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"Bed, Breakfast and Beyond Paris"

Volume III, Issue 16

I had been hearing about the new initiative for a long time, having even met over lunch a couple of years ago with head of the committee, Chantal Goldstein, to discuss the pros and cons of creating a rating system for Paris Bed and Breakfasts (Chambre d’Hôtes). Paris has been slow on the uptake to promote such a venture between the owners willing to open their homes to vacationers and the vacationers themselves, as compared to other cities, or even compared to the vast network of guest rooms across all of France.
You have heard me expound on the virtues of staying in a Chambre d’Hôte when traveling across La France Profonde (because of the warm welcome, fine quality accommodation and reasonable prices) as well as the rewards of sharing my own apartment with perfect strangers. I’ve made my daughter’s room available for guests ever since she moved away to college — no sooner had she left for her own independent life did I send in the renovation crew and outfit it for paying guests.
I’ve welcomed single women, single men (on a few occasions) and believe it or not, several couples who don’t seem to mind sharing the bath with me in exchange for the comfort of staying in a Paris apartment. When I’m on vacation or away on business, I rent the entire apartment. The people who have come and gone have been absolutely delightful and over the years, I’ve made lots of wonderful friends through this exchange.
There has never been one iota of damage or worry of theft. I find that people who are willing to share their lives with a stranger are warm and open individuals who would rather have the company than not and aren’t afraid of compromising their habits to accommodate another.
The Paris Office de Tourisme felt it was time to open up Paris in the same way and provide alternative accommodation for those who seek this kind of environment. So, after much ado, this week, they revealed their new “Charte Hôte Qualité Paris” — a complete plan for standardizing the quality of Paris guest rooms and offering a method for creating more Bed and Breakfast accommodation, maintaining a certain high standard and making it available to vacationers at a reasonable price.
The hotel industry isn’t happy and the apartment rental agencies may be afraid they will feel the pinch, too, but from my perspective, it will draw even more visitors to Paris once they get to know the Parisians better…as I have come to know them. Now that you will have the opportunity to live side by side with an inhabitant of the City of Light, you may well discover the hospitable nature you didn’t know existed behind their sometimes somber, urban facades.
In this issue, we explore the Bed and Breakfast in Paris as well as a few other tidbits about property ownership in France.

A bientôt…

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

P.S. French Property Insider Warning: Beware! All FPI Readers save up to $350!…When you register NOW for the Working and Living in France Conference May 20 – 22, 2005, Paris…From the same creators who first launched it in 2002…Hosted by Adrian Leeds and John Howell —
the experts on Working, Living and Investing in France.
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Volume III, Issue 16, April 21, 2005

In this issue:

* Five Steps to Owning Property
* Renovation with Wine
* Paris Opens Her Arms and Rooms to Visitors
* The Paris Bed and Breakfast Charter
* The Member Agencies Unite
* Take the Virtual Tour of the Hôtel de Ville
* Join Your Neighbors in Celebration
* Afternoon with Parler Paris and FPI Readers
* Today’s Rates of Exchange by Moneycorp Currency Brokers
* Leaseback News in the Alps
* Hot Property Picks: B and B’s
* What’s On the Auction Block
* The Conference from the Original Creators
* Book Property Services Before June 1 and Save
* Getting a Mortgage is Easier Than You Think
* Take Advantage of Your Insider Discount
* Things You Need to Know
* Classified Advertising: Stay with Adrian Leeds…This Summer, rent the Guest Room or Entire Apartment

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Owning Property in France: 5 Steps to Keep You Ahead
By Marlena Martin

If you are considering buying a home in France — Congratulation
s!

