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| Grenadier Member Since: 23 Jul 2014 Location: The foot of Mont Blanc... Posts: 5804   
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BM52,
Given where you have been, which seems to cover most of the South, you really need to pull together a checklist and include a few of the (perhaps obvious) points below. This will hopefully narrow down your search regions and then allow you to see what you can get for your bucks. Budget: (No sh** Sherlock)....But get it sorted sooner rather than later. Before you come out. Talk to a couple of lenders if you need a mortgage, if not be honest/realistic about how much you want to spend. I'm an agent and it amazes me how many people turn up with no real idea and then are shocked they can't afford their dream home. And don't make the classic mistake, as many do, that 'my house is worth £xxx in the UK therefore with the exchange rate I have xxx€ to spend. You won't. For starters because many people forget they have a mortgage but some just assume they can get the same mortgage in France. On the latter point, rates are better, and LTV can be as much as 85%, but the hoops you have to jumo through first, not to mentione the regulation that your loan cannot be more than approximately 33% of your disposible income, and you can see why so many people are shocked by what they don't have  Confirm moving costs, Notaire's fees, and add a little fudge factor (5-10%) for those incidentals you never considered and you should have a good starting point.
OK, you know your budget, so now ask yourself the following questions, in no particular order: Weather? Sunny, Alpine, Northern etc etc. France is huge and weathger varies dramatically. Location? Coastal or Alpine? Rolling countryside or Forests. City or Village? What sort of scenery do you like? Leisure? Do you do any sport or have any pastimes which you might want to continue or take up? Some areas, beyond the obvious Alps/Pyrenees for skiing, specialise in certain sports and hobbies. Neighbours? Do you want neighbours? If so, how many and how close? And what nationality? Are you from a small town and want to stay in a small town atmosphere or would you prefer isolation. Remember, life will be a little tougher anyway with language and cultural barriers, let alone adding to it. You may isolate yourself on the Moors and feel comfortable popping to the local pub and having a beer, would you feel the same in France? Also, remember in rural parts particulalry, France shuts down for large parts of the day, the evening and the weekend. So whilst popping in your car from your distant highland cottage to get a pint of milk on a sunday is easy in the UK, it might (will) not be in France. Tourism. Many people will choose to settle where they holidayed. No bad thing, you've experienced it and loved it. But it is very different when hoards of tourists arrive for 8-10 weeks of the year. Is this what you want? Some certainly do, others are shocked by just how busy these quaint little towns and villages become when you just want to get on with your daily grind. Access? How frequently do you plan to go back to the UK (or indeed travel anywhere outside France) and by what means? So will you need to be near an airport, motorway, station or port? Friends? Do you have any friends living out here already? If you do, would you be happy locate yourself nearby? I cannot stress enough the value of having someone local who can help with that 'thing' you never expected to need help with, but now that it is governed by French language/culture/bureacracy, it has become a nightmare 
Do you want to work? Certain regions offer far more employment opportunities, even just a 'few hours a week' than others. Some are better for retirement. Expats? Do you want or need to be part of an expat community? This is very different to havimng the friend living in France mentioned above and more about groups, activities, schools, etc etc. As per Angouleme mentioned by Languedoc, Chamonix is 20% British. It can be very helpful for some, but for others it directly impacts their ability to properly integrate (or conversely be accepted by the locals) as they fall in to the trap of drinking, eating, BBqing, schooling, babysitting, renovation, car fixing, working etc all within the expat community and never, ever the French bar popping to the supermarket. Really not cool. Hence the reason I moved to another town and valley that allows me to work in Cham, but live in a French community, as was the aim. Food? It might seem bonkers, but French food is hugely varied and very regionally focussed. If the Alps didn't have everything else I love, I certainly wouldn't have moved here for the scoff. And don't believe that you can just pop to your local supermarket and pick up ingredients for a Thai Green Curry, French supermarkets focus on French, Regional and a handful of international items (pasta etc) but any worldwide cuisine outside of a specialist shop, forget it. Finally, after all that you should have a clearer idea of where you would like to live, how and why. So finally it's the house. No different to the UK, what do you want it to do for you? How many beds, would you be happy to do work? Proximity to civilisation? New build or re-sale? Character or simple box? Space for friends and family to visit? Land? Income? Commercial? Once you have a grip on the house style, the budget and your expected life, pop it into Rightmove or Greenacres and see what comes up and where. Soon enough you will get a feel for which region offers the greatest options vis-a-vis your checklist. Keep looking and then pick a couple of areas to visit. Take your time. Then once you have narrowed it down, I woudl suggest renting for a while first, to get a feel for the place you have pinpointed. Life can be very different to what you see on a website, what (some) agents will tell you, ahem, and of course being on holiday. If you take your time, enjoy the search and apply a little of what I have said above, I hope you will find your dream home, in your dream area first time round and not be one of the 70% of British expats who on trying to 'live the dream' abroad are back in the UK within 18mths
