicing, etc) in France is very high compared to the UK."  Is that true?  It's been yonks see we ran a car in England. 49  Cost of living:  "The cost of living in France will depend on personal circumstances and lifestyle."  (Now where have we read that before?)  "However, it should not be underestimated; social security contributions, income tax and other indirect charges make French taxes some of the highest in the EU."   M  

Fully agree, chatting to the hairdresser is a terrific way of not only practising French but also picking up local gossip.  Now confession time.  I moved to France with a rusty O level that enabled me to shop, ask directions, etc.  Immediately enrolled in full time French course, 3 hrs a day, 5 days a week.  After about three months of this got to a point where I had to sit an exam (written and oral) and it was whilst preparing for the oral that my great secret came out.  Although always top in class with the grammar exercises, a wizz at dictees and an avid reader, I couldn't talk.  Well, I could converse but not at the level you would expect.  And somehow getting good marks in other areas made it worse for I felt people's expectations were higher.  I lived with this for about a year doing every thing possible such as watching TV, reading even more.  I even enrolled for extra conversation classes but even there found myself trying to remain monosyllabic if I could.  And then one day, almost overnight, it just came, I found the confidence, the words and phrases that I could formulate beautifully on paper just flowed out of my mouth.  And I haven't stopped talking since! Hence my thing about lack of confidence and how important it is.  And it's true that it is best to just gabble away, though try if you can to combine it with some formal classes. M

Those of you that read LF magazine, what did you think of the little supplement that came with the August edition?  I thought it was excellent and would suggest that Forum Admin posts it somewhere on the Forum.  Questions included:- 1.  Language Skills:  "...Bearing in mind that it takes a long time to reach the high level of fluency needed to work in France; do not expect to pick up the language just by living there." 2.  Social Customs:  "The French are far more formal than might be imagined;..." 3.  Employment Prospects:  "Work is not easy to find in rural areas and evel less so in towns and cities, particularly without fluent French." And so it goes until, an invaluable bite size guide to the all important basics.  Well done. M

"Same thing happens when we tell them we are Americans." You're having us on, Ray, surely?    They can't be real Frenchmen, they're Bretons or other foreigners?  Incidentally, a Belgian colleague of mine with a place near Beziers says she would much prefer to be British as the locals are far more friendly and co-operative towards her British friends and neighbours than they are towards her and her German husband.  I told her it's because we have centuries of experience of colonising places.   (And we do a much better job of it than either the Belgians or the Germans, but we won't go into that here...) M  

"Or is that too restrictive and undemocratic?" Dick, it could be argued that it is a tad pedantic.  And if we start policing postings for spelling and grammar we may discourage people from contributing.  Re-reading a long thread, I occasionally spot spelling mistakes of my own and cringe with embarrassment.  But does it really, honestly matter?  Surely it's the dialogue that counts here on the Forum?  M

Gay, that bag, is it on a longish thin strap that you put over your head and wear the bag bit in front of you sort of bumping on you stomach?  If so, I love them too, especially as they'll fit under a coat in winter so keeping your purse, mobile, etc. safe from pickpockets.  Longchamp make them in many colours, I have a navy and a tan version, they're about the only thing worth buying at Paris airport duty free shops.  M

Gay, the author of the article mentioned raffia baskets and I agree with you both, they are good value, attractive and practical.  I also agree about the frilly undies, though bra sizes (which we won't go into here as it's been discussed soooo often before) are even more of a nightmare than in regular shops and, of course, you can't try them on in a market.  A friend of mine splashed out on a wool/cashmere mix coat from a French market last winter, bit of a splurge but far cheaper than the equivalent in the shops and very stylish too.  Something else I often buy, though it's not high fashion, are practical outdoor clothes from the huntsmens' stalls.  Canvas jackets and chinos and especially thick Aran style pullovers are all well priced.  M

I've noticed over the years that my husband, who was born in Wales, only ever admits this when either in Wales itself or France.  And, like you, the response from French people is always very positive.  I think they feel a certain affinity with the Welsh.  M

Article in last weekend's Telegraph on what to buy by way of clothes from French market stalls.  Hope her fashion advice is better than her geography ("A chic aunt of mine, who lives near Gers in Gascony...") but here goes: BUY:  kaftans, frilly underwear (of course), berets (aren't they quite expensive?), traditional clothes made by craftsmen (they certainly are), hand-knits "as knobbly and home-made as possible", accessories, thin belts, short leather gloves and evening bags.  Children's clothes. AVOID:  Any goods that aren't made locally, anything that will look like fancy-dress at home.  No-nos include Provencal dirndl skirts (must confess I've fallen for that one).  Expensive antique clothing markets.  Whatever is the "it" garment of the moment. I'm not a fashionista but did you know that kaftans are, "piece de jour" at markets this summer?  M

