Weekly insights about property in France!

Subscribe and don't miss an issue!

A Country Cottage Or City Sights

Volume II, Issue 29

Yesterday, while all of France was celebrating Bastille Day, I took a spot at a sidewalk table at my neighborhood caf to have lunch and bask in the bright warm sun. As the army tanks from the military parade on the Champs-Elyses earlier that morning passed uncharacteristically down rue de Bretagne, and uniformed young men strolled past with their wives and girlfriends, I contemplated how Bastille Day would be different if I were living in a home in the country. Instead, I’d likely be barbecuing chicken and slicing watermelon with friends.

These same thoughts entered my mind on route by taxi to the Champ de Mars with friends and a marketing caddy filled with picnic goodies to party on the grass and wait for the annual fireworks at the Eiffel Tower. There was so much excitement! Hundreds of thousands of people streamed onto the field, spread their blankets, passed bottles of wine, cheese and pats and prepared their digital cameras for every photo op. The fireworks started right on time. They were choreographed to several selections of music, each set a different color theme, coordinated with lighting of the tower itself — all done brilliantly, elegantly and delicately. We were awestruck.
I became an urbanite to the core after living fourteen years in rural America where blooming trees were the most exciting events of the year. It wasn’t solitude I wanted, but excitement. I know, however, that not everyone shares my love for man-made edifices, art collections amassed under one huge roof, the sound of my neighbor’s piano playing in the afternoons and chic boutiques. In fact, we often note that Americans, who are used to having lots of land and space, are more interested in urban living than their British counterparts who live in the limited space of densely inhabited cities and long for the countryside.
Lucky for all, France offers both and even a intermediate third, if you consider the “maison village” — a house in a small village where you may not have much land to call your own, but you can walk to the village boulangerie for a fresh baguette.
In today’s issue we offer you a taste of La France Profonde — two stories from Americans living in the countryside; one whose city slicker friends often come to visit since they live so close to Paris and the other who have found so much to do in the country they’ve forgotten they were retired. We also bring you more properties in the heart of the 7th with close proximity to La Grande Dame herself (the Eiffel Tower) and two from the village of Florensac where Val Littman and Linda Korolewski run their home and B and B. Val and Linda have hosted our IL tour to Languedoc-Roussillon in the past and will be doing so again at our upcoming tour scheduled October 30 – November 6, 2004. We’ll be adding details about the tour in the next couple of weeks, so be sure to visit the site for details: https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/parlerparis/liveinfrance/index.html.
Also, don’t miss the newest Leaseback property we’re offering on the Atlantic coast — our hot property for the week!

A bientt,

 
Adrian Leeds
Editor, French Property Insider
Email: [email protected]



P.S. In honor of Bastille Day, Google made a special effort. Visit http://www.google.fr for an Eiffel Tower smile.

P.P.S. While I’m in the US this September for the Living and Investing in France Conference, my 17th-century Marais apartment is available for rental in its entirety (September 4th to the morning of September 14th). For details, visit https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/parlerparis/apartments/rentals/leeds.html. For other IL apartment rentals, visit https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/frenchproperty/insider/rentals

================================

Volume II, Issue 29, July 15, 2004
In this issue:
* Go Cautiously into French Real Estate Agencies
* Answering Your Leaseback Questions… Just a Call Away
* City Slickers Visit Their Country Cousins
* Summer News From the Midi
* Come to D.C. and Discover How You Can Live in France
* Currency Exchange Update
* Hot Property: Leasbacks at Chteau d’Olonne, Residence De L’estran
* Property For Sale: A View of the Eiffel Tower and Maison Villages
* Classified Advertising: Vacation Spots
===============================.
FPI Subscribers: To read the issue in its entirety go to
https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/frenchproperty/insider/subscribersonly/currentissue.html
To access this password protected page: username: fpiuser and the password: paris1802.
===============================
BUYER BEWARE: ALL AGENCIES ARE NOT EQUAL
By Adrian Leeds, Research by Miranda Junowicz
We often caution our readers and clients who deal directly with French real estate agencies. Because there is no Multiple Listing Service in France, there is no universal agreement among agencies to share listings, commissions or clients. An agency
can impose an exclusive listing of a property, but it’s rare for those reasons. A seller can list a property with many agencies and advertise that property at a variety of prices. So, buyer beware. French real estate agencies have only one goal in mind… to SELL THEIR listed properties as quickly as possible, to anyone who will buy them, at the best prices they can get. They have no loyalty to the seller or the buyer and are not necessarily looking out for their best interests.
This is not to say that we have not acquired many excellent and trustworthy relationships with local agencies…we have…largely due to our ongoing work to bring them viable clients, leading to a mutual trust. This would not be the case with an individual buyer who offers them one lone sale rather than many, as our property search team does.
Miranda Junowicz, a member of our professional search team and working with Jocelyn Carnegie, reported this past week on a case of varying posted prices. The first real estate ad is one we posted taken from the agency from which our clients purchased the apartment. Six other agencies listed the exact same apartment. Note the price differences — up to 28,000 euro. These listings were found on one Web site. We contend there may be other postings on other Web sites, equally as misleading. Further note that with keen search abilities, our client was able to find it at the lowest-price.
AGENCY ONE (SELLING AGENT)
3 Pices
51 m2 environ Paris 5me (75005)
Proximit: Jardin des Plantes
375 000 Euros
Jardin des Plantes/Saint Marcel, 3 pices au 6me tage d’un Immeuble Haussmanien en parfait tat. Exposition sud er nord/est sur cour. Salon, deux chambres, cuisine amnage, salle de bains, WC spare. Parquet, porte blinde, ascenseur.
MKIMMO – Email
Contact: 01 55 43 14 20
MAJ: 06/07/2004 | REF: SELOGER 160

