Travel during July and August by road can be problematic especially at the peak periods: beginning of July and end of August when most of the country goes on holiday and migrates to the south!

One of my favourite holidays was driving holiday around France – arriving at Calais we drove along the north coast of the country through Normandy stopping at Honfleur – a very quaint harbour. Then south into the Loire valley visiting Vouvray (yes, plenty of degustation) onto Tours and Angers. There are plenty of chateaux to admire on the way. Then cutting across to sandy beaches on the Poitou-Charentes coast.

Incidentally, we stopped at many motels on the way. There are a huge range of these motels situated on the outskirts of towns – we never found any difficulty in availability – typically pitching up at about 5 or 6 pm. Formule1 is cheap and cheerful but for a few euros more you can stay at comfortable motels. Breakfasts are great but evening meals are not always available at the motel. Usually you can find a good restaurant close by and enjoy a lovely french food washed down by one of the many fruity french wines.

Generally, we found most motels and restaurants understand English but try out a few french phrases. The French will be delighted if you try to speak the language!

Our journey continued down the Atlantic coast taking in the spectacular Pyla sand dune nr Arcachon. Then heading east through the Midi Pyrenees taking in some of the delightful rivers in the Lot. So many old villages to admire and potter around. As you travel down the autoroute you spy the World Heritage site at Carcassone – the Old City fortress – it is certainly worth a detour. At last we reached the Mediterranean coast at Collioure (very close to the Spanish border). This is a must visit beach. Make sure you check out Perpignan, Beziers and Montpellier as you drive East.

The Camargue is wild and quite desolate but it is worth a visit to see the white horses, bulls and flamingoes. Onwards towards Provence and Cote d’Azur: the beaches are superb but do go inland to visit Aix-en-Provence, the Luberon, Gorges du Verdon – to many mention a few highlights.

All too soon it was time to drive up the east borders of France across the Rhone-Alpes into the lovely vineyards of Burgundy (stopping over in Beaune to admire the tiled roofs). Eventually arriving back in Calais. Just 2 weeks to sample some of the delights of France. Touring France can be fun; you can enjoy the french culture, admire many tourist attractions, and have plenty of memories to reflect upon.

French properties are sold in many different ways, they can either be private via Notaires
(public notary) or via estate agents (immobiliers). The majority of Britons who are looking for
a holiday home choose to use the more familiar method of estate agents – you are also more
likely to find an English speaking worker if you choose this method.

When looking for estate agents, ensure they are a member of a registered body such as:
FNAIM, SNPI or UNPI. You can either ask them for a certificate, or it should be advertised in
the office you are looking at. Always make sure you are discussing matters of property in an
environment that deems itself credible, rather than a mobile home that may disappear when
you hand over the money.

It is common practice that the estate agent will ask you to sign a ‘Bon de visite’. This confirms
to the vendor that they will be the people that will show you around the property. It also stops
any confusion and will help you if any problems arise in the process – especially if you are not
familiar with the language.

The prices of the properties should be displayed in the same way they are in England, either
in the window or in a brochure. The agents fees should also be displayed in the price, this
should be around 4 – 10 percent – if the fees are included it should be followed by the letters
FAI. However, this may not include the Notaires fee. Always ask for an estimate of any
additional fees that are not included and do not forget to add on 19.6 VAT on any extra fees.

When you are signing contracts or viewing properties, some of the paperwork you deal
with may appear in French. This is nothing to be surprised about. Before you sign any legal
documents, make sure you get this checked by someone who is fluent in French to stop
any problems occurring later on – no one likes to have the rug taken from under their feet,
especially when working with large amounts of money. Within France there are also officially
registered translators qualified to help you process these with ease.

The final signing of any paperwork will be dubbed the Acte Authentique (Acte de Vente). The
agent of Notaire will advise you of the proposed date to sign the full contract. If possible, you
should be present to sign the final document, if you are not you can always arrange a lawyer
or solicitor to complete the signing on your behalf. The final contract will assume that you
have viewed the property as you are agreeing for it to be sold on the date of signing – make
sure you are happy with the property before you make the final decision.

