Clé France

Question: Hi Alex, what sort of costs for living cost ie. water electric gas and rates, for say, in western regions compared to south western France. thanks Sean.

Answer: Hello Sean, many thanks for your question, if I understand you correctly, I think your question is to ascertain whether or not the cost of utilities varies according to region, and the short answer to that is... not really.

However, there are considerable climatic differences in France, which will of course impact on things like usage of heating as you will consume energy differently if you live in a colder climate. That said if you are in an area where you can make the maximum benefit if solar power that will also impact favourably on your bills. 

So it is quite a complex question to answer, as really everything depends on usage, size of property, region, method of heating, well as opposed to main water; there are a large number of factors that will influence the amount you pay.

But I think its accurate to say that not many people will choose an area of France to live in according to what the cost of utilities might be:  it is more to do with accessibility, climate, lifestyle, cost of property, as whilst running costs are important, these other points are more significant.

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

It’s December, and before you know it, Santa Claus will be flying son char à travers les cieux (his sleigh across the skies). The tree is up, and the stockings are hung by the chimney with glee, and outside the snow… well, it’s currently very mild here.

I love December. “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” is definitely my mantra. Et les chants de Noel (and Christmas songs?)? I love them. Sometimes I even listen to them in July, but don’t worry. I do that privately so as not to annoy anyone else.

Lots of people claim to not like this festive music, but I won’t focus on these negative grinches at the moment. Throw on a Santa hat, and let’s be jolly.

“Jingle Bells” is an absolute classic, literally every single person can sing along. The song talks about the joy of riding in the a horse-drawn sleigh through the snow, and while I have my reservations about spending anything more than the necessary amount of time in the snow, I think I would give that a go given the chance.

“Dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh…” You can certainly finish this verse and the chorus, but did you know there was more to the song?

There’s Miss Fanny Bright, an unfortunate slipping incident, and some dating advice...

Jingling Your Bells in French

Et la version française (and the French version?) ? Completely different. Rather than focusing on the winter transportation, the French praise the winter wind and wish people a Happy New Year. And like the English version, there’s a little story in there, too.

While the words are very different, l’air reste le même (the tune is the same).

Chantons (let’s sing!) :

Vive le vent, vive le vent,

Long live the wind, long live the wind,

Vive le vent d’hiver,

Long live the winter wind,

Qui s’en va sifflant, soufflant

Which goes whistling, blowing

Dans les grands sapins verts, oh !

In the big green pine trees, oh!

Vive le temps, vive le temps,

Long live the weather, long live the weather,

Vive le temps d’hiver,

Long live the winter weather,

Boules de neige et Jour de l’An

Snowballs and New Year’s Day

Et Bonne Année grand-mère !

And Happy New Year, Grandma!

Sur le long chemin

Along the path

Tout blanc de neige blanche

All white from the snow

Un vieux monsieur s’avanceAn old man comes closer

Avec sa canne dans la main

With his can in his hand.

Et tout là-haut le vent

And all above the wind

Qui siffle dans les branches

Which whistles in the branches

Lui souffle la romance

Blows on him the romance

Qu’il chantait petit enfant, oh !

He sang as a little child, oh!

Vive le vent, vive le vent,

Long live the wind, long live the wind,

Vive le vent d’hiver,

Long live the winter wind,

Qui s’en va sifflant, soufflant

Which goes whistling, blowing

Dans les grands sapins verts, oh !

In the big green pine trees, oh!

Vive le temps, vive le temps,

Long live the weather, long live the weather,

Vive le temps d’hiver,

Long live the winter weather,

Boules de neige et Jour de l’An

Snowballs and New Year’s Day

Et Bonne Année grand-mère !

And Happy New Year, Grandma!

Joyeux, joyeux Noël

Merry, Merry Christmas

Aux mille bougies

To the thousand candles

Qu’enchantent vers le ciel

Which light up toward Heaven

Les cloches de la nuit.

The night’s bells

Vive le vent, vive le vent

Long live the wind, long live the wind

Vive le vent d’hiver

Long live the winter wind

Qui rapporte aux vieux enfants

Which brings to old kids

Leurs souvenirs d’hier, oh !

Their memories of yesterday, oh!

Et le vieux monsieur

And the old man

Descend vers le village

Goes down toward the village

C’est l’heure où tout est sage

It’s the time when everyone is good

Et l’ombre danse au coin du feu.

And the shadow dances near the fire

Mais dans chaque maison

But in each house

Il flotte un air de fête

There’s a festive air

Partout la table est prête

Everywhere the table is ready

Et l’on entend la même chanson, oh !

And you hear the same song, oh!

Vive le vent, vive le vent,

Long live the wind, long live the wind,

Vive le vent d’hiver,

Long live the winter wind,

Qui s’en va sifflant, soufflant

Which goes whistling, blowing

Dans les grands sapins verts, oh !

In the big green pine trees, oh!

Vive le temps, vive le temps,

Long live the weather, long live the weather,

Vive le temps d’hiver,

Long live the winter weather,

Boules de neige et Jour de l’An

Snowballs and New Year’s Day

Et Bonne Année grand-mère !

And Happy New Year, Grandma!

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

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

Question: Hi Alex, can you describe the buying process in France to me as a complete novice? a really basic step by step format please.

Thanks, Ernest.