Bon courage....  Monsieur Le Grenadier
I've not been everywhere, but it's on my list..... 2011 Puma 110DC - Corris Grey |
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8th Aug 2016 3:21pm |
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| Riverboy Member Since: 16 May 2016 Location: French sector, Earth Posts: 1288 
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Ditto
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8th Aug 2016 4:21pm |
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| bm52 Member Since: 04 Apr 2010 Location: Kent Posts: 2189  
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Grenadier
Thank you for such a comprehensive post. Extremley useful for both new information and confirming some of our thoughts. In our case we don't think of it as the dream, just an extension of our tours around France becomming a longer interlude! Children are now all sorted, no need for a mortgage, thankfully, and we will will rent for a while. We have met wonderful people in France tyically Dutch, English and many French. To quote Geoff who we met last year, when asked where he went on holiday after being in France for 8 yrs he said - I am on holiday every day...... I have a couple of sports I will want to follow [in particular clay pigeon shooting which seems to be everywhere in France] and I have started to write.... i need the head space to continue as i get no peace here in the UK. My wife also has ideas to keep her very busy. It is our intention to integrate with the locals ASAP but having a few english speaking ex-pats around will also help. With luck we can start renting by next summer if we can sell our hiouse next spring. We are not in a rush, we will plan as carefully as we can. These posts are another example of the wonderful contributors on this forum such as Grenadier, River Boy, Ian, Laqudoc, Birdy and many more on other threads. kind regards |
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8th Aug 2016 8:55pm |
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| LiftedDisco Member Since: 17 Aug 2014 Location: Towcester Posts: 351 
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Grenadier... wow, what a fabulous response!
BM52 - we have spent many weeks in Gimont in the very South West where there appears to be relatively little in the way of ex-pat presence (but just enough to help you get by, when needed) and we found ourselves being invited to the local fete days and meals even though we were 'just on holiday'. I'm fortunate to speak enough French to survive - it's pretty rural and you have an abundance of really local produce (I still can't understand the Basquaise of my favourite cheese vendor...). If you are thinking of renting and not too sure on location, friends of ours run France Motorhome Hire and tend to rent to long-haul renters (Aus, NZ, South Africa and US) and so are quite comfortable with their vehicles being out for longer periods of time. Hope all goes well with the hunt and the move! |
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9th Aug 2016 4:54pm |
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| Grenadier Member Since: 23 Jul 2014 Location: The foot of Mont Blanc... Posts: 5804
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My pleasure, hope it helps. Now buy a bl***y house through me...  Monsieur Le Grenadier
I've not been everywhere, but it's on my list..... 2011 Puma 110DC - Corris Grey |
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9th Aug 2016 7:09pm |
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| bm52 Member Since: 04 Apr 2010 Location: Kent Posts: 2189
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I'd be quite happy to rent or buy from you. Do you have a web site I can view?
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9th Aug 2016 7:20pm |
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| Grenadier Member Since: 23 Jul 2014 Location: The foot of Mont Blanc... Posts: 5804
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Ha ha, I do, but I'm based in the Alps (cannot recommend the region enough, btw) and my personal portfolio starts at a Million up
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However, I'm just one of 350 agents who work for the same group (which Languedoc knows) called Leggett Immobilier. France's largest British agency with thousands of listings, many in the regions you have mentioned. http://www.frenchestateagents.com If there's anything you see and like, let me know who the agent is and if I know them I'll tip my hat and make sure you're looked after. Which of course would be the case anyway...ahem.  Monsieur Le Grenadier
I've not been everywhere, but it's on my list..... 2011 Puma 110DC - Corris Grey |
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9th Aug 2016 7:25pm |
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| bm52 Member Since: 04 Apr 2010 Location: Kent Posts: 2189
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I thought you might say something like that. I have the bug to move now, working for a v large corporate has lost it's interest for me now.
Best wishes and good luck with your sales portfolio. |
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9th Aug 2016 8:14pm |
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| languedoc Member Since: 13 May 2016 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 283  
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And something Grenadier and I may be able to help with is advice/help with other agents. We don't work for the same company but I've no doubt one of us will know somebody to speak to.
