Paris on the Move Up in 2006

It’s cold, it’s gray and we’re back and we’ve got lots on the publishing plate today. Take a look at a first-hand report of the state of New Orleans from my recent trip there to visit family over the Thanksgiving holiday. While the devastation was shocking, the attitude of the community is encouraging and parts of the city are more beautiful than ever.
In an effort to support this great city, my Living and Investing in France Conference team will be back in New Orleans this coming May 26 – 28, 2006 for another one of our three-day intensive events where you can learn everything you need to know about living or investing in France from the finest professionals we can find. The Sheraton Canal Street is offering us a real deal on their rooms, Tujague’s is cooking up a fine meal for us and we’ll be having a great time exploring the French Quarter after our information-packed sessions. For more information, stay tuned or contact Schuyler Hoffman at [email protected]/parlerparis
Back in Paris, we are taking a look at what the city planners have in store for us in the coming years — lots of new improvements are on the horizon. Check it out, arrondissement by arrondissement. These improvements could make the difference on where you would buy and where you wouldn’t…
The secret is out on Limousin, so we thought we ought to let you in on it…and in Paris, tourism is up! That means more potential for rental properties — the Office de Tourisme reports the latest statistics.
In Jean Taquet’s December Q and A column, he tackles immigration issues…France is getting tougher on the terrorism…and we’re getting ready for our upcoming conferences both here (March) and in New Orleans.
Before shutting down, be sure to check out the hot properties both in Paris and Limousin, plus the leaseback properties just out on the market.
A bientôt…

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

P.S. Mark you calendar to attend Parler Paris Après Midi on December 13th. For more information, visit https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/parlerparis/apresmidi.html
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Volume III, Issue 46, December 1, 2005
In this issue:
* A Journey Home to New Orleans
* Special Notice: Conference in Nouvelle Orleans
* Paris: City Improvements by Arrondissement
* Buying Property in Limousin, France’s Best Kept Secret
* Recent France Tourist Numbers
* Jean Taquet Tackles Immigration Issues
* France Getting Tougher on Terrorism
* Upcoming Conferences
* Complete Relocation Solutions from FPI
* Today’s Currency Update from Moneycorp
* Next Parler Paris Après-Midi: December 13
* Hot Property Picks: Studios in Paris, Deals in Limousin
* Leasebacks: A Dream for Skiers
* Classified Advertising: Leeds Marais Apartment
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Exposing the French Roots By Adrian Leeds From Parler Paris Monday, November 28, 2005The giant oak tree I once played under, that shaded a massive circumference at the rear of our Lakeview house, had tumbled into a huge heap, rec ently sawed into several sections, its roo ts high in the air along with the slab of pavement that once was the neighbor’s driveway. The windows were all blown out. The shrubbery all dead and the line along the white brick told tales of the height of the water that drowned it. These were my roots — uprooted. The only thing remaining are the memories from when that old Live Oak dropped acorns that crushed under our shoes. I made the voyage to New Orleans knowing that I wouldn’t really want to see what I knew I would. But…I had to, I just had to. We drove through Lakeview, Lakewood North, Lakewood South, the 9th ward and the districts where the flooding was the highest. We passed down “Fleur de Lys Drive,” “Paris Avenue,” “Elysian Fields,” “Gentilly Boulevard” — the streets that bear names from the city’s French roots. I wept at the sight of my father’s grave, in tact, undisturbed. I wept at the sight of the two colorful cottages in “Bucktown” one block from the levee that broke, uprooted from their foundations, collided into each other, stopped in their tracks only by well-rooted trees. Massive centuries-old Live Oaks are downed in the parks and all over the city, their roots exposed to the air, just as I felt mine had been. Roots. Was my love for France rooted in the heritage of my home town? The influence is seen everywhere, undeniably. The French Quarter may have been built by the Spaniards, but Jackson Square is a close cousin to the Place des Vosges. The beignets we powdered with sugar we washed down with café au lait. The T-shirts in the souvenir shops are imprinted with “Laissez les bons temps rouler” and the counties, called parishes, still follow Napoleonic code. Ironically, the French Quarter, also known as the Vieux Carré, never looked more beautiful!…Peaceful, calm, clean, fresh. Jackson Square, bordered by the elegant Pontalba apartments on the east and west, St. Louis Cathedral, the Cabildo and the Presbytere on the north, Café du Monde and the Mississippi on the south, felt like the heart of a city that remains very much alive, in spite of the destruction. The Quarter hardly looks touched, as if some powerful force protected it from mother nature herself. Up the steep stairs my family climbed one by one to the private rooms at Tujague’s, the city’s second oldest restaurant, where seven courses were served us — Shrimp Remoulade, Brisket of Beef, Crab Soup, Turkey with Gravy and Stuffing, Bread Pudding, Coffee and Chicory. The other rooms were filled with old New Orleans families where I discovered a high school friend I hadn’t seen in all these years. It was if nothing had changed since the last time I had been there and business was good it seemed — having only reopened about two weeks earlier. My roots have been firmly planted in Paris for more than 11 years now, yet New Orleans has never been forgotten. With one foot in Paris and the other in New Orleans, I am neither Parisian nor New Orleanian…or am I both? No matter how well-rooted I will become in Paris over the next so many years, my New Orleans roots will forever keep me partially planted there, maybe even more now. The destruction is temporary. The seeds have already been planted for a new and brighter city. The community, however small, is sad, yet strong and optimistic. Every day, more return to the city to rebuild their homes and their lives and the city they love. It is evident everywhere. As the merchants and services reopen for business, their advertising signs become littered on the neutral grounds. Everything and anything anyone has to offer is being advertised there — my favorite: “Sign Making! Call…” What I discovered in my 48 hours there, having taken eight planes and rented three cars to make the aggressive trip to be with family and friends for the Thanksgiving holiday, is how much New Orleanians are rooted in their Big Easy, just like the Parisians are rooted in their City of Light. Would I give up Paris to return to New Orleans? No! But I certainly want both rooted in my life…as my past, my present and my future. |

