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what do you really think of france?


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[quote]Some friends of mine have just upgraded their Campervan and reckon on using it roughly March through to October so there is obviously potential for a reasonably long season.[/quote]

Gay,

I am sure your friends will find somewhere but, as I think you will agree, I am sure you know, just how many extremely large caravan, medium and small sites sites there are in France, your friends will not exactly make it a need for more than a few of them to open all year, for the one or two nights they want to stop !!

When we had our site and believe me, we were in an extremely good roadside position, it was simply not worth the wait for the odd out of season van to arrive. Many small sites will open but just add up the nightly fee of one every now and again and you sitting there twiddling your thumbs !

Joking aside, if Stu & Syb find a little niche in the market, small out of season rallies and the like, then perhaps it might just be worth opening or indeed if you are there, you might as well open but we used the off season to get on with maintenance, renovate and to rest (yeh right we did, rest that is !!)

Stu, you did say 6 tents ? Well you won't get too many of them passing, or will you set them up and try to let them on a weekly basis ? I always thought that the small licenced site was up to 8 but I am not sure, things have probably changed. Do you have a shower/toilet block that's heated ?

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Not being a caravanner myself I just assumed that the level of equipment (my friends van has 'central'heating, and a shower for instance) these days would lengthen the season a little. I'm not sugesting they stay open ALL year, just that there may be an increasing market a little earlier and later than before.

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If you're in the right place, some hardy folk will always camp year round.  Spotted in a field at the bottom of the beautiful Capel Curig track up to Snowdon last February, 3 tents.  The owners were pottering around the field hanging out washing, making tea on primuses, etc. despite the layer of 3" of snow beneath their feet!  M
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Hi,

the site's primarily geared up for caravanners rather than tents, but yes, we'd accept tents. There's 2 sites really, one by the house about an acre, which has the shower block, (small but perfectly formed) and emplacements for 8 caravans (although 6 is the 'limit'), then there's a seperate field where the current owner has in the past sited tents that turn up on spec. It's basically a lovely meadow that has the river bordering 2 sides, with fishing rights!

We realise that it's not going to make us rich, but it's actually got a good returns thing going on. People do know the site, and have come back in successive years. I know the agent wants to sell houses, but she's convinced it's a go-er, and the owner before the current one really made it crack, but retired. It's worth developing, as we know we can due to the level of interest we've had already. caravan Club members seem to like it, as it's quiet (very quiet), and pretty rural. There's lots of nice walks and cycle paths through the forest etc. so we'd be looking to hire bikes etc. As I said, this part of it all stems from our own love of 'vanning. The main income will be from the 3 gites, with potentially a 4th on-stream asap.

Cheers for all your interest and replies so far. Especially SB. Thanks hun.

 

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S&S,

Make sure your campsite figures are properly authenticated. I remember a couple who hired a running B&B on the basis of the figures provided by the owners. They showed near 100% occupancy for the previous year. Given that the place had only been open 6 months, I found those figures suspect. Especially when it turned out that the were his (highly optimistic) projected figures. That sort of Brit gives us a hell of a bad name.

As always. Caveat emptor.

That said, I wish you all the very best in your move. I think you've already done a LOAD more research than most and fully expect you to make a go if it as long as you've not been "caught" by a crook.

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Hi Stu & Syb

we have spent many years with our caravan both in France and travelling through to Portugal. We have always had a problem in the winter finding decent sites en route specially in the area where you are going.Try to get into the Caravan Club European guide (if you haven't already done so) this is the 'bible' for most long term British caravanners.

There are more and more people travelling in and through France as we have seen and met a growing number every year so it may be worthwhile staying open.

Best of luck with your venture.

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[quote]S&S, Make sure your campsite figures are properly authenticated. I remember a couple who hired a running B&B on the basis of the figures provided by the owners. They showed near 100% occupanc...[/quote]

Hi Ian,

I've seen the figures for the campsite, and while they're not going to trouble the likes of Eurocamp, they represent a business that can (and will) do lots better. Because the site's only open from May to September, it doesn't earn a 'living' in itself. The fact that there are 2 up & running gites attached, and an easy 3rd to convert makes the whole thing a little more attractive. There's also 3 massive lofts to convert, 1 of which will eventually make the 4th gite/studio flat. The other 2 lofts are going to be additional bedrooms for the family. We'd like to think we've done a reasonable amount of homework, the thing that's lacking is a fluent French speaker among us. But, we're determined that will come, albeit slowly.

Bryan,

The site's already listed in the European CC Guidebook. I can't tell you the name of the place as yet, as we're not legally the owners. As soon as we are, I'll let you know. I believe there's a market for all-year round sites in the region too. I know we've struggled to find some that are open, as have quite a few of our friends. Hopefully we'll make it. If we don't....c'est la vie.

I must say that I'm generally impressed with the level of knowledge you guys have, and the frindly attitude you display. It's really refreshing. Thanks one & all for your contributions so far. Please feel free to add more if there's 'owt (the Yorkshireman in me, sorry) you think we should know?