Written by Alex Corcoran, travel obsessive and online blogger who loves to find low cost holidays
and good value hotels

We have a couple of resources for you ….

Here is an events guide to France that is updated daily: France Events

For a regional perspective try: Whats on France

Image by Toprural via Flickr

French Gites

Are you hankering after a lifestyle change? Want to earn rental income but want to enjoy the French landscape – then this opportunity may be what you are looking for!

Many are attracted to purchasing properties with gites by the lifestyle associated with owning a gite. Lazy days in the French sun supping a glass wine or two sitting around a pool – that suites me fine! After years of 9 to 5 in the office and hours spent on the daily commute it appears to be an attractive option.

French Gite Business

This is a notorious “cash in hand” trade and although the owner may imply the profits are better than declared in the accounts – buyer beware! Are staff costs included or have the present owners done all the work or used un-paid family members? Is there a lot of repeat trade? What are bookings like for the forthcoming year? What capital will be needed to be injected for renovations and maintenance?

In France, the “gite season” is typically July and August – a 10 week season! Outside this period you will have to market well – probably to foreign markets – to fill your rooms! Often a more expensive gite complex will have 4 or more rentable units so that they can maximise their earnings in the “gite season”.

Some factors – and this is by no means complete – to consider in this competitive market:
a) Location, location, location – as always this is of prime importance. Is it quiet but accessible? Close to facilities? Does it have a wow factor? Imagine you are looking for a holiday – would you like to spend a week here? What do you look for in a holiday?
b) Weather – the further South, the longer the potential season (unfortunately prices are more expensive in the South)
c) Close to a Budget Airline airport? RyanAir, FlyBe, Easyjet fly to many destinations in France and can be a source of “clients” all the year around. If you want to tap into this market you need to be no more than 30 mins to 1 hour away. Are you prepared to pick up “clients” from the airport?

Prices of Properties with French Gites

Prices? Existing gite businesses cost from 150K euros to 1 million + euros. Before you buy research the market and property. You need to find out how much competition is in the area and what prices you can charge. The internet is an excellent source for the information you need – the regional French Tourist board web sites will tell what you what the area is like and the attractions in the region. Don’t be emotional about a property if this is going to be your business in France.

So be realistic and if you enjoy hard work, this lifestyle can be yours!

Want information about French Gites or Gites for Sale? Then check out the specialist site www.Gites-in-France.co.uk for more help, rentals and gites for sale.

Interested in organising a trip to France to buy a property? This is a big decision buying a property in a foreign country – even buying a property in your own country is stressful. So before buying tickets to France, what should I consider to make the trip a success?

1) Know your budget : if you need finance, then investigate whether you will be able to get a Euro French mortgage. Are you looking for a cheap renovation project? Then a mortgage may be very difficult to secure!

2) Know the area that you are interested in – check the weather, travel access (roads, airports, TGV), landscapes, culture, schools (for your children: do you want to be near an international school?).  Do your research on the internet, check forums, check out videos about France.

3) Contact estate agents (Immobilier) before you travel – develop a relationship with the agent: do they speak English, do they understand your budget and property criteria, can they help with builders, organising utility bills, etc.

4) Understand the French buying process – for example, once you sign the compromis de vente you are committed to buying the property!

5) If you are staying in France for some time, and plan to stay until you find something – then take your passport, birth and marriage certificates (and details on any divorces!), access to about 10% of purchase price.

6) Do not try to view too many properties in one day – France is a large country and foreigners often miscalculate travel times. Do you have access to a Sat Nav? Or download route maps/ travel times from say mappy.fr

7) Be aware that the French Estate agents will take their lunch between 12 and 2 – do NOT expect them to be available during lunch. Remember you are buying into this lifestyle! It is one of the attractions of France

Take your mobile phone with you; get the telephone numbers of the estate agents before you travel so that you can contact them if you get lost or cannot find them!

