A Lovely Home in France ~Winter-Summer Blessed

Isn't a crackling fire, a cup of hot cocoa and a book the most delightful thing you can imagine? Winter anywhere brings that to mind. What would it feel like to open your eyes in the morning to look outside your bedroom window and see the countryside of France of your new home? Doesn't that sound splendid! It is not that far fetched!! Why not buy a house for sale in France!

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Lets imagine there are three bedrooms

Bedroom 1:

This room sits in the newer part of the property, ie what was a barn before and has much light from the large window openings. The floor is oak parquet. There is an electric convector heater installed.

Bedroom 2:

This room is in the original house and has lovely big exposed beams. The chimney comes up through this room and there is a vent which convects heat from the inglenook fireplace in the living room downstairs. This is sufficient to heat the room throughout the winter.

Bedroom 3:

Large enough to be used as a single room with views over the garden. This room also sits over the original house and has the exposed beams. There is also an electric convector heater in this room.

Landing:

A lovely large landing with doors to bedrooms 2 and 3 and also the bathroom. There is currently a folding staircase that goes into the attic but there is enough space here to install a proper staircase.

Glorious isn't it? Don't you just love the light coming through the window? It is like a painting.

IMAGE IS OF A WATERCOLOR BY KATHY OSTMAN-MAGNUSEN .. YES "ME" !!

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Get out that feather down bedding and a cup of hot chocolate!

This could be YOU, living in France in this beautiful countryside home. This one is no longer for sale but others like it are.

Charming 200 year old 3 bedroomed country house with 153m habitable space and 2300m of land. In need of some renovation work but totally habitable. As owner Cathy Savels describe it, The house sits in the famously beautiful landscape of the massif central. From the garden it is possible to see several extinct volcanoes including Puy de Dome, one of the highest. The property is in a small hamlet containing 5 houses in the community of St Etienne des Champs with it's Marie and Church.

How perfect!

The roof was completely renewed in the '70s and is in excellent condition. We have since completely insulated the roof space. The original house has beautiful exposed oak beams which stretch the entire width of the house and are original. The converted part of the house has wooden ceilings which are painted.

Wow

The house itself offers much space. Immediately habitable is 153m but there is also an attic of 63m and a small cave of 20m.

I want it!

Ahh that fireplace, can't you just see yourself all cozy with a good book?

42m with an inglenook fireplace housing a 13kw wood stove which is sufficient to heat the entire house. A vent goes up from the fireplace to the 2nd bedroom on the first floor and the convected heat is sufficient to heat this room throughout the winter months.

Ahh so French, don't you just adore it? The bathroom comprises a large shower, toilet, bath and sink. There is also an electric towel radiator which also heats the room during cold winter months.

IMAGINE YOU PLANNING... YOUR PLANS ... The garden has been landscaped in terraces with rockeries and lawn. Part of the garden is flat with another part on a gentle slope. There is also a small copse containing several very large and old trees, some as old as 50 years old.

There is also a strawberry bed, raspberries, apple tree, plum tree, walnut tree and hazelnut trees. There is also space for growing vegetables.

At the back of the property, there is a 50cm ladder right.

In general:

The property is still in need of renovation works but is completely habitable. It has a septic tank which was installed in 2007 and conforms to the new regulations.

There is an electric meter which was installed in 2007 but the wiring in the house still needs to be done.

There is a hot water tank of 200L which was also installed in 2007. There is hot water in the bathroom but not yet installed in the kitchen although there is cold water. Drainage is in place for a sink and a dishwashing machine.

The windows are old and single glazed and would also need to be replaced in time.

The building is stone and the stonework needs to be repointed. Some rendering was put on top of the stonework many years ago and this would need to be removed. This comes off very easily and is not a big undertaking.

There is adsl connection.

Situation:

It is at 730m altitude and has stunning views, predominantly over to Puy de Dome.

The property faces south east.

The house is situated in the community of St Etienne des Champs which has a church and Marie but no shops. The property sits exactly in the middle of Giat and Pontaumur, both with supermarkets and both journeys are 17kms. Both towns provide us with everything we need from DIY stores, garden centre, bio shop, doctors, dentist, bars, restaurant and hotels.

The immediate area is made up of partly woodland and farm land making for a very peaceful setting. The local farmer and his family live in the same hamlet and they are super friendly and accommodating to anything the neighbors may need.

Ahh so very LOVELY!! Again it is sold but you may find your dream too!

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The property would also suit someone who wants to run a gite and everything is in place to achieve this in a relatively short amount of time and without major work needing to be done.

Many people in this area have secondary homes here. There are people from Paris, Holland, Belgium and also nearer, Clermont Ferrand. Because of it's peaceful setting in this beautiful landscape, it makes for a wonderful retreat.

Alternatively this would also make a great family home.

Convinced? Boy this is just a glorious spot in paradise.

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Simple yet elegant... When preparing the caramel for this quick and simple skillet-baked apple tart, be sure to remove the pan from the heat when the caramel is just amber -- the sugar will continue to cook from residual heat, which could lead to a bitter, burned sauce. Recipe taken from http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/quick-tarte-tat... Thanks so much!

Prep Time: fifteen minutes

Total Time: thirty three minutes

Serves: ten

quelque chose malheur est bon.

Every cloud has a silver lining.

"Unhappiness is good for something."

Aprs la pluie le beau temps.

Every cloud has a silver lining.

"After the rain, the nice weather."

L'arbre cache souvent la fort.

Can't see the forest for the trees.

"The tree often hides the forest."

