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Hi Sharon,

I have just received all your emails, many thanks will be in touch soon. You were extremely helpful.

Mrs L Tack.

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Some Tips for Driving in France this Summer!

Just like any other year a lot of you may be preparing to take a trip to France. Thousands of holiday makers and visitors will be heading to France to soak up the sun, sights and sounds - but do you know the rules of the road when you get there?

According to a recent uSwitch survey, one in three UK and Irish drivers are unaware you have to drive on the right-hand side of the road in France, while three quarters are unaware the drink-drive limit is stricter in France.

These findings prompted Admiral Insurance to take a look at what their own customers get up to when driving abroad and where they're most likely to get into a spot of bother.

The research revealed the majority of customer claims abroad in 2015 happened in France, so here are some tips on what to expect when driving abroad.

1. Check you are covered - call your insurer to find out and make sure to take your certificate of insurance with you. If you've not been driving long or are under the age of 25 you'll need to check with the DVLA if you are unsure whether you can drive abroad

2. They drive on the right over there - as close as we are to France they do things differently when it comes to which side of the road to drive on. Don't get caught out!

3. Stay clear of alcohol - obviously lots of fans will be keen to indulge in a drink or two while supporting their country however, for those driving to their destination it's best to avoid the booze altogether. At 0.5mg per ml the French drink drive limit is lower than the UK limit of 0.8mg per ml so be extra careful when driving the day after a drink

4. Take a breather - according to the uSwitch survey, only 17% of respondents were aware they need to have a working breathalyser in the car with them at all times. Don't worry you can pick these up quite cheaply from Halfords or online

5. Warning signs - you'll need to make sure you have a warning triangle to put up just in case you breakdown or get into a bump

6. Dress accordingly - in addition to the breathalyser and warning triangle you'll also need a reflective jacket or waistcoat.

What about claiming abroad?

Accidents happen no matter where you go; in fact, during 2015, Admiral customers reported 716 of them. Out of those, 476 involved male customers and 240 involved female drivers.

France was the most likely spot for an accident to occur when one of our customers was abroad and there were 346 claims made there during 2015. Claiming while you're abroad isn't too different to being in the UK and you'll need to let your insurance caompany know as soon as the incident occurs.

One big difference when claiming in Europe is the fact you'll need to fill out the Agreed Statement of Facts on Motor Vehicle Accident form, you'll need to print a copy before you go.

The form is known as the Constat Amiable in France and the version you fill in will be in French - the version you print off can be used as a guide to help you fill out the form given to you by the third party.

Filling this in allows you to get your version of events across but beware, signing anywhere on the form without ticking any of the boxes in section 12 means you're agreeing with the third party's version of events.

Just like in the UK be sure to get the name and insurance details of the other driver and any passengers, photos of the incident and damage if you are able and the registration of the other vehicle. If the accident involves a lorry you'll need the registration of both the trailer and cab.

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

This blog was originally posted by Admiral Insurance.

My earliest Holiday memories are of driving through France and stopping off at small family run hotels when the light started to dim, not booking anywhere just seeing where the road would take us. These are holidays I will never forget.

Many years later I would be the driver of the car and my family would be enjoying the 'carefree' approach that comes with a driving holiday in France. It can be a great way of getting into the heart of the French countryside and experiencing traditional France.

But when you are driving through France there are a few things you need to be aware of.

Did you know that the legal age to drive in France is 18 years of age and even if you have a full licence from another country and you are under that age, then you are still not allowed to drive in France?

Every passenger must wear a seatbelt and it is illegal for a child under the age of 10 to be in the front seat. Babies are allowed to travel in the front passenger seat, but only when placed in an approved rear-facing baby seat and the airbag is turned off.

You must always stop at a zebra crossing, which is enforced by law and when going through a town you will find a lot of them; but you should be very careful when you are the pedestrian, as the French do not seem to obey this rule as much as they should!

Watch your speed!  If you are stopped for speeding you can be fined on the spot and the fines have to be paid in cash there and then, which can be quite expensive.  If you cannot pay or you are travelling more than 25km/h above the speed limit, then your car can be impounded and you could end up with a very hefty fine or even lose your licence. So be careful, especially when on the toll roads, as you do not want your driving holiday to come to an abrupt end!

The motorways are 130km per hour, but this is reduced in bad weather down to 110km per hour and on duel carriageways and main roads the same rules apply, where the speed limit is reduced in bad weather.  A duel carriageway is 110km per hour and main roads are 90km per hour, with the peripherie being 80km per hour and towns or minor roads being a maximum of 50km per hour.  Our top tip to save money would be "don't fill up on the motorway!" Wait until a major intersection near a town or city, and come off the motorway. You will almost certainly find a hypermarket / superstore within a kilometre or so of the exit, offering cut price fuel. The saving can be us much as 15 centimes per litre.

Here are the normal speed limits for driving in France:

• The normal speed limit on French motorways is 130 km/hr (just over 80 mph). - or 110 km/hr in rain.
• The normal speed limit on dual carriageways (divided highways) 110 km/hr
• The normal speed limit on main roads is 90 km/hr (outside built-up areas)
• The normal speed limit in built-up areas is 50 km/hr – unless otherwise indicated.

The French Government do publish information on exactly where speed traps are located and this is one of the reasons why it is illegal to have a radar detector fitted to your vehicle.

In bad weather, fog etc, even during the day, it is compulsory to use your lights but you do not have to keep your lights on during the day at any other time.

Obviously you must have deflectors fitted to your headlights if you have a right-hand drive vehicle and by law you must have a set of replacement bulbs, a warning triangle and a 'gilet' high visibility waistcoat with you at all times.  But it is always advisable to check the regulations prior to your holiday in France, as they do change from time to time.

