Clé France

One would have thought the festive season was a time to be cosy at home but a surprising number of people travel to their favourite destinations to enjoy the 'holiday' season. Those with the idea of buying a holiday home take the opportunity of house hunting during the Christmas break and this year seems to be a bumper year for Cle France clients viewing before, during and after the Christmas holidays.

So with this in mind we bring you some top tips to prepare you for winter driving in France.

Winter-related car insurance incidents typically increase from late October, but there are plenty of simple steps that you can take to prepare for safe winter driving.

Before you venture out in the car as the chill sets in, ask yourself the following three questions:

1. Is your car ready for winter?

Darker nights and adverse weather conditions can make driving particularly hazardous in winter months, but making sure that your car maintenance is up-to-date could help you to avoid an accident.

Check your windscreen, door locks, lights, brakes and mirrors are all clean and in good working order

Inspect the walls, pressure, treads and look for any splits on all of your tyres, including the spare one

Make sure that your insurance covers you, your passengers and the contents of your car. Breakdown cover is an additional option on car insurance policies do you have yours up to date?

2. Do you really need to travel?

Nobody wants to have their plans disrupted by the weather, but venturing out in the snow and ice can be both risky and expensive.

The most common claims over the winter period relate to cars skidding on ice or leaves, usually damaging the suspension as they hit the kerb.

If you do think that you need to travel, the Highway Code states that before you set off you must:

Be able to see. Clear all snow and ice from all your windows

Make sure that lights are clean and number plates are clearly visible and legible

Make sure the mirrors are clear and the windows are de-misted thoroughly

Remove all snow that might fall off into the path of other road users

Check your planned route is clear of delays and that no further snowfalls or severe weather are predicted.

3. Are you prepared for an emergency?

It’s great to have comprehensive car insurance, including breakdown cover, but make sure that you keep your policy number and rescue details in the car.

No matter what time of the year it is, it’s also a good idea to leave a high-vis jacket, warning triangle, first aid kit and torch in your car, some of these are essentials when driving in France.

During winter months, you’ll need to add de-icer and screen wash. Just in case you do have to wait in your car in the cold, it’s wise to keep blankets, food and water in your vehicle too.

Top tips for safe winter driving

If your journey is essential, try to allow yourself extra time. Keep a careful look-out for pedestrians who may be walking on the road instead of treacherous pavements and remember that it takes 10 times longer than usual to stop in the ice and snow.

Gentle, steady manoeuvres are essential for safe driving. In wintry conditions your vehicle may not behave as it usually does, so avoid harsh braking and acceleration, or sharp steering.

If conditions worsen while you’re out, try winding down your windows to look and listen for approaching traffic. If you cannot see, pull over until it’s safe to continue.

Don’t forget:

Thieves love the opportunity to steal a car left trustingly unlocked outside as it warms up. If you don’t have time to wait in the car as your windscreen thaws, try placing an old bed sheet or cover under your windscreen wipers overnight to prevent frost forming.

There’s no substitute for driving safely and checking that your car is well-maintained.

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

Some content taken from UK Nationwide Building Society website.

Dear Sharon,

The viewings went very well and we were well looked after thank you, we saw some exciting possibilities, we were viewing lots over 3 days, and we saw something on the last day we were there that took our breath away.

Can you please pass onto your agents a massive thank you for all their time and help during our visist, it was very much appreciated and if we look to invest in a 2nd property we will not hesitate to contact you again.

Nicole.

Cle France will guide YOU through the French Property Buying Process!

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

Cle France was my 'go-to website' for finding French properties and it didn't disappoint.

Good, friendly, helpful service - and all in English!

Many thanks.

Kay

This client has just completed her purchase through Cle France, You can do the same, it is easy as we will 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"!

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.