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SPECIAL NOTICE:
We are planning to hold a Living and Investing in France Conference in New Orleans at the Sheraton New Orleans on Canal Street in May 2006 — with a special Saturday night group dinner at Tujague’s and all our finest professional presenters. The details are in the final stages now and it is sure to be our biggest and finest conference ever, with New Orleans’ open arms to visitors who want to show their appreciation of this world-class city so rooted in American and French history. Join us! For more information and to be on a special mailing list for notification when registration will be accepted, email Schuyler Hoffman at [email protected]/parlerparis

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Paris Bouge en 2006
By Adrian Leeds
Paris is movin’ and shakin’. Leave it to the current administration to keep her from sitting on her hands for too long. Renovations are underway, housing is under construction, activity centers are forming, traffic patterns are being redirected, services are being implemented, child care is increasing, sports arenas are opening…and all with the inevitable pain change causes. But, Paris wasn’t built in a day.
< p>Here’s what’s on the horizon for 2006 (by arrondissement)…

	1st. Les Halles David Mangin’s architectural plan for Les Halles will begin reconstruction at the end of 2006 with a final delivery date of 2012. There is no way to predict what we can expect to endure while it’s under renovation, nor what to expect once it’s complete! But, as Mayor Bertrand Delanoë called the current Les Halles the “worst urban planning disaster in the history of the city of Paris,” this latest plan surely could not be worse!
	2nd. Ecological Housing With a solar panel of 18 square meters installed in the roof, the little building at 14-16 rue Blondel will be the first public housing to have addressed environmental issues. The idea is to reduce energy usage and expense. Delivery date is predicted for 2007.
	3rd. Carreau du Temple Reconstruction of the historic Carreau du Temple will begin in 2006 to create a multi-purpose facility welcoming sports and cultural activities.
	4th. Paved Promenade on rue des Rosiers Enfin! Rue des Rosiers has suffered for years trying to balance the pedestrians and traffic. By the end of 2006, the street will be transformed into a pedestrian street with no sidewalks with limited vehicles admitted at low speed (15km/h) except for Sunday afternoons when it will be closed entirely to traffic.
	5th Atrium at Jussieu In April of 2006 the University Jussieu will acquire a large building of 16,000 square meters and 8 floors which is projected to include a vast central atrium, large testing room, library and multimedia spaces, built in contemporary design and facilities in lots of bright colors.
	6th Saint Sulpice The general restoration of Eglise Saint Sulpice has been ongoing the last 15 years, and will take another four years to complete, not to mention a budget of 30 million euros.
	7th 17th-Century Hôpital Laennec on the Left Bank The objective of the Laennec project is to preserve the historic 17th-century buildings (1634), yet create a new urban complex consisting of a chapel and pavilions.
	8th ZAC Beaujon 1.7 hectares in the northwest of the 8th in the neighborhood known as the “Faubourg du Roule” is on track for social housing and public services including 119 apartments, two schools, a nursery and a gymnasium projected for completion by 2013.
	9th Quartier Vert for Faubourg Montmartre The work has already begun and will last until summer of 2006 to reduce the traffic, add bike lanes and create more pedestrian space, notably at place Jacob Kaplan.
	10th Boulevard Magenta Since the work is in progress, traveling down boulevard Magenta has been a nightmare, but by Spring 2006, the space will be civilized and more balanced between pedestrian and automobile traffic. The sidewalks are being enlarged, bus and bike lanes added and car traffic reduced down to one lane.
	11th The Future at Cité Prost Designed for the artisans of the Faubourg Saint-Antoine, the Cité Prost has fallen to ruin, but the Mairie of the 11th intends to save it with 62 social housing apartments, two artists’ ateliers, a nursery and other services.
	12th Porte de Vincennes The Grand Projet de Renouvellement Urbain (GPRU) is underway to provide more fluid traffic patterns, combat prostitution in the area, provide a safer environment and renovate the social housing projects. Several teams are currently in competition for the contract for a decision to take place this year.
	13th Connecting with Ivry The inhabitants of Bédier-Boutroux are stuck between the anti-noise wall of the Périphérique and boulevard Masséna. A complete rearrangement of the area will connect the community with neighboring Ivry and provide a better-organized plan, projected for completion in 2015.