Answer: Hi Ernest, here we go in basic terms the process of buying a house in France, for a more detailed version you can read a bit more on our "Buying Process - The Basics" webpage as well.

1. Unlike in the UK, in France the estate agent will accompany the buyer to see the house and does not give the address of the house before the viewing.

2. You make an offer, usually betwen 5% and 10% of the asking price [but this does vary] and once accepted by the seller, the buyer and the seller sign an initial contract called the "Compromis-de-Vente"

3. Then follows a 10 day cooling off period, during that time the buyer can change their mind about buying the property but the seller is already committed. 

4. A deposit of 10% of the price of the house is paid at this stage to reserve the property.

5. The "Compromis-de-Vente" may include specific clauses or conditions, such as the sale being dependent on obtaining a mortgage arrangement or planning permission for example. 

6. The "Notaire" then makes the conveyancing, a "Notaire" must always be used for the purchase of a property in France.

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

If you are invited to a French home this festive season for a formal meal or asked to pop-round just for Aperos then we have some useful tips and insight for you so you don't make too many gaffs, as I still do today!

Faye Boulanger at Flickr.com

Many people bring up the idea of cultural etiquette during this season of gift giving and receiving. For example, you might have heard that, in Japan, you should accept gifts with both hands. Or that it is common for Singaporeans to graciously refuse a gift several times before accepting it. It is important to have a certain level of cultural intelligence to make sure that you won’t mistakenly insult the person with whom you are interacting. But it is also important to realise that cultures norms are often very complex and do not follow monolithic rules.

What time should you arrive? this is a complex issue and unless you find out by making the mistake once and then applying the rule on future occaisions, it is difficult to know the local etiquette first time around. I think being 'on time' is the best default position BUT not in Mayenne department of Pays de la Loire where they have what is known as the 'Mayenne quart d'heure' where the polite time to arrive is 15 minutes late, yes late! presumably giving the host a little time to perfect the ambience?

I’ve often heard that it can be insulting to your French host to bring a bottle of wine with you when invited to a dinner. The idea behind this is that wine plays such an important role in a French dinner that your host has probably already selected the perfect bottle for your table. This is an “old society” rule and, frankly, most French hosts would take this rule with a grain of salt (or, in the French idiomatic expression: ils prendraient cette règle avec des pincettes).

The same goes for the rule that, when offering a bouquet, you must include an odd number of flowers in it; I’ve never seen someone count the number of flowers they have just received. Rather, most of the time, they are impressed with the generous gesture and will thank you by kissing your cheeks.

If you are invited to a French home this holiday season for a formal meal, it is considered good form (especially in Paris) to send them over the day before to be used as decoration for the meal or in the days following the meal, along with a thank you card.

So while it is important to be aware of different cultural forms of etiquette, it’s also important to know that these traditions are oftentimes flexible or depend on varying degrees of formality and friendship.

For example, I might send flowers ahead of a formal dinner with business colleagues, but not necessarily to a more casual dinner between intimate friends.

If you follow your own common sense and always act with kindness and thoughtfulness, you’ll be fine no matter what culture you find yourself in.

Just how do the French celebrate Christmas where you live or visit?

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

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

Baby It’s Cold Outside...

It seems like just yesterday I was waking up to la canicule, but with the changing seasons and clocks falling back, it’s really starting to get cold. I already have to turn on le chauffage (the heater, the heating) and find mes vêtements d’hiver (my winter clothes)!

After spending months next to le ventilateur (the fan) and wishing mon appartement (my apartment) had la climatisation (air conditioning), I was happy that France was cooling down. Cependant (however), after putting off buying un ventilateur for so long I didn’t want to put it away until I had no choice.

As the temperature drops, I have turned off le ventilateur and closed les fenêtres (the windows), but it has quickly become a struggle to stay warm. I’ve had to turn on le chauffage, prepare du café chaud (some hot coffee), and me couvrir (bundle up).

I’m from la Floride (Florida) and preparing for l’hiver (Winter) and le temps froid (cold weather) is something I’m not used to doing. I’ve learned how to survive and bought des vêtements d’hiver (some winter clothes), but there are still many things about le froid that surprise me.

When il faisait trop froid (it was too cold) and I turned on le chauffage, I noticed une odeur bizarre (a strange smell). Mon voisin (my neighbor) noticed l’odeur as well and came over to see if I was okay.

Ça va ? Il y a une odeur bizarre qui vient de ton appartement.

Ouais, je ne sais pas d’où ça vient.

Est-ce que tu as allumé le chauffage ?

Oui…. Il fait froid ces derniers jours.

Ahh ! Tu dois ouvrir les fenêtres !

Is everything alright? There’s a strange smell coming from your apartment.

Yeah, I don’t know where it’s coming from.

Did you turn on the heater?

Yes… It’s cold these days.

Ahh! You have to open the windows!

La Floride never taught me how to deal with l’hiver and I wasn’t aware of l’odeur bizarre that comes with turning on the heat for the first time!

Since it was already froid, I had to suffer for a little while while l’odeur left l’appartement. I took it as a sign that I needed to prepare for l’hiver and found all mes vêtements d’hiver.

L’hiver is only just starting and I’ll have to get used to le froid. I’m looking forward to les marchés de Noël, but I hope I don’t catch a cold!

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

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