Here we go again!

Here we go again.

I attended yet another special assembly for my building on rue de Saintonge in Paris, this time to discuss the structural problems of an apartment on the same level as mine (3rd floor), but not in alignment with mine. On one hand, it was good to hear that the reasons for the weakened beams weren’t the same as they were for mine, which were caused by a roof leak over time. In this case, the owner of the apartment below is being accused of removing non-structural walls without the express permission of the building’s architect, supposedly creating the weakening of the beams.

It’s a fascinating case because the owner of the apartment on the second floor did have an architect who assured her that the walls would not affect the building structure. She was in attendance to defend herself and her client. Removing such walls is perfectly within the owner’s rights, but her mistake was not involving the Syndic (building manager) and its official architect (the same gentleman who managed my structural issues and who, under his bad guidance, destroyed my apartment while installing steel beams).

The meeting was full of fire, as one can imagine. I watched in amazement, keeping my mouth shut as the fireworks went off. The second-floor owner didn’t appreciate being accused of such folly, but the good news for her, for the building and for the owner on the third floor whose apartment is affected, is that their insurance may be able to cover quite a bit of the cost.

In my case, my insurance wouldn’t cover it because it was the building’s fault, and the building’s insurance wouldn’t cover it because in France, insurance does not usually cover structural problems caused by normal aging, damage due to lack of maintenance (like my roof leak), or cracks from soil movement (unless declared “catastrophe naturelle”). These are generally the owner’s responsibility, not the insurer’s, unless there’s a specific clause or a natural disaster has been officially declared.

Our homeowners had to suffer the costs of the structural work in my apartment, but only to the point of reinforcing the beams, not to reconstruct all of my custom built-ins, etc., although by law they must return the property to its original state. It was the job of my attorney to protect me from these extraordinary expenses, and who did a seriously bad job of that. (No, I will not recommend him!)

There was no conclusion to the meeting—just an open discussion to determine how to proceed—but I left there wanting to warn the third-floor owner about what might happen to her apartment, as it did with mine, if she doesn’t protect herself. And I can see now that we, as homeowners, will once again suffer the costs of some of the repairs.

Any property you own, whether in France or anywhere, will have regular maintenance and special assessments. Expect them. It’s important to maintain the quality and value of the property. You can investigate prior to making a purchase what work is to be done in the future, but situations like this cannot be avoided, particularly with older buildings. However, there is intrinsic value in older buildings and in my case, I wouldn’t trade my centuries-old home for a newer model with fewer issues!

(This week’s French Property Insider will go into more detail on this subject, so if you are not subscribed, you may want to do that now.)

That was just the beginning of the meetings. I went to Nice Thursday to attend another “Assemblée Générale” the next morning, this time for my new Nice apartment that suffers from water leaks caused by its terrace. Owning property comes with these responsibilities, and because I have bought and sold many properties, I willingly take on these burdens.

This was a very important meeting because the renovation work in the apartment has come to a standstill while the Syndic and other co-owners agree to their responsibilities to repair the leaks. That standstill is costing quite a lot of money while the major building materials remain in storage…at a hefty price.

Not many owners attended the meeting because many of the apartments in the building are owned by one person. That person was there, and in her usual manner, took over the running of the meeting from the Syndic’s manager, without his permission—or without anyone’s. It was comical, to say the least. My contractor attended with me, thank goodness, who could speak intelligently about the leak issues and how best to repair them so we could move on with the work.

This has been going on since the purchase of the property in September 2024! So, the work is now at least one year overdue. The good news is that they voted to do the repairs, pay for them, and do them very quickly so that we can progress and move on. The bad news is that to ensure the apartment is 100% sealed from future water leaks, I may have to change the glass sliding doors that lead to the terrace, which will cost a pretty penny.

Ugh. Yep, here we go again. And would I trade it for not owning the property at all? No. When all is said and done, this new apartment in Nice, with its 7th-floor views of the entire city and the sea, with it’s large terrace, custom built-ins and fabulous decor by Martine di Mattéo…will be well worth it. I hope to live in and enjoy it forever.