	14th Airing Out Plaisance-Porte de Vanves A GPRU was adopted in 2004 and the work has already begun to create a placement center for the jobless, renovate Lycée François-Villon, open a recreation center, create a center for the Red Cross and a home for the aged. In the future, the plan is for the Périphérique to be lifted over ground, a vast garden of 7000 meters along with public buildings and spaces will emerge.
	15th Beaugrenelle From its construction in 1950, Beaugrenelle is a poor example of contemporary architecture in Paris, quickly losing its appeal ever since. Renovation will introduce more green space, redesign the commercial space and revitalize its appeal. It is considered to be third in importance to the renovation of Les Halles and Place d’Italie.
	16th Gare d’Auteuil In 2004, the residents of the neighborhood voted to acquire the property of the Gare d’Auteuil by the Mairie of the 16th to install public housing, commercial and cultural spaces, the budget for which is projected to be complete in 2006.
	17th Garden for Four Seasons What is left of the Batignolles project with the 2012 Olympics? Beginning in 2006, the work will begin to create a garden expressing all four seasons, larger than Parc Monceau, opening in 2007.
	18th Park Along the Tracks Livening up rue d’Aubervilliers, known for its drug-related problems, is no small affair. Started as early at 1992, the Jardins d’Eole will be opened alongside the street of 42,500 square meters to include areas for sports activities, fountains, and thematic gardens, to be completed in 2007.
	19th Covering Up of the Porte des Lilas Covering the Périphérique to create a garden of 15,000 square meters, a library, a cinema, a circus, offices and housing for students and the aged is planned to give life and breath to Porte de Lilas, but no date is yet known for completion.
	20th Pool in Belleville By the end of 2007, Belleville will finally have its own sports complex including pool, the first of its kind and of the highest quality.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Bargain-Hunter’s Corner
Still largely undiscovered, Limousin is France’s cheapest region. But house hunting Brits are already arriving.
Helena Frith Powell
The Sunday Times
http://property.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,14052-1882274,00.html
There is a French verb, limo
ger, which means to send somebody to a g
odforsaken place, and that makes Parisians giggle at the very mention of Limoges, the largest city in the Limousin region. Generations have fled this very rural area of la France profonde for the cities. But the British have no such prejudices. They are beginning to discover the area. They love it for the peace, the countryside, the food and the lack of traffic.
The region is famous for two things: Limoges porcelain and Limousin cows. There are cows everywhere. It is an agricultural region that looks a little like Devon, with its lush green meadows and rolling hills. The roads are windy and single-lane. It’s just as well there are more cows than cars.
Limousin, made up of three départements — Creuse, Haute-Vienne and Corrèze — has the Dordogne river running through it, and even a few English shops. What it doesn’t have is hordes of Brits and expensive properties. In fact, it doesn’t have hordes of anybody. There are only 42 inhabitants per square kilometre, compared with an average across England of 376. And even though it is next to the Dordogne, Limousin is still the cheapest region in France.
In the Corrèze, you can buy a three-bedroom house with a garden for £80,000. A farmhouse with some land will cost you £135,000. The problem will be finding one. “Everybody is after the same thing,” says Melanie van der Meer, an estate agent with the Vallée de la Dordogne agency based in Argentat. “The Brits all want a property that is old stone and isolated. I try to explain that even if the property is on a road, it’s unlikely there’ll be many cars going past.”
David Lee moved to a hamlet close to Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne just over a year ago. Originally from Lichfield, Staffordshire, he decided to leave England because he was fed up with it. “I was sick of the traffic, the vandalism, everything,” he says. “One day, some local kids set fire to the school and I just thought, that’s enough.”
He spent 10 weeks looking all over France and chose Limousin because of the landscape, the fishing and the people. He bought a 200 square meter barn for £32,000 that he intends to convert and live in. The problem is finding the time to do it. “I am a builder and now have enough work to keep me going for the next two years,” he says. “I can’t take on any more.”
Lee is living in a caravan next to the barn, but moves in with his French neighbors if it gets too cold. “They are amazing,” he says. “So hospitable and kind. In fact, everybody has been great. I miss my family, but I can’t see myself going back.” He is planning to convert the barn into a three-bedroom house with an open-plan downstairs using straw bales for walls. He will do all the work himself and estimates the materials will cost about £35,000. “It will take me about three years,” he says. “But at the end of it an agent has told me it will be worth £135,000.”
