Mad March Days
February 7, 2010 by tony · 3 Comments
Our VillaRoquette January sale has ended, many guests took our special early bird offer and have booked our apartments or BandB for later this year – we still have most of March and April free so we are starting our March Sale for any booking made from now until the end of April at half price, subject to availability. Book with a deposit now and pay the balance on arrival.
Since writing this headline I have had the poem I remember from my first school buzzing in my head – I always recall the last verse as we said it loud in class – chanting it in a quick, staccato and finishing loudly with “Cheap Tin Trays”
Cargoes by John Masefield –
Quinquireme of Nineveh from distant Ophir
Rowing home to haven in sunny Palestine,
With a cargo of ivory,
And apes and peacocks,
Sandalwood, cedarwood, and sweet white wine.
Stately Spanish galleon coming from the Isthmus,
Dipping through the Tropics by the palm-green shores,
With a cargo of diamonds,
Emeralds, amethysts,
Topazes, and cinnamon, and gold moidores.
Dirty British Coaster with a salt-caked smoke stack
Butting through the Channel in the mad March days,
With a cargo of Tyne coal,
Road-rail, pig-lead,
Firewood, iron-ware, and cheap tin trays.
I can’t promise Apes or Peacocks, but Sweet White Wine is on the menu.
Montblanc Puzzle
December 30, 2009 by tony · Leave a Comment
If you are finding it hard to concentrate on work after Christmas and the new year – then what you need is a holiday.
What better than coming to stay with us in our Apartments or Bed and Breakfast in Montblanc.
To relax you and get you in the mood, here is a jigsaw puzzle of a typical street in our village……
Slide the pieces with your mouse….
Or click on the picture or link below….
Montblanc streetHousehunting in France
December 17, 2009 by tony · Leave a Comment
I received a comment this morning which is prompting me to do some worK.
A reader sent me a question on my About Us page, asking how to find the name of an owner of a property when they know the address.
First this is reminding me to put some up-to-date photos on the pages – Jack is a young man now and I am older, Carole seems to be getting younger though, so it all balances out.
I have also been reminded of my idea to create a website service to identify, map and give owner’s details of all properties for sale in France.
In most countries there are services giving multiple listings and full details of properties for sale. In the United States sites like Trulia.com and Zillow.com plus blogs like futureofrealestatemarketing.com, or using trade aggregators like Realtor.com can give a buyer some good indications of the total proeprties for sale in any area.
In France it is different. There are several ‘groups’ and trade associations of estate agents. However, most properties for sale do not have any kind of central listing and the advertising done by agents selling properties give very little information, usually never the address and often not even the general area of the property. This is because most properties are listed with many agencies and the agent would lose their (huge) commission if a buyer went direct to the owner to through another agency.
As the purchase and sale of every property, by law, must be done by a Notaire, there is a fixed charge and tax on every purchase. This is around 6 percent of the purchase price (less for a new property) – add to this the estate agents commission, usually around 6 percent again and there is a big incentive for a buyer to deal direct with the owner of a property, if they can find out first which properties are for sale and second, contact details for the owner.
There are a few websites which list properties for sale direct from owners in France – probably the largest is pap.fr/, this site also has some tools giving indications of the values of properties sold recently by department and town.
Privacy and secrecy are taken seriously in France, but there are ways of finding information, addresses and names. The most obvious one is the online telephone directory, there is a reverse look-up facility for individuals at PagesBlanches
By using other Internet tools like Google Maps the local French property rating maps .cadastre.gouv.fr and information about towns from sites like linternaute.com and FallingRain – a researcher can, with a lot of work, find out information and clues as to what properties are for sale and local values.
For a couple of years I have been wanting to make a ‘mashup’ of services and create a site which can use search tools and come up with a list of property for sale, owners and values services etc about any area. I believe I could target over 90 percent of all properties on offer – bearing in mind that many are still not offered through real-estate agencies, this would be a useful application for a mobile phone.
One day soon it will be done, it would be nice if it was me doing it, I could do with the money.