Nice was a lot warmer and sunnier than Paris. While Paris was inundated with snow and freezing cold, Nice is almost always about 10 degrees (Fahrenheit) warmer, and almost always sunnier. The snow was thick all the was down to Marseille from the views from the train, but once we hit the seacoast, everything changed. I was able to change from fur-lined boots and gloves to lighter weight everythings.

DINING OUT IN NICE

I was in Nice only three nights, but managed to work in a couple of very wonderful dinners with friends. Whenever possible, I try to have dinner at one of my favorite bistrots—the ones that outperform all the others on a regular basis—all of which are the creation of restaurateur, Armand Crespo. Time and time again, his restaurants offer the most interesting and delicious dishes for what should be twice the price (but don’t tell him I said this!).

While dining at Le Bistrot d’Antoine (his flagship), it was a surprise to see M. Crespo at the edge of our table. “I heard you were here,” he said, “so I came to say hello.”

Wow! How did I deserve such special treatment? But, he explained that he likes to stay in touch with his regular clients. His staff know me well from Antoine, but also from my regular visits to Le Comptoir du Marché and Peixes, two of my other favorites, among his restaurants in Nice.

He was born in Portugal and raised in France from about the age of one, and has become a major presence in the Vieux-Nice (Old Town) restaurant scene. Over the past decades he has created, or taken over several notable restaurants and bars, that also include Bar des Oiseaux, Type 55, La Cave du Cours, and now Colita on rue Ségurane—a restaurant blending Latin (Colombian) and Italian influences (hence “Colita”), working with chefs recognized by the Gault & Millau guide.

He’s not one of those chefs with a big ego, and aims to offer simple, warm, well-priced food with a friendly atmosphere where locals and visitors feel welcome. In fact, he explained while standing at our table, that the reason he still doesn’t take online reservations is because he wants to connect with his clients, have their phone numbers and know their names. When I call to reserve, I always say, “C’est Adrienne,” and that’s how they got to know me in the first place. Then, when I walk in, they put put the name with the face.

Everyone who frequents these restaurants as I do, will tell you that his establishments are seen as places of conviviality and community, not just food. But, the food is extraordinary! In our conversation, he only took credit for having an excellent “équipe” (team), not for being the master chef himself. I’ve watched his team in the kitchen at Le Comptoir du Marché, that is slightly higher than the tables but open to the diners…it’s like watching a well choreographed ballet, how they weave in and out of each other in a tiny space to assemble their creations without colliding. It’s amazing. Then, whatever you’ve ordered is presented and served as if it were easy and simple to make such gastronomic wonders.

What I love most about his dishes is that he has assembled an assortment of ingredients one might never imagine together, but which become absolutely magnificent to view, and incredibly delicious—what I call “real uhmmers.” Thursday evening I ordered three “entrées” (appetizers) and couldn’t decide which was best, or even better than the others.

Here are the addresses of Armand Crespo’s key restaurants and spots in Nice—including the two main Peixes locations and the newer Colita. Call, tell them your name and then be sure to tell them I sent you!:

• Bistrot d’Antoine
27 Rue de la Préfecture, 06300 Nice, France – a classic French bistro in Vieux-Nice.

• Le Bar des Oiseaux
5 Rue Saint-Vincent, 06300 Nice, France – lively neighborhood restaurant with Mediterranean flair.

• Type 55
1 Rue de la Préfecture, 06300 Nice, France – contemporary restaurant/pizzeria with refined plates.

• La Cave Du Cours
24 Rue Barillerie, 06300 Nice, France – wine bar with tapas and local wines.

• Peixes (Peixes Opéra)
4 Rue Jacques Médecin, 06300 Nice, France – Mediterranean seafood-focused restaurant.

• Peixes – Bonaparte
5 Rue Bonaparte, 06300 Nice, France – second Peixes location with similar style and menu.

• Colita
20 Rue Catherine Ségurane, 06300 Nice, France – newer Latin-Italian fusion restaurant in the Port area.

• And he just opened La Cave de Peixes on Rue Catherine Ségurane that operates more as a wine bar and tapas-style space tied to the Peixes universe and expanding the brand’s presence in the neighborhood (a kind of new location of ambiance and pairing rather than a full third traditional restaurant).