Mike and March Fawcett have been in the region for five years. They bought a B&B in Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne for £76,000 in September 2000. “It had been on the market for 18 months when we bought it,” says Mike, a retired army major. “I don’t think that would be the case now. Everything seems to get snapped up.” They chose the region because it is easy to get back to the UK, where they have children and grandchildren. “I can’t believe how undiscovered the region is,” says March. “Even the French don’t seem to know about it.”
But lots of Brits do, and more soon will. There are now 14 flights a week to Limoges from the UK. Ryanair predicts that by 2006, 300,000 Brits will be using the route and 10% of them will be looking to buy property. Even the French press has noticed. Le Monde dubbed Limousin “the new Provence” — not for its olive trees and warm climate, but because its empty houses are slowly being occupied by Brits.
The new airport at Brive in the Corrèze, due to be opened in 2007, is likely to attract one of the low-cost airlines. Brive is just the kind of city Brits dream about when they consider moving to France, with a beautiful old church, cobbled square, masses of shops and cafes with terraces. If you’re looking for a property likely to increase in value, you could buy there now and wait for Ryanair to do the rest of the work. You can still pick up a farmhouse 10 minutes outside town for about £135,000. “The Corrèze is an area few people know about, especially compared to the ever popular, and now quite pricey, Dordogne. Prices are still reasonable in many areas, but improvements to transport links may well push things up in the next few years,” says David Frere-Smith of French Property Links.
Local people are not unaware of the possibility of cashing in, according to Enrico da Silva Cosme, who runs Le Pays Vert estate agency. “The variations in price can be enormous,” he says. “The local people see foreigners buying, and so the prices go up. A barn that you could have bought very cheaply three years ago can suddenly cost you 40% more. But it’s worth looking around and comparing — some vendors may just be trying it on.”
Jill and Dennis Scorer bought their house in a hamlet above the idyllic village of Saint-Merd-de-Lapleau last year. They originally thought about retiring to Tenerife, but opted for France because the houses are cheaper and Dennis, a former long-distance lorry driver, speaks French. “We looked all around southwestern France, but fell in love with this region and the people here,” says Jill. “It is tranquil, beautiful and not overpopulated with Brits.”
The Scorers sold their three-bedroom house in Wiltshire for £235,000 and bought a three-bedroom stone farmhouse, built in 1799, for £77,000, fully furnished. “All we had to do was buy a table,” says Jill. “And put in double-glazing and central heating. But even after we’d done all that, we were still below our initial budget of £100,000.”
“Here, at 5p.m., there are three cars that go by,” says Dennis. “That’s our rush hour.”
It is not only retirees who are moving to Limousin. In 2004, 37 Brits registered new businesses in the Haute-Vienne, to the west of the region. One of the
start-ups belongs to Kevin Marr, who moved to the area from Liverpool a year and a half ago. “I was a plumber back home and didn’t see any reason why I couldn’t carry on with my trade in France,” he says. “I work mainly for other Brits at the moment but, as my French improves, I think I’ll get some French clients, too.”
Kevin moved with his wife and two children to a detached stone-and-brick cottage, close to Bellac, that they bought for £80,000. It has three bedrooms and 1.7 acres of land. They sold their terraced house in Liverpool for £215,000. “We have no mortgage, some money in the bank and a nice life here,” says Marr. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s a no-brainer.”
It seems he is not alone in thinking so. The local social security office says there are already 2,400 Brits registered in the Haute-Vienne. Property prices are starting to reflect the increased interest, says Anthony Jones of ABC Immobilier. “A small property to renovate in the Haute-Vienne or the Creuse that would have cost you between £10,000 and £15,000 four years ago will now cost between £30,000 and £45,000,” he says. “It’s simple supply and demand.”
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Lower Total Arrivals in September 2005
Due to a fall in the number of national arrivals in September 2005 (-9.8% compared to 2004) and of a weak rise in foreign arrivals (+0.5%), the total arrivals have dropped by 3.8% compared to September 2004, which was an excellent month. However, the total hotel arrivals from January to September 2005 are higher compared to 2004 (+3.4%), thanks to a rise of 5.4% for foreign arrivals. Compared to the period January to September 2005, it is noted that there was a strong growth in number of Americans (+16.8%), Asians (+23.1%), and higher placement in the close and mid Orient in the “Top 10” (+12.2%).

