Looking at the Loire

Fête de la Musique comes once a year — this coming Sunday on June 21st, the longest day of the year. The festival takes place all over France (now, as well as many other countries) and for many, it marks the beginning of the summer season.
Until the French officially take their summer vacations (begining mid July), opportunities for property purchases will be excellent. Now is a perfect moment to invest in French property — while interest rates are low, property prices are soft and the current Euro-Dollar rate of exchange is still reasonable.
We have several clients currently in the throws of searching for good investment properties and there are amazing opportunities in the fractional ownership realm. Read all about new developments with Le Palace des Vosges in today’s issue and stay tuned for more properties soon to be made available to you.
Meanwhile, Schuyler Hoffman spent last week in the Loire Valley visiting as many châteaux as was possible and gathering information about property and the region. In today’s issue, he shares what he learned and how he fell in love with this magical part of France. He’s chosen a few “hot” properties from La Loire for you dream about and some great little hotels for your next visit to the Valley.
Don’t miss Justine Trueman’s article from her blog reporting on an investment club meeting at which I shared some of our property investment secrets and some other tidbits we know you’ll enjoy from our sister publications.
A bientôt,

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

P.S. Don’t forget that August in Paris is the bargain month on luxury rental apartments — rates are at the absolute lowest at Parler Paris Apartments (https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/parlerparis/apartments)! So, now’s a great time to visit the City of Light!

