Restaurant licensing in france

[timki]

I have recently bough a house which consists of two floors of living accomodation above a salon du the/restaurant.  It a new build that is ready for completion end of next year.  It is within a development that copies Port Grimaud (for those who know it) only much smalle having only 400 houses as opposed to Port Grimaud's 4000! It is the only restaurant within this gated community and is a five minute walk from the historic town of Aigues Mortes.  I am kneen to hear from anyone who understands the process by which licenses are granted to restaurants and also the different types that exist.  Also the process for gaining permission to place tables and chairs on the pavement outside.

 

many thanks in advance

[P-D de Rouffignac]

You should be seeking - and paying for - professional advice! But here is some basic information.

(1) Licences - Check with the local mairie. There may in fact be a policy of not issuing any more local licences in the area, until an existing establishment closes. In my town, the socialist mayor has decided 'there are too many bars' at present.

(2) That said, existing licences change hands for large sums of money. Check your local press for a start.

(3) Licences are in Categories 1 to 4 depending on what kind of drinks you wish to sell (beer, wine, spirits) and whether your establishment is to be classified as a bar (drinks without food) or a restaurant etc.

(4) A local wholesale supplier (brassseur) may be able to help you out with information, advice, influence, knowledge of licences for sale, and even assistance with installing equipment (provided you contract with them as suppliers).

(5) Cafe terraces are usually let out by the mairie if they involve a public highway, or in the case you describe perhaps by the co-ownership (syndic) that owns the common parts.

Seriously, do take professional advice from someone in the area, check local restaurants to see who is busy or not (and why) and do your sums carefully before you spend a single hard earned euro.

Best of luck, P-D de Rouffignac

www.francemediterraneanproperty.com

[Tony F Dordogne]

I would have thought that in a geted community like yours, the people who p[ut the community together would have all the information that you need about licencing if they expect the restaurant/bar to serve the needs of the community.

[saillans]

Hi, we applied for a restaurant licence a few years ago. The 'mairie' told us who to contact; I then phoned them up and they sent us a form to fill in. A few weeks later a restaurant licence arrived. Not believing that this could be so simple, I phoned again to see what we had to do next, surely they would require payment, along with wads of paperwork in triplicate? But no, the licence had been issued, the matter was closed.