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Jean Taquet’s Practical Answers
December 1, 2005
Immigration Issues
https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/parlerparis/practicalanswers.html
QUESTION
My husband is a British citizen living in Paris. We got married in June of this year and I moved to Paris with my daughter from a previous marriage at the end of August. My daughter is 5 years old and both she and I are holders of Canadian and Hong Kong passports.
Regarding our settling down in France, we have a couple of questions:
1. Do we need to register with the French government? If we do not, does that mean we have to leave the country every three months in order to re-enter?
2. My daughter has a Filipino nanny who has been working exclusively under contract to me for the past nine years. I brought her to Paris with me on a temporary work visa which is valid for three months. I would like to apply for her to come to work for me in France. I have enquired at the Canadian consulate and they told me that though it is difficult, it is possible, but I would have to apply here. Are you acquainted with the procedure?
ANSWER
There are many more issues than the two you have mentioned. It is true that a Canadian citizen like you can only stay in France three months without some immigration status delivered first by the French consulate of your country of residence which is the visa, and then by the prefecture of your French residence here in Paris. According to the letter of the law, there is no other way for you to enter legally in France. This said, the law called “L’Ordonnance du 2 novembre 1945,” which has been modified extensively over the last twenty years, now has a complete section which defines what is called “the regularization.” This means that there are some limited situations that enable foreigners to acquire legal status in France while starting with an illegal, and therefore criminal, status. In the aforestated law, the provisions found in the section 12bis from 1 to 12 define those said situations. In your case it would be 12bis4 since the EU citizens from the 15 older member countries are now considered as having exactly the same rights as French nationals.
Now I would like to answer your question about the issue of whether you are a French resident or not. As stated above, living in France grants rights and also requires contributions, whether you are a legal resident or not. Another issue for you to consider is the definition of being a French resident for fiscal purposes. This latter status can depend on the number of days you stay in France. If you are in France more than 183 days per calendar year, then you are a French fiscal resident.
If the entire
family settles in France, then you are a French fiscal resident. The issue here is that you are not simply breaking immigration law (which is not really what matters the most considering the extent of consequences that Canadians face), but you could also be cheating on taxes. Indeed, and this is a very difficult concept to explain to Anglo-saxons, in France tax loopholes are quite rare because the French inspectors have the legal right to treat the situation the way it appears to them based on facts as well as the documents you serve them; they are not obliged to follow the letter of the law. In your specific case, this is what could happen should you be audited by a French tax inspector after you have stayed a year or more; he will get all your documents that show that you leave every 90 days, that you do not have a visa or other French legal immigration status, that you have maintained your residence in a foreign country where you declare your income and get taxed, and the rest of it. The French fiscal inspector has the right to twist around your proof by stating: “you have given me the proof that you have been staying in France more than 183 days and you have simply followed the letter of the immigration law while ignoring its intent.” Based on all this both of you will be declared French residents if you follow this pattern. So YES if you have a British husband and you are settling in France, then you need to register for immigration purposes, and I ask you to totally forget about leaving from and returning to France every three months, as it creates many problems and fixes none.
Now from a strictly practical point of view, you should settle in France and register everywhere you are supposed to before you go to the prefecture and submit a regularization request to be given a legal status in France. I will assume that regarding the three members of your family, the immigration issue will not be a problem.