AGENCY TWO
3 pices
54 m2 environ Paris 5me (75005)
Proximit: Jardin des plantes
387 000 Euros
Au 6me et dernier tage par ascenseur dans un immeuble en trs bon tat appartement comprenant entre, sjour, deux chambres dont une avec mezzanine, cuisine, salle de bains, WC spars, une cave au sous-sol, trs beau volume, calme et clair.
MHD IMMOBILIER – Email
Contact: 06 63 46 24 96
MAJ: 07/07/2004 | REF: SELOGER 11332359

AGENCY THREE
3 pices
54 m2 environ Paris 5me (75005)
Proximit: Jardin des plantes
389 000 Euros
soit 2 551 673 FF
3210- DERNIER TAGE AVEC ASCENSEUR- 3 pices, grand sjour et 2 chambres, appartement en parfait tat, triple exposition, trs ensoleill et calme. Vue agrable. Parking possible.
IMMO PARIS 5 – Email
Contact: 01 45 87 74 74
MAJ: 08/07/2004 | REF: SELOGER 3210

AGENCY FOUR
3 pices
51 m2 environ Paris 5me (75005)
Proximit: Mtro
402 000 Euros
soit 2 636 947 FF
Fosss St Marcel. Dernier tage avec ascenseur dans trs bel immeuble pierre de taille. Vue dgage sur cour arbore. Triple exposition clair et calme. Poutre apparente et parquet. Tel 01-44-08-61-28 rf: 4016LR.
CENTURY 21 T.G.A. – Email
Contact: 01 44 08 61 21
MAJ: 08/07/2004 | REF: SELOGER 4016LR

AGENCY FIVE
3 pices
54 m2 environ Paris 5me (75005)
Proximit: St Marcel
402 800 Euros
soit 2 642 195 FF
Dans trs bel immeuble Pierre de Taille, au 6me et dernier tage avec ascenseur, appartement 3 pices: entre, sjour, 2 chambres, cuisine quipe, salle de bains, WC Trs lumineux, vue dgage sur cour Parquet, poutres. Beaucoup de charme.
AGENCIMMO – Email
Contact: 01 43 37 40 70 / 06 14 32 51 00
MAJ: 01/07/2004 | REF: SELOGER 5113122

AGENCY SIX
3 pices
54 m2 environ Paris 5me (75005)
Proximit: Jardin des Plantes
402 800 Euros
soit 2 642 195 FF
A 2 mn du Jardin des Plantes, bel immeuble en Pierre de Taille raval en 2003, au 6me tage avec ascenseur, beaucoup de charme pour cet appartement, trs lumineux et calme, 3 pices, 54 m2 environ, comprenant: entre, sjour, cuisine quipe, 2 chambres dont une avec mezzanine, salle de bain, WC spars. Digicode, interphone. Aucun travaux prvoir.
VISIT IMMOBILIER – Email
Contact: 01 42 17 05 02
MAJ: 08/07/2004 | REF: SELOGER 11336607

AGENCY SEVEN
3 pices
54 m2 environ Paris 5me (75005)
Proximit: Gobelins
403 000 Euros
soit 2 643 507 FF
Immeuble Pierre de taille raval – 6me et dernier tage sur cour calme et ensoleill exposition sud entre pice principale 1avec poutres parquet cuisine quipe salle de bains WC spars 2 chambres mezzanine.
SUD IMMOBILIER – Email
Contact: 01 42 79 88 76
MAJ: 08/07/2004 | REF: SELOGER 35170

==============================

FPI CONFERENCE CALL ANSWERED LEASEBACK PROPERTY QUESTIONS

By Adrian Leeds

In spite of an emergency chez Miranda Junowicz and Jocelyn Carnegie’s late ferry landing at Calais, we persevered and precisely at 8 p.m. held the conference call for FPI subscribers. The theme? THE FRENCH LEASEBACK: A HASSLE-FREE INVESTMENT WITH A GUARANTEED RETURN.

We had 32 callers at mid hour from across the U.S. — Virginia, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Antonio and Princeton.
A recording of the call can be listened to by clicking on this link: https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/frenchproperty/insider/subscribersonly/confcallinstr.cfm.
The questions mostly centered around financing issues and if these properties would eventually make good residences. Some questions required a bit more research to answer in full:
(1) Is there a problem for a 65 year-old to get a mortgage for a Leaseback property?
(2) Can a property be owned by a US partnership — US LLC or INC, and how does this change the calculation versus holding as an SCI?
(3) Has a management company ever gone bankrupt? What would happen if so?
(4) Is the income from the property included in the banks assessment of your “net rental income” for purposes of assessing the amount they will loan you (30% of your income)?
(5) Whats the story with the life insurance on the loan — how does that work?
We will address these questions in the next issue of French Property Insider. If you have additional questions, please email them to [email protected]

================================

AUXY: PART III, A DAY IN THE COUNTRY

By SG Sguret

Christian and I thought when we left the city that our Parisian friends would recede with the distance. A hundred kilometers south of the priphrique was surely lost territory. No one would drive that far to see us, and we weren’t about to retrace our steps to the smog-filled bubble any more than strictly necessary. So we resigned ourselves (without much difficulty) to less entertaining and little social life.

To begin with, life in Auxy is anything but asocial. And we soon found out that all our friends were dying to escape to the country for a long day in our quiet garden, doing nothing but flirting with sunbeams and cuddling their drinks. Not only our friends were keen on this idea; people we had barely met would call as if they had known us for ages, suggesting that they drive out to see us, as they knew we must be dying of loneliness and boredom so far away from the center of existence.
So they come. Week-ends, Easter, Ascension, the first day of summer, the fourteenth of July (French Independence), any day in August (national vacation month), Armistice, All Saint’s Day…We shop, mop, clear away vestiges of the last project that occupies the dining table, check our liquor supply, our wine supply, make sure we have a variety of cheeses, dust off the grill, go to the butcher, the baker, the green-grocer. I make a cake, a custard, a fruit salad, a green salad. We open cans of pate, slice saucissons, set out olives and nutmeats, and little bowls of ice. We are washed, dressed, shaved, brushed, and famished. We have been up since daybreak, and have already dug out three more loads of rocks and roots to take to the dump before starting in on the domestic rush.
Our guests are late. They roll lazily out of the car. They were at a party the night before, they inform us, and slept in this morning. In fact, they are not really hungry yet, as they have just had breakfast. But they would like a drink, oh yes, and perhaps a look around.

We put a hand on our growling stomachs and, turning down the oven where the gratin dauphinois has just become a delicious golden-brown, brace ourselves for the tour. We are already familiar with the reaction. It is, if anything, less comprehending than the polite silence of our neighbors. There are no common grounds for the City Folk. They don’t own a garden, and they wouldn’t consider buying a house that is not already tapestried from floor to ceiling. Seeing nothing that holds any meaning for them, they begin to talk about their own challenging experiences in renovation. They re-did the wallpapering in the bathroom last winter, as they hadn’t cared for the flowered pattern of the previous owners. They devoted long hours to making the seams flawless. Now that they have recovered, they might attack the back bedroom this spring. They have planned to put down a new carpet, but the work is really too heavy in the summer heat. So they are hiring Jacques, the repairman, to come over and do it while they are on vacation. In fact, he might even be there right now, taking measurements and estimating how many days he will need for the job.

Christian and I look at each other out of the sides of our eyes, and try not to think about how many years it will be before we can consider the color of our own walls. As our guests do not seem of the constitution required to help us inch nearer that point by swinging the pick a few strokes before dinner, we suggest that apritif might be served in the cool of our stone kitchen. We are close to unconsciousness from hunger, and now must hold up under the weight of a few rounds of drinks while our guests’ palates make the transition from croissants and cafe au lait to a meatier sauce.
Drinks in hand, the conversation becomes more animated. Have we seen the latest talk show on the first channel? We inform them lightly that, since we don’t really have time to sit in front of the tl, we haven’t hooked ours up yet. They give us a blank stare. What? Then we didn’t see the movie on the fourth channel last Tuesday? It’s a pity we missed that one. We really must get an antenna attached to our rooftop without further delay. It’s lucky for us that we have our friends from the Capitol to keep us informed.

And what is this they are nibbling on? The thin spirals of ham wrapped around a sauce of Roquefort and cream are quite delicious. But why the leaf in the center of each one? Oh, it is fresh sage! How clever of me. Do I really grow that in my own garden? They peer out the open door to look for the plant and their eyes fall on the buckets of stones and weeds waiting for our next trip to the dump. Where do these come from? Are we going to plant something? We explain that we have already unearthed a hundred times that from the soil, and must unearth at least a hundred times more before planting the first blade of grass. Aromatic plants are hardy, so my herb garden is already laid out–rosemary, thyme, chives, sage, mint, parsley, chervil, dill, coriander. These and the nettles are our daily diet, but the rest will have to wait.
We finally make our way to the table, set inside, as the hot sun and bugs prove too much for our guests. While the courses slowly unfold, in the typical leisurely manner required of a good hostess–entree, main plate, salad, cheese, dessert–we listen to stories of vacations in Lisbon, Toulon, Venise, Athens, Malta….Where are we going for vacation this year? We answer that when not touring with a full load of concerts, we stay in Auxy to work on the house. We don’t consider going anywhere else.
Not even a few days by the sea? We must try a place they know of not far from Nice. The beaches are really marvelous there. We smile patiently and look out at the sun that is scorching down upon our garden. At least for the months of July and August, we don’t need to go where the rest of France is going to get our share of UV rays. We prefer those places in the dead of winter when we pass them on tour, with not a soul in sight.
But we continue to listen to their itinerary for us as we brew a large pot of coffee, and bring out the cognac and the eaux-de-vie. The sun has already lost its ferocity, and is dreaming of how it will display its colors across the fields in a f
ew hours. Our guests don’t quite feel up to the digestive stroll we propose around the village. They have eaten just right, and wouldn’t want to give themselves indigestion by indulging in too much exercise right away. If they time it right, they can just get back to Paris before all those idiot sightseers start congesting the routes on their way back from the country. And, oh, yes, for an American, I am an astoundingly good cook. They will be back to try my backeofe on a winter’s evening, when we will surely need some company again. Meanwhile, maybe we should think about installing a swimming pool to take the sting out of these summer months. Our garden is just the right size to accommodate one, if we don’t plant any trees. We wouldn’t want leaves clogging up the drain.

We wave them away and turn back to a mountain of dishes. We have enough leftovers to keep us going for a week. Tomorrow we will pack a picnic and go walking in the Fret d’Orleans. It will be good to air our brains out among the trees.
But have we forgotten? The Charpentiers are coming in two days. Six of them. We will have to go shopping again, plan another menu. Maybe we will just stay home tomorrow after all and have bread and cheese and beer in the garden between sawing up saplings and stacking stones. The Fret d’Orleans will have to wait till mushroom season when we will go collecting bolets to can for the next onslaught of visitors.
When the last dish is in its place, I walk out to see what colors the sun has chosen to stretch out over the wheat fields. The last tractors are making their slow way back up to the village, where dinner will be awaiting their tired drivers. I count the five church steeples marking neighboring towns, visible from our little colline. Pink and orange fingers swoop down to brush the green wheat a gentle good-night before darkness lowers its cloak.
I am weary, but glad I am not driving the saturated route back to Paris as our friends are at the moment. Instead, I will watch the stars come out and sit in the garden, my back against the stone wall that still holds the heat of the day. It is okay that our comrades didn’t see the charm that drew us to our new home. I wouldn’t trade places with them if you gave me a month of Sundays with nothing to do but write and sleep. I love our garden, with its endless platter of work and its equally endless possibilities. Our house is the same. We can make of it what we wish. And we will never be limited in our creation to the choice of wallpaper.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Writer, musician, mother of three children, Susi Gott Seguret moved to France in 1989, drawn by the spirit of tradition, which reminded her of her rural Appalachian upbringing. A quest for quality linked with simplicity led her, accompanied by her French husband, to a life in the wheat-belt, a hundred kilometers south of Paris. Fifteen years later, she has become a master gardener and French cook, and continues to write and to play acoustic country music across Europe and America. For further details contact: [email protected]/ or 06.80.54.89.72.
================================

AN UPDATE FROM THE MIDI – SUMMER 2004

By Val Littman and Linda Korolewski

Our faithful readers have reminded us it has been several months (Christmas I believe) since the last update. I can’t say that “time flies” in the south of France, it just seems to evaporate, one day into the next and before you know it “Bientt” turns into “Il tait une fois”.
Our “biggest” change of life since Christmas is the introduction of Bijou Bunn. Some time ago, to satisfy our initial curiosity, we purchased a book titled “Rabbits for Dummies.” After a thorough reading – and doing some Internet research – we decided we were indeed dumb enough to have a pet rabbit.

We are now the proud “parents” of a Tri-color Netherland Dwarf Bunny. Bijou is a grand three pounds of one hoppy bunny. She adds French-country flare to our garden and she is a real charmer with our clients. One set of guests recently asked if Bijou could “come out and play” and the next thing we knew she was taking a snooze atop their suitcase in their room. On the other hand, when we are not looking she can mow down my tulips, geraniums, solanum, basil, thyme, lobella, nasturtiums and other seasonal garden treats in a blink of an eye!

In true French fashion our neighbors’ initial question was – “Are you going to eat it?.” It is difficult for them to understand the usefulness of a rabbit that is too small to eat, but they now hang bags of carrot tops on our door handle for this curious little pet. Linda has successfully trained her to use the litter box – so there are none of those pesky little “calling cards” around the garden. She (Bijou) recently let herself out of her “minimum security” pen. When we got up from our nap, Linda discovered Bijou was on her way “to china” in one of the lower flower beds. So, just when you thought stories from the south of France have come to an end, we have a whole new chapter of Tales of Bijou Bunn.

Alas, I have no stories about French workmen in this update. I am happy to say that – for the most part – French workmen have not crossed our threshold in the past year. Well, there is one exception! Two years after construction, after endless back-and-forth with the pool man and then his insurance company, with the help of our friends whose French (and persistence) is better than ours and the expert opinion of three different specialists — we have found the problem! It seems the original pool-man did not consider that a pool built adjacent to our private terrace, on the third floor, would need an outlet for water that would inevitably overflow or get behind the liner. The problem is remedied for the summer and a permanent solution is scheduled for autumn. I am happy for the solution and most happy to have friends (Dutch and English) who are so helpful.
We are in mid-summer and mildly busy. Our client base, being mostly American (USA and Canada) is finding European travel more expensive this year. Linda and I remind ourselves that we did not come to France to be busy – so we enjoy the breaks between B&B guests for ourselves and casually search out promotion venues which match the style of comfort we offer at “petit jardin de l’me.” Volume has not been our aim. We want to cultivate a clientele that fits what we have to offer. We are happy with the results so far.
As far as acculturation to France goes – and it goes on endlessly. Linda and I have settled into two different ways of life. Linda continues to try to assimilate, improve her French for social conversation, go for walks to meet the neighb
ors and in general become more a part of the local scene. This results in little surprises from the neighbors on our door step from time to time. Louis brings us fresh oriettes. Henri brings us cherries. Yesterday we received a little clock that goes “cock-a doodle-do” on the hour! Are these old French guys charmers or what? For me, I have settled into life as forever a foreigner in France. I discovered that my interest in French language is for assertive and defensive purposes. And, I find the beautiful world we have created in our courtyard often more enjoyable than forays with the French. I find that France is a lovely place to visit from time to time. I believe that this realist’s perspective adds some balance to the super, hyper, over-the-top romanticism that surrounds all-things-French!
This said, we both have joined a French/English choral group in a village nearby and enjoy it. We will resume our French conversation classes in September. I am looking foreword to, at last, being in the intermediate class! And we continue to meet very nice people – some French, mostly English – who also have different views on why they live in France. This is the France beyond what you find in the tour books. In the last year we have developed a small but successful congregation who worship in English. About 20 people gather once a month for Eucharist. We recently had our first bi-lingual French/English worship service with the Eglise Rforme congregation in a nearby village, 33 attending! And, I will celebrate a wedding in September for a family at a private chateau nearby.
And so it goes; life in France – in the Midi — in retirement – in progress – “in eternum” AMEN.
Editor’s Note: Val Littman and Linda Korolewski are friends of International Living who live in Languedoc-Roussillon in their beautiful chambre d’hte, Le Petit Jardin (http://www.petitjardin.com/). Located in the village of Florensac, the department of Hrault, just 12 kilometers from Mediterranean beaches, near the Oyster Route and surrounded by the vineyards of the south of France. They have been hosts to a past tour and will be hosts to our upcoming tour in November of this year. For more information or to reserve your stay there: mailto:[email protected], Phone +33 (0)4 67 00 14 95

================================

Mark your calendar for the exciting upcoming conferences sponsored by the International Living Paris Office! 


Living and Investing in France
September 10 – 12, 2004
Washington, D.C.

LIF_DC Details
Plus…
Dinner and Virtual Tour of Paris with Thirza
LIF_DC Dinner/Tour
Plus…
Walking Tour of French-Speaking DC
LIF_DC Walking Tour
Plus…
Single in the City of Light
(And Loving It!) with Adrian Leeds                                      The Westin Grand – Conference Site
LIF_DC Single in the City
Reservations and information: If you’d like to know more about this conference or reserve your place, email Schuyler Hoffman [email protected]/parlerparis

Working and Living in France
October 30 to November 06, 2004
Provence and Languedoc-Rousssillon, France

https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/parlerparis/liveinfrance/index.html
Conference Venues:

Le Bois des Dames
                           l’Hostellerie de Saint Alban
** Read what our past participants have to say about our Paris Office
Conferences and Tours…
https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/parlerparis/liveinfrance/conference_comments.html
Reservations and information:

If you’d like to join us at any of these, drop us an email at [email protected]/parlerparis and we’ll be sure to email you as soon as we have more information. Visit https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/parlerparis/liveinfrance/index.html

U.S. OFFICE
Schuyler Hoffman, Special Projects Manager
Toll Free in the U.S. 1-877-IL PARIS (1-877-457-2747)
Email: [email protected]/parlerparis

==============================

TODAY’S CURRENCY UPDATE
A service of http://www.xe.com/
Sub
scribe for free at: http://www.xe.com/cus/

Rates as of  2004.07.15 14:33:38 GMT.
1 U.S. Dollar equals 0.808632 Euros (0.806665 Euros last week)
1 Euros equals 1.23666 U.S. Dollars (1.23967 Dollars last week)
1 U.K. Pound equals 1.49844 Euros (1.49709 Euros last week)
1 Euro equals 0.667363 U.K. Pounds (0.667963 Pounds last week)
==============================
SEEKING A MORTGAGE IN FRANCE?
The International Living Paris Office can help you secure a mortgage
in France with interest rates as low as 3.35%.

Visit https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/frenchproperty/loan for more
information or contact us
================================
FOR SALE: FPI HOT PROPERTY OF THE WEEK
Each week French Property Insider features a range of properties which we believe are on the market at the time of writing. These properties are featured in order to give readers a sample of what is currently available and a working example of prices being asked in various regions of France and districts of Paris.
We are not a real estate agency. These properties do not constitute a sales listing. For those readers seriously interested in finding property in Paris or France, you can retain our services to assist you. For more information, visit https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/frenchproperty/insider/propertyconsultation.html or contact Jocelyn Carnegie at [email protected]

