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Wanted: Property Let or Purchase Near Sarlat/Salignac


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@ Hoody

In the spring this year, there was a cheese shop down this little street.

https://www.google.fr/maps/@44.8028355,1.2145273,3a,75y,155.24h,84.96t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s6n5OW_2FMMpmay8SEMW57A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

The Brasserie on your left has (or did have) on their menu 'duck pizza'. LOL.

Should we talk about the train ????
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I think it may be a question of how we use words ALBF. I was up and down that street several times this summer and didn't see what I would describe as a cheese shop. There is a small grocers on the left hand side which manages to keep going through the winter. Was it one of those tourist shops that sells local produce ?
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@albf, I rather thought the link was pertinent, with such a title.

Much as I love Saeprlat, Domme and other places in the area, we preferred to buy in the Gard, although we almost bought in the Drôme, our second favourite area.

Like many, we were already retired but bought a lock up and leave place in a lovely little town with all amenities all year round apart from a hospital, but there are 3 within fairly easy reach, particularly by ambulance!
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@ Hoddy

I am 95% sure it was that street.

OH went in, but from what I saw from the outside I think they only sold cheese. They probably did sell other produce as well mind you.

Maybe they have gone out of business already. At those prices it would not surprise me.

Look, another shop we went into.

https://www.leboncoin.fr/bureaux_commerces/1031796069.htm?ca=2_s

France is a tough place to live and work.

We nearly bought something from that shop as well.

The best buy was from the book shop (opposite the restaurant) where we picked up some second hand star wars books in French.

Yes I have been to Domme.
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The shops you mention are open for tourists just in the season. I sympathise with their high prices, but I won't pay them.

The book shop is a treasure and very popular with my grandchildren.

The train has one of those very French stories attached to it. There are two trains now when there used only to be one which was owned by a local who tried to put up his prices. There was a disagreement between him and the commune and in the end the commune bought a train of its own and ran it in opposition.

Domme's walls are a bit of a disadvantage because they restrict access to the town and make it somewhat isolated in the winter.
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Superb tourist place Domme. The view over the river is spectacular.

Prices, though, are what people are willing to pay.

As an example, anybody who has been to the Perigord will have seen confit du canard sold in tins of 4/5 pieces. In the tourist markets the price is 20 euros + . Go to a nearby supermarket and its less than 10 euros.

We currently have 6 tins in the garage in England to either give away or use.

Not only is the meat melt in the mouth, but the duck fat is superb for roast potatoes. Just check out the price of duck fat jars in the UK!

NB we went into the shop that is for sale - we were impressed with the goods for sale, but walked out without a purchase when we saw the prices .

Hope the op has had relevant private responses.

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I wrote

I don't harp on about Paris being a busy rat-run of a place, full of the most ignorant and arrogant of the French nation plus a whole bunch of foreigners and tourists to drive you to distraction. I don't complain about the rip off Parisian prices for just about everything from an apartment downwards.

And ALBF said it was just clichés.

All I can say is I report as I find.

Busy - try and deny that point (well maybe not in July and August but the rest of the year?). Like most worldwide capitals it is a busy city.

Ignorant and arrogant inhabitants - actually not my words but those of a good French friend. It matches my experience however of the French in Paris who look down their noses at the rest of France, let alone foreigners. It also describes our next door neighbours who own a holiday home. Hardly even get a bonjour out of them. So yes I stand by that description.

Foreigners - well yes Paris is a cosmopolitan city with international companies and lots of non-French workers.

Tourists - surely you cannot find fault with that since it it one of the major tourist attractions in the world.

Expensive - well I suppose you could buy everything from the Sunday Clignancourt markets which might almost bring the prices down to the rural prices we enjoy. I still struggle to find a 3 course Parisian lunch with wine for 12€ - and probably supplied by the same frozen ready meal company as here in the sticks. Parisian real estate prices are the highest in metropolitan France.

So where are the clichés?

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Rudest french people I have ever met are from Antibes and Cannes, I also find the normans very unpleasant and officious in Normandy. Parisiens are certainly not the top of my list.

And I too am speaking as I find.

Must say I heard lots of complaints about where I lived, by french people who had moved there, but I certainly didn't find people unfriendly, although as the only anglaise maybe I had curiosity value?
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Interesting observations Idun.