Peace Purpose and Passion
November 22, 2009 by tony · 3 Comments
The title sounds like the name of a film – it is actually the mission of a lady who wrote to me this week guides others to discover themselves. I think it is only for ladies, so sadly I cannot search these aspects of my persona.
Tara of www.ElegantFemme.com is asking if there is someone looking for help in return for her family being involved in a French community for some time next year.
I offer the email exchange below and direct links to Tara’s site for anyone who wants to talk.
I am also publishing this as there are some observations in my replies which focus on the differences and attitudes in France which makes for the ‘Frenchness’ of the society.
===
Hi there,
I have been following your newsletter for some time;) and I, as an avid lover and dreamer of fulfilling my childhood fantasy of living in France, have come to a beautiful realization! My family and I are considering spending the summer in France, living, working and becoming part of the culture. My heart sings as I write this, for if you knew what this meant to every cell in my body, you would understand the intensity and fear that accompany this email;0
I was wondering if you knew of any small village in France where we could live inexpensively for the summer (perhaps longer), work as either teachers, waiters, or some other light work (even a care taking position would be entertained.)
We have two small boys ages 3 and 6 and are looking for an experience of a lifetime.
Any and all advice would be so much appreciated!
Thank you in advance,
Sincerely,
Tara Marino
Coaching women through Femme lifestyle design
Overwhelmed? Find out how to go from overwhelm to ommmm by uncovering the 3 women who live inside. Join our newsletter at www.ElegantFemme.com
==
Hello Tara,
I would love to help you realise your dream. Twenty years ago Carole and I left the UK with two small children, both under 4 at the time, and came to live in France. Twenty years later we are still here, the girls have grown up and are strong individuals and our son, who was born here, is doing well at college.
France is a complex country, it has a unique identity for each of the 95 departments – I would go further and say it has a unique identity for each of the 36,000 villages and towns. it is the village way of life that defines France, you have percieved this well.
France has also evolved a social structure which is very different to that of most English speaking nations. Many people coming to live in France cannot and do not accept ‘the French way of doing things’ they love the French way of life, the respect, consideration, food, culture art, health and education – but visitors too often dismiss the rigidity, bureaucracy and privacy. These are two sides of the same coin.
To live in a small French community for several weeks or longer would be a valuable and enjoyable experience, but – sorry there is a ‘but’ – to have any sort of paid employment is near to impossible.
Visiting and staying in France is open and free – you can buy and invest simply and securely anyhere with no complications. However, all activities and employment must be registered. Teaching, even waiting table need correct and in some cases (teaching is an example) local qualifications and registration for social security and taxes.
Having said that, the ‘unofficial’ working community, as in most countries, is large, but it takes time to discover this and casual summer work is very hard to find.
I know there is a solution for your family – I looked at your website, please tell me more, what budget you would have etc and I will look.
Best wishes
Tony
==
Tony,
It was so kind of you to get back to me! Thank you for your response. I understand the difficulty in finding short term summer work and we are open to an experience. perhaps it would help a bit if I gave a bit more detail. I want to spend the entire summer (maybe longer) in France with the family. We are considering doing some volunteer work in lieu for room and board. For me it is not so much budget as it is really wanting to give my family a beautiful and meaningful experience. We have vacationed many places and I truly want this to mean more. We saw an add for a small farm that is being renovated in the south that was looking for some help…that type of thing. I really want to become integrated with the culture and the way of life. I am not looking on taking the boys to the Sofitel;0 Although I do enjoy a bit of female luxury and may leave my husband to ten to the hard labor so I can sneak a petit cafe!
Any and all thoughts regarding what we re looking to do and insight on your own experience would be magical.. Thanks Tony and Bravo for what you have done for your family-in my opinion you have given those girls the experience of a real lifetime.
Tara
PS.
You asked about my business I am a Women’s Lifestyle Expert and coach women on finding peace, purpose and passion in their lives. I would probably be taking care of my clients from overseas as most of my work is done on the phone (which is a beautiful advantage;)
==
Tara,
Occasionally I have seen offers of accommodation in exchange for help – I have done this myself when I was rebuilding our home and had people he to stay for a few weeks tileing and helping me renovate our house (there is still a lot to be done 
)
I can send out a request in my newsletter if you wish and you could look for forums on the Internet and ask if anyone knows o something.
