Chantemerlière Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 We have lived in France for10 years now and like many expats we live in a renovated house in the countrywith a fair amount of land attached on which we keep animals. However the day will soon come when we willwant to move to something smaller, and more modern perhaps, where we are closerto the usual amenities and have no more wood to cut! One of the options is moving to a house on a ‘retirement estates’ and I wonder if anyone knows ifthere is such a thing in our part of France whichis the Charente Martime. I have asked various French friends and they all saythat they had never heard of such a thing but I cannot believe that they don't exist. They all think that I want to move into a ‘Maisonde retraite’ which, fortunately, I am not ready for just yet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philouis Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 http://www.senioriales.com/Click onto the link above and you will get details of these retirment sites. There are one or two in your immediate area.We were thinking of buying a house with them, but could not afford the costs. Bon chance!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philouis Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Continuing....By the way, they do not allow animals! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cendrillon Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 I am sure there is one of these estates at Thenac which has a lot of small houses in the grounds of a large estate. I know they have their own restaurant as well as the gourmet restaurant / cookery school in the same grounds and there would be buses from Thenac into Saintes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricia Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 There's a retirement village at Castelnau d'Auzan, in NE Gers. Perhaps a bit far from you.I saw some houses for sale at 500.000€ so not cheap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 They're not cheap in the UK either, Tricia. Then there are the "management fees" which I always think can be very open-ended indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardengirl Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 There's an article on retirement villages, specifically Les Senioriales, in the February issue of Living France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 [quote user="Philouis"]Continuing....By the way, they do not allow animals![/quote]Ref: Les Senioriales, in the online blurb it says animals are welcome as long as they are not a nuisance, though dogs must be kept on a lead at all times outside your house/home.There is a swimming pool, bowls, pool table etc etc and even the grass outside your house is cut for you!Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chantemerlière Posted January 29, 2010 Author Share Posted January 29, 2010 Thank you all for your input.Yes there are many things to consider not least the animal issue and the "management fees", which I believe can be very expensive. I have heard that in the UK these estates can be very 'regimented' with their rules & regulations and, although I would imagine that is less likely to happen here in France, it is something we would like to avoid. Anyway it is early days so it will be a long and hopefully interesting search and you have provided me with some useful pointers.Thank you again.Susanne. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 What we could do though, Chantemerlière, is we oldies (as we will be in due course) all group together to buy a complex and have equal shares, etc. in the property.Of course, we might all be too decrepit to look after ourselves, nevermind each other, at which point we pay some younger people to stay with us and do our bidding.We'll get to make our own rules and regulations and we will be in charge of how much the management fees should be and what we want them spent on.Problem solved?[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swissie Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Yes, often thought that could be a really good option - but also have lots of potential for lots of troubles and arguments- would have to pick 'partners' carefully!I have a friend who owns at Les Seniorales in Perpignan and just loves it - although they only use it as a holiday home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubbles Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Sweets, that sounds brilliant.We should get toyboys in to cater for our every whim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardengirl Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 Interesting idea, Sweet; I know places like this exist, but choosing co-owners could be fraught with difficulty! Methinks many here would be too independent for that for many years though! I like the idea of being able to take others' dogs for walks! If toy boys are needed, what about toy girls Bubbles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nectarine Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 there's one being built down here at Sainte Livrade Sur Lot, on the edge of the town and a few minutes walk from the river. It looks good, not sure of the prices, but my French friends think they are very novel although I have explained that we've had McCarthy and Stone retirement complexes in the UK for many years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chantemerlière Posted January 30, 2010 Author Share Posted January 30, 2010 "McCarthy & Stone" that is the name! Do you know I was racking my brains all day yesterday for the