Real estate is a serious matter and shouldn’t be entered into lightly. As with any major purchase, homework is a must, to ensure that your needs are met. Enclosed are tips to consider when searching for the right home for you.
#1 Research
What type of home are you looking for? Single or two-story? Are you looking for a vacation home or a permanent residence? Do you want something in the rolling green countryside? Or, are the bright lights of the big city more appealing to you? How many bedrooms, baths, closets, do you want? Do you have pets, will you be getting some in the future, and do you want or need a yard?
I know it seems as if I’m asking tons of questions but hey, that’s why I’m stressing the importance of research. Single out your “haves” and “have-nots.” It may not seem like a big deal now but square footage (the size) is a big deal. Too much square footage can be as taxing as not enough. Do your homework and it’ll pay off in your home buying process.
#2 Budget
If you haven’t started saving for a home, now may be the time. Along with purchasing a home comes the cost associated with maintenance and upkeep. If you’re searching for a newer home, you shouldn’t have maintenance issues but older, more established and mature homes, require constant upkeep and repair. An older home, one with a charming and romantic view, though beautiful and quaint on the outside, requires maintenance and upkeep which equates to a separate budget just for home improvement.
Now, don’t get me wrong, not all older homes require drastic maintenance. Do your research and ask questions. Plenty of them! No question is stupid when it comes to money.
#3 Searching — The House Hunt
Now that you’ve been doing your homework and have been narrowing down your wants, it is the time to begin the house hunt. Many people find out about new listings from friends and co-workers. The Internet is a great way to learn about listings in prospective areas without having to leave the house. Most Internet sites list house tours, where you can get a birds eye view of a home and find out about pricing.
Finding good agents or property search specialists is also the best way to go. If you’re not fluent in French, it’s probably in your best interest to find an agent that is fluent in English. Believe me, the last thing you need is the headache of whipping out a translation book on a search for your dream house. But no need to worry — many French agents and realty companies hire people fluent in both.
#4 The Market
In a busy market, properties may sell before you even get a chance to view them. What you have to remember is that, even though you’re on the search for your new home, so are hundreds of other people. Properties go fast, so it’s best to really know your needs. French agents spend time with the information you provided into finding your perfect home. They will accompany you on a proper viewing of each home. If you’re in a hurry or on a tight schedule, try not to fit too many listings into one day. If you speed through too fast, you don’t give yourself or the listing, a fair chance. Though it can get nerve wrecking, especially if you’re looking at listing with no such luck — hang in there. Just as you are looking for the perfect house, it’s looking for you, too!
#5 Completion
Congratulations! — You’ve finally found your dream home. What’s next? Your realtor or property consultant will present an offer to the sellers. Be reasonable about your offer. No home is free, so don’t offer an amount that the seller will flat out refuse. As mentioned before, others are also in the dream-home search and while your offer is being rejected, their higher and more competitive offer will be accepted. Discuss your offer and questions with your advisors — they may come up with a solution. Once your offer is accepted, you’ll receive contracts with all the information concerning the said house. For example: Full details of the property, the cost of the home, agent commission, etc. Once all the paperwork is done, believe me, this process won’t happen overnight. A lot of work goes into the buying and selling of a home but once everything is approved for, you sign the deed.
Be prepared for anything. Once all fees are paid and paperwork is completed. The Notaire, hands you the keys. Congratulations are in order. You survived the house hunt.
Enjoy your new house!
Editor’s Note: Marlena Martin writes from Texas about France. She is originally from Illinois, is an author and documentary filmmaker (“Driven in 2004”– New York Women’s Film Festival) who lived in Germany for four years. Keep in mind that her 5-step article to success purchasing property in France could also apply to an apartment in Paris, exclusive of some specifics.
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Renovating in the Local Accentshttp://property.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,14049-1575196,00.html
A couple who renovated historic houses in England and France found one plan required paperwork and the other wine with the mayor, says Mark Anstead of The Sunday Times
More than 20 years of renovating properties has ensured that David and Maria Halliday are dab hands at doing up houses and selling them for a profit. But even they were surprised to find how different the whole experience of working with property can be in France.
The couple, both 58, had spent the past two decades renovating houses they have lived in, including two four-bed properties in London and a couple of investment flats. But now they are selling their four-bedroom cottage in the Cotswolds village of Lower Slaughter to move permanently to France, having fallen in love with the more laid-back approach across the Channel.
“Over here, it’s all planning applications and building regulations — we’re so into controlling things through paperwork,” says Maria, a retired buying director for the homes division of Debenhams. “But in France you can often sort everything out with a visit to the mayor.
We simply had a chat with him over a glass of wine and showed him our plans — it was so much easier and more direct.”