Regarding the process of making your nanny a legal resident of France, with the information I currently have, you are very likely to find it impossible unless you have diplomatic status in France. Indeed, no matter how much you consider her to be part of your family, by law she is an employee. Therefore she has professional reasons for coming to France, since her employers now live there. There is a procedure called “L’introduction d’un travailleur étranger en France” and all potential employees of French residents must go through this process. This procedure somewhat resembles the change of status “changement de statut.” Here again the system proves to be quite tricky and generates many misunderstandings. In this procedure the office which receives this initial request is the Main d’Oeuvre Etrangère (MOE) and it will accept reviewing all the requests that comply with the formal requirements. Now the fact is that the MOE office denies a large majority of those requests because it has the right to veto requests for positions for which the gross monthly salary is less than 4,000 euros. This is a very high salary in France and this means that the vast majority of the job market falls under this provision. They base their decision on the rate of unemployment in the profession. The issue is that this office vetoes just about all of these requests, even if employers in the specific profession find it very hard to hire someone, on account of how the MOE defines the professions. Now you can contest the veto when the employee has rare skills specific to the position, such that the veto then makes absolutely no sense. Now I fully understand that you feel that this woman, having worked in your family for almost ten years, has definitively developed unique skills and expertise very valuable for your family. That said, the MOE will very rarely accept this as sufficient to waive the veto. Even the element of trust so crucial with childcare is not enough. The bottom line is that for employees who are domestics in homes, the MOE just about always issues a definitive veto.
On the other hand, if you plan and execute your request very well and you have the possibility of obtaining help from high officials either in the French administration or in the government, or if you can get senior officials in Hong Kong to call the French foreign ministry on your behalf, you have a higher chance of success.
Finally, I would warn you not to attempt to keep her in your family in France without any legal residency status. Indeed, you would commit tax fraud every time you pay her for her work, and you could be prosecuted yourself for helping an illegal immigrant to stay in France.
Editor’s Notes: Jean Taquet is a French jurist and associate member of the Delaware Bar Association, specializes in civil, criminal and commercial law. He frequently gives courses about the legal system in France and regularly speaks at the Living in France Conferences in the U.S. and Paris. He is also well known for his informative Q and A columns in past Paris Voice magazines, which can be purchased in one document as “The Insider Guide to Practical Answers for Living in France.” The new Fall 2005 Edition is now available at http://www.insiderparisguides.com/answers/index.html (Don’t forget, you get a discount as a subscriber!)
To subscribe to his monthly newsletter, email Jean Taquet at [email protected]
To make an appointment with Jean Taquet for his consultation services:
Phone: Cell: 06.16.81.48.07 or email [email protected]
To read this month’s column in it’s entirety, click here:
https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/parlerparis/practicalanswers.html
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Tough New Anti-Terrorism Law Goes to Vote in France
According to a report by the Associated Press, the lower house of French Parliament was scheduled to vote on a new anti-terrorism bill on November 29.
Since the terrorist bombings in London in July of this year, Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy
has been
at the forefront of efforts to strengthen France’s laws against terrorism. He is assuring lawmakers that this bill would not restrict civil liberties, a concern for some.
The measures put forth in this bill include:
– Allowing mosques, department stores and other potential targets to install surveillance cameras
– Stiffer prison terms for terrorists and those providing support
– Enabling police to monitor people who travel to countries known to have terror training camps
– Extending the detention period for terror suspects from four days to up to six days
The Senate will review the bill in December before final adoption by the end of the year. This would be the fourth addition France’s anti-terror legislation since 2001.

