It was a hard old slog for sterling this week, eventually a seventh of a cent better off against the euro and a quarter of a cent higher against the US dollar. As the UK prepares for its own Independence…
This fact sheet explains the procedure for importing and registering a UK registered motor vehicle or trailer/caravan in France. (The procedure is more or less the same for importing a vehicle from any EU country.) It applies to anyone living…
As in other countries, people selling a house in France have certain obligations and duties. Here we examine the selling process in detail…
In the run up to Brexit, national law firm Stone King has launched a service to support clients from start to finish in the sale or purchase of property in France. Usually people looking to buy or sell will…
From 2018 French residents no longer need to pay wealth tax on savings and investments, and investment income benefits from a new tax rate. The French tax reforms which were first announced in September came into effect on 1st January…
Private sales are becoming an increasingly popular trend in the French property market. Here, we talk you through the advantages and potential pitfalls of choosing to go it alone in L’Hexagone without an agent… Value Your Property Realistically Without an…
‘A common error made by a lot of foreign business owners who moved to my area was to think that France was basically the same as back home, except for the language and this just isn’t the case,’. See what people working in France are saying.
This is a comprehensive list of things to do at various points during the removal process. Following this checklist will take away some of the pressure of thinking of too many things at once, or having to make last minute changes for forgotten necessities.
Want to invite more birds, butterflies, and bees into your garden? Here are the plants and flowers that will encourage biodiversity …
While you will be familiar with home and car insurance, in France you also have to know about civil liability and other policies that may be new
For anyone trying to learn French or hoping to communicate better in France, this page is the place to search our many useful French glossaries on a wide range of topics, from living in France to what to say at the hotel on…
Mar Bonnin-Palmer runs down the basics of planning a trip to check out likely French dream homes and explains the advantages of getting your budget sorted out beforehand
There’s nothing like the pleasure of eating vegetables fresh from your own garden. The flavour and texture far exceed anything you can buy in a shop. Growing vegetables is also a natural incentive to to spend time outdoors. It is not necessary to have a large space to begin a vegetable garden, you can start one with just a few pots.
Want to know what your carbon footprint is? Measure how green your lifestyle is the impact it’s having on the environment.
French law no longer requires non-resident sellers domiciled in the EU to appoint a fiscal representative on the sale of property in France, an experience that could be quite costly and verging on the surreal.
A pet passport means that your much-loved animal can easily travel with you to France, but getting your pet ready for travel can take weeks or months. Vet Diana James takes you through the process, step-by-step.
If you are a EU citizen residing in France (primary residents only), you have the right to vote in both European elections and local communal elections. You will need to register before December 31.
Wine is a complex beverage, or at least it should be, and to understand a wine’s complexity and depth you need to analyze it.
Reach more than 330,000 Francophiles, expats, property buyers and investors through FrenchEntrée’s leading portfolio of magazines, newsletters, and website. FrenchEntrée offers a flexible and proven range of online and print marketing solutions to suit every type of company and every…
If you’re buying property in France then you will need to make an international money transfer to move your money from the UK to France. The traditional way of doing this is with a high street bank; however you could…
Look out for these four definite legal”no-no’s” when buying in France.
If this is the year to sell your French property, here are some top tips to help you which we have collated from estate agents and property experts across France…
Award-winning designer James Besson shows us how a garden can thrive in an unlikely setting in the south of France.
What is the best approach if you’re planning to put your house on the market, or if it has lingered on the market for a while? Three ways savvy sellers can make their property stand out from the competition.
The role that Diagnostic surveys play in the purchase of a house in France is very different from what you may be used to.
Preparing your pool for the winter is an essential task that will keep the pool and equipment in good condition ready for quickly re-opening the pool in the spring. Here is a guide to the procedure that should be followed…
The process of borrowing money to fund a property purchase is broadly similar on both sides of the Channel, but there are certain differences between French and UK mortgages which buyers need to bear in mind. Overview The first thing…
Many of the properties for sale come with that key caveat. they ‘need work’. Our expert contributor shares tips for buying a property to renovate in France.