But this will mostly be to English speaking people and this will not give you a ‘French’ experience. To find a French family or a French busioness which can offer you something will be much harder as this is not the sort of thing which the French culture would embrace. The National characteristic is generally polite and friendly, but, extemely private, many French people have never seen inside their neighbours homes, even in a lifetime o living net door to one another. So acepting someone from another country into your property is a very rare thing.
When we bought our first home here, we invited our next door neighbour, Mme Jarlet, into our home to meet us, as we did with all our neighbours. She told us, that althouh she was the best friend of the previous owner and had known her all her life (for over 75 years) she had never once been into her house. Times have changed and this is now a little unusual, but not exceptional. We then found that all our French neighbours rarely visited each others homes, they met and talked in cafes and on the streets (usually in the middle of theroad) and they still do.
So finding acommodation in exchange for some involvement with a French family will be difficulty – but not impossible, there are exceptions, people travel a little more and some are open to new things.
Do you speak French ?
Best wishes
Tony
==
Tony,
Oui je parle francais et mes fils aussi-pas mom mari;) donc, si c’estait quelque chose avec le francais est bon.
Merci beaucoup Tony,
Tara
Starting a Business in France
October 17, 2009 by tony · Leave a Comment
Carole and I are back into the maze of French paperwork to get our gites and chambre d’hotes registered as a business – a new system, Auto Entrepeneur, now exists and we found an excellent site run by a charming lady which helps you get a business sorted in France, aptly called http://www.startbusinessinfrance.com/ – as an added bonus her husband has a business selling curries by mail – we bought some and they are divine
A Plague Upon Their Houses
October 13, 2009 by tony · Leave a Comment
I had a mail from an associate asking about real-estate advertising websites and earning commissions – I have been deeply involved in this over the last ten years and have strong feelings about it.
In my blogs, I have been less than polite about realtors dealing in France, I have had some of these parasites threaten me with legal action – but I have also met a few, very few, (in fact one), gentleman I would recommend .
Here is a reply to an email today, it is at the end of a thread about realtors etc, but it has encouraged me to set out a little more clearly what I am trying to do – Vlad, if yo are reading this we must get this software sorted, if you don’t have time then Richard and Raj, please work with me to make this your next app !!
===
Hi Steve,
My feeling is that real-estate dealing, and all aspects of property sales in France, is, at present, a “commoditised” business and is only attracting a rats-in-a-cage scenario. People will always make money out of selling what is to be sold, but, for-me, this is a bad/dead business.
As all property in France has to be sold through a Notiare, the value of an immobilier is zero – they do not act as true brokers, they do not assist either the buyer or seller, their only interest is to get a mandat and/or get a bon de visite and ensure an immoral level of commission for nothing – a plague on all of them and away with the scoundrels.
What is needed is a true brokerage service (buy it and resell it) or a true marketing/sourcing service (act for the buyer/seller) which clearly sets out the service offered and charges a fair price for the work.
However, to be able to offer any sort of viable and useful service in this area in France, a universal listing facility is needed and the corrupt and disgusting cartels done away with. Dream on.
I am working (too slowly) on software to scrap the useless listings of myriads of agents and simply give a complete “mashup” of all properties listed from existing Internet sources – then use techniques to identify these properties and give information about the seller/owner/agent dealing with it.
So in simple terms, anyone looking in a specific area or for a particular property can see, in one search, all properties, in detail, with full contact information, everything on the Internet which is relevant – this will represent about 80 percent of the relevant search criteria and be many mny times more relevant, efficient and time saving than trawling through the thousands of uninformative agency sites and for iPhone or Facebook would cost a user a very small amount. This concept is an “app” costing from zero to perhaps 4 euro. There are over 500,000 target clients for this.
OK, that is my aim – I cannot see any viability in any “new” listing site, only heartache and wasted time – those early Internet days are nearly gone.
Fractional Ownership is mostly marketed for the “almost” rich people who want a slice of something they cannot really afford – interestingly, in my opinion, it does have a place and is a good product and I would like to find the right marketing angle for this.