Most of the rules are common sense and are the same as in the UK such as it is an offence to hold and use a mobile phone while driving in France. Hands-free use of mobile phones is not illegal. Though many drivers ignore this rule, traffic police are clamping down on drivers holding phones to their ears while driving, and drivers are liable to an on-the-spot fine.

The insurance document is most commonly the "green card", though a standard insurance document from any EU country provides basic insurance for your vehicle (third party cover) throughout the Union, whether or not a green card is provided. Check in with your insurer before you arrive in France to insure you are covered correctly. 

Breakdown or accident: If you are involved in any accident involving two or more vehicles while driving in France, you will be asked to fill in a "constat amiable" (an amiable declaration) by the driver of a French car involved. This is standard practice. If possible, call your insurance company at once on your mobile phone. They may put you in touch with a local French representative. If your car is immobilised on or partly on the road due to a breakdown or an accident, you must set up your red warning triangle at a suitable distance behind the vehicle, to alert approaching traffic to the hazard.

If you are involved in an accident involving any sort of injury - even if it is not your fault - you MUST remain until the police have come.

So, armed with all the essential information you need, and with your vehicle well prepared for the journey, enjoy the experience and the beautiful scenery when you are on your driving holiday in France.

Blog submitted by: David at Cle France.

Almost Août!

Today, as I was standing à la caisse (at the checkout/cashier) to pay for my groceries, la cassière (the cashier) mentioned that she couldn’t believe all the back-to-school ads she saw all over the place. "Summer isn’t over!" she cried. I agreed heartily with her, but then I realised that next week will already be August. How the summer flies! by.

In French, the word for the month of August is Août. This comes from the Latin word augustus, which evolved into the old French aoust. The circonflexe in French typically signals that there was previously an “s” in an earlier version of the word.

Of course, the original root of the word dates back to the Roman Empire, when the emperor Augustus decided to rename the Roman month sextilis after himself! (Of course, changing the names of months or switching up calendars is not rare).

August is known as le mois de la moisson. What is la moisson? Moisson means “"harvest" and refers to the reaping of crops toward the end of the summer. Take a look at this verse by the Belgian poet Emile Verhaeren in his poem Les Villes tenaculaires (1895):

"Dites! L’ancien labeur pacifique, dans l’août Des seigles mûrs et des avoines rousses, Avec les bras au clair, le front debout Dans l’or des blés qui se retrousse Vers l’horizon torride où le silence bout.”"

(See below for vocabulary words to help you decipher these verses)

But, in French, as in English, there are many derivations of the word août. And typically these derivations are associated with August’s familiar activities—including harvesting produce and taking vacation. For example, l’aoûtat is a kind of harvest mite that eats mature crops (and, thus, appears in August). And the word aoûtien literally means “someone who goes on vacation in August.” Can you think of any derivations of the English word “August” (or for any other months)?

Happy (soon to be early) August to all. Don’t worry, the summer isn’t winding down just yet.

Vocabulary List

pacifique—peaceful

des seigles—rye

mûrs—mature or ripe

des avoines—oat

des blés—wheat.

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

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

Hi Sharon and David, sorry haven't replied sooner but as you know getting the keys to your property is just the start, still lots to organise and sort out, in a good way of course! 

I would personally like to thank you both for the excellent service and connections your company has provided.

I have written a brief overview of our experiences, here goes...

3 months from dream to reality:

I think back over the years when the children were young and the many holidays in France from tents to gites, I hate to think about the amount of money I've spent on accommodation over that time.

In recent year's its just been the wife and I, still visiting that wonderful country and with retirement not too far in the distance, we found ourselves looking in the estate agents windows every new area we would visit and surprised at what great value for money house prices were, particularly in the countryside areas, where little work opportunities were to be had! 

So last year we decided next time we went away to make it a house hunting holiday. This is when we first became aware of Cle France. Choosing an area to visit we looked online for suitable properties' and with just a click a request for viewing was answered promptly.

This is when Cle France comes into its own. English/French speaking they organised all times and viewings with the local agent in the different areas. All that was left was to turn up on time at the agents office.

On the whole most agents spoke English making it easier for question and answers on site but

If we needed more detail Cle France would ask your questions and give you feedback normally within 24hrs. 

Just a word of warning, if the property looks unbelievable cheep then there's probably a very good reason but that's not to say, you still can get very good value for your money.

Although our first trip didn't bear fruit, it was an invaluable insight into the whole process and what to look for next time to suit your needs.

What the Cle France site does really well is to give you regular updates on new properties available in your selected price range and area.

This made our search so much easier for next time around. When a property came up that matched our criteria and then with a few more background checks made by Cle France, we had no hesitation booking an appointment and hopping on a plane for a long weekend viewing.

On viewing the property and area, both my wife and I had no hesitation in our decision, so putting in an offer.

This again is when the Cle France support and services were invaluable and without fault! 

From their remortgage advisor Tim Durkin, whose excellent advise and service meant we had the money required in our bank account in less than a month for a cash purchase.

Also there was the need for money exchange, again, Cle France put us in touch with a trusted company to deal with all those matters again without any issues. The only depressing factor was the volatility of the pound v euro!

Finally their local estate agent in the area selling the property has changed my view of estate agents for ever, she took us through the whole process, from offer to completion and provided translation and intermediated on our behalf along the way. I cant thank her enough, It made the whole journey of what seemed a very daunting process, to an effortless delight. Even now, after the sale is complete the agent still supports us in our needs. You couldn't ask for anymore.

So from the First viewing to having the keys was just under 3 months, an amazing feat of professionalism from all those involved and many thanks everyone.

Well done Cle France!

Paul Davidson.

Buying a House 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!

And as several of our clients say "Follow your heart and make the move"!