ANOTHER APARTMENT EXCLUSIVE TO OUR CLIENTS AND READERS

Soon, we’ll be adding another studio apartment in Nice to our company roster, exclusive to our clients and readers for stays of one week or more. It will sleep two in one large bed, is on the second floor with a lift, steps from Place Masséna, with a large south-facing window overlooking a beautiful courtyard and enormous Bougainvillea.

If you wish to be on a special mailing list to learn more about it when we’re ready to take bookings, please send us an email.

NAMING NAMES

I just learned something new after 31 years in France: For nearly a century, France has had a wonderfully practical—and rather charming—way of naming purebred dogs. The Société Centrale Canine, which manages the national dog registry, assigns each year a specific letter of the alphabet. A puppy’s registered first name must begin with that year’s designated letter, followed by the kennel name (which in France is almost always added as a suffix).

The result? With just a glance at a dog’s registered name, you can immediately tell its year of birth—a small detail that reflects the French love of order, tradition, and subtle structure. Over time, certain letters—K, Q, W, X, Y and Z—were dropped from the system because they are awkward in French and difficult to build names around. This leaves a 20-letter cycle, and every twenty years, the alphabet simply begins again.

I know the French love their rules, but quite frankly, this is ridiculous! And likely not respected!

MAKE YOUR DREAM TO LIVE IN FRANCE COME TRUE! HERE’S HOW…

Once again, we partnered with the Federation of the Alliances Francaises USA to do a webinar about how to “Make Your Dream to Live in France Come True! Here’s How…” It’s the 11th we’ve done with them, and not the last. In fact, we already have another one scheduled for this coming May.

They tell us that the registrations to our webinars break all their records—they are the most popular. For this one we had so many registrations, that it was streamed live on YouTube. We are not surprised, only because anyone learning French likely wants to be in France!

This presentation was How to Move to France 101, in essence…the basic things you need to know to make it happen. We rushed through it, but extended the session by 15 minutes in order to get some questions answered. A webinar like this won’t replace a personal consultation, but it will give you a good start.

The questions in the chat created a volume! But, most of the questions were about WHERE to live in France, which is something we talk about at length in our consultations. And no matter how we try to impress on everyone how important it is to be PRACTICAL, and fulfill the basic requirements of a place, too many people can’t take off their rosy-colored glasses to realize that living remotely in a pretty little village might end up a lot less rosy! (Let us help you through these important decisions!)

The good news is that if you missed it on Saturday, no worries. You can watch it on our YouTube channel!

And special note: we are now an official partner of the Federation of the Alliances Francaises USA with more than 100 schools in the US alone. Don’t leave for France without learning French!

ON THE HORIZON

FYI, make note that the 2026 Carnaval de Nice takes place February 11th through March 1st. Visit the official site for more information.

And for those who love the Fête du Citron (like I do) in Menton, it runs February 14th to March 1st, so you can enjoy both at the same time. Have a look at their site for more information.

THE HORIZONS OF MCKENNA

I apologize for reporting on the Michael McKenna exhibition just two weeks before it closes. If you haven’t seen it, then you must get your buns to Nice as quickly as possible! Michael Kenna – Constellation, on only till January 25th, it’s worth a special visit.

This exhibition is a quietly breathtaking distillation of Michael Kenna’s life’s work: 124 luminous silver prints drawn from an archive of nearly 4,000 images, each one chosen to represent the major visual chapters of his career. You will travel with him through the natural, urban, and industrial landscapes of northern England and Detroit, across France and into the formal harmony of Le Nôtre’s gardens, along mist-veiled seashores, through the light and shadow of Nice and Venice, and onward to Italy, Europe, and the United States—finally arriving among the iconic, almost spiritual trees of Japan, China, Thailand, and Korea.

In all, twenty-one countries are represented here, selected from the forty-three that have shaped Kenna’s photographic journey. Always in black and white, his images possess a rare stillness—poetic, contemplative, and rigorously composed. Kenna often works at dawn, in the depth of night, or beneath overcast skies, using long exposures that soften the edges of reality and gently transport us into something more dreamlike, more timeless, and ultimately more human.

Naturally, the images from France were my favorites, but each was more breathtaking than the next. Hope you get to see it before it’s no longer there!

A la prochaine…