Without a license or correct registration, any commission you get on a sale is discretionary – 10 percent is the usual for a non-registered person, you can only do this two or three times with impunity – as an agent commercial I would demand 50 percent of the commission, most gave me 60 to 75 percent of their commission.
Lots to talk about
Nanocrystalline titanium dioxide photoelectrodes
September 27, 2009 by tony · 6 Comments
Titanium Dioxide – interesting stuff. Google tio2 and get a glimpse of what photovoltaic technology might be morphing into.
I am spending a quiet Sunday thinking about this as I was shown some interesting technology last week which is making me mull over some of the ‘indispensable’ things in our lives today. I see from my email that more people I already know write to me through Facebook than direct to my email address – more – the majority of these people are emailing me from their iphone or blackberry.
I have a problem with phones, I find it difficult, often impossible, to use one. I am happy to meet anyone any time anywhere – I have met and spoken to Princes, Dukes, gangsters and muggers – I have even argued with bank managers in their marble pleasure domes and enjoyed the experience – but, I cannot talk to people on the phone.
I liked my iphone as it could do most stuff without me actually having to speak to someone. Texting should be the answer, but I like the clunk and speed of a keyboard (as long as it is an Apple one) – I know I am a tiny minority (read stupid) there must be a word for phone phobia – just looked it up, it is called phone-phobia or telephobia, about 20,000 googlies) – so the melting together of technologies is great for me.
What I saw is a pocket sized solar powered Uninterrupted Power Supply – this would energise a phone, laptop, kindle etc – although small, it has lithium batteries, so is not feather-weight. What i am sure is eveloving is just one product – basically a phone, with keyboard (laser projection perhaps) – all my applications and storage in a “cloud” – a screen which emulates a book, like the Kindle and a detachable cover which acts as a solar panel/collector/back up battery.
I doubt I will like speaking on phones though.
Kwiqq me a Tripbod
September 27, 2009 by tony · Leave a Comment
The Internet is fascinating – it is like watching a million years of evolution condensed into a month with a time-lapse camera. I have been writing on the Internet, one way or another, for over ten years – before broadband, wifi, ADSL or even ISDN – my first communications were with an acoustic coupler (ask your grandmother) – writing had to be economic and efficient, like the first computer games, and sending an image was a rare treat taking many minutes and crashing phone lines. What I wrote was short, simple and, hopefully, relevant. Ummm – like Twitter I suppose – so we go full circle
As things speeded up and storage got plentiful and cheap, we could send out newsletters – blogs evolved – advertising was added – the Internet society generously gave open source blogging platforms, Drupal, Spip Typepad, Wordpress – then came, the naming of names, social networking – MySpace (remember that), Youtube – now Facebook and Twitter are the el-supremos.
Two years ago I spent a lot of time researching the social networking scene – I planned a site of sites – a mashup of services and joined over 150 different social networks – I still get charming ladies asking me to be their very best friends ever – tongue in cheek, I called the site Portable Soup – a satisfying mixture of nourishing ingredients – (OK 200 years old and tasted horrid) – I still believe the next step or three in Internet development is a mash of information, you put in a couple of pointers and are delivered a total, correct and relevant result from the zillions of extant infobytes gleaning your wishes into a virtual hamburger.
Meanwhile a lot of very nice and clever people are already supplying parts of this future – I picked up on a Facebook comment from Raj Anand
from his bog at Kwiqq about Tripbod .
I love the idea – for the price of a Starbuck (OK two Starbucks) visiting somewhere will be more real and your valuable time wisely used. if you are traveling is is worth visiting Tripbod and if you want to get a glimpse of the future, follow http://blog.kwiqq.com/ – I am not associated with either in any way.
Bonne Route
Putting on the Ritz
August 26, 2009 by tony · Leave a Comment
After a year away from computers and coding, creating pages and thinking of ways to make interesting content is a sloo-oow process. On our new site at Villa Roquette which is to offer our apartments and BandB for rental, I am trying to make pages interesting, accurate and “zappy”.
It is 80 years since Irving Berlin wrote “Putting on the Ritz” – and i looked for inspiration in the words for my website – anyway, here is a clip full of magic—