David and Maria bought their cottage in Lower Slaughter six years ago for £250,000. A Grade II-listed building fronting the River Eye, near a small stone footbridge, it seemed perfect when they first viewed it from the outside. But they were in for a shock when they walked through the front door.
The previous owner, an architect, had ripped out all the original features and installed 1970s retro glass banisters, plastic-pendant lighting and an open-tread staircase with a glass door and corridor in the front room. There was also a bath next to the double bed in the master bedroom, separated only by a low wall.
“It was awful, and yet Maria immediately saw the potential,” says David, a retired civil servant. “She has a gut commercial instinct and could see past all the mess.”
The couple spent £100,000 extending and restoring the house; enlarging the kitchen and adding a new utility room, a bedroom and an en-suite for the master bedroom cost £25,000. They then spent almost as much again taking the ceilings down in the hope of finding old beams, only to be disappointed and having to install new beams instead.
They added central heating, rewired (£15,000), relined the chimney and installed a new fireplace with a York-stone hearth and a huge bressumer beam (£9,000).
It was their first experience with a listed property and initially they were taken aback by the restrictions involved. Tiles for the new section of roof over the kitchen had to be matched perfectly (costing them nearly £3,000 for just a small area) and their proposed exterior coating had to be painted on boards and placed outside the property for approval before going ahead. They were forbidden from moving an internal wall (because it had once been an exterior wall), and although some of the windows were falling out of their casements through neglect, they were required to glue them back in rather than replace them.
So they were pleased to find a more relaxed attitude when it came to renovating a house in a historic area of France three years ago. Approval for property renovations in France is often handled directly by the mayor, especially in rural areas, and anybody can apply for a simple building authorization permit without architects’ plans. However, when extending by more than 20 square meters, a more detailed approval process is needed, and has to be referred to the departmental planning office.
The village of Sos, in the Aquitaine region, served as a bastille, or fortress, in medieval times, and it is still possible to see the entrance to the old walls on one side of the square.
Although there is no French equivalent to the practice of “listing” older buildings, if a house is near any monuments of historical interest, then applications to renovate have to be considered by L’Architecte des Bâtiments de France, the French version of English Heritage. As the Hallidays’ home in Sos did not fall into this category, planning approval was straightforward.
But starting work proved a challenge — at the beginning, local craftsmen they asked to quote failed to even turn up. At first they thought they might be encountering anti-English feeling, but it soon became apparent that local artisans were just busy. The influx of buyers from Britain, Belgium and Holland has fueled a property boom all over the country.
“The French seem to have woken up to the value of property, even in the remote regions,” says David. “We were lucky to find an English- speaking couple in the village to introduce us to local craftsmen and to a contractor who had recently installed a swimming pool for a Swedish couple. He had gathered a group of artisans around him, which was the only way to get a coordinated start.”
The house, bought for Euro 259,000 (£160,500 in 2003), had four bedrooms split across three floors and was being used as an antiques store. It was in need of a new top floor and its courtyard and terrace walls required rebuilding and its roof repaired. The work cost them £27,000. So when they sold the house last year for £190,000, they more or less broke even on the deal.
Three-quarters of their budget was spent renovating the outside back walls and those of the inner-courtyard terrace. This involved taking off the cracked render, repairing the dry-stone wall underneath, spraying on new mortar and then spraying a smoother finish on top, which they scraped back in areas they wanted exposed for effect. The storm-hit roof needed new tiles (£3,500), and the rest was spent on the new pine floor.
“We decided to play it safe and tell the mayor everything we were doing while renovating,” says David. “There was no paperwork required or surveys to be done, but we kept up regular visits just to let him know how things were progressing. He was pleased to see that we would be rendering the outside in a color that would blend in well, and our contractor suggested exposing the original bastille keystones on the corners, which made it look older.”
There were cultural differences in the approaches to the work for which they were unprepared. French plumbing, for example, uses many different sizes of pipe, and whereas in the UK many electricians bury electric cable into walls behind plaster, in France the accepted method is to use protective tubing and then push wires through.
“If you do it the British way and you have to call a French electrician later to make changes, you might find he refuses to touch it because it has not been done to their standard,” says David. “In England I might have got involved, but I decided to leave it all to the contractor.”
Materials are cheaper in France but the social security system adds a hefty charge (30-50%) to labor. There are tradesmen who take cash in hand for smaller jobs in an attempt to reduce overheads and avoid charging Vat at 19.6%, but the practice is best avoided — receipts are needed to offset capital gains tax when you come to sell, and it gives you no recourse in the event of shoddy workmanship.
For their next project, the Hallidays have bought a farmhouse 12 miles away, set in 10 acres with a 200-year-old winery, a small cottage and two barns for £425,000. The farmhouse needs new floors, a new kitchen and bathrooms, and all the external walls need repainting. They intend to use the same contractor they used in Sos for the renovations.
“It might have
been nice to keep our cottage in Lower Slaughter,” says David, “but we won’t be in England most of the time, and these houses need to be lived in.”