I'm in the far SW in the Pyrenees so fairly sure we can help between us. The sheer number of clients I meet who didn't buy where they really wanted is astounding. Lots of people buy in holiday mode and, if its a permanent move, forget we have cold winters and you wont be sitting in a square sipping rosé on market day in February. And like said above, its a much bigger country than the UK so don't worry if its 20/30 mins drive to supermarkets, that's pretty normal! And opening times......my local bank is open on Thursday.......morning. |
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9th Aug 2016 8:25pm |
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| bm52 Member Since: 04 Apr 2010 Location: Kent Posts: 2189
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Thanks Languedoc
I am always baffled by French opening times, they always seem to randomly vary. But that is the chilled life I am looking for after 40 yrs of working frenetically and raising 4 children and the challenges of being made redundant 4 times which meant changing industries a few times. Can't wait for a slower pace of life, I understand the Charente symbol is a snail - appropriate ! |
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9th Aug 2016 8:42pm |
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| languedoc Member Since: 13 May 2016 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 283
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Very eccentric rules for various opening times. Lunchtime is sacrosanct but wonderful to watch the picnic tables pop up on building sites and everyone eating together.
Boulangerie rules are my favourite where all the shops in town agree opening times so there's always one open every day. And supermarkets must not serve bread one day a week. And restaurants are fined if they close on Bastille day. |
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9th Aug 2016 8:58pm |
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| Grenadier Member Since: 23 Jul 2014 Location: The foot of Mont Blanc... Posts: 5804
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^^^ I believe that is less about agreement and more about law. I seem to remember a Boulanger who wanted to be open all day, 7-days a week as he couldn't keep up with demand, and he was fined by the French government for doing so without permission. I also seem to remember he was a champion baker (with the tricolore sash etc) and was still hammered. Nonsense.
BM52. Basically, assume if you want anything done you need to: A. Find a fare sized town. Villages have weird opening hours, even for police etc. B. Focus on 0900-1145. Forget 1200, many want to be home eating by 12 so are long gone in their Clios causing one of four key traffic jams a day. Forget after lunch (note I don't specify a time as in some parts that can mean 1330h, in others 1530h) as many self employed might choose not to return or knock off early. C. Avoid bank holidays. Obviously. May is particularly bad. D. Avoid regional or town holidays, independent of national bank holidays. E. Avoid Fridays immediately after a Thursday bank holiday as many people will take a 'Pont' or bridge to the weekend F. As per E. for bank holidays that fall on Tues thereby avoid Monday. G. Avoid Monday anyway, as many places (Banks) don't open until after lunch, but I've explained what happens after lunch. H. Avoid Saturday afternoons. Indeed most of Saturday. Nothing official will be open on Saturday. I. Avoid Sundays. Nothing to do with God, not unless he's coming to family lunch. J. Avoid Wednesday afternoons. Many schools still release their kids and mums and dads have to look after them. K. Avoid the whole of August. Don't expect to get anything done, everything is closed. L. Avoid September, unless you made a reservation/booking in July, as offices will be chock full catching up on August's missed work. M. For Artisans avoid 0900, despite what I said in point B. as they will likely be in their local bar having a 'ballon' small glass of wine. N. Keep an eye on civic strike action, as likely as not your target destination will be closed, certainly during the hot months, May through September. So once you've remembered that lot, you're left wth the third Tues in March to get any official work done, the problem being that invariably once you manage to see the official, you will have brought the wrong documentation, because they changed it last year, meaning you will have to come back. Next year. And as anyone who lives in France will tell you, every one of those tips is true. God forbid you ever forget A to N and mess up the whole lot in one fell swoop. Monsieur Le Grenadier
I've not been everywhere, but it's on my list..... 2011 Puma 110DC - Corris Grey |
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9th Aug 2016 10:13pm |
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| bm52 Member Since: 04 Apr 2010 Location: Kent Posts: 2189
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Brilliant, PMLS
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9th Aug 2016 10:22pm |
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| ickle Member Since: 22 Jul 2010 Location: South Vendee Posts: 1772 
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We have technology in our village - a baguette vending machine!
Newly installed, filled up during the day (first at 5.30 am when the driver listens to Fonce Bleu Fonce Bleu!) and they're surprisingly quite good and only 10m from our door (hence we know the drivers choice of radio). |
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9th Aug 2016 10:38pm |
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