A Few Important Bits of News About Le Palace des Vosges!
By Adrian Leeds
Yesterday I sent out a special letter to all the folks who had shown a sincere interest in being one of the lucky 13 owners of “Le Palace des Vosges.” If you haven’t been following the story of this luxury fractional ownership apartment in Paris, let me bring you up to date.
This is an apartment we discovered about one year ago that stole our hearts — so much so that I begged the real estate agents to promise not to sell it to anyone else…and they didn’t. They sold it to us. ‘Us’ being three investors from the U.S. and Europe who saw this as a ‘jewel’ at what is Paris’ chicest address — the Place des Vosges.
The apartment is no ordinary Paris apartment. It may sound ordinary when I describe it as 81 square meters (872 square feet) with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a powder room, full kitchen and living-dining room with the usage of a garage and storage lockers.
But there’s nothing ordinary about it.
To begin with, it’s in the southwest corner of Place des Vosges, meaning that the space is about 400 years
old. That’s evident from the enormou
s oak beams that support the ceiling, impossible to reproduce in today’s world.
You enter it from the courtyard at ground level…so first you enter the large doors on the Place at number 9 just next to the Michelin three-star restaurant, L’Ambroisie, walk past the statuary and rose patch to the back past the Nikki-Diana Marquardt Art Gallery, down another cobblestone path to the back corner of the second courtyard.
The moment you enter, you will hear birds chirping in the trees along the side and in the gardens of the adjacent Hôtel de Sully which looms above the stone wall and garages set to the left.
It’s immediately magic. Here you are in the middle of Paris…in the center of one of the city’s most historic spots, surrounded by the hustle-bustle of the city, yet there is total serenity. Everyone who walks in says they feel transformed to another time and place.
At the far corner, you will notice two glass-paneled walls. This is Le Palace des Vosges — more a house than an apartment, with three levels. You enter the main level through a glass door which houses a spacious living room, dining room, open kitchen and powder room. A few stone steps down leads you to one bedroom. A few stone steps up leads you to the second bedroom. Each bedroom has a luxury ‘en suite’ bathroom — one with shower, the other with both a shower and a tub.
In effect, it’s a ‘split level’ and because of this, along with ceilings about five meters high, the space feels absolutely enormous, and like a ‘house’ rather than an ‘apartment.’
We started the total renovation about four months ago and about another month will bring it to completion. Martine di Matteo, the Interior Architect who has been the creative talent behind many of the luxury apartments featured on Parler Paris Apartments (https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/parlerparis/apartments) is the principal designer and supervisor of the project. She has created an environment fit for kings and queens, as divine as Marie Antoinette would have expected and lavished in.
Until now, the final outcome has been in our dreams, as we approve her furnishings and fabrics selections. Now that we’re in the final stages of the project, we’re seeing it come together in real life and we have several very important messages to relate to all of you who dream of owning a part in Le Palace des Vosges…
** An update on the apartment’s exciting renovation
** Our new “Four Week Block” ownership plan -­ if you prefer one long Paris visit, it might be just what works best for you!
** The “hot” statistics on Marais property values (the district in which Place des Vosges is located). Hint: they’re going up!
** And, a special “heads up” to our most loyal readers and friends…
Firstly, the renovation…
The kitchen is in! You know what that means — Le Palace is now a home! And, what a kitchen! A hand-hammered zinc bar separates the kitchen from the dining area -­ I immediately saw myself relaxing there with a glass of champagne. Cream-toned cabinetry supports a gorgeous creamy marble counter top and sink, surrounding a black “Falcon” five-burner stove. The large overhead hood will be perfect for the antique copper pots we found, etched with “Jules Vernes Restaurant.” There’s a dishwasher, fridge, freezer, washer, dryer, oodles of drawers and cabinetry ­ all tucked away so “le chef” (you!) can chat with guests in the living room while viewing the glorious Hôtel de Sully through the windows. Spectacular!
Flooring is being installed throughout the apartment. The living/dining/kitchen areas have stone tiles with black ‘diamonds,’ just as you’d see in a 17th-century château. We’re putting oak flooring in the lower bedroom, and carpeting in the upper bedroom to reduce noise.
The silver claw-foot bathtub has arrived! It’s higher on one side, as Marie Antoinette specified for her own boudoir and will go into the upper bathroom, alongside the a large “Italian” style tiled shower.
The new “atelier” style windows and doors (approved after ‘millions’ of meetings with the Architects de Bâtiments de France, the Marie de Paris, plus the building’s “copropriété”) have been uncrated and are ready for installation this week.
Whew! So much activity! I’ve visited it everyday this past week, and as soon as I brush off the plaster dust, I’ll post more photos.
Believe me, the apartment is looking fabulous.
Secondly, and for some of you, this may be the most important news yet. We now offer four contiguous weeks of ownership -­ at the same price as two, two-week blocks! So, if you would prefer one luxurious four-week-long ownership stay at Le Palace, rather than two, two-week visits, now’s the time to let me know. The “two, two week” plan is still available for those who visit Paris more frequently.
Next, I’m delighted to report that property values around Le Palace des Vosges have risen. Again. As you know, Le Marais includes the 3rd and 4th Arrondissements. Both have increased over the last quarter: the 3rd by 4.2%, and the 4th by 2%. Property values for just the Place des Vosges are hard to isolate because the area is so distinct, but currently, prices in Place des Vosges average about 15,000€ per square meter. That range has increased every year since the 1960’s, when Place des Vosges was ‘rediscovered,’ thanks to the then Minister of Culture, André Malraux.
The bottom line: property in (and even around) Place des Vosges is simply the b
est. Nothi
ng compares in value, status and elegance in all of Paris. Mark my words. Le Palace des Vosges will be the most luxurious, most desirable fractional property in the City of Light.
Lastly: my “Heads Up” – Share prices will increase when the renovation is finished and Le Palace des Vosges is ready for occupancy, and when you see how absolutely fabulous this property is…so I urge you to reserve your lucky share before that happens. Otherwise, it may be too late.
Please visit the site and then contact us about reserving your share of Le Palace des Vosges. Our Le Palace site: http://www.palacedesvosges.com, our e-mail addresses: [email protected] or [email protected].
Editor’s Note: Le Palace des Vosges will be available for rental soon. If you decide to stay at the apartment, we’ll give you a substantial discount toward ownership. Be sure to ask Adrian about this “try it out before you buy” opportunity!

