Running a bar in France

Starting and running any business in France takes dedication, contacts and paperwork - I love hearing from people who take the plunge and do this - if you go near Pierrereu - call in and be their customers.

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Dear Tony,

We were in touch a few years back before I moved to France. how are you!

We live in France now too, near Forcalquier region PACA, and have a nice little bistrot de pays which works quite well…would have been a lot better if it had not been for some bad accounting advice, combined with some language problems…but that is another story…Thanks to your web site, tho, i found some great info regarding tax regimes(in particular, franchise en bas de tva)and I have fired my accountant and found another who is helping me to take that regime…

My question now is, do you know anything about debits boissons, ie License IV, or Lic Grande Restauration being operated by Americans? We have a Lic IV now but it is owned by the mairie, and there doesn’t seem to be a problem with us using it.
We have an opp to take another resto nearby and I don’t want a full bar, just wine and apperitifs and I am wondering if we can get our own license or do we need a real french person!!

Thanks in advance if you can help! hope some day we can venture near your neck of the woods to actually meet you!
best regards,

Maryvonne
Le Bistrot de Pierrerue
rue de la ferraille
04300 Pierrerue
0492753300

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Dear Maryvonne,
I am very well thanks - delighted you are keeping folks well fed here in the south of France.

Setting up and running a business in France is not easy and you have found that getting the right advice can be difficult - I always advise people to get good, professional advice from people who are fully insured for their services and not to be afraid of asking for a second opinion.

My understanding is that a licence IV (the one for a bar or cafe selling alcohol) is simply a restricted asset, like a taxi license it is limited in number in any department and can only be transferred from an existing owner. They change hands for many thousands of euro - anyone can apply and be granted to hold this licence - you do not have to be French. I understand that Americans are normally good human beings and are usually respectable. If you live in France and pay taxes - you are a French person (or at least as French as the President of France).

A licence for a restaurant is completely different - the Marie can grant this at their discretion and it is not a valuable asset like a class IV.

If your Marie are keeping the Lic IV it is probably to make sure to keep it in the area as if it is sold to another town - it can never be replaced and the local community has lost a cafe forever.

You are doing well with the first rule of running a local business in France “keep friends with the Mayor”

Hope to see you and sample your wines

Best wishes

Tony