This is really interesting because Dobsie's experience is so different to that of a friend of mine who, against my better judgement, enrolled at Berlitz rather than Alliance.  She later complained that she didn't learn enough grammar, merely strings of phrases parrot fashion.  So she could sprout all these sentences as and when required but she didn't understand how they were constructed.  The course was also very expensive compared to AF.  M

TU, you make a good point but it can be a) better than nothing and b) far less intimidating so helpful to gain confidence.  Many people, especially beginners, worry enormously about making mistakes and somehow it isn't so bad if you do so in front of another non-French speaker.  And no matter what your level, it always appears easier to converse in French with other foreigners.  M

Article in August's Living France on the Correze in the southern Limousin.  Les Agences du Limousin at aptly named Beaulieu advertising "a very beautiful barn to restore very close to the Dordogne river with excellent views and in a small hamlet" for Euros 25,800.  Elsewhere, Richard Bovill of said agency remarks, "If we get a barn for around Euros 50,000 we can sell it straight away."  Someone sensibly mentions importance of winter house hunting but even away from the eastern fringes where it gets very cold (as does the eastern Lot), doesn't everyone find the Limousin pretty damp?  It is glorious on a summer's day but I thought parts of the region, especially around the Plateau de Millevaches, were the wettest in western Europe? M

"I was approached by somebody who claimed to be a Canadian" Canada has become the passport of convenience for millions around the world.  I know "Canadians" who until recently held Malaysian, Syrian or Indian passports.  You have to attend an interview at which I thought language ability was assessed.  Still, it's relatively easy to obtain one if you have what the authorities are currently looking for.  Must say I've always wondered what sort of people could be daft enough to reply to any of these Nigerian Scams.  We used to receive them regularly at the office signed by a Prince Bongosomeone.  But you've got to hand it to them for initiative, they spot the popularity of gites holidays and home in on unsuspecting owners.  They've certainly come a long way from the appalling letters in flowery English written on Izal style paper.  M

If you do your homework before you buy, employ a letting agent and take out the necessary insurances, letting in the UK isn't quite as dreadful as people sometimes fear. You have to have a property for which there's a big demand locally in the rental market.  Agents will tell you what goes and what doesn't, they'll also tell you what they have too many of!  They take a hefty percentage of the rental fee (and charge for other misc bill handling) but a good letting agent is invaluable, especially if you're abroad, as they can arrange maintenance, redecorating, debt collection, evictions, anything in fact.  There's a whole host of different types of insurance policies that you can take out to cover you for non-payment of income, having to evict people, etc. they're usually priced as a percentage of your monthly rental charge. Going this route, even though you may not receive quite as much money by way of income at the end of each month - and months in which you have to pay for annual gas checks, the tenant's inability to re-light the boiler or other bits of maintenance you may not receive any income AT ALL - you do at least still retain a foot on the UK housing ladder and during better times, benefit from property appreciation. We have a place in the UK that we've been renting out for 20 years and I don't think it's been empty for more than 8 weeks in all that time.  I must look in on LF and read this thread.  We had a very heated debate here some years back on the subject of retaining a foothold in the UK.  I argued then that it made a lot of sense if people could afford it.  Even when the market's slow, property in the UK is still a fantastic long term investment.  However, a lot of people at the time of the thread (2002?) reckoned that keeping  house in the UK implied a, "lack of commitment to moving to France", which I personally thought was bunkum.  Times change I guess. M

It is that little red devil sat on your shoulder whispering in your ear "Buy it.  Buy it!" You're so right, Alexis, we all hear him.  But fortunately on the one occasion when he were confronted with sheer and utter temptation in the form of a beautiful manoir and way too many hectares, his pleas were drowned out by the voice of common sense shouting in my other ear, "who's gonna cut all that bloody grass and how much will it cost when we one day have to repair that huge expanse of roof?".  I also dread to think how much it would cost to heat, once we'd got round to replacing and double glazing all the windows!  M

"our old house in the UK as increased by 100% in less than 3years" My goodness, don't wish to appear nosey but where is it located?  Perhaps in area that hadn't seen the previous massive increases and is catching up?  (Scotland?) That said, you can only judge the true value of a property after it's been sold and from what I hear in London, few sellers are getting their asking prices. Alexis makes an interesting point and one that is echoed increasingly by immobiliers in France.  Why do so many Brits insist on a huge great house with hectares of land?  Unless you're planning on opening a B&B or intend to run a free holding, do you really and honestly need so much?  I know comparisons with what the same money will buy you in Britain can make them appear so tempting.  But unless you are young and/or loaded with cash, surely both house and land can quickly become a millstone round your neck?  M