9) Try to avoid July and August. France goes on vacation in these months. Some Estate agents close or only have skeleton staff; some vendors go on holiday and access is restricted to their properties. The roads can be very busy, and the weather very hot (especially in the South).

10) Try to chose properties to visit before you depart. Check out good sites like 1st for French Property who can help you arrange viewings and book appointments. Check prices before you go – there are great regional variations – France Price Map

Related articles

• What Recession?: Why France’s Housing Market is Soaring (time.com)
• Sunny French dream hasn’t soured for Brits (independent.co.uk)
• How to Retire in France on a Budget (money.usnews.com)
• Plan my trip to France (ask.metafilter.com)

Ski Conditions in the Pyrenees, France

Ski Conditions in the Alps, France

Before you book Disneyland Paris packages for your family – what can you expect to see? Disneyland Paris is a holiday and recreation resort in Marne-la-Vallée, in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France.

The Disneyland Paris offers two distinctive theme parks:
Step into the world of fairy tales and adventure in the Disneyland Parc or become part of the glitz and glamour of movie making at the Walt Disney Studios.

In Disneyland Parc discover:

• Mainstreet, U.S.A.
• Frontierland
• Adventureland
• Fantasyland
• Discoveryland

Walt Disney Studios offers everything from shows about the history of Disney cartoons to terrifying rides where you drop 13 stories in a dilapidated building.

Preview the joy of Disneyland Paris:

Disneyland Paris Packages Discounts

Get your Disneyland Paris package at a discount:

How to find the best campsites in France? Campsites in France are graded according to a four-star system, where one star is the lowest and four stars the highest rating. Fédération Française de Camping et de Caravaning represents some 6 million campers, caravanners, motorhome, users and owners of rental accommodation & mobile homes.

is responsible for evaluating and grading the campsites. It is big business in France with over 148,628 sites (including mobile homes, caravanning parks, natural land areas) with 3 million beds. There are 6 million French campers and foreigners(mainly Dutch, Germans and British ) add another 2 million! Over 850 sites are open all year round.

There are about 10,000 registered sites. The rating is published by the local authority (Prefecture) according to the opinion of the Commission of Departmental Tourism Action (CDAT). Sites with one star will be fairly basic – higher rating will have more facilities or increased plots. The number of stars at a campsite in no way guarantees the quality of services. The ranking is based on specific: number of showers, toilets, area locations,etc. For example, in a four-star campsite, the plot will be at least 80 m2 and the site is the subject of a permanent caretaker.

Most campgrounds have capacity for tents, caravans or camper vans (camping cars), though with smaller sites it may be advisable to check caravan access.

Camping south of France

Camping in the south of France is very popular and there are many sites to choose from. In the peak months of July and August availability may be limited – so book well in advance. Although sites are more expensive in the south, there is availability for camping in south of France from 11 euros per night.  Be aware that there are sites catering for naturists too!

Some information about the Rhone-Alpes: The region was named after the Rhône River and the Alps mountain range running north south. Its capital, Lyon, is the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris.

The highest peak in the Rhone-Alpes is Mont Blanc, located on the French-Italian border. The central part is dominated by the river valleys of the Rhône and the Saône.

Transport Links:
There are international airports at Lyon, Grenoble and Saint-Étienne. The fast train (TGV) runs from Paris and the north, via Lyon to the Mediterranean.

Get a flavour of the region with the Rhone Alpes Video below ….

Rhone-Alpes in France:

1. Mont St Michel France
2. Monte Carlo France
3. Omaha Beach France
4. Disneyland France
5. La Grave France
6. St Raphael France
7. Giverny France
8. Paris France Attractions
9. Les Gets France
10. Megeve France

Check out our 2 France Travel Guides to regions of France before you book your tickets to France. The first video travels across North France, down to Paris and the eastern regions of France. Across sunny Provence along the coast to Languedoc-Roussillon, and then into the Alps and south west coast of France. Enjoy!

In the second video we travel up the west coast through the Dordogne and into central France.