***
LEASEBACK ON THE ATLANTIC COAST: CHTEAU D’OLONNE, RESIDENCE DE L’ESTRAN
 
DISCOVER THE BEAUTIFUL NATURAL HERITAGE OF LA VENDE, BETWEEN THE GREEN VENICE AND THE ISLE OF YEU LA
Breakdown and average pricing of the 120 apartments:
6 Studio Flats Accommodating 3/4 people
30 to 32.4 square meters
Priced 110,000 Euros TTC (92,000 Euros HT)
85 One Bedroom Flats Accommodating 3/4 and 4/5 people
26.2 to 34.3 square meters
Priced 118,400 Euros TTC (99,000 Euros HT)
29 Two Bedroom Flats Accommodating 5/6 and 6/7 people
35.4 to 42.6 square meters
Priced 163,600 Euros TTC (136,500 Euros HT)
* Guaranteed Rental Income of up to 4.5%
* Zero, three, or six week occupancy plans
* Delivery December 2005
* Residence de l’Estran, an enlightened investment:
* The Vendee: a destination known all over Europe
* Olonne Country: the jewel of the Cote de Lumiere
* A high-quality architectural project
* Guaranteed, index-linked rent, net of charges
* Recovery of VAT
* Take advantage of the holiday residence opportunities
A LIVELY SEASIDE RESORT IN A HISTORIC SITE Lying next to Les Sables d’Olonne, the little town of Chateau d’Olonne is considered one of the rare sites still preserved in the region. The ideal starting point for discovering the beauties and pleasures of the Cote de Lumiere, which runs the length of Vendee from north to south. Facing the sea, in this exceptional place with all its charm preserved. Just a few kilometers away are Saint-Jean-de-Monts, Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, La Tranche-sur-Mer and La Roche-sur-Yon to name but a few splendid excursions that will imbue the visitor with a thousand images from the region and its Atlantic air. Enjoy the attractions of nearby Les Sables dOlonne, with its long, sandy beach, the many shops in the pedestrian center, the casino… It is becoming a very popular destination on the Atlantic Coast, well known for very high demand for property, both rented and holiday accommodation.
A destination well known for the variety of its activities.
In the village: narrow alleys, lined with traditional houses, and the fountain.
Nearby: Sables d’Olonne, Talmont St Hilare, La Tranche sur Mer, Saint Jean de Monts, Saint Giles Croix de Vie, and La Roche sur Yon, all with so many authentic memories of the region.
St Jean d’Orbestier abbey, Saint Hilaire church, the grounds of the Chateau d’Olonne (spearhead of the tourism policy, extending over 13.5 hectares and just a few hundred meters from the sea) and Tanchet beach are close by and have to be seen.
OPEN TO LIFE, OPENING ONTO THE OCEAN This history of La Vende goes back to the time before Marais Poitevin existed, when the Island of Eternal Spring (Isle of Yeu) was still connected to the mainland. Discover the exceptional heritage of La Vende, step by step. In such typical old villages as Talmont-Saint-Hilaire, Jard-sur-Mer and La Tranche-en-Grire are sumptuous abbeys whose pink tiled bell towers are witnesses to a splendid past. Walks around the region of the Chouans, finding countless prehistoric megaliths, medieval fortresses, Romanesque churches and Renaissance castles in an ever surprising journey of discovery.
All along the Cote de Lumiere life is governed by the rhythm of the sea: Departure of the Vendee Globe, the top ocean yacht race, from the Sables d’Olonne, L’Estran sur les Rochers, fish filled locks, the Bay of Coyola, and especially the Pults d’Enfer (Hells’s Well) offer some fantastic sights, particularly on stormy days when the violent ocean waves crash in. The Residence de l’Estran has a front seat for this tremendous show.
A WINDOW ONTO THE SEA On a site perfectly facing south, gently sloping down towards the rocky coastline, this residential complex is a natural prolongation of the town towards the sea. The sea views are unique. The five small, two story buildings are harmoniously integrated into the landscape. Residents walk around the site to help conserve the peace and quiet the complex enjoys. The swimming pool, beach, and solarium are surrounded by plants and trees, making a pleasant contribution to life in the residential complex. The architecture, taking its inspiration from typical buildings in La Vende, helps the residential complex to integrate harmoniously into the natural surroundings. The carefully chosen materials personalize and enhance the whole complex, making it one of the most highly prized residential districts in the area. Other outstanding features that embellish and per
sonalize the site include the polychrome fronts, the pergolas and the dyed wood verandas, the gable and tower roofs and the use of light-colored stucco. The high quality interior decoration, furnishing and equipment further enhance well-being and quality of life. The site also includes a hotel, built along the same architectural lines. The 120 apartments in the complex, divided between five small blocks on a south facing plot, fits in perfectly with this charming environment keen to pay tribute to its past. The complex also includes general services, outside parking spaces, and a children’s play area.
For more information, contact: [email protected]
More photos and details at https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/frenchproperty/insider/sales/leasebacks/atlantic_coast/atlantic_coast.html

** FPI PROPERTY LISTINGS – FOR SALE

 * TWO ROOMS IN OLD BUILDING

 
35 m, two rooms, one bedroom, in an old building, equipped American kitchen, cellar. Good condition.
Asking Price: 228,500 Euros + 2% Finder’s Fee
 
* TWO ROOMS NEAR RUE CLER

66m, two rooms, one bedroom, in a new building of high quality, living room opens to a balcony overlooking a planted courtyard, equipped American kitchen open to the living room. Cellar. Parking. Easy access to rue Cler shopping.
Asking Price: 546,000 Euros + 2% Finder’s Fee
* THREE ROOMS NEAR CHAMP DE MARS