The Grey Cottage is for sale at £750,000 with Butler Sherborn, 01451 830 731, http://www.butlersherborn.co.uk
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Hôtes Qualité Paris
By Adrian Leeds
http://www.parisinfo.com
The “scuttlebutt” about the city’s new “Charte de Qualité” for Bed and Breakfasts in the Capital was released this week at a special press conference in the “salon de réception Georges Bertrand” of the Hôtel de Ville.
Assistant to the Mayor in Charge of Tourism, Jean-Bernard Bros, led the line-up of presenters, who included heads of the member companies: “Fleurs de Soleil,” “Bed Break,” “Good Morning Paris,” “Une Chambre en Ville,” “Alcove & Agapes,” “France Lodge,” “BAB France” and “2 B in Paris.” Chantal Goldstein, President of the “Les Parisiens Associés” who headed the committee, sat on the front row quietly listening to the presentations and questions from journalists.
Several arrondissements have agreed to be the first to pilot the project — 3rd, 6th, 9th, 13th and 18th — and a few of the representative mayors attended — Serge Blisko, the Mayor of the 13th arrondissement, sat next to me on the front row.
The goals of the initiative hope to insure comfortable accommodations and a friendly welcome, and as a plus, encourage interaction between Parisians and visitors. The purpose of the charter is to “define the notion of a Parisian Bed and Breakfast based on the criteria of welcome, comfort and amenities. It also sets down the commitments of the Member Companies, who benefit from the seal of approval of the Paris City Council and the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau.”
There are 75,000 hotel rooms in Paris and only 300 guest rooms (to-date and growing) by comparison, yet the hotels are up in arms over the city’s intervention in promoting them. The “Hôte Qualité Paris” committee defends the accusations that the initiative will hurt hotel business, but believes that it will only augment what the city has to offer for the 26 million annual visitors and create a more welcoming atmosphere.
The press material fails to include the number of furnished apartments in the city available for short-term vacation rental nor has there been much discussion as to how their business might be affected. My own personal opinion is that someone who stays in a furnished apartment more likely fits the profile of someone willing to stay in a Bed and Breakfast and therefore the initiative is more competition to rental agencies and owners than to the hotels.
Guests of Chambres d’Hôtes will most likely be, first, Europeans from nieghboring countries, then Americans and Candadians followed by Japanese visitors. There is special consideration for guest rooms that accommodate the handicapped and the elderly, particularly those on the ground level.
I personally exactly fit the profile of the kind of people who are willing to open their homes to guests…women over 40, single, in three room or larger apartments, whose kids have grown and gone. No wonder I’ve so happily rented my daughter’s bedroom as a guest room — and enjoy the friends I’ve made this way so much!
For those who want to do the same, and become a part of the city system, the rules are pretty simple. There are parameters for the quality of the room, specific amenities it must have and price is suggested to be between 25 and 70 euros per night.
One thing they were adamant about…breakfast must be “carefully served by the homeowners, the French-style family breakfast must include at least tea, coffee or hot chocolate, milk, fresh bread, butter and jams.” I loved this attention to detail and hospitality!
From the visitor’s perspective, the new “Hôte Qualité Parisien” does indeed open up more choice and also offers a peek into the world of a Parisian’s life as well as an opportunity to get to know one another better. There’s certainly nothing wrong in building better relationships between us!
When you look at the bigger picture, it should bring even more visitors to Paris as a result and therefore fill more hotel rooms, apartments and Bed and Breakfasts. If the competition gets tough, then the strong will survive and that means the quality improves for everyone.
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The “Hôtes Qualité Paris” Charter
The “Hôtes Qualité Paris” charter The “Hôtes Qualité Paris” name guarantees visitors quality accommodation in the main residence of a Parisian home-owner, who serves a French-style breakfast and provides a door key.
It signifies a Parisian welcome, in a Parisian home, with a home-made breakfast served at the family table.
The “Hôtes Qualité Paris” guest room
– The guest room should be comfortable and welcoming and measure a minimum of 10 square meters
– It should be perfectly clean, with the bed in an excellent condition.
– Each room, correctly ventilated or heated, has at least one window providing an acceptable light source.
– The bed is composed of a base and a mattress measuring 80 x 190 cm for one person, 70 x 190 cm for twin beds and at least 140 x 190 cm for a double bed.
– A sofa-bed may be provided as an optional extra bed as long as the size of the room allows it.
– The guest room must have its own cupboard space and a bedside lamp.
– Blankets, quilts, bedspreads and pillows should all be in good condition.
– Sheets and pillowcases are to be changed at least every 4 days and after each visitor.
– The
apartment’s wall and floor coverings should be in good condition.
– Guest rooms with constant or night-time noise disturbance are not accepted.
Bathroom
– The bathroom can be shared or private. It should be indicated as such.
– The bathroom is composed of at least a sink, a bath or a shower.
– All the elements should be clean and in perfect working order.
– The bathroom linen (bath towel and hand towel) is to be changed at least every 4 days and after each visitor.
– The facilities are to be cleaned every day if they are shared and every 4 days if they are private.
– One bathroom can be shared by six people maximum (hosts included).