The French conveyancing system is very well organised and secure. There is no equivalent of reported problems with non existent title deeds (such as in Cyprus) or invalid planning permissions (such as in Spain). So what should those preparing to buy a property in France be wary of?
Introduction: Although being expensive to maintain – the World Health Organisation has stated that France spends 11% of GDP on healthcare and outranks major countries on this basis – France offers a wide choice of general practitioners and healthcare specialists.…
If you’re from the USA, UK or Australia the concept of School Insurance may seem a little strange. What is it for? When you register your child for school you will be asked for an attestation d’assurance scolaire (certificate of…
Pool security is a legal must in France. There are four government approved methods – here is an explanation of the pros and cons of fencing, alarms, covers and abris.
There is an unbelievable choice of swimming pools available nowadays. Here, Chris Harrison of Piscine-Plus runs through how they differ in terms of price, space, number of pool users, filter type, sanitation and security.
French state education is well-organised, well-funded and with generally average to high standards in comparison to other European countries. The state system is also complemented by a comprehensive network of Private Schools including international schools…
If you would like to choose an alternative or greener supplier of electricity in France, there are providers who can supply energy produced only from renewable sources such as hydropower, wind power and biomass…
All in ground swimming pools in France require planning permission. Abris or pool houses also require planning permission, but above ground pools that are not built as a permanent structure do not.
Another way to start a winter herb garden indoors is to move plants from your garden into your kitchen, says gardening topic host Elaine Jarvis.
Insurance broker Aon conducted an online survey. It was sent to five-hundred English speakers in France (66% of which are British). There was some interesting feedback concerning confusion with French insurance…
In France, insuring your main place of residence against fire, theft and natural causes is not obligatory but it is advisable. However, you do have to insure yourself against damage you could accidently cause your French neighbours
Do you love wine and dream of having a wine cellar of your own instead of just buying a bottle when needed? This simple guide to starting a wine cellar will show you how to go about it.
Installing your own swimming pool can be very rewarding and certainly save you a packet. Follow these 10 easy stages and you won’t go far wrong.
A handy list of common terms in French on gardening, plants, and tools.
The french national anthem “La Marseillaise” got its name during the French revolution because it was sung by troops from Marseille upon arriving in Paris. Here are the words in French and English.
A brief introduction to wine, its components and how it is made. Wine is produced from the fermented juice of the grapes of the Vitis Vinifera, a species of vine known to man for millennia. A number of natural factors are important …
The separation of church and state has an impact on school and public administration. France is a secular state, but what are the implications of “laïcité” in everyday life?
Image not found.One of the joys of gardening is seeing your garden grow in sheer numbers of plants that you have produced yourself. Obviously there is always the time and …
This week we hear from FrenchEntrée Partner Sophie Folley, based in the Pyrénées Atlantiques in South West France. Sophie explains how the pandemic and lockdown affected the market and the way they do business, and what the future might hold.…
Here is your weekly French news digest, featuring a Covid-19 update, a travel update for those visiting France and news of big wins for the Greens in French local elections. On Sunday, the latest information provided by French health authorities…
Securing a mortgage in France doesn’t have to be difficult and can be more cost-effective than paying for your property in cash FrenchEntrée Property Director Alistair Lockhart advises prospective buyers on the best way to secure a mortgage and get…
Charlotte Macdonald is an associate solicitor in Stone King’s international and cross border team. Over a series of articles Charlotte answers legal and practical questions that are being asked by her clients in relation to COIVID-19; buying or selling property…
There is good news for parents of cooped-up kids, with Disneyland Paris – closed since mid-March – announcing that the theme park is set to gradually reopen from July 15. However, due to Covid-19 safety measures, visitors will not be…
French banks have, for many years, been happy to extend credit facilities to overseas buyers of French property. As a general rule of thumb these will typically following the same vetting standards and income-to-debt ratio calculations as with a domestic…