 
82m, on the ground floor garden, two bedrooms, equipped American kitchen, sunny and quiet. Cellar. Possible parking.
Asking Price: 562,000 Euros + 2% Finder’s Fee
 
* FOUR ROOMS NEAR ECOLE MILITAIRE

112.68m, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, in a modern building with cellar, parking, overlooking the street and a garden. Sunny and funtional.
Asking Price: 745,000 Euros + 2% Finder’s Fee
* FLORENSAC CENTRE VILLE

 
198 m, seven rooms, six bedrooms, equipped kitchen, interior courtyard
Asking Price: 245,300 Euros + 2% Finder’s Fee
 
* VILLA IN FLORENSAC

183 m, nine rooms, seven bedrooms, equipped kitchen, two bathrooms, lot of 1100 m, garage, charming, sunny, beautiful garden, possibility for a pool, ideal for a gite.
Asking Price: 418,850 Euros + 2% Finder’s Fee
The best way to find the home or apartment in France of your dreams is to designate a time to be here to do a proper search. For more information about our property search services visit https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/frenchproperty/insider/propertyconsultation.html and for serious inquiries regarding these properties click here to email Jocelyn Carnegie, French Property Consultant: [email protected]
================================

PARLER PARIS APRES MIDI

NO MEETING DURING AUGUST
EVERY SECOND TUESDAY OF THE MONTH, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.                                    NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, September 14th, 2004

This is your opportunity to meet every month, often with local professionals who can answer your Working and Living in France questions. You are invited to come for drinks and share your questions and comments about what it takes to create a life here, own property and enjoy what France has to offer. It is also an opportunity to network with other Parler Paris readers.

LOCATION:
Upstairs at La Pierre du Marais
96, rue des Archives at the corner of rue de Bretagne, 75003 Paris
Mtro Lines 9, 3 et 11, stations Temple, Rpublique or Arts et Mtiers
For a detail description of the past meeting and for more information
about Parler Paris Aprs Midi, visit:
https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/parlerparis/apresmidi.html

================================

INSIDER PARIS GUIDES DISCOUNT FOR FPI SUBSCRIBERS
Don’t forget that with your FPI subscription you are entitled to a discount on the purchase of any Insider Paris Guides. You’ll find details of the guides at http://www.insiderparisguides.com/. When ordering, a box will pop up allowing you to enter the following username/password
Order more than one guide at a time and you will receive an additional discount!
Username: propertyinsider
Password: liveinfrance
================================
RENTING AN APARTMENT IN PARIS OR HAVE AN APARTMENT TO RENT?
If you are seeking to rent a furnished apartment for a week, a month or a year or you have an apartment you wish to rent, contact Adrian Leeds
================================

FPI CONFERENCE CALLS 

https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/frenchproperty/insider/subscribersonly/confcallinstr.cfm

As an FPI subscriber, we offer you special access to our time and
knowledge with our own quarterly conference calls. The next scheduled
conference call is Sunday, October 17, 2004 at 8 p.m. Paris time, 2 p.m.
Eastern time. Mark your calendars now, but don’t worry, we’ll give you
plenty of advance notice.
To listen to the last conference call:
July 11, 2004
The French Leaseback: A Hassle-Free Investment with a Guaranteed Return
https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/frenchproperty/insider/subscribersonly/107.mp3
NEXT CONFERENCE CALL
Conference Date: October 17, 2004
Conference Time: 2 p.m. EST, 8 p.m. Paris Time
Discussion Topic: TBA

================================

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
– FPI Website: To access any password protected pages, the username is: fpiuser and the password is: paris1802. If your computer utilizes cookies, once you log into a subscriber only section, the login information will remain active for seven days, after which you will have to login again.
– Past issues of FPI are available on the website. You will find the “Past Issues” link on the left under “Subscribers Only” or by going to https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/frenchproperty/insider/subscribersonly/archives.cfm
– To receive your free French Leaseback Report or the Paris Property Report, click on https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/frenchproperty/insider/subscribersonly/reports2003.cfm and download the pdf versions.
– Instructions for upcoming conference calls are on the FPI website. You’ll find the link under the “Subscribers Only” section on the left of any page.
– Get In On The Discussion: Care to weigh-in on current HOT topics of discussion on France? Get in on or start your own thread on our bulletin board at http://www.agora-inc.com/forums/index.cfm?cfapp=15
================================
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
==APARTMENT RENTAL==
For rent by the week or longer
Two lovely 2 or 3-bedroom apartments — 1st arrondissement, same building. Just minutes away: the Louvre, Tuilleries, Place Vendome and more. French style gives you a true taste of Paris. Fully equiped makes your Paris stay effortless, comfortable and memorable.
Complete information and photos at http://www.youlloveparis.com
==APARTMENT RENTAL==