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Discovering the Loire
By Schuyler Hoffman
I have traveled several regions in France, mostly related to my work with French Property Insider, then and now. I had been to the Loire once, a few years ago, to visit a property we were going to advertise for sale. That was the extent of my exposure to the area, one weekend to see a property — although a beautiful property in a beautiful area, it was. I just returned from a week long journey through the Loire Valley and must say, prior to this, was sold on Languedoc-Rousillon as an ideal area to live and to invest. I am now a reformed thinker.
I am totally infatuated with the Loire, as a place to live and invest in property.
I’ll get to the property/investment part of my story in a bit, but would first like to introduce you the Loire Valley.
The Loire is an enchanting land of vineyards, flowers, rolling green hills, fields of wheat, corn, asparagus and sunflowers, and dotted with what seems like a thousand châteaux. It is often called the “garden of France.” It’s inhabitants are said to speak the purest French, at least the French ones.
On December 2, 2000, UNESCO added the central part of the Loire River valley, between Maine and Sully-sur-Loire, to its list of World Heritage Sites. In choosing this area that includes the French départements of Loiret, Loir-et-Cher, Indre-et-Loire, and Maine-et-Loire, the committee said that the Loire Valley is: “an exceptional cultural landscape, of great beauty, comprised of historic cities and villages, great architectural monuments – the Châteaux – and lands that have been cultivated and shaped by centuries of interaction between local populations and their physical environment, in particular the Loire itself.”
The region pretty much splits France in two and retains a backwater feel that mirrors the river’s sluggish, meandering waters. Trade along the river gave rise to major towns along its banks: Angers, Saumur, Blois, Orléans. But Tours remains the gateway to the region, not only for its central position but because the TGV links it with Paris in little more than an hour. A leisurely drive between Paris and Tours takes a couple of hours.
It is, of course, the châteaux that drive the tourist industry in the region. That and its proximity and easy access to and from Paris and other major cites make the Loire a very interesting place to consider for property investment. An interesting place with very interesting property prices.
Editor’s Note: The “tour” of the Loire continues with a discussion of the property market following our Fractional Property Offerings.

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Fractional Property Offerings from French Property Fractional
www.adrianleeds.com/frenchproperty/fractional
If you are interested in traditional fractional ownership properties currently offered by our Fractional Ownership partners, see below:

Paris:
CHEZ LA TOUR

Paris:
La Rsidence Luxembourg

Paris: LE PALACE DES VOSGES	Paris: LE NOTRE DAME
Paris: LE PETIT TRESOR	Languedoc-Roussillon: MAISON BLEUE

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Investing in Property in the Loire
By Schuyler Hoffman
A very brief overview of the market
Privately owned châteaux serve as homes, a few open their doors to tourist visits, while others are operated as hotels or bed and breakfasts. Many have been taken over by a local government authority or the giant structures like those at Chambord are owned and operated by the national government and are major tourist sites, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
Like Paris, the large number of tourists who visit the Loire Valley each year make it a region worth considering for property investment. Unlike Paris, your investment dollars will go a lot further in the Loire.
Most people look to buy an apartment in Paris so they can rent it out at least part of the year. Investors looking to buy an apartment in the Loire will want to consider purchasing in one of the larger towns, most likely Tours. Some tourist are more comfortable renting in a city as opposed to a gite or chambre d’hôtes in the countryside or smaller towns, so there is a good market for short term rentals in cities.
In Tours, prices can range from around €60,000 for a nice studio to as little as €197,000 for two-bedrooms in a central location.
The region abounds with fermettes (small farm properties) maisons and even small châteaux which are excellent opportunities for gites and chambre d’hôtes (gites being self-contained rental units as opposed to bed and breakfast like chambre d’hôtes). Opportunities to own income producing property at a much lower investment than in larger towns or cities are everywhere throughout the Valley.
As our Hot Properties demonstrate below, you can get into such properties for around €150,000. The range of prices varies, of course, depending on the size, condition, and location of the property. But it is easily possible to find very interesting properties for under €200,000.
It’s also possible to find smaller châteaux for a few hundred thousand dollars, as the owners of Châteaux des Sablons did (where I stayed). With further investment for renovations, they can now sleep up to 32 people in the châteaux and carriage house, all in self-contained gite style apartments.
Paris has long been the center of investment for foreigners looking to buy income producing property. And for good reason. But there is a lot to be said for investing in areas outside of Paris. I, for one, am taking a much closer look at the lifestyle and property market in the Loire Valley.
Editor’s Note: for more information on Châteaux des Sablons go to http://www.historicrentals.com/bourgueil/.