Breakfast
– Carefully served by the homeowners, the French-style family breakfast must include at least tea, coffee or hot chocolate, milk, fresh bread, butter and jams.
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The “Hôtes Qualité Paris” Charter: Members’ Agreement (Extracts)
– The Member Company undertakes to feature hosts who give priority to the quality of the welcome and comfort, and who are keen to offer a personalized guide to their city.
– He or She agrees to use the “Hôtes Qualité Paris” name only with reference to hosts and rooms qualifying as Parisian bed and breakfast accommodation, as set out by the “Hôtes Qualité Paris” charter.
– He or She agrees that at least 60% of the total rooms offered will be bed and breakfast rooms corresponding to the Parisian definition “Hôtes Qualité Paris”.
– He or She agrees to clearly display on the company’s website the necessary requirements for room selection and to give a precise description of the guest rooms selected.
– He or She agrees to propose hosts he has met personally and accommodation he has physically visited.
– He or She agrees to show complete transparency where prices and services are concerned.
– He or She agrees to monitor the service provided and to ensure that the selected rooms always match the criteria of welcome, comfort and amenities defined by the “Hôtes Qualité Paris” charter.
– He or She agrees to indicate all possible options before booking: smokers, children, animals, Internet, languages, parking, air conditioning, separate entrance, extra bed, courtyard-facing, street-facing, upper floors without lift, step ladder, etc.
– He or She agrees to request that hosts provide tourist information on Paris.
– He or She agrees to deal with visitor complaints received by the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau in writing and within two weeks.

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The “Hôtes Qualité Paris” Charter: Member Companies
2BINPARIS
19, Villa Croix Nivert, 75015 PARIS
Tel: 01 47 34 01 50
Fax: 01 72 72 90 74
Email: [email protected]
http://www.2binparis.com

 
ALCOVE & AGAPES
Notre-Dame/Quartier Latin, Tour Eiffel/Trocadéro
Tel: 01.44.85.06.05
Email: [email protected]
http://www.bed-and-breakfast-in-paris.com

 
 
BAB FRANCE
23, Centre Commercial Les Vergers, 95350 Saint Brice Sous Forêt
Tel: 01 34 19 90 00
Fax: 01 39 94 89 72
Email: :[email protected]
http://www.bedbreak.com

 
FLEURS DE SOLEIL
9, allée Victor Basch, 94170 LE PERREUX SUR MARNE
Tel: 06 62 37 97 85
Fax: 01 48 72 91 88
Email: [email protected]
http://www.fleursdesoleil.fr

 
FRANCE LODGE LOCATIONS
2, rue Meissonier, 75017 PARIS
Metro: Wagram
Tel: 01 56 33 85 80
Fax: 01.56.33.85.89
Email: [email protected]
http://www.francelodge.fr

GOOD MORNING PARIS
43, rue Lacépède, 75005 PARIS
Metro: Place Monge
Tel: 01 47 07 28 29
Fax: 01 47 07 44 45
Email: [email protected]
http://www.goodmorningparis.fr

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The Hôtel de Ville is (what many believe) is the city’s most magnificent building. For a virtual tour, now with English subtitles, you can visit the Hôtel de Ville by clicking here.
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LA FETE DES VOISINS (Festival of Neighbors)
May 31, 2005

Celebrate the 6th Annual Festival of Neighbors all over France. Don’t hesitate to invite your neighbors to gather and get to know one another. It’s simple…join with 4 million residents in France to share a drink, a meal, laughs, good humor…
For more information, visit
http://www.immeublesenfete.com
Or contact Atanase Périfan, Founder of “Immeubles en Fête”
1bis, rue Descombes
75017 Paris
Tél: 01 42 12 72 72
Fax: 01 42 12 00 66
Email: [email protected]

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Parler Paris Après-Midi
https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/parlerparis/apresmidi.html

NEXT MEETING: May 10, 2004 AND EVERY SECOND TUESDAY OF THE MONTH, 3
p.m. to 5 p.m.

