Clé France

Currency markets continue to be highly volatile.

After hitting lows in March, Pound Sterling has jumped around 8% against the Dollar and 7% against the Euro.

The bounce has surprised the markets as the UK’s credit rating was just downgraded by the ratings agency Fitch, from AAA to AA–.

It shows that in times like these, you need to stay alert to opportunities.

If there’s a favourable rate in front of you, you can’t assume it will be there tomorrow.

The truth is you will only ever know the ‘perfect time’ to exchange your money once it’s been and gone.

How to secure peace of mind.

If you secure a rate here, it will provide you with a level of certainty, and at least it’s one worry off your mind.

Please note - we are open as usual. Our banking and payment processes are operating as normal.

Whatever your requirements please do get in touch on 01872 487 500.

To find out the latest exchange rates, request a quote below.

Thanks For Reading, What Next?

• To discuss Exchange Rates and Your Currency Options, please contact our trader today on 01872 487 500.
• Need to Trade Your Currency soon, then request a free quote and we’ll look after you from there.

Have a great day, Geoff Lambourne - Direct Dial me on 0044 (0)1872 487 470.

Current rates: 

Wednesday 1st April 2020 at 14:20

£1.00 GBP = 1.1350 EURO

£1.00 GBP = 1.2403 USD

£1.00 GBP = 2.0454 AUD

£1.00 GBP = 2.0988 NZD

£1.00 GBP = 1.7637 CAD

£1.00 GBP = 22.1947 ZAR

Need to Send Money Abroad?

• At Clé France / Key Currency, many of our customers have a need for currency exchange.
• We are pleased to offer our customers favourable exchange rates on international currency transfers.
• As a Clé France website visitor, you qualify for preferential exchange rates when you transact through Key Currency.

How to Save Money on your foreign currency transfers

• Key Currency can save you money by offering more competitive rates of exchange than your bank.
• Clients can typically save you 3-4% of the total transaction value, which can result in significant cost savings.
• All client funds are held in segregated accounts with top-tier banks keeping your money safe and secure.
• Download our "Buying A Property in France" Guide PDF document.

• If you are concerned about Brexit? download our "PDF Guide to Brexit" document.

  

  For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk

In France, an April Fool's joke is known as Poisson d'Avril - April Fish. Why else would we show you a picture of a fish rather than a house for sale in France!

Many a 1st April has been spent with me walking round completely oblivious to the fact I have a paper fish on my back, read on to learn why.

In all regions of France there will be a lot more Fish available and being bought for celebratory lunches, a bit like Pancake Day BUT with Fish!

Photo by OrigamiNate on Flickr.

Humour can be a bit hard to understand in another language, whether it’s a "knock knock" joke, or an inside joke that you’re not in on. Heureusement (fortunately), April Fool’s Day exists in France. That said, it has a different set of traditions and a very different name: April Fish or in French, Poisson d’arvil.

The holiday is celebrated with des plaisanteires et des canulars (jokes and pranks), but also by trying to accrocher un poisson de papier dans le dos de tes amis (stick paper fish on your friends’ backs)!

The name poisson d’avril comes from an old tradition dating back to 1564. La légende veut que (Legend has it that) the year used to start on April 1st, but was changed to January 1st by Charles IX. The old new year’s tradition involved a gift exchange, mais (but) some people n’étaient pas au courant du changement (were not aware of the change) and continued to exchange gifts on April 1st after le changement. Other people then used the occasion de se moquer d’eux (to make fun of them)!

But why fish? The old new year était pendant (was during) the end of le Carême (Lent). Christians would be fasting, but they could still eat fish. The joke of giving un faux poisson (a fake fish) began as une blague (a joke) on the old tradition of giving real fish as gifts. Donc le nom (Thus the name), poisson d’avril.

The tradition continues today and kids all over France will try to sneak up and accrocher un poisson papier dans le dos de ses amis. When the friend le découvre (finds out), the surprise is met with shouts of Poisson d’arvil! much the same way un gag similaire (a similar gag) would be met with April Fool’s! in the English speaking world.

Voici une liste de vocabulaire pour le poisson d’arvil:

Une plaisanterie – A joke

Une blague – A joke, a trick

Un canular – A prank

Un gag – A joke, a gag

Un poisson papier – A paper Fish

Poisson d’avril! – April Fools!

Accrother un poisson de papier dans le dos de quelqu’un – Stick a paper fish on someone’s back

Start your pranking out right and accrochez un poisson de papier dans le dos de quelqu’un!

Blog submitted by: Alex at The French Property Network - Cle France.

This blog was originally posted on The French Language Blog pages.

In France, an April Fool's joke is known as Poisson d'Avril - April Fish. That's why David & Sharon, the founders of Cle France, pictured in the postcard below are holding a fish!

In all regions of France there will be a lot more Fish available and being bought for celebratory lunches, a bit like Pancake Day BUT with Fish!