I have to say that I have not met anyone from Cote d'Azur so cannot comment there. Regarding Normans, I have worked with people in the Le Havre area since we had a plant there, and did not find them as you describe. It must be said that our relations were more professional than social however.

When I was working in Marseille one of my better friends was a Norman. In comparison there were a number of Parisians also working at he site (some still commuting every weekend back to the capital) and they did nothing to change my impressions.

Perhaps, as you suggest, our experiences are tailored by the fact that we are not French. Certainly some of my experiences will be influenced by professional rather than social relationships.

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Andy....you are talking nonsense. I will explain.

île de France represents 25% of the French population. You/your friend can't call them all ignorant and arrogant that is ridiculous. People have to work in Paris because that is where the work is. Many (like us) live in Paris during the week/month and head home during holidays. Others stay in hotels or bedsits or whatever during the week.

An actual 'Parisien' is someone that is born and bred in Paris. They are no different to cockneys and tend mostly to be working class and very funny.

So who are you and your friend describing exactly when you say arrogant and ignorant ? My neighbours are nice, my doctor is nice, those who in the supermarket are nice (they even say hello if I see them in the street), the man who sweeps the street says hello every morning. Our children love their school and their teachers. Where are these people you describe ??? I have not met them yet and this is the third time I have lived in Paris.

Yes there are some arrogant t#### I should imagine but that is no different to other countries.

It terms of busy, well depends where you live. I live 6 mins from the centre. It is not busy here at all. On Sundays you could hear a pin drop. People go running, and kids safely ride their bikes and people go for walks. Some do sports and a lot go fishing. It is actually very quiet. It is a very safe family place.

In terms of living costs, well it is the same really. The local Monoprix is slightly more expensive but not that bad. Cheaper than YOUR local epicerie. I have the worlds largest carrefour about 15 mins away where the prices are the same as everywhere else in France. I have an M&S food shop in walking distance which is the same price as the UK. So cost of living ??? its the same.

In terms of eating out, well it depends where you go. You can have a very nice kabab menu for 6 euros !!!

In terms of housing, yes it is expensive but that is because there is a shortage of housing. Also of course you have higher salaries in Paris. That is why people live at work here. Regardless, if you buy a place you will get your money back/make money. Not many places in France you can do that !!!

So, anymore myths you need help with ?

P.S, I know in rural France people hate people from Paris. But that is more down to jealousy, ignorance or in most cases it is just a national joke. But remember, they hate British, Dutch, Belguim, German expats and anyone else they can think of as well. They probably hate themselves. Imagine you are a French rural peasant and your neighbour is British who drives a black Range Rover sport with a personalised number plate 'TW at' and has an industrial satellite dish attached to his house so that he can watch sky one on loop. You would hate them. And before you say that is a cliche, I can count about 5 Rangerovers (with said plate) a day heading south west when I was in Tours.
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 I have visited quite a lot of the Cote and found that everywhere else was fine. Nice, so close to Cannes and yet the people are chalk and cheese, IF I liked hot weather, I could live in Nice.

Parisiens, well, I have had a few very funny incidents in Paris on the odd occasions I have been there, one leaving a friend furious, but which I found hilarious which did not help, and made her even more annoyed. I suppose I have a certain expectation of parisien behaviour, so don't mind if anyone is rude etc, which they certainly have been. AND then there was one lady asking if I was from 'provence' which had the french people I was with in fits of laughter. When I say I have a strong english accent and speak french a ma facon, I mean it.[:D]

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I know many very nice people from various parts of the Paris area at AVF, some of whom have become close friends. Plus my lovely 95 year old neighbour, who was born in the Auvergne, but spent a huge part of her life living in Paris until she moved south 9 years ago, when she bought the apartment opposite us, to be near her only relaitives, her grandson, granddaughter-in-law and great grandchildren.

In fact, I haven't come across many people I don't like since buying here, neighbours, AVF members from around the world, shopkeepers, café and restaurant staff - it all helps make life here sweet.

It's not only in France and England that M&S is closing shops:

The shops to close in the Paris area are Champs-Elysées, Beaugrenelle (15th arrondissement, Chaussée-d'Antin (9th), Gare Saint-Lazare (8th), Levallois-Perret and Villeneuve-la-Garenne in Hauts-de-Seine and Trembay-en-France in Seine-Saint-Denis.

I remember well when M&S closed in France last time around. I'm not surprised they are closing clothes shops, there's very little I buy there in England apart from food, the clothes are generally awful, shops like Zara seem to have taken over a lot of their target market.