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.

Upstairs at La Pierre du Marais
96, rue des Archives at the corner of rue de Bretagne, 75003 Paris
Métro Lines 9, 3 et 11, stations Temple, République or Arts et Métiers

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TODAY’S CURRENCY UPDATE

Visit the FPI Web site and click on the link on the left panel “Click Here for Currency Convertor by Moneycorp Global Money Services” for up to the minute conversions of all major currencies.
Compare currency values easily and quickly by visiting: https://adrianleeds.com/frenchproperty/loan/moneycorpconvertor.html
Charts http://www.Moneycorp.co.uk/members/charts.asp The charts below are updated every ten seconds.
The prices shown are “inter bank” exchange rates and are not the rates that you will be offered by Moneycorp. Your rate will be determined by the amount of currency that you are buying. Please speak with an Moneycorp dealer or your consultant for a live quotation.
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LEASEBACK NEWS FROM IMOINVEST

https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/frenchproperty/insider/sales/leasebacks/lb_list.php

NATURE REIGNS RIGHT OUTSIDE THE CITY
DOMAINE DE L’ARSELLE
France, French Alps, Chamrousse

NEW LISTING
Studio 24m² to 30m² Euros 63,000 to Euros 66,000
One Bedroom 35m² to 43m² Euros 90,000 to Euros 99,000
Two Bedrooms 44m² to 54m² Euros 120,000 to Euros 130,000
Three Bedrooms 67m² Euros 153,000 to Euros 165,000

LEASEBACK PROPERTY
GUARANTEED RENTAL INCOME UP TO: 5.25%

Nestled within the French Alps and splendid Belledonne mountains with gorgeous views of nearby Grenoble, Chamrousse offers beauty and nature just outside the city. Enjoy the mountain views by day and the twinkling of Grenoble’s city lights by night. There are over 50 miles (77km) of ski slopes or if you prefer nearly 25 miles (40km) of Nordic ski runs. Les Domaines de L’Arselle are located less than 20 miles (30km) from Grenoble and one hour from the Grenoble airport (Easyjet). Find yourself 2 hours from the Geneva airport or if you prefer, a short 3 hour TGV (high-speed-train) ride from Paris. Chamrousse is easy to get to and relatively close to the city limits, yet offers an untamed setting where nature reigns.
Choose between studios to 3 bedroom apartments with fantastic Southern views. Chamrousse is complete with many added extras:
* Community heated swimming pool
* Sauna and hamam
* Fully equipped fitness center and golf course
* Restaurants and shops
* Spa resort Uriage nearby

Not only has the beauty and purity of this ski resort remained intact so too has the valued history. As host ski station during the 1968 Olympics, Chamrousse has served some of the worlds best athletes. Known for a variety of slopes, this quaint village offers a unique combination of beginner and advanced runs. From cross-country nature course to giant slalom, Chamrousse will ensure you make the most of your time spent on the mountain.
PROPERTY DETAILS
Investment type: LNMP Residence de Tourism
Program Name: Domaines de L’Arselle
Completion Date: First tranche End of 2005, Second tranche End of 2006
New/Old Property: Old Property/Complete Renovation Project
VAT Refund: Full Vat Refund
Package Options: No
Rating: 3 Stars
Number o
f Units: First tranche 250, Second tranche 250
LEASE DETAILS
* Rental Income: Up to 5.25%
* Occupation Option: Yes
* Exchange Possibilities: No
* Lease Duration: 9 years
* Exit Strategies: Renewable Lease
* Payment of Rent: Quarterly
* Rental Base: Tourists

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HOT PROPERTY PICKS: Best B and B’s
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/insider/propertyconsultation.html
*** PERCHE: OPPORTUNITY OF A RARE TYPE
This 17th century, 257m² village house was the former residence of a “conseiller du roi” in 1740, then an “auberge” (inn) from 1830 to 1997. Located in the heart of the village with easy access to grocery, butcher, bakery, hardware, hairdresser and other shops. It is situated in the celebrated Perche area, within a “parc naturel régional” (preserved area) and in the triangle of Chartres/Loire Valley/Normandy. Ideal as a residence or for a business such as an antique shop or bed and breakfast. The property is sound and has been partially renovated.
Asking Price: 235,000 Euros + 2% Finder’s Fee
Possible addition of 150m² plus patio and courtyard. Price to be negotiated.

