10 new stores in St.Malo.

[Gastines]

I thought I'd post something relating to France and St.Malo inparticular! It seems that this area seems to be pulling out all the stops to avoid plunging into the depths of the financial disaster. There are 10 new stores being built near the Carrefour/Madeleine centre, C&A/Billabong [whoever they are] and others,all premises taken. They intend to turn the old silo area down by the port into a maritime museum and there are many blocks of flats being built on the old staion site and elsewhere. The port authority is trying to bring more commercial business to the area and more access to cruise ships. The village up the road,St Jouan des Guerets has now been swallowed up into St.Malo ,and the largest entertainment complex in FRANCE is proposed for Dol de Bretagne. Property  prices in the immediate area seem to be very stable and anything with a view of the sea or the Rance is going up in price by the day. Perhaps the TGV now bringing Paris within  easy reach has helped. For example, a wreck that needs complete renovation,including new roof etc but on a long plot overlooking the Rance by the old mill has gone on the market with Blot for 429000 euros. At a rough estimate  I would say it wants 200-250000 spending on it and it is only a small house.

It would seem that the areas suffering most are those out in the country and those areas depending on one or two major employers that seem to be more prone to world wide fluctuations in the market

Even at a very local level I note that one hotel is having an extension added and our local doctors now has 3 in situ and  now 2 dentists. All the local villages seem to be spending fortunes restoring their churches,funded by central government mostly and many road improvements.

It was our intention to return to UK at the end of this year,grandchildren being the only draw, but as each week goes by and we read and see what a state our old home town of Bournemouth is getting into, we now think that a smaller house here,the present one is miles too big, will be the best option for our health,wealth and sanity.

I wonder what recent returnees to the UK think in hindsight? I do understand that for many younger people the big problem here is finding work but is it any easier in the UK?Fortunately work is not our issue.

Regards.

 

[Frenchie]

Thanks, this is interesting to me .

I regularly go to that area of Britanny as my dad is from there.

My uncle died two months ago, and his house will soon be for sale, and it s far from a ruin ! My parents think it is not worth a lot, I will have to tell them about your post,!!

[BIG MAC]

Billabong gear is surfer type stuff like Animal and Kangaroopoo

[Mme poivre]

Gastines

 It is somthing that I had noticed over the summer when I was last at my house that all there was a lot of new investment in the slightly bigger towns and even some of the smaller ones are having lots of money pumped into them. 

 Les herbiers for example aready has losts of big shops but has now included a new shopping area including a declathalon.  The little town near us has also gained a bigger shopping centre next to the Lidl including Hale shops. 

My neighbours were really excited as it mean they do not have to travel to la roch sur yon to the big centres there or Nante any more to go shopping.

Although I dont think that house prices are particualrly good in our area at the moment it being quite rural.

 

Judith

[Sprogster]

Gastines, most commercial property and large scale residential projects have a long lead in time and the planning process would have started a couple of years ago. As to whether or not all these projects get of the ground, or if they do get finished, will depend on what is happening to the local economy now and the continuing ability to raise finance. In this regard, I know St Malo and Brittany are having a very difficult time with its economy and a sharp downturn in visitor numbers and the buying power of the wealthy Parisians who have driven up property prices in the Rance area, is wilting fast.

French government support is being aimed at manafacturing industry and State infastructure, not individuals or private property development, so I expect what you are seeing are projects started when the economy and property prices were booming. 

[Gastines]

Sprogster. While agreeing with most of the views in your posting,the 10 store developement only started demolition and site clearing around the end of 2008 and is expected to be fully open by November of this year. I fully apreciate the time span normally involved in Commercial planning .As I go by the site 3-4 times a week  I have noticed just how speedy the work is progressing.The same applies  to the blocks of flats by the station. 2 blocks just around the corner from the station,  completed at the end of 2008 are fully occupied.As our house is just on the market I hope I'm more optimistic than you on this point.

Living in hope.

Regards.