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Upcoming Conferences
Living and Investing in France
Seminar
March, 2006
Paris
Details to follow shortly at https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/parlerparis/liveinfrance/index.html
Or contact Project Manager Schuyler Hoffman at [email protected]/parlerparis to be put on a special mailing list.

 
 
 
 
Living and Investing in France
May 26 -28, 2006
Sheraton, New Orleans
Details to follow shortly at https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/parlerparis/liveinfrance/index.html
Or contact Project Manager Schuyler Hoffman at [email protected]/parlerparis to be put on a special mailing list.
 
 
THE ART OF TROMPE L’OEIL SEMINAR
Paris
December 29 – January 2
Join a unique community of artists, engaging in hands-on painting and conversation with internationally renowned trompe l’oeil muralist and educator, Yves Lanthier. An award-winning artist, Yves has created large oil paintings and elaborate trompe l’oeil that adorn the ceilings and walls of many East Coast mansions and Palm beach estates, including Celine Dion’s estate in Jupiter, Florida
 
 
 
 
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https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/frenchproperty/insider/booking.html
To download a free brochure, click here
https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/parlerparis/services/fpibrochure.pdf
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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/fr
enchproperty/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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Parler Paris Après-Midi
https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/parlerparis/apresmidi.html
NEXT MEETING: December 13, 2005 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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HOT PROPERTY PICKS: Perfect Little Pied-à-terre
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
*** Paris, 16th Arrondissement, Studio, 30m²
An excellent pied-à-terre near the Champs Elysées. On the 6th floor facing a garden, in a 1996 building with elevator and modern security. This apartment is in perfect condition, with an entrance, main room, separate kitchen, bathroom and separate toilet, plus cellar. Parking can be purchased in the building.
Asking Price: 255,000 Euros + 2.5% Finder’s Fee
 

*** Paris, 1st Arrondissement, Studio, 30m²
In central Paris near Place Ste-Opportune in a 19th century building with elevator. This studio/duplex has an American style kitchen, bathroom and toilet. Bright, with a view of Paris rooftops.
Asking Price: 187,000 Euros + 2.5% Finder’s Fee
 
*** Paris, 3rd Arrondissement, Studio, 20m²
Métro Rambuteau, close to stores on the 6th floor of a building without an elevator. Studio with a bathroom, kitchenette, double windows. Bright and quiet. The facade was refurbished in 2004.
Asking Price: 152,000 Euros + 2.5% Finder’s Fee
 
 
HOT PROPERTY PICKS: Deals in Limousin
*** Creuse en Limousin, house, 20 rooms, approx. 590m²
Master house with 2 living rooms, large kitchen, 5 bedrooms, 3 bathroom, reception room of 70m², agreeable attic, on approx 5000m² of land. Beautiful view.
Asking Price: 399,600 Euros + 2.5% Finder’s Fee
 
 
*** Saint Sornin Leula, house, 9 rooms, approx. 360m²
In the Limoges area, superb stone house, renovated with a fully equipped kitchen, living room with fireplace, bathroom, loft with mezzanine, 5 bedrooms, terrace with barbecue, pool, approx. 1.7 hectares of land.
Asking Price: 486,000 Euros + 2.5% Finder’s Fee
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
*** North Limoges, house, 9 rooms, approx. 380m²
In Compreignac, a splendid stone house, entirely renovated. 6 bedrooms, 2 hectares of
land.
Asking Price: 553,250 Euros + 2.5% Finder’s Fee