Property name: “Le coeur”
Village: Authon-du-Perche
City: 20 kms of Nogent-le-Rotrou
Departement: Eure-et-Loir
Region: Centre
Postcode: 28330
Type: two-storey, semi-detached house, 6 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 6 toilets
Special features: convertible attic, excellent cave, wooden beams, chimney

*** France – Paris/Ile de France – 3rd Arrondisement
4 room loft, 73m²
On rue Froissart between Bretagne and Beaumarchais two steps from the Métro (St Sébastien Froissart) — a real “coup de coeur!” The entrance to this impeccable loft apartment in an old building is on a small garden on the Rez de Chaussée (ground level). Large living room, American kitchen with bar. One bathroom with tub, toilet. Office, bedroom and dressing room on the first floor. Parquet flooring, high ceilings, sunny and quiet, cellar, electric heating.
Asking Price: 598,000 Euros + 2% Finder’s Fee
*** France – Paris/Ile de France – 4th Arrondisement
4 rooms, 70m²

Enjoy life on the Ile Saint Louis! Ideally located in the center of Paris, this four-room apartment has two bedrooms, a separate kitchen, bathroom and toilet, plus its own cellar. 2nd floor, with elevator. Individual gas heating, southern exposure.
Asking Price: 570,000 Euros + 2% Finder’s Fee
*** France – Paris/Ile de France – 6th Arrondisement
3 rooms, 72m²

Rare. Rue Mazarine/Institut de France. Very beautiful end of the 17th-century building with courtyard. Lovely reception area. One bedroom, but two bedrooms are possible. High ceilings, exposed beams, independent kitchen, bath, toilet, individual electric heating, 3rd floor.
Asking Price: 750,000 Euros + 2% Finder’s Fee
===============================
Paris Auctions
http://www.encheres-Paris.com
Next session:
May 10, 2005, 2 p.m.

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 website at http://www.encheres-Paris.com/ Though the site has a button for an English version, it isn’t reliable to work.
To read Schuyler Hoffman’s article about the property auctions in Paris, click on:
https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/frenchproperty/insider/subscribersonly/articles/auctions1.html


2 Rooms 42,97 m²
91 rue de Seine
75006 PARIS 6th
Starting Bid: 195,000 Euro
Deposit: 39,000 Euro
Studio 11,39 m² 33/37 rue Lauriston
75016 PARIS 16th
Starting Bid: 25,000 Euro
Deposit: 5,000 Euro

===============================
The Original Living in France Conferences and Seminars by the same creators who launched it in 2002…
Working and Living in France Conference May 20 – 22, 2005 Les Jardins du Marais, Paris
If you’ve always dreamed of moving to France, starting a new life in Paris, enjoying a “pied-à-terre” of your own part of the year or investing in property in France, this three-day power-packed conference is a MUST. Hosted by Adrian Leeds, Editor and of the Parler Paris Nouvellettre® and French Property Insider weekly e-zine and John Howell, lead attorney for John Howell & Co., Europe Law, London, these three days in Paris will arm you with all the information you need to make it happen! The line-up for the conference includes lectures, discussions, dinner, cocktails — with well-known Paris, Europe and U.S. -based experts in the fields of:
* Obtaining the Right to Be in France
* Learning the Language
* Starting a Business in France
* Minimizing Your Tax Liability
* Finding, Buying and Owning Property
* Learning About the Leaseback Program
* Renting Your Property for Profit
* Getting a Mortgage
* Protecting from Foreign Exchange Risks
* Best Offshore Banking in the World
* Crossing the Cultural Divide
* Insuring Your Health, Home and Car
* And more!

You’ll have an opportunty to ask questions and learn all you’ll need to know to make your dream come true to live in France or just be a part of the profits on owning property there.

Working and Living in France May 20 – 22, 2005 Paris, France Les Jardins du Marais

Click here to learn more: https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/parlerparis/liveinfrance/WLIF_PARIS_2005/WLIF_PARIS_2005_home.html

Reservations and information: If you’d like to know more about the seminar or reserve your place, email Schuyler Hoffman.