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One-Hour Consultation with Adrian Leeds Free!
If you are a guest staying in any one of our luxurious Parler Paris Apartments, and would like to consider having your own “pied-à-terre” for your pleasure and profit, contact Adrian Lees for a FREE one-hour consultation while you’re enjoying the apartment in the City of Light.
Visit https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/parlerparis/apartmentsfor more information or email me at [email protected].

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Secret Hotels of the Loire Valley
By Margie Rynn
http://www.cnn.com
Just a two-hour det
our from Paris, the Loire was once a playground to Renaissance royals. Now its vaunted châteaux are attracting enterprising young couples and artists who have remade them into captivating — and surprisingly affordable — inns.
CHINON
Hôtel Diderot
“If you’ve never eaten a brioche with fresh Ste. Maure goat cheese, honey and walnuts for breakfast, then you haven’t been to the Loire,” says Laurent Dutheil, who is justifiably proud of the simple breakfasts he serves at his 23-room hotel in the western corner of the valley.
Diderot is housed in a sprawling 15th-century home that the Chinon-born Dutheil, along with his two sisters, Martine and Francoise, bought and renovated six years ago…
THÉSÉE
Le Moulin de la Renne
A tunnel of towering fir trees leads to the entrance of this converted 19th-century mill in Thésée, on the banks of the Cher River. Guests are greeted by an enormous Bernese mountain dog named Alpha and his equally friendly owners, Véronique and Christophe Villanfin.
There are 13 guest rooms, decorated with items such as embroidered quilts and framed puzzles of boats assembled by jigsaw fanatic Véronique. Jazz enthusiasts, the Villanfins host occasional concerts featuring local groups, including Les Bras’Coeurs, a quartet that performs Georges Brassens standards…
CIVRAY-DE-TOURAINE
Château de l’Isle
The Château de l’Isle is quiet to the core — unless you count the chorus of quacks coming from the duck pond on the 35-acre grounds. The 18th-century manor house had been abandoned for 10 years when Denis Gandon bought it in 1986 and transformed the place into a 12-room hotel.
Still, the château somehow feels like a private home: A portrait of Gandon’s grandfather hangs over a 100-year-old antique table in the dining area, and an amiable Jack Russell terrier entertains guests with endless rounds of fetch. The stylish bedrooms have exposed wood beams and beds draped with coverlets in shades of crimson and marigold…
CHENONCEAUX
La Roseraie
This 18-room hotel in Chenonceaux was a must-stay on the itineraries of political notables after World War II, when the Allies were trying to figure out how to piece Europe back together. Winston Churchill, Harry Truman and Eleanor Roosevelt all, at one time or another, laid their heads at La Roseraie. (A letter from Roosevelt still hangs in the breakfast room.)
In 2000, Sophie and Laurent Fiorito acquired the property and completed a top-to-bottom renovation. There is no such thing as a standard room here — tiny singles have just enough space for a twin bed, while one suite fits a family of five. The decor is equally varied. One room has a Louis Philippe-style dresser and a crystal chandelier; another shows off a modern pink-checkered sofa…
AMBOISE
Le Clos d’Amboise
Surrounded by 10-foot-high limestone walls, in the heart of the old market center of Amboise, this 17-room mansion inn offers an unexpected sanctuary from the town’s bustling, narrow streets.
The bedrooms come equipped with decorative elements such as mahogany four-poster beds and original fireplaces, while the common room features wood floors modeled after those at the Palace of Versailles. Most of the rooms overlook the hotel’s private park, landscaped with 100-year-old magnolias and a pine tree that survived the French Revolution…
To read the entire article go to http://www.cnn.com/2009/TRAVEL/getaways/06/04/loire.valley.hotels.