The first year my son played an April Fools joke on me I was confused as to why he kept shouting "Poisson d'Avril, Poisson d'Avril, Poisson d'Avril", the calming influence of my wife explaining why he was repeatedly shouting this phrase thankfully avoided me having him see a costly psychiatrist and as it turns out, he is fine. 

This postcard was originally sent in 1908 and the words on the bottom translate as:

'When you receive our nice fish, you'll know we're always thinking of you.'

To be honest if you opened the door at these two characters were standing there you would have a right to be scared! but they are no doubt charming friendly neighbours as is the norm in France.

The 'rules' of April Fool's and Poisson d'Avril are more or less the same thing, other than the French have a Fascination for Fish! The tradition in France is that along with practical jokes and bogus news stories, putting paper fish on the backs of unsuspecting victims is thought as hilarious, those crazy French japes eh! 

Here's a little April 1st film trivia for you: What gritty and stylish 1970's police movie takes place in Marseille where the opening scene is on April 1st?

See Below for the answer.

ANSWER IS: the French Connection II. In the opening scenes of the movie, Jimmy 'Popeye' Doyle (played by Gene Hackman) meets Henri Barthélémy (played by Bernard Fresson), in front of the gendarmarie in Marseille. Barthélémy is looking for drugs, where else but in a fish of course, based on a tip. He doesn't find any, as it's a Poisson d'Avril it is a joke played on the police, get it?

Anybody played any good "Poisson d'Avril" jokes or had one played on them?

Blog submitted by: David at The French Property Network - Cle France.

Thanks for the website 'Americans in France' for the original French Postcard image.

Currency markets continue to be driven by coronavirus developments.

We are operating normally, without disruption to service and our banking and payment systems remain unaffected.

Every day it seems like we have a month’s worth of news, which is causing extraordinary volatility in exchange rates.

The Pound has been hit by a ‘flight to safety’ into US Dollars and the Euro.

It’s certainly been a good time to transfer money back to the UK, but we also have clients keen to protect their pensions, bills and other regular overseas payments from a further weakening of the Pound.

We are here to help in these unprecedented times.

There is no disruption to our service. Our banking and payment systems remain unaffected.

If you have a currency requirement or are just worried about your foreign exchange exposure, please do get in touch.

To speak to a trader, call 01872 487 500.

Or to find out current exchange rates, request a quote below.

Thanks For Reading, What Next?

• To discuss Exchange Rates and Your Currency Options, please contact our trader today on 01872 487 500.
• Need to Trade Your Currency soon, then request a free quote and we’ll look after you from there.

Have a great day, Geoff Lambourne - Direct Dial me on 0044 (0)1872 487 470.

Current rates: 

Thursday 26th March 2020 at 15:35

£1.00 GBP = 1.0965 EURO

£1.00 GBP = 1.2077 USD

£1.00 GBP = 1.9963 AUD

£1.00 GBP = 2.0307 NZD

£1.00 GBP = 1.6931 CAD

£1.00 GBP = 20.9381 ZAR

Need to Send Money Abroad?

• At Clé France / Key Currency, many of our customers have a need for currency exchange.
• We are pleased to offer our customers favourable exchange rates on international currency transfers.
• As a Clé France website visitor, you qualify for preferential exchange rates when you transact through Key Currency.

How to Save Money on your foreign currency transfers

• Key Currency can save you money by offering more competitive rates of exchange than your bank.
• Clients can typically save you 3-4% of the total transaction value, which can result in significant cost savings.
• All client funds are held in segregated accounts with top-tier banks keeping your money safe and secure.
• Download our "Buying A Property in France" Guide PDF document.

• If you are concerned about Brexit? download our "PDF Guide to Brexit" document.

  

  For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk

We have been overwhelmed and touched by all the lovely replies and enquiries over recent days from our client database as well as new clients getting in touch. We continue to keep people informed and it is so nice to hear that our clients are staying strong in these tough times.

Here are some of the lovely messages we are seeing....

"Hi Sharon, Id like to say thank you for all the information that you feed us it is invaluable. Your info that you have fed to me personally in the past years has been excellent and your company is a credit to all of you, Ellen."

"Hi Sharon, Thanks for the update - the most succinct and easy to understand yet! Well done! Best wishes & thanks again for the update. Kris."

"Thank you, Keep up your good work, which is much appreciated, Charles."

"Thank you very much for this information. Your emails and your website is amazing. Best I’ve seen selling French properties. Thank you so much for that information. I plan on buying a French property and I know I will be buying it through your company. Many thanks again and greetings from Ireland, Ellen."

"Thanks for that info... most helpful. Denis"

"I wish all at For France well, With best wishes, Julia."

"Thank you for your beautiful message! Keep well and keep safe, Donna."

Psst - Have you seen our "Meet the Team" page?

Buying a Chateau, Manor House, Farmhouse, Cottage, Holiday Home, Lake or just a Plot of land in France is easy with Cle France, You can do the same, it is easy for you because WE guide YOU through the French Property Buying Process from the very start to completion and beyond!

For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk