Teaching English as a Foreign Language
May 29, 2008 by Tony · 4 Comments
Many recent mails have asked questions about coming to France and teaching English. Although English is a compulsory subject in all schools and most people in France have been taught English for seven years of their live, or more, the level of fluency is very low. Living in France it is not necessary or even useful to speak English unless you work in the tourist industry or are involved in an export business. With teenage children we meet many young people in our home and they very rarely can understand English and never speak it even after years of compulsory schooling. So it would seem there may be a big demand to teach English – but I see little real evidence to support this.
I was going to write more about this but an article in the April edition of The Connection gives a lot more information about TEFL – teaching English as a Foreign language – and refers to some other trades and professions if you move to France
This French Life
This French Life is a good newsletter which keeps me thinking “I wish I had written that – it always has important stuff , the one today mentions the new rules for red triangles and jackets in cars which I did not know about.
I am not associated with the newsletter, but if you read this Craig perhaps you can give me a plug 
The Joule in the Crown
May 27, 2008 by Tony · 8 Comments
I am looking at using solar energy for power and heating, although after three days of heavy rain and dark grey sky this seems a bit remote. But I have a large, south facing, roof which needs replacing so, with grants available this is something to consider.
What interests me is how the specialists I am talking to can quote me over 1,000 euro a square meter for panels which I see for sale in the supermarket for 100 euro a square meter. There is an exhibition of Renewable Energy in Paris on June 19-21 which I plan to visit and learn more, but with all the information that I find on the Internet it surprises me that the local specialists demand, and probably get, such a huge margin for what is a very simple job. I can have a complete roof supplied and fitted for under 300 euro a square meter, with a ten year guarantee.
I welcome comments from anyone with recent experience of any alternative energy installation in the South of France or a similar region with a sun factor of 3 to 3.5 (I understand the UK is around 1.0 so is not so relevant)
A borehole may also be interesting, but I am not thinking of putting up a wind generator, anyone with a percussion rig near Montpellier should write to me.
Midi France
May 23, 2008 by Tony · Leave a Comment
Midi France is a site giving information about the region where we live. Languedoc seems to have everything from Buddhist Retreats to Bare Bottoms
Google Video Player
May 23, 2008 by Tony · Leave a Comment
I am beginning to use videos more in my blogs and on websites I use – I have been telling myself for years that this is important and that I should be giving a video blog regularly – it is a much better way to show people and places for travel and lifestyle.
I have experimented with many systems, usually I use YouTube, but there are limits to length and size for a video. Interestingly although Google own YouTube they offer a more powerful tool with their first offering, Google Video. The big advantage with this is that it is that you can start playing from anywhere in the clip, but it doesn’t appear to be streaming.
Google Video uses an advanced form of progressive download which means that no matter your bandwidth you’ll be able to watch the video (it may take a while to download enough of the clip if your connection is slow). You can jump anywhere in the clip even if it has not downloaded that part yet and watch from that moment in time even if you do not have enough bandwidth for a real-time stream. It is the best of all worlds.
Recently I was a judge at a wine-tasting for Languedoc wines – I had to wade through 119 different wines and then have a twelve course lunch…
…I ended up with over a gigabyte of video which I could not load to YouTube, but Google Video took it calmly.
A Foaming Pint from Wigan
May 23, 2008 by Tony · Leave a Comment
Although the red wine from Languedoc is among the best in the world, on a rare trip to the UK last week I rediscovered the joys of weak, warm English beer…
…and barmaids…
Moving to France with Children
May 23, 2008 by Tony · 7 Comments
Hi there Tony,
My Husband and I have been talking about moving to France for many years and haven’t had the courage to do it! We have been holidaying in France for 12 years and Pezenas for the last 5-6 years. We have a 6 year old son and we seriously now would like to move to France but the most important thing for us is a school for our boy. Do you know of a good state school in the area where they have some support for children who are not initially fluent in French? My French is about at A level stage.
Cheers
Sarah
==
Hello Sarah
At the age of six, you son will be speaking French in a matter of weeks. My advice is to start him in the school local to your home so he will make friends with the local kids. Don’t bother with any English speaking part of the education or look for special schools, this is a waste of time and money and will not help in any way. English is a compulsory part of the school curriculum.
Before you come there are many excellent videos to help – we found the Muzzy series brilliant and I see this is still available
Muzzy for USA Muzzy for UK
All education in France is in French and it is to a very high standard. There are some bilingual schools in large cities, these are private and standards vary, they are obliged to follow the French curriculum.
We came to France when our girls were 2 and 4, they are now 22 and 19, both are at University and got excellent results in the baccalaureate, they both speak three languages – our son is 13 and was born here, he is also tri-lingual. My main reason for coming to live in France was to get away from the English education system and I am very proud of my children.
Hope this helps
Best wishes
Tony
Top Gear Double Declutch
May 22, 2008 by Tony · Leave a Comment
A lot of my mail is about solving problems due to differences with the way France deals with – well- just about everything.
Dovetailing another culture’s system into the French bureaucracy can be like driving an old car which does not have a synchromesh gearbox – invariably there is a grating and grinding noise and it just never seems to get into gear, the harder you pull on the lever the more noise there is and nothing happens.
The trick is to double de-clutch and get the speeds of the gearwheels close enough to allow them to mesh without losing teeth or breaking the system.
Unfortunately you will not find many automatic gearboxes in France.
In most cases like this, my advice is to try and do it the French way, if they require a certificate – get one or “create” one – even if the rubber stamp on it says “ToyTown Railway Station ” (I did this once for a visa application – it worked fine).
A good technique is to perfect the phrase – “My goodness, what a good system, you must be a very clever person as you fully understand it – how would YOU solve this problem if you were me. This drives them mad as they either have to admit they have not got a clue (not normal for French civil servants) or solve the problem for you.
Failing this – shouting, banging the table and, if possible, crying at the same time often works.
Lidl often have excellent rubber stamp kits on offer.
Diesel Rolls Royce
May 22, 2008 by Tony · Leave a Comment
I took advantage of a one penny flight to the UK from Beziers airport – the plan was to relax for a few days with a friend in Hereford, instead we caught up on some old “haunts” and friends. I will be putting a few videos of our trip on – here is a friend from Wigan who is solving the fuel price increases his own individual way…
If you would like a quote to put a commercial diesel engine in your Bugatti or Ferrari, Contact Me
Back in France and my brain has stopped, need help and beer
A Little Village House
May 22, 2008 by Tony · Leave a Comment
Tony,
OMG, as they say today, some 20 years ago I camethisclose to buying a house in the village of Puilacher, Languedoc. A friend in New York (I’m a Brit who went to NYC in 1970 and worked for The New York Times for 29 years) talked me out of it.
Well, you can imagine how I felt for many years. Until, that is, I went back about 8 or so years ago and saw that a vineyard company, I believe, had kind of taken the village over. However, my lifetime dream has been to live in Languedoc. Don’t know why, but it feels like home.
And you, you lucky *****, are living my dream!!
Is there any chance that a cheap, rundown kind of place might be available, do you know?
This shared ownership thing, which I read about in the NYT (as I’m sure thousands of others did), I’m not really sure about.
Does it really work?
Would love to hear about some place in those lovely hilly villages just west of Pezenas, a place I like a lot.
Oh my, of course I should have acted way back when. But it’s never too late, I guess, even if you are 69, as I am.
Best of everything to you and your family,
I hope to hear,
Terry
==
Hi Terence
I have just been offered a property in St Nazaire – just west of Pezenas – it is a very interesting offer and has masses of potential at a low price 130,000 euro – the village is perfect.
I have not put it on a real estate site yet but you can see the photos at
http://flickr.com/photos/cathar/sets/72157603703148866/
and
http://flickr.com/photos/cathar/sets/72157603707582939/
and a video I use to make notes before writing the details at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo_0-C3zh-w
Let me know if this is interesting
Fractional Ownership does work very well and is well established
Hope to see you over here
Best wishes
Tony
==
Hi Tony,
I guess at today’s prices, 130,000 is a low number, but when it comes to renovating the property then the numbers would of course climb substantially.
It is in fact everything I asked for, so no criticism on that score. But on second thoughts, maybe Fractional Ownership might fit my budget, not to mention my age, a bit better.
Oh, and when I said west of Pezenas, I should have said east! That’s the area I spent most of my time in over a number of years, and with which I am more familiar. (The first place I stayed in was Lacoste, up near Clermont-l’Herault).
Thank you for taking the time to bring the St. Nazaire property to my attention, but, as I say, perhaps I should be thinking Fractional Ownership.
Best,
Terence
==
Hi Terence
It will be hard to find anything reasonably comfortable for under 200,000 euro now – you are wise to avoid renovation – it will double the price.
Fractional Ownership is only working effectively in Paris – there may be some offers in Nice soon, but for village homes I do not advise it – prices start now at about 100,000 for one month in a good apartment.
The other option is to buy a place and then sell shares
Hope this helps
best wishes
Tony