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TODAY’S CURRENCY UPDATE
www.currencyonline.com
Currency Online Limited is a member of the Moneycorp group of companies. Moneycorp provides comprehensive foreign currency services to businesses and private individuals around the globe. Moneycorp has quickly become a market leader in foreign exchange with a network of offices in Australasia, North America and Europe that manages billions of dollars in foreign currency transactions annually.
Visit the FPI Web site for more information and take this link for Currency Convertor by Currency
Online: www.adrianleeds.com/frenchproperty/loan/moneycorpconvertor.html for up to the minute conversions of all major currencies.
Contacts at Currency Online:
Dan Madden: [email protected]
Chrissy Willets: [email protected]
Free Phone Calls (Be sure to ask for Dan or Chrissy and tell them Adrian Leeds sent you!):
USA 1 866 420 7697
Canada 1 800 558 4565
France 0 800 917 854
United Kingdom 0 800 085 8589
Ireland 1 800 550 494
Spain 900 977 647
Australia 1 800 150 689
New Zealand 0 508 399 399
Japan 0 120 974 891
Telephone from Anywhere 64 3 962 0962
Fax from Anywhere 64 3 963 0963

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Investing in Property with Adrian Leeds
By Justine Trueman
Posted in Uncategorized on April 21st, 2009
http://www.financedetox.co.uk
What a fantastic turnout we had for Adrian Leeds’ presentation on property investing. The atmosphere was simply bubbling with excitement and enthusiasm as Adrian shared her insights and experiencing of investing in Paris apartments.
First I should explain that Adrian invests in a very specific type of property. She only buys well-located apartments in areas like the Marais or St Germain and then renovates them to a very high standard. Apart from the capital growth (increase in the price of the property) she can also attract a high income via short term lets to foreign tourists. These tourists stay for between a couple of days to a month. Of course that creates more work – finding the tenants, cleaning up after them, ensuring there’s someone to give them the keys etc. – but she says the profits are worth it.
Adrian’s own personal story is not only heart wrenching but also inspiring for other female investors. She says she came to Paris on a sabbatical and while she was here divorced her husband leaving her with no job and a young daughter to take care of. She was renting a lovely flat in the Marais that she found through a friend and when it came up for sale couldn’t bear to leave it so did everything she could to get a loan. Unfortunately some banks wouldn’t accept a single mother but she had a decent deposit from her divorce settlement (around 60,000 euros) so put the whole lot down as a deposit.
As she says, it was more about good luck than good management but after a while she built up her knowledge of the Paris property market (partly through her job) and when the value of her property rose she took out some money via an equity release loan. With this cash she was able to buy a studio in the same area which she renovated and now rents out for around 3000 euros a month.
Her third property, also with cash from the equity release loan, was a “Viager” which is a particularly French system. It’s a life annuity property, basically, when you’re old you sell your property to someone else but while you are alive you still hold the rights to live there until you die. It can be very risky but Adrian had inside information. The apartment was in her building and no one else knew about it.
Adrian has also used the capital built up in her Paris properties to release more cash to buy an apartment in New York in the West Village which is rented out to her daughter for $900 per month. Her latest project is a two bedroom apartment in Place de Vosges which she is buying with two other people.
Here are some of Adrian’s tips when buying short-term rental properties in Central Paris.
BUY QUALITY
Paris is the lowest risk property market; it is the number one most visited place in the world. I would never rent a property unfurnished; even if it’s only minimally furnished it comes under a different law and has a 1 year minimum lease period.
Like any major International city, Paris is not dependent so much on the local French economy. In Paris you can not build up or out. New York is more risky because you can build up. There are certain areas in every major city which are prime property and that retains its value. Never buy a mediocre property, don’t buy just because it’s cheap. Buying quality reduces your risks.
BUY SOMETHING THAT STANDS OUT
If it’s an investment you need to do it correctly. It must be very central, sexy; it has to have tremendous assets – a view, balcony, something that makes people feel good. Decorate it to luxury standard. In terms of space it matters how many people it can sleep. Why buy 50 meters square for 4 when you can buy 30msq that sleeps four – if it’s well designed you can do it. We use French doors to create two spaces, curtains, drapes, sliding frosted glass doors. It’s good to have views, light, but if it’s high and the lift is out you are in trouble.
1 BEDS ARE CURRENTLY EXPENSIVE
There’s a huge glut of one bedroom flats now, there are fewer studios than two to three bedrooms. Very few studios are up for sale at the moment, sales are down 25 to 30%. As prices increased people were buying smaller flats so they bought more studios to live
in.
In the rental market it’s hard to find two to three bedroom apartments but lots of people travel together. Couple who have kids go to a hotel and are put into several rooms, with a flat they can all be together and it’s a bargain for them. These are vacation rentals; there are many agencies in Paris that offer them.
PARIS IS A YEAR-ROUND MARKET
Paris is a year round market. The highest period is Christmas to New Years, from January 3,4 it drops then increases gradually again and peaks at the end of June. Then it drops again and August is a down month. On September 15 it comes back up and through to November 15 it’s good until it reaches a peak. From November to December 15 it’s lower then it kicks in again.
KNOW YOUR MARKET
My newsletter readers are mostly American so we focus on that market. The team renovates it to high quality standards. We won’t rent them out unless they are absolute luxury. It’s cheaper than a hotel of that standard. People want to feel like they live in France but have a bathroom that functions well. I will not contract with French owners because they don’t understand this type of market. The Brits are a very different market, they go to the country, and they don’t like spending money and have different standards. Australians are more like US and Canadians.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT QUARTIER
You can get a good return in the Marais, better than the 6th, you can rent a flat in the 16th for corporates or families. You don’t want to be outside the 1st to the 8th. In order it goes:
1. Isle St Louis
2. St Germain 6th
3. Marais 3rd and 4th
4. Latin quarter 5th
5. 7th near Eiffel tower or rue Cler
RENOVATE TO A HIGH STANDARD
It costs very little more money to make it luxury. It doesn’t pay to be penny wise and pound foolish. I use a designer, Martine, she’s French but lived in the US for a long time, she understands the French aesthetic and US comfort standards. I stay in every apartment to make sure its how I want it to be. Make it delightful!