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
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LEASEBACK NEWS FROM IMOINVEST
https://adrianleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/frenchproperty/insider/sales/leasebacks/lb_list.php
HAMEAU DES NEIGES
France, French Alps, Megève
NEW LISTING
Chalets/Villas 35m² to 55m² Euros 347,000 to Euros 908,000
LEASEBACK PROPERTY GUARANTEED RENTAL INCOME UP TO: 3.80%
 
Enjoy incomparable ski conditions and breathtaking panoramic views from your furnished holiday home in Europe’s most desirable ski area. Truly an outstanding location, Megève is one of the largest resorts in the world, offering over 440km of slopes at an altitude of 1113m to 2525m for skiers of all levels. Megève exudes old-fashioned charm with narrow streets, small squares, trendy boutiques, quality antique shops, crowded bistros, dozens of small hotels and more. From its Old World town buildings, art deco deluxe hotels, perfect French country inns, gourmet restaurants, and pulsing late-night casinos and discos, Megève hits all the notes.
This new build is located 1km from the Megève ski station, offering luxurious fully furnished chalets sleeping up to 8 people. The resort has a modern, high-speed lift system — no t-bars and the highest lift is at 2353m. The development will be managed by France’s best Alpine Leaseback Buy-to-Let operator, guaranteeing an attractive rental yield over a minimum of 11 years and 9 months. In the summer there is so much to see and do in Megève, including the near by 18-hole Mont d’Arbois Golf course, horseback riding, mountain biking and the panoramic views of Mont Blanc.
This opportunity allows investors to benefit from all aspects of the Leaseback Scheme. Owners will acquire an extremely strong asset and enjoy capital growth during the life of the lease – capital growth in 2004 was 18.2%. A fixed ‘holiday credit’ will afford property owners with the luxury of vacationing within their own residence or any development serviced by the same management company. Investors may also opt to sign away that right in return for a higher rental income.

* DAILLE SOLEIL
France, French Alps, Val d’Isère
NEW LISTING
Studio 20m² to 30m² Euros 135,000 to Euros 151,000
One Bedroom 25m² to 50m² Euros 175,000 to Euros 284,000
Two Bedrooms 43m² to 53m² Euros 279,000 to Euros 367,000
Three Bedrooms 65m² Euros 415,000 to Euros 415,000
 
LEASEBACK PROPERTY GUARANTEED RENTAL INCOME UP TO: 4.00%
Considered one of Europe’s best areas for snow coverage including over 300km of slopes, the “Espace Killy” (Val d’Isère along with Tignes) offers a prime location, in the heart of the national park of Vanoise. Located in La Daille, where the main road enters the resort, the development exists at the crossroads of the main run area, minutes from the Daille cable car and ski lift. Narrow pedestrian streets lined with archways, traditional stone houses and enchanting 16th century church create perfect charm. During the summertime, Val d’Isère is a hiker’s dream, with its beautiful walks, excellent fishing and fascinating flora – the perfect place for a family holiday. Well known for the “after-ski scene” with countless bars and restaurants, delightful romantic bistros and a host of prestigious boutiques.
This development is a full renovation offering a VAT (value added tax) refund after completion. The residence is guaranteed by a 9-year commercial lease providing complete residence management services. The development consists of 207 units that will be transformed into 146 spacious studio to 3 bedroom high-quality apartments, each with a balcony offering breathtaking views of the mountains, the valley and the unmistakable church tower of Val d’Isère. The traditional wooden façades have been totally restored, as have the reception and communal areas. Great care has been taken in selecting the interior design of each apartment, and the furniture and materials have been specially selected to give the properties a warm tone, emphasized by the interior lighting. Practical and comfortable living spaces with well-thought out storage spaces and modern kitchens and bathrooms throughout. Operated by France’s #1 management company.
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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.
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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

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THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

To access password protected pages: click on any of the links on the left panel of the home page of FrenchPropertyInsider.com under “Subscriber’s Only,” then type in your personal username and password.

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/members/content/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/members/content/reports.html

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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/

==== CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING ===

==APARTMENT RENTAL==

Leeds Marais Apartment

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 RENTALS==

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

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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

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Copyright 2005, Adrian Leeds Group, LLC