In Europe, M&S is closing all its stores in Belgium, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, with 2,100 jobs being lost.
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They are only closing the clothes shops Garden Girl in France. The Food shops (and there are quite a few) are not closing. M&S clothes are too expensive and a bit boring to be fair.

Our local one is in Levallois-Perret at the SO Ouest commercial centre (fantastic commercial centre by the way) but I think it is a franchise so it may not close.

http://soouest.com/

The amount of food they sell is manic. Hope it does not close.

I am going to take on a M&S franchaise and open a food shop in Sarlet. Then Eymet.
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ALBF wrote:

Andy....you are talking nonsense. I will explain.

île de France represents 25% of the French population. You/your friend can't call them all ignorant and arrogant that is ridiculous. People have to work in Paris because that is where the work is. Many (like us) live in Paris during the week/month and head home during holidays. Others stay in hotels or bedsits or whatever during the week.

An actual 'Parisien' is someone that is born and bred in Paris. They are no different to cockneys and tend mostly to be working class and very funny.

So who are you and your friend describing exactly when you say arrogant and ignorant ? My neighbours are nice, my doctor is nice, those who in the supermarket are nice (they even say hello if I see them in the street), the man who sweeps the street says hello every morning. Our children love their school and their teachers. Where are these people you describe ??? I have not met them yet and this is the third time I have lived in Paris.

Yes there are some arrogant t#### I should imagine but that is no different to other countries.

Yes, yes, yes!!

I fully agree generalisations are likely not to describe many people. In fact they may not even describe a majority.

Perhaps you might like to consider that, the next time you are tempted to post about the British in the Dordogne, rural France or whatever.

The sad fact is that you seemingly constant "get-at" comments against such groups means that the important bits of your message get completely lost.

Yes, rural France is a very tough place to get employment generally.

Yes, schooling in France is tough on non-French speaking children and becomes tougher the older they get. Unless of course the parents consider an international school and even then may well not be a piece of cake.

Yes facilities for the young are very limited in France profonde.

Yes simple facilities like hospitals or bus service may be many, many kilometres away, if you chose rural France

But all of that gets lost in YOUR extreme generalisations of the British in France living in Dordogneshire, refusing to speak French, driving top of the range cars and employing (often English) so-called tradesmen to "do up their little pad in France" - usually on the black.

So next time you think to post one of your standard diatribes, think on, young man, think on.
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Andy Wrote...

'But all of that gets lost in YOUR extreme generalisations of the British in France living in Dordogneshire, refusing to speak French, driving top of the range cars and employing (often English) so-called tradesmen to "do up their little pad in France" - usually on the black.'

I have never said that. Point me towards a post where I have said that. Go on, show me one. To be honest, I have no idea what goes on 'Andy' in expat world, I just go but what I read on forums. I find it very interesting mind you and I completely get how peoples dreams turn sour. I have and always will put forward the positive arguments to move to France the right way. Especially with kids. No one cares mind you, but more fool them. But at least I put my point across.

You have to remember Andy I have lived in rural France for 8 years, and like I said before we own a property in rural France that I have been going to every summer for the last twenty odd years. For my OH the last 43 years.

Take my advice or not, but I am right.
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I understand ALBF so well. I doubt that most of you have any idea how expat France comes across to those of us who have not lived it.

When I first found this board, it was shocking, absolutely horrible and shocking, from the endless posts about the despicable UK and France as Utopia, a real Eden, where life was wonderful all the time.

Whereas, it was never mentioned that because of the way the UK had done business from after the time we left. It meant that people, ordinary people had become literally rich, able to sell up properties that had attained a price that was never a proper value for a decent society.  Along with the oddest way UK pension plans work, which is still beyond me, were able to retire at a young age and move to parts of France, that as far as I was aware for years and years, were being deserted and were dirt poor and 'not' the place to move to, and who would? even though the properties were so cheap.

And since when does 'cheap' be the defining factor about buying somewhere, I live in NE England, and I could tell you about a few places where property is still dirt cheap, but would I live there, not on your life. (Even the same in the Alpes, I know of plenty of places to avoid).

Also I must add, that when the french left these areas, what does it tell you about those that remained????? A mentality, maybe akin to the mining villages of County Durham, where those that remain, are to say the least, 'special' even though some nice homes have been built. An insular mentality that I personally prefer to be away from.