 
Editor’s Note: Justine’s blog has resulted in the publication of her book “Detox Your Finances” the ultimate accessory for the modern gal (http://www.financedetox.co.uk/the-book/). For more information about Justine go to http://www.financedetox.co.uk/the-author/.
 
 
 

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Paris Spring for Property Investment
http://news.assetz.co.uk
When people think of France, various iconic images come to mind. For some it may be the wines, for others the food, but for a great many the visual image that sticks out will be the country’s most famous building, the Eiffel Tower.
It may be hard to imagine now that when the 984-foot structure was created in the 1880s it was highly unpopular and expected to be pulled down fairly quickly. Instead, the tallest man-made structure in the world until the Empire State Building overtook it in 1931 has become an elegant symbol of a city that has never lacked for style, charm and romance.
Indeed, the appeal of Paris is one that does not depend on one building, since it has a wide range of architecture as well as art and culture. All of this may appeal to many people as a place to go on holiday or even to live. While Alpine France offers winter sports, the rural heart has its wines and the Cote D’Azur brings sun, sand and a little hedonism, Paris provides cosmopolitan glamour.
What it also supplies just now is a property market that is defying the rest of the country. While house prices across France have dipped on the whole, the capital has gone the other way, according to a new report by the Notaire de France…
To read the entire article go to http://news.assetz.co.uk/articles/4842.html.