Generating an income from a property in France has long been an aspiration of would-be buyers. Some clients are looking to earn just enough from the property to cover some bills, the taxe foncière and a couple of nice bottles…
Here is your weekly French news digest, featuring a Covid-19 update and details of the third stage of post-lockdown measures rolling out across France. Latest Covid-19 case figures from Sunday June 21, released by Santé Public France, showed seven deaths…
Despite the outbreak of COVID-19 and a lockdown across France for several months (which is now beginning to ease as life adopts to a new normal) it has been important to remain positive, and use the time wisely to plan…
Your weekly news digest includes the Covid-19 latest, and details of the current travel situation for those wishing to visit France. The latest figures for Covid-19 cases in France, published on Sunday evening by health authorities, once again showed a…
The foreign exchange market is one of the most volatile global markets. Open 24/7 exchange rates fluctuate by the second. Some movements might appear insignificant, moving from 1.1450 to 1.1430 might not pose much of a risk. But some fluctuations…
This week we hear from Andrew Hosker of Blue Sky Immobilier in Nice, a bilingual online agency who have recently joined the FrenchEntrée network. “Blue Sky Immobilier theoretically started 15 years ago when two friends from university were discussing the…
France is once again open to visitors as of today, June 15, with the country lifting all travel restrictions at its internal European borders, in accordance with recommendations made by the European Commission. From today, “people from countries in…
Wishing all great Father’s a Happy Father’s Day! It was Mother’s Day in France on Sunday 7th June and Father’s Day is right around the corner. This year the parents in our lives are especially worthy of our appreciation, after…
You wouldn’t go and dine in a restaurant if you didn’t think you had enough money in your bank account to pay the bill. You probably wouldn’t buy a car from a dealer without knowing if your credit card might…
Your weekly news digest includes the Covid-19 latest, details of income tax deadlines. France recorded just thirteen Covid-19 related deaths in hospitals in the 24 hours to Sunday morning, according to figures released on the French Public Health website. This…
The National Federation of Real Estate (FNAIM) has been in the news in recent months, after being accused by the Notaires governing body, the High Council of French Notariat (CSN) of using a symbol that bears a strong resemblance to…
This week we hear from a longstanding partner of FrenchEntrée, Freddy Rueda of Real Estate Languedoc. We’ve been working with Freddy for a number of years now, marketing his fantastic properties in the Languedoc region to our international readers. Freddy’s…
France’s second stage of deconfinement began on June 2, with most places such as parks, museums, monuments, beaches and holiday accommodation once again open to visitors, albeit with safety measures in place in some cases (ie mask-wearing in museums). And…
FrenchEntree and moneycorp help you understand the foreign exchange market terminology to make sure you don’t get lost in translation when it comes to exchanging your funds. FX or Forex Market- Is the term used to describe the global marketplace…
When does your age begin to count against you in the eyes of a French banking underwriter? A question we are asked on a regular basis by prospective purchasers is whether there is an age limit (or stricter conditions past…
This week’s French news digest includes Covid-19 latest figures, deconfinement developments and what’s new in France for June. Covid-19 rates in France continue to decline, with the number of virus-related deaths in hospitals having risen by just 39 in the…
On June 1, a series of measures adopted by law last October will come into force, changing certain rules governing the management of co-propriétés (co-ownerships such as in apartments buildings). Many of the old laws had been in place since…
A caterer specialising in Portuguese food in Épernay (Marne) delivered over 140 meals to prisoners at the Reims detention centre on Sunday, to thank inmates who created a fund to support local nursing staff affected by the coronavirus crisis. In…
Alistair Lockhart, FrenchEntrée’s Property Director, shares some thoughts on how French Property buyers can make their lives – and their relationship with their estate agents – easier: I first got involved with French property in 2004, when my wife and…
Details of the second phase of Covid-19 deconfinement in France have been announced for Tuesday June 2, with bars and restaurants set to reopen, travel restrictions of 100km lifted, beaches and lakes open, and theatres open for business. The whole…
We have never been in stranger times as those we are living through right now and, whether rightly or wrongly, decisions are being made for us daily that we have little or no control over and will, no doubt, be…
Champagne Dumangin was created by Hippolyte Dumangin. Jacky Dumangin, 3 generations later, perfected the characteristically feminine Premier Cru champagne range. His son, Gilles Dumangin, 5th generation of successful winemakers, “upped” the range by introducing the several high class champagnes that…