"I agree Jo that one does need qualifications to teach - its not so much the grammar (you can pick that up out of a book) but teaching is a skill that has to be learnt like any other and there are certain "tricks" to teaching a language which make it a different skill again." I agree with you both.  I studied to teach English as a foreign language many moons ago, got the qualification but still found myself ill at ease in the classroom.  I didn't enjoy it at all so took my career in a different direction.  I would go so far as to argue that you have to have a natural ability to teach, and that's not something that any amount of training can help you with.  Remember at school there were always those teachers that made even the dullest subject interesting yet there were others who couldn't get even the simplest point across?    My experience of teaching in France is limited to business English to private students but I thought most French schools (especially reputable ones) demanded at least a first degree plus a TEFL cert and some a PGCE as well.  We have several French based TEFL teachers on the Forum, it would be interesting to hear their views.  (Though I guess they're all enjoying their well earned long summer holiday....)  M

An agent friend in 24 told me that you quickly develop a sixth sense when it comes to spotting time wasters and that she was so busy a few years back that she had to filter enquiries between those she felt were genuinely keen to buy and those who just wanted to nosey around.  Fully realise it's their job but French rural agents often have to drive huge distances between properties so whereas in a London suburb you could easily view 6 or 8 properties in a morning, you'd be lucky to see that many in a day in parts of the Dordogne.  We toyed with using a property search company but the ones we located did not come cheap and we certainly wouldn't have saved any money.  Also, we felt that we got a better feel for the local market, the area and what was available by doing all the legwork ourselves. Debra, I still have nightmares too about some of the places we've viewed and have posted on the subject before.  The dog poo littered lawn is one, it was like crossing a minefield.  The beautiful house with the derelict interior reminiscent of a slum in a Zola novel, complete with inbred, toothless old hag cackling in the corner.  (My OH still gets the shivers about that one.)  My favourite was the bedroom floor strewn with the owners' discarded underwear.  I'm not expecting Homes & Gardens styling but you'd think sellers would put their knickers in the laundry basket before inviting potential purchasers round! M

There was a thread on the subject of parking at CDG recently.  Try the search function.   Know where you are now, should have known before as I've driven past enough times!  You're off the A20, the Limoges, Cahors, Toulouse road?  That's pretty easy from CDG as Orly is signposted most of the way, just have to get in the right (though actually it's left, isn't it?) lane at the Nantes/Bordeaux split.   M

Patrick, for as long as I can remember we have holidayed in the French countryside in late September/October.  Not having children, we're free to travel whenever we want but this is absolutely our preferred time.  Of course, gite rentals are cheaper (at least until you all amend your pricing policy!), so much so we can afford to stay far longer than we could in July or August.  But it's also a lot quieter and sights that would normally be spoilt by crowds far more pleasurable. (You may have seen my remark about Sarlat on a separate post recently.)  Also, as I posted before, there are many corners of France that almost compete with New England for autumnal colours, I'm thinking the Dordogne valley in particular, so it's a glorious time to visit. Admitedly, we are pretty easy going when it comes to weather but we've still found it to be far more reliable in early to mid-October than it would be in, say, May and certainly early September.  We've twice nearly lost the car in floods in Provence in September and taking a short May and a June break in the same area in recent years experienced rotten weather both weeks.  We're committed out of season travellers no matter where we go but I know friends in the UK says they're happy to spend the summer at home, especially as the weather can often be more reliable nowadays.  Others don't want to leave their gardens during the all important summer months. M

Oh this is difficult.  Although we lived in this area for years, we lived without a car as firstly we didn't need one and secondly there was nowhere to put it even if we did!  Not only expensive, parking slots are hard to find.  I can picture many, many private car parks but can't remember particular names.  However, why not ring the hotel Concorde la Fayette at Porte Maillot for I'm sure there's a large car park as part of their hotel/apartments/shopping complex but whether it's available for overnight stays and/or non-residents is another matter.  Best off though, if they're coming in from Calais, why not park at CDG, which they pass, and take public transport (or the Air France bus) into town.  I think this is what I would do if I were in their shoes.  They would also then be well placed to travel round the Peripherique and down one of the arterial roads to the Indre, which is where exactly?  Off the A71?  M