name and it wouldn't come! It is even more embarrassing because we had a friend who was a warden in an McC&C complex in Kent many years ago. A senior moment as they say but the only problems is the 'moments' seem to get lasting longer! It is interesting that your French friends think this idea is novel because that is the reaction I get. As I said, they think that we are odd because they have the impression that we want to move into a ‘Maisonde retraite’! What a great idea Sweet17 but unfortunately, as Swissie said, potential for lots of troubles and arguments. However I like the idea of some younger people to stay with us and do our bidding and if Bubbles wants toyboys - "OooH Young Mann"!! - then, as gardengirl points out, in these days of equality we will have to provide toygirls for the old boys and maybe some old girls!!! I suppose there is there such a thing as a toygirl? Anyway, thank you all again for your help and the idea of Toyboys/Toygirls brightened this dismal morning for us.Susanne. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickP Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 "I suppose there is there such a thing as a toygirl? " Ronnie Wood and Bernie Eccelstone both said " not arf" [Www] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 I recently bought a ceramic hob from les petits announces and the couple selling it had just moved into an apartment in a retirement complex like you describe in Arras, I used to have several of these properties as my customers in the UK (well the management companies) and this one seemed far superior in every aspect, especially the purchase price and maintenance charges.Anyway what shocked me when I finally met this retired couple apart from the fact they were the first intelligent, educated, well comported and worldy wise people that I have met in the region is how young and dynamic they both were, I would have said that they were younger than me but I think in fact they were early 50's but had not had such a hard life [:)]It turned out that they were both enseignants who had retired at the correct age for their profession, they already owned a chalet in the mountains and had sold their big house en ville to liberate funds to travel and spend more time in the mountains with their families, the retirement home was just a pied à terre to keep links with the area, their families and friends.The attraction for me of such a pace is the ability to lock up and go away for long periods without worrying about maintenance and knowing that your place will be secure and watched over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chantemerlière Posted January 30, 2010 Author Share Posted January 30, 2010 Ronnie Wood and Bernie Eccelstone! Now what have they got to attract a toygirl that I haven't? Good looks? Stamina? Good conversationalist? Or have they something else? I wonder!To Chancer. - Yes the security of the place when you are away is one of the things that we would find very attractive and one of the reasons why we are considering this option. Thank you,William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 [quote user="bubbles"]Sweets, that sounds brilliant. We should get toyboys in to cater for our every whim.[/quote]Oy BubiBaby, you leave me out of this! My missis is satisfied wiv 'er TB so there (were'z me 'stik owt yer tong' smilies gon?)We have one of the secure type villages in a village very close to us, only just finished, and it looks great. Perhapse when we are in our dotage, in about 30 years (?), we will be looking into it. My isiter and bro-in-law live in one in Aussie at the moment and they are looking to sell and get out of it. They spend long holidays away in their camper van and the security is great, but they say that the management sucks (I think that is the expression that our Trans Atlantic cousins would use??So, it seems that you must look very carefully at the management. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickP Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 [quote user="Chantemerlière"]Ronnie Wood and Bernie Eccelstone! Now what have they got to attract a toygirl that I haven't? Good looks? Stamina? Good conversationalist? Or have they something else? I wonder!To Chancer. - Yes the security of the place when you are away is one of the things that we would find very attractive and one of the reasons why we are considering this option. Thank you,William[/quote]As Mrs Merton said to Debbie McGee," what first attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?" I think that answers your question William, by the way I'm saving up but I don't think there are enough years in life to benefit me [:(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 Chantemerlière wrote the following post at 30/01/2010 18:48:Ronnie Wood and Bernie Eccelstone! Now what have they got to attract atoygirl that I haven't? Good looks? Stamina? Good conversationalist? Orhave they something else? I wonder!Well, with Earni Beklestoned you have the large stature, tall, dark and hamstrung plus a bloody great loat load of money! That may just be a slight swing in his favour? I can't think that anything else could possibly be?Ronnie Wood, who's he? Oh yeh, one of the Strolling Rones? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chantemerlière Posted January 31, 2010 Author Share Posted January 31, 2010 Ah, so it is the wallet that is big and there was me thinking that they were tall dark and handsome with a wonderful line in chat up.Thank you, I had better get earning then!William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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