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PARLER PARIS APARTMENTS
Parler Paris Apartments Welcome to your home in Paris. Home is how you will feel in a private apartment in Paris that has the “seal of approval” from Parler Paris Apartments and me, Adrian Leeds. Parler Paris Apartments offers high quality accommodations to make your stay in the City of Light as enjoyable and memorable as possible.
We at Parler Paris know each and every apartment owner or manager personally, and stand behind the quality of those we represent. We understand your needs and desires, all the small details that make a rental apartment a warm and welcoming home ­ and a much better alternative to an impersonal hotel!Parler Paris Apartments is administered and serviced by the same great team as Parler Paris, French Property Insider and French Property Consultation. You can tr
ust that P
arler Paris Apartments and all those with whom it is associated will do heir best for your 100% guaranteed satisfaction.
SPOTLIGHT APARTMENT(S): Le Balcon Planté
Near Place de la Bastille and the Bastille Opera, Gare de Lyon, the Viaduc des Arts and the Promenade Plantée, 12th
1-Bedroom, Sleeps Up to 4
Sunny, bright and newly decorated, there are two main rooms, both opening through French doors to a balcony with plants, a bistro table and chairs; plus a fully equipped kitchen, bathroom with tub and shower, and separate toilet. The bedroom has a new, very comfortable queen size bed. The living room has a new modern sofa that converts to a comfortable, extra-long double bed, as well as a dining table and chairs. All rooms open separately to the entry hall; the two main rooms can be separated, or the French doors and curtains between them can be opened to create one large space.
www.adrianleeds.com/parlerparis/apartments/rentals/balcon_plante.html.
Reserve now! Visit www.adrianleeds.com/parlerparis/apartments or email: [email protected]

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‘Exciting Investment Opportunity’ in Paris
Compiled by Schuyler Hoffman
The price of apartments in Paris rose by 10 percent at the tail end of last year despite the global credit crunch, according to a report by the Notaire de France.
This rise, believe some property experts, is due to a raft of laws brought in by French President Nicolas Sarkozy which has stimulated the construction industry and created sustained demand for residential property.
In response to these changes in the law two investment opportunities have recently been launched in Paris, one in the centre of the French capital and the other in the business district of La Defense.
** Two steps away from Le Marais and its renowned Place des Vosges, and only a 5 minute walk from Place de la Bastille, the residence includes top-of-the-line facilities and services with air-conditioned rooms and underground parking. The development includes studio to one-bedroom apartments, starting at €231,000. The units come fully furnished and complete with kitchen appliances, TV and WiFi Internet access. The guaranteed annual rental return will be up to four per cent of the purchase price.
** In the west of Paris, 20 minutes from the center and 10 minutes away from the Arc de Triomphe, this development offers 96 turnkey apartments from €252,320 to €527,113. The accommodations range from studios to three-bedroom apartments including air conditioning, WiFi connection, flatscreen TV, kitchenette and more.
For more information on these leaseback opportunities contact us at [email protected].

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HOT PROPERTY PICKS: Loire Looking Luscious
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.
As 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 do the whole thing for you. For more information, visit https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/frenchproperty/consultation
This week our focus is on properties in the Loire Valley.

	***Tours: 2-Bedroom, approx. 85m² Spacious apartment in excellent condition. In the center of Tours. Lots of light in an excellent, secure building with elevator. Consists of kitchen, dining room/living room, two bedrooms, one bathroom. Asking Price: € 193 900 + 2.5% Finder’s Fee
	***Bourgueil: 3-Bedrooms, approx. 99m² Two older maisons, one of which has been restored and renovate, the other to be renovated. Finished house consists of kitchen, living room, dining room, three bedrooms, wc and toilettes. In clud es other buildings and land of 6500m². Asking Price: € 171 000 + 2.5% Finder’s Fee
	***Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil: 4-Bedrooms approx. 100m² Longère style house in need of restoration work. With other buildings included, would be perfect for chambres d’hôtes ou gîtes. Has vaulted cave, garden and trees, on land of about 2123m². Other building has 120m² of habitable space. Asking Price: € 168 000 + 2.5% Finder’s Fee
	***Orbigny : 4-Bedroom, approx. 240² Spacious longère style, character home located in the lovely tranquil area of Orbigny (2kms from local amenities, 17kms from Montrichard). The house has an enviable view across 5700m2 of well maintained grounds with mature trees and large lawn. There is also an attached garage. Ground floor: entrance, tiled living area, large equipped kitchen with separate back pantry, bedroom with shower room/WC, bedroom with bathroom/WC. Second floor: Corridor leading to two bedrooms with bathroom and a third room used as a game room. Plus there is a separate WC. Asking Price: € 278 600 + 2.5% Finder’s Fee

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The Next Notaires’ Property Auction
Notaires de Paris
Place du Châtelet
12 avenue Victoria
Paris 1st
 