The global turmoil created by Covid19 is affecting many aspects of our lives. Some of us are unable to work, working less or from home whilst educating our children. Going to the supermarket has become a big adventure and not…
Here is your FrenchEntrée Covid-19 news round up from the last seven days, including the latest on quarantine measures for travellers both to and from France and some good news for property buyers. Covid-19 latest figures While the number of…
We continue to be contacted daily by prospective British and International French property buyers to understand what their borrowing capacity is in France. In short, the mortgage market has constricted slightly since the pandemic and ensuing lockdown, but brokers and…
This week we hear from Christophe Guay, Director at TIC Ruffec in Charente, a longstanding FrenchEntrée partner: It was a Monday 16th March at 20h00 when president Macron announced live to the nation that ‘Nous sommes en guerre” (we are…
EasyJet has announced that it will resume flights – mostly domestic – from some airports in Britain, France and Spain from June 15, with all passengers and crew obliged to wear masks. Among the UK airports served will be Gatwick,…
After a pause of more than two months, the property world is starting to show signs of life again as lockdown restrictions begin to ease on both sides of the channel. Good news for those who have been sitting patiently,…
Here is your FrenchEntrée Covid-19 news round up from the last seven days, including how France is adjusting to after lockdown and the quarantine policy U-turn for arrivals in the UK from France Covid-19 latest figures More than 28,000 people…
Dany Boon, the French comedian, actor and director who scored a 2008 smash hit with Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis (Welcome to the Sticks), has announced that he is writing a new feature film about life in a building whose residents…
There is a lot of conflicting information as to whether US citizens can obtain Euro mortgage in France, so we thought we’d share our perspective. We talk to American clients every week about your plans for purchasing in France, and…
April and Don Baggs are a semi-retired British couple living in Normandy wanting to move to the beautiful upper Dordogne valley in Corrèze, to replicate the landscape of the lower Wye Valley, from whence they came. They share their experience…
One of the main advantages to use a foreign exchange specialist rather than a bank is the ability to access a wide range of currency tools to help you decide the best way to buy or sell your currency.…
Buying a property in France can be an exciting venture. Deciding the region where you would like your French house to be located is one of the first and more challenging decisions to be made with 22 regions to choose…
We’ve spoken to several clients over the last few weeks who are keen to understand more about interest-only mortgages in France. In many countries, including the UK, an interest-only mortgage is a cost-effective way to borrow, and works particularly well…
Here is your FrenchEntrée Covid-19 news round up from the last seven days, plus a look at what you can and cannot do following yesterday’s end to lockdown. Covid-19 latest figures On Sunday, the eve of déconfinement in France, the…
This week we hear from Susie Hollands, CEO and Founder of the Paris agency Vingt Paris, one of our FrenchEntrée partners. “Here at VINGT Paris, we’ve actually been very busy during the confinement. Indeed, very few vendors have decided to…
“The country is divided in two,” Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said yesterday, as he unveiled the map of France by department, which will dictate Monday’s “very progressive” end of lockdown. All departments in the four regions of France’s northeastern quarter…
From the iconic Eiffel Tower, to the scenic wine regions of Bordeaux, or the dazzling French Riviera, it’s easy for expats to have romantic notions of moving to France. As the cultural heart of Europe, the country has been at…
Here is your FrenchEntrée Covid-19 news round up from the last seven days, including conditions for déconfinement as the May 11 deadline approaches, a new map showing which departments are least and most affected by Covid-19, news on quarantine for…
This week we hear from FrenchEntrée partner Jonathan Pugh of Jonathan Charles, prestigious agence immobilière in the South-West of France. Just as we were coming out of the tunnel with the dawn of 2020, we find ourselves in another with COVID-19. This experience…
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought a great level of uncertainty and volatility to the markets. Should you have to send money abroad now more than ever it is important to look at the best way to do it. Here are…
If you haven’t already heard, mortgage rates have never been lower. This means that borrowers may be able to restructure their mortgage costs by moving to a more competitive deal. Remortgaging your French home may not have occurred to you…