Aussitt dit, aussitt fait

No sooner said than done

"Immediately said, immediately done."

Autres temps, autres mœurs.

Times change.

"Other times, other customs."

Bon sang ne saurait mentir.

What's bred in the bone will come out in the flesh.

"Good blood doesn't know how to lie."

Ce sont les tonneaux vides qui font le plus de bruit.

Empty vessels make the most noise.

"It's the empty barrels that make the most noise."

Chacun voit midi sa porte.

to each his own.

"Everyone sees noon at his door."

by Carolyn Clayton

More and more people are moving abroad these days and France is one favourite destination. Its not surprising people are choosing France as the country has a style and look of its own and is steeped in history, it is also well known for its love of the arts and architecture. The country has a population of 64.1 million with 51% being catholics the other half pretty mixed. Its economy is the sixth largest in the world, the currency being Euro or French Franc and the size of the country is 674,843km2.

France has a significant English speaking expat population, which mostly consists of retired and so called inactive expats which are people below retirement age but not working.

France has plenty to offer families and singles wishing to emigrate to the country. It is an exciting place to live but not easy unless you learn the language. The French take pride in their languages and foreign languages are not commonly spoken. There are bilingual schools but even so you should really be thinking about teaching your whole family the language. There are plenty of French language schools offering courses to foreigners.

With regards to employment there are plenty of opportunities however you really will have to learn the language. The French government (Unitary Republic) are very committed to encouraging the unemployed back to work. The French state benefit is one of the most lucrative of the developed world. The jobless in France are very well compensated for when out of work. If your planning on moving to France you can be safe in the knowledge that you will be looked after by the state if you were to lose your employment in the future.

If you are looking for property in France then you will find your money will go further. Property prices are on average substantially lower than property in the UK. Location makes a large difference on pricing as does the age of a house. Newer houses are a lot more expensive than older houses and property in the city's are a lot more expensive than those in the country side. In fact you can live a good life in France for much less than it would cost you to have a similar lifestyle in the UK. That and the lower property prices are nothing but enticing.

France has an excellent healthcare system but you will have to register with their mairie within 3 months of living permanently in the country. This is to provide evidence that you have financial resources to live there. You will also need evidence of personal medical insurance.

While France has many attractions to foreign nationals looking to relocate, there are a number of areas which need to be addressed. While there are genuine gaps in the employment market which can be exploited by overseas workers, the downside is the taxation situation.

It is easy to see why France has the most foreign visitors of any other country in Europe and why more and more people are relocating there. However relocating to France requires careful planning and an appreciation of the cultures of this beautify country.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I have worked in Search Engine Optimisation since I graduated from a computer science degree in 2006. After working for a couple of web companies I realized I could do a better job myself and earn a far better living. I now work from home driving traffic to websites of small and large businesses.

Being a sponge for knowledge I find working in SEO perfect for me. I learn and write about many different subjects which gives me great satisfaction.

I also studied Ceramics alongside my Computing and have worked as a ceramic demonstrator at Coalport China Museum since 2004. I am passionate about clay and computing and enjoy my work tremendously.

If you want help to get your website top in Google, give me a call and/or check out her blog: http://carolyn-clayton.blogspot.com/

THANKS CAROLYN!

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My FAV Isabelle Boulay song- Mieux qu'ici-bas

If you don't see yourself living in France perhaps a little French decor/

FRENCH: thank you very much - Merci (beaucoup)

by Helen Cox

t has been said that more than half a million people from Britain have second homes in France while a further 100,000 live there permanently. One of the most compelling reasons for many Britons to relocate to France is the price of the property and the fact they fall in love with the country.

Sadly however out of all these people who make the decision to leave the UK behind for a more idyllic life in France it has been said that two thirds of British expats go home after less than three years of being in France. The main reason for this is that people fail to plan ahead for their move.

It is essential that you thoroughly plan your move to France well in advance of the date you are due to leave to make sure that you have considered everything there is to know as well as filling in all of your application forms to do with your visa or permit. You are also advised to spend at least two weeks within the area you want to move to so that you can get a feel for the lifestyle.

More important than anything else when it comes to moving to France is learning the language. It is highly important that you learn the French language before you move, even if you only learn the basics. The French take high pride in their language, which is why it is so important that you make as much effort to speak French as you can as you will be more welcomed and are more likely to make friends. You have to except the French way of life and the French way of doing things. For example if you are involved in a business with clients or investors etc you will always have to meet them face to face as it is highly difficult to get any answers via email or telephone. Also the way in which the French interact with each other is less casual than people in Britain, for example here when we arrive at work we shout hello to each other then get down to work, whereas in France colleagues shake hands every morning and say bonjour. It is good to be aware of aspects such as these as you should be sensitive to such differences.

When it comes to community life, again, the formalities are different to what you may be used to. In Britain the way we invite people round is telling them to 'pop round anytime,' in France you will be formally invited on a certain day at a certain time, so to get to know people it is advised to introduce yourself to the neighbours and get involved in community events, this is what many people in Britain aren't aware of; you need to put yourself forwards. If you show you are willing and eager to become involved, you will be welcomed with open arms.

One of the easiest ways of getting around France is via car, so if you are moving to France you are able to bring your car over, subject to restrictions, and if your driving license was issued by an EU county it will be fully valid to be used in France. Other driving licenses may be valid for a limited period before they must be changed to a French license.

Helen Cox is the web master of Overs International, specialists in all of your Moving and Shipping to France.

Helen's website on MOVING and SHIPPING to France http://www.overs.co.uk/article/19/0/shippingtofranceprohibitedandrestrictedgoods.html