Additional information on Les Ventes aux Enchères des Notaires can be found on the Web site at www.encheres-Paris.com. Though the site has a button for an English version, it isn’t necessarily reliable.
To read Schuyler Hoffman’s article about the property auctions in Paris, click on:
www.adrianleeds.com/frenchproperty/insider/members/content/articles/auctions1.html

	On July 7, 2009 the following properties will be auctioned off:
	2009-15-04 3 Rooms 77m² 43 rue de Constantinople 75008 – PARIS 8eme Starting Bid: 330 000,00 € Deposit: 66 000,00 €
	2009-15-08 1 building 3 Apartments 354m² 1 à 3 villa Hersent 75015 – PARIS 15eme Starting Bid: 1 220 000,00 € Deposit: 244 000,00 €
	2009-15-09 7 Rooms 246m² 1 rue Daru 75008 – PARIS 8eme Starting Bid: 1 840 000,00 € Deposit: 368 000,00 €

Editor’s Note: If you look at the properties on the Notaire’s site (www.encheres-paris.com), when you click on the information for a particular property there is also a link to Google Maps to show you exactly where the property is located
.

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Moving Day in Paris — Access to Highrise Apartments
Blog by Randy Harris
http://www.dailyphotoparis.com

 
One sight you don’t see very often in the states is how moving companies get furniture up to the upper floors of Paris apartments. Some buildings don’t have lifts and some only have lifts just big enough for two people and most have small stair cases spiraling up to the top floors so this creates a problem of how to get big items up to the apartments.
In most cases, furniture is sent up on a huge hydraulic lift with a platform to hold the furniture and it’s inserted through the window. The moving lifts are a common sight in Paris.
 
 
*****
The Fireman’s Approach
Photo by Eric Tolbert
Excerpts from http://www.fireengineering.com
Although most European fire services are staffed by civil service employees under the command of technically trained officers, the Paris and Marseille departments in France are military units. The more than 7,000 Paris firefighters are French army soldiers, non-commissioned officers, and officers (specific career specialization) led by a brigadier general. The Marseille personnel are Navy sailors commanded by an admiral. The remainder of the country’s firefighters are civil servants in the major cities or volunteers in smaller towns. The French are considered Europe’s leaders in wildland fire combat.
Aerial work is not as extensive as in the United States. European aerials carry only an hydraulic extension ladder (normally 100 feet, although the available range is between 50 feet up to just over 150 feet), or articulated/extension devices sometimes called “snorkels,” generally between 50 and 155 feet, although several 190 feet-plus units have been delivered to various countries and at least six 300-feet units are under construction in Finland.

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SEEKING A MORTGAGE IN FRANCE?
When you make a purchase as important as a piece of real estate in a foreign country, you ant to know that you can trust the people you are dealing with. Adrian Leeds has developed a network of professionals that meet only the highest of standards. With the expertise and experience of Adrian and her team, you can depend on getting the best advice and support to feel completely confident that you are making an informed investment decision.
Let us help you secure a mortgage in France at a competitive interest rate. Visit www.adrianleeds.com/frenchproperty/loan for more information or contact [email protected]

HELPFUL CONVERSIONS FOR REAL ESTATE

1 square meter = 10.7639104 square feet

1 hectare = 2.4710538 acres

For more conversions, refer to: www.onlineconversion.com/

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Parler Paris Aprs Midi

 
www.adrianleeds.com/parlerparis/apresmidi.html
Come for a drink and to meet and chat with other readers in Paris…
The next gathering is July 7, 2009 (Exceptional due to Bastille Day on July 14th) and every second Tuesday of the month (except August).
 
 

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Managing Your French Property Insider Subscription is Easy!
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< font size=”2″ face=”Verdana”>5. Once you’ve made the changes, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on “Save Profile.”
Simple!
Of course, we’re always happy to help, so if you do need assistance, send an email to [email protected]

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THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

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Report, click on
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We wanted better guides, So we wrote them!
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French Property Insider subscribers receive a discount of 10% off any uide and up to 25% off the entire purchase (if two or more guides are purchased at the same time). Here’s how it works:
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