Stay in your own 17th-century pied–terre in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prs, Paris, by the week or month. Sleeps 4. Newly furnished and redecorated. Totally charming. From $150 per night.
Visit https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/frenchproperty/insider/rentals/mazarine.html
or contact Porter Scott at Mazarine
==APARTMENT RENTAL==
* 23, rue Mazarine in the 6th arrondissement. Mtro: Odeon
45 square meters: bedroom, bath with tub/shower, kitchen & dining area, living room with bedcouch. Sleeps 4. Fully furnished. Cable TV. Beautiful restored stone wall, beams, charm of 17th century building. 3 flights up, no elevator.
To book, contact Porter Scott at
[email protected]
==APARTMENT RENTAL==
Guest Room or Two-Bedroom Apartment Located in a 17th century Le Marais Hotel Particulier, this 70 square meter apartment two-bedroom apartment with lots of light is nicely furnished and is perfect for a single woman in the freshly renovated guest room when owner Adrian Leeds is in or for up to 4 people when she’s traveling.
The Guest Room is offered at 525 Euros per week (75 Euros per day, 200 Euros deposit deposit required). The Entire Apartment when available is offered at 875 Euros per week (125 Euros per day, 350 Euros deposit required). References are required.
Pictures and more details available at https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/parlerparis/apartments/rentals/leeds.html
For information and reservations email: ABL_Apartment
==SEASIDE VACATION APARTMENT RENTAL==

Monte Carlo Seaside: a dream flat with a dream view on Monaco and the sea!
Located at the french border of the principality of Monaco in Roquebrune Cap Martin — this big one bedroom flat of 600 square-feet with a terrace can easily accommodate one couple + one extra adult on a convertible sofa. Fully equiped kitchen, marble bathroom, private cark park, security doors, pure silence, fresh
sea breeze, direct access to the quiet private beach at 200 meters, 5 minutes to Monte Carlo train station or bus stop, easy access from Nice international airport and Monte Carlo train station.
May to June*: 600 euros per week
July to September: 800 euros per week
*Special Weeks in May: Monaco Grand Prix and Cannes Film Festival: 1000 euros per week
Visit https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/frenchproperty/insider/rentals/pfmontecarlo.html
or contact FPI_Monte-Carlo and ask for the French Property Insider Special Offer.
==APARTMENT RENTAL==
Elegant, Tasteful, Calm at Saint-Germain-des-Prs, 6th arrondissement, one bedroom apartment, sleeps 4. Amenities: Fireplace, Phone, Cable TV, Full Kitchen, Microwave, Refrigerator, Cooking Utensils provided, Linens provided, Washer & Dryer, Bathtub with Shower.
For more information, visit:
https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/frenchproperty/insider/rentals/scott.html or contact FPI_Cherche_Midi_Rental
==APARTMENT RENTAL==
* 41, rue Mazarine in the 6th arrondissement. Mtro Odeon
40 square meters: bedroom, bathroom with shower. Kitchen. Dining/Living room with sleeper sofa. Sleeps 4. Fully furnished. Cable TV. Restored interior brick wall. 2 flights up with elevator.
To book, contact Porter Scott at
[email protected]

==PROVENCE VACATION HOME RENTAL==

Make this exquisite contemporary private residence your home away from home while vacationing in Provence this spring or summer. Paradise for the person who appreciates fine esthetics, this restored farm house dating as far back as 1682 is in the heart of Provence in the green setting of over seven acres of olive and chestnut trees, terraces and gardens with a private pool. “La Vernatelle” is less than 20 minutes from Saint Tropez, but nestled in the forest of La Garde Freinet en Provence. Three bedrooms, four baths, seven terraces, a chimney, a large mezzanine for reading and lounging overlooking the main living area, pool and much, much more! Read more about La Vernatelle… https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/frenchproperty/insider/rentals/lavernatelle.html
2,975 Euro per Week
To reserve or for more information, contact: [email protected]
==APARTMENT RENTAL==
* 20, rue du Cherche-Midi in the 6th arrondissement, just down the street from the world famous Poilne bakery. Mtro: St. Sulpice. 45 square meters: bedroom, bath with tub/shower, kitchen, dining room and living room area with trundle bed (2 twins). Fully and elegantly furnished. Cable TV. Sleeps 4. Fully furnished. Decor composed of 18th century oak paneling. 2 flights up.
To book, contact Porter Scott at
[email protected]
==APARTMENT RENTALS==
See More Apartment Rentals At: https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/parlerparis/apartments
================================
HELPFUL CONVERSIONS FOR REAL ESTATE
1 square meter = 10.7639104 square feet
1 hectare = 2.4710538 acres
For more conversions, refer to: http://www.onlineconversion.com/
================================
SUBSCRIBE TO PARLER PARIS
If you’re not a regular reader of the Parler Paris daily e-letter, and
would like to be, simply enter your e-mail address here (it’s free!):
http://www.adrianleeds.com/parlerparis
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Copyright 2004, Agora Ireland Publishing & Services Ltd.

SHARE THIS POST

Leave a Comment




Let Us create a custom strategy for you

You can live or invest in France-now.

Property for sale

what's happening

Check out upcoming events, conferences, or webinars. Join us!

GET FINANCING

Learn about French Property Loan Information.

French Property Loan logo

Read & Subscribe

Dive into more by reading the Adrian Leeds Nouvellettre®

Better yet, subscribe to both and get the updates delivered to your inbox.

Adrian Leeds in red beret and sunglasses

Get started with your dream of owning property in Paris.

Advertise with Us

Deliver your message to 15,000+ Francophile readers in our Nouvellettres®

Save money on currency exchange. See who we use and recommend.