Salut.

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MWJ says that the media may be partly to blame for the misery that some people find when they move to France.   I like to call it the "Amanda Lamb Syndrome".   People watch the "move overseas for a penny" programmes, fronted by a very pretty woman, and made when prices were different, and repeated over and over again on TV - and from that one repeated programme the lemmings decide that it sounds better and cheaper than their dreary lives in the UK.  "Come to France with a fiver, and you can buy a house, three bottles of wine and a bit of smelly cheese, and still go home with three quid in your pocket!" these programmes tell them.  So without any research, or a word of French vocabulary, they up sticks and move - and then moan when they discover that dream is not there to be found and fail to see that it was only a programme on the box and about as near the truth as Eastenders, Crossroads and Emmerdale are.  

This phenomenon of "utopia" overseas is not new - in the 1880's the american press sold the idea of move west and get land for free - and forgot to mention hostiles, and snakes and winters that never ended - in the 1960's the government to us to go to the antipodes and forgot to mention spiders that live under the loo seat, great white sharks, etc.   And for every ten families that came back home, tails tucked between their legs, laden with tales of woe and grief, another 990 families stayed and made their way forward.   

In France wine is cheap - but electricity is expensive; houses are cheap(er) - but heating is dear(er) - and so on - but for every ying there must be a yang.   Having wooed us with their "move to France for a penny" programmes, these same TV companies are now doing the "doom and gloom since we moved to France" programmes.  I'd call that a pretty good marketing plan - a whole decades' compulsive viewing fuelled by convincing the general public not to check before they jump, and then having jumped, to make another TV series about why they shouldn't have jumped!.

What do I really think of France - I like it, but it is hard work.  Put the effort in and the rewards are fantastic!  

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I am french and I find your forum fascinating. Many users offer good and clever advice but I am a little puzled at the fact that a few of you do not give Research beforehand any sort of value, it really puzzle me I must say, it is strange, especially when you buy a Gites complex !  One question to the people here who are not familiar with France when they decide to come here: why not rent for a few months and then they can see themself if it works and how the people are ? But to everybody, I hope that you are well received and do not pay attention to the few 'abrutis' (idiots) you may meet, if you learn the language and seek to take part in the french life, most people will love you
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Hegs.......I was decorating and ended up having to down my brushes to listen intently when this most unusally of any radio progs I had ever heard on Radio 4 came on...... so so long ago and I'm afraid that Slartibartfast looks nothing like the one I had imagined. None of them did when the tv prog came out and I cannot but help wonder what the film will be like, I take it Peter Jones is no longer doing 'The Voice'.

 

I digress, sorry. Good and sad post this. The reality of moving here for many will be disappointing and shocking as well as a financial disaster. We don't really watch the programs about moving here, but the odd ones we do see are surreal. 

 

Sorry I had to smile about the working 60 hours a week and getting paid for 40, unlike the restauration staff in France who work 80 odd hours a week for the basic SMIC of about £700 a month.

Is child allowance for 4 kids really that much better here? depends on their ages I suppose.

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Teamedup,

I am not moving to France because i think the grass is greener or for better child benefit or tax breaks.

I start work at 6.30 am before my wife and children are awake and return home to an empty house as they have already eaten and have left for swimming coaching , guides , cubs , football training etc. My wife will get back about 9.00 pm and we may have an hour to talk before tiredness sets in.I spend no time with the children whatsoever.The weekend is more of the same , Sat morning work at 7.00 am then more swimming and badminton and if we're really lucky a swimming gala Sat evening a hundred miles away!

I'm sure the above is typical of a UK family but we've had enough.Our income will plumet when we move but we'll have more time together and we are lucky that we have been able to keep property in the UK should we need to return.

You get one chance at life and it's no good at eighty having regrets about what you could have done.

 

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[quote]Thought Australia was the biggest 'Open prison'! and in the 60's people received 10bob or so to go and live there![/quote]

And I thought some of our relatives paid a tenner to go there, (the Ten Pound Pom and all that !)wonder if they can still cop the ten bob now that you say they should have received, should be worth a few Aussie dollars by now

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[quote]Teamedup, I am not moving to France because i think the grass is greener or for better child benefit or tax breaks. I start work at 6.30 am before my wife and children are awake and return home to a...[/quote]

Hellfire, Tim!

I read this and thought I'd posted under a different name for a minute! Been there & done that with the swimming gala's - nationals, regionals, you name it....wife is a swimming coach & lifeguard too! I work all over the UK & Ireland and have done for the past 20-odd years. Too much travelling and being away from home for long periods of time mean I don't get to enjoy life with the family that much. So, we looked at the options, and decided to 'downsize' (buzz-phrase, sorry!) and move to France, where we've spent many happy holidays.

Good on ya mate, I think your reasons are valid ones, good luck to you & the family!

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