And so my first posts were about what I considered the 'real' France and suffered the consequences for that, but remained, because I felt that the voice of the 'real' France had to remain.

 I have lived in a french city and en campagne.

Posts on this board, (I don't do other boards), have become more realistic over the years, but there is still the divide, between those that have never lived an expat life style to those that have or do. Also, I must add, that doesn't stop me liking quite a lot of the posters on here.

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To ALBF - fair enough if you feel you must warn potential immigrants about the pitfalls.

But a) it's arrogant to assume that you're always right

and b) people need to find out for themselves, they're adults, not children.

I agree I've seen some families having to give up, but otoh I also know quite a few who have managed to make a living and their children are doing well here.

When I was much younger we went, with 3 young children, to live and work in another country. We only stayed a few years, then returned to the UK. We had to start all over again.

We all benefited from the experience, especially the children who now, as adults, have a very cosmopolitan outlook.

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ALBF

I don't want this to be a p155ing contest, but just in this thread you have written:

Timeline 11/11/16 06:33

Imagine you are a French rural peasant and your neighbour is British who drives a black Range Rover sport with a personalised number plate 'TW at' and has an industrial satellite dish attached to his house so that he can watch sky one on loop. You would hate them. And before you say that is a cliche, I can count about 5 Rangerovers (with said plate) a day heading south west when I was in Tours.

Timeline 9/11/16 14:22

Do you really want to join/live in that Dordogne/Sarlat misery ?

I have read so many bad stories about that expat hell hole.

I think you, Idun and I are all one the same page, but the way you put your posts over comes across as an ex-pat Brit bashing bonanza - and that means the message gets lost.

PS. I have lived in rural France for longer than you - but then I lived in rural UK and semi-rural Germany before. I perhaps have a different perspective and expectation - but I am sure that many would-be movers to rural France do not come from such a background. They have often have no idea what they are letting themselves in for. We should inform them and warn them; but branding everyone who has ever bought in the same region is frankly just silly.
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The point is Andy, if you move to France with kids you only do so if you have employment on a CDI contract. That is it, full stop. None of this gîte nonsense, selling ice creams or pretending you a roofer and work on the black..

It is no different to French young adults with kids. No one IN THEIR RIGHT MIND is going to move to Sarlet from Paris or wherever without a CDI job. Even if they do move the chances are they would not buy a house as given the state of the economy their employment might not last that long and have to move back.

I have grown up with my wife in France, taking her first job and progressing through the different levels of employment. I have seen my wifes sister and her husband progress through school and do the same. Like wise with my friends. We all have kids now and LIFE IS EXPENSIVE and HARD. I know how France works. I know people who have set businesses and the strain that entails. It is frightening for the French.

I don't know where people get this idea from that you can move here there and everywhere in France on a whim and survive. It just ain't going to happen. OK, for some in the past it probably has. In todays economic climate in France it is a no no....especially in rural areas. Those giving advice about how they moved with their kids 30 years ago and now they are all brain surgeons are talking nonsense. That was thirty years. Life has changed.

Reading the sites like AI Dordogne over the last couple of years the threads prove me right. I feel their pain but it was not going to happen in the first place. That is the Sarlat/Bergerac misery I was talking about.

- In terms of satellite dishes type questions. Yes that does make me chuckle. How big of dish do I need to watch Strictly ?

- In terms of Rangerovers I apologise, some are Landrover discoveries with personalised number plates.
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That's your perspective though..and good to hear and to know.

On the other hand there are several families round here who do exactly what you say you shouldn't do..ie they live here, run small gite businesses, teach yoga, produce crafts etc. And they seem to be quite happy. I should add they are not all British. There are lots of Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Irish, German couples, or mixes. They don't drive range rovers and they don't spend all day drinking wine. There are other models of living that suit some people.

From my personal experience in the UK I earned a good salary and I never had any money..here I earn a quarter of that and I don't know what to spend it on. I don't know why either, except to say that lifestyle and perceived wealth are related and if people want to try out something different then why not?
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Like I said Lindal, I don't know expat world.

But they pay the same taxes of me. Well if they pay !!!!! The cost of living is the same. The cost of bringing up children is the same. Kids need to be fed, clothed, medical bills and education paid. You need you need a pension and everything else.

Life in France will catch up on them eventually. You can't break the system in France.

Like I said do it properly like everyone else.
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