U.S. OFFICE 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific Time Schuyler Hoffman, Special Projects Manager Phone 1-310-427-7589 Email: [email protected]/parlerparis

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

SEEKING A MORTGAGE IN FRANCE?

Let us help you secure a mortgage in France with interest rates as low as 3%. Visit https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/frenchproperty/loan for more information.

RECOMMENDED LENDERS

Abbey National David Anderson, Mortgage Advisor [email protected]

Banque Patrimoine et Immobilier Stéphane Denner, ExPatriate & Non Resident Service [email protected]

Barclays Contact Yolanda Robins [email protected]

Entenial Contact Yolanda Robins [email protected]

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

PROPERTY SEARCH SERVICES

Property Consultation and Search Services Book Now and Save

Let French Property Insider expert property consultants find your dream home in France for you. We consult with you to help you make the best decisions, ferret out the finest properties to meet your criteria, schedule the visits and accompany you, negotiate with the agencies and owners, recommend the notaires and other professionals, schedule the signings and oversee the purchase with you from start to finish! You could never do it so easily on your own. Let us take the time and effort off your hands.

Now is your opportunity to own your piece of France at a savings. Property consultation and search services rates will increase effective June 1, 2005, but if you book your services between now and May 31st to be rendered prior to December 31st, 2005, will be charged at the current low rates!

Property Search Consultation

Initial Consultation: $250 Paid in Advance > $290 Effective June 1, 2005

Property Search: $1,000 Less Consultation Fee > $1500 Effective June 1, 2005

Property Purchase: 2% Commission of Total Purchase Price of Property Less Consultation and Search Fees* > 2.5% Effective June 1, 2005**

* Minimum 4000 Euros, Maximum 20,000 Euros ** Minimum 5000 Euros, Maximum 25,000 Euros

Obtaining a Mortgage

Property Search Clients: No Charge Non-Search Clients: $500 Paid in Advance Applied Toward 1% Commission of Mortgage Amount > $750 Paid in Advance Applied Toward 1% Commission of Mortgage Amount Effective June 1, 2005

Purchase Assistance </font >

$1,000 Paid in Advance, includes 10 hours, thereafter billed at hourly rate. > $1,450 Paid in Advance, includes 10 hours, thereafter billed at hourly rate Effective June 1, 2005

Après Vente (After the Sale)

Relocation Package: $750 Paid in Advance > $1000 Paid in Advance Effective June 1, 2005

Renovations and Interiors

Renovation — Phase I: $1,000 Paid in Advance > $1,500 Paid in Advance Effective June 1, 2005 Renovation — Phase II: 10% of Project Costs Less Phase I Interiors: $1,000 Paid in Advance Applied Toward 10% of Project Costs > $1,500 Paid in Advance Applied Toward 10% of Project Costs Effective June 1, 2005 Additional Services: $125 per Hour > $145 per Hour Effective June 1, 2005:

Book Your Property Services https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/frenchproperty/insider/booking.html

All services contracted for prior to June 1, 2005 to be rendered prior to December 31, 2005 will be billed at current rates.

For more information, visit https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/frenchproperty/insider/propertyconsultation.html or contact Yolanda Robins, [email protected]

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

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

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

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

– To access this password protected page:

The username is: fpisubscriber The password is: paris1001

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/pastissues/index.html

– To receive your free French Leaseback Report or the Paris Property Report, click on https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/frenchproperty/insider/subscribersonly/reports.html

======= CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING ======

==APARTMENT/GUEST ROOM==

Leeds Marais Apartment Available July 22 – August 1, 2005

Located in a 17th century Le Marais Hotel Particulier, this 70 square meter two-bedroom apartment with lots of light is nicely furnished and is perfect for up to four people when rented in its entirety or a single woman in the freshly renovated guest room when owner Adrian Leeds is there.

Pictures and more details available at https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/parlerparis/apartments/rentals/leeds.html

==APARTMENT RENTAL==

Monte Carlo Seaside — a dream view of 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.
*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 for lots more beautiful photos and to book your stay contact FPI_Monte-Carlo and ask for the French Property Insider Special Offer.

==APARTMENT RENTALS==

For all short term rental apartments in Paris, take a look at https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/parlerparis/apartments or http://www.
adrianleeds.com/frenchproperty/insider/longterm.html
for long term 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 2005, Adrian Leeds Group, LLC

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