The Cost of Living in France
February 14, 2010 by tony · Leave a Comment
For the fifth year running, France has been voted the best place in the world to live by some magazines and journals. This is the reason why hundreds of thousands of educated and qualified people are moving to France to live or to retire.
Being the best does not mean it is perfect, there is a cost, not only in the cost of buying food and shelter, but adapting to a different culture and values.
Comparing income and expenses is simple, there are many websites offering this service such as the one I mention in this reply to a letter today ( http://www.worldsalaries.org/france.shtml ) – but if you need the adrenalin buzz of wheeling and dealing, building a business or developing new ideas – France may not be the most fertile place for your skills and imagination – in fact it is hard to succeed in business anywhere, but just nigh on impossible in France.
It all comes down to the unmeasurable “quality of life” – (if you know parameters I can use to quantify the quality of life I would like to learn)
Her is the mail I replied to a few minutes ago……
===
Hi Tony,
I really enjoyed your post, I can’t remember the link, but you had written “Wisely, Paris built their Disneyland outside the city & they plan to keep it there.”. You articulated in that article exactly what my wife and I experienced in France at different times and exactly why we want to move there- in France life is not always judged in terms of money value.
I have one question in particular I’m trying to answer to help assuage some anxiety I have about this move:
I get the impressive that the French generally save a lot of their paycheck, I think I read somewhere that they saved 10%, which is about 11% more than what the average American saves. I also have the impression that food costs are rather high compared to the US, and rent seems a bit higher too (in Grenoble I’ve found 800 Euro seems to be the going rate for a one bedroom place). I have contradictory impressions; a lower salary, a higher cost of living, and yet higher savings rates than in the US.
The approximate salary I have found for my work is about 50K euro in Paris, and less in the provinces, although I’m not sure yet how much less.
Would this be enough to provide for myself and my wife, own a car, and still save money?
===
Hi,
Income in France is low – average is about 22,000 euro a year – you can get a better idea about income from this site – http://www.worldsalaries.org/france.shtml
However a salary has a lot of social charges paid by the employer – it virtually doubles the cost of employing someone – for this you get the best health care in the world and excellent social services, education etc.
Housing is,expensive, the rent for Grenoble sounds about right, 800 euro a month for an apartment.
Cars are comparatively expensive, as is fuel, about 5 euro a gallon
Food I am told is more expensive than the USA, quality is good and the French are very careful shoppers.
The French are traditionally savers and the 10 percent or so of earnings does not surprise me.
You hit the nail on the head – it is impossible to put a value on the quality of life. With the sort of salary you have been offered you would be considered a wealthy person in France and could live comfortably, nut never luxuriously.
Hope this helps
Best wishes
Tony
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.
A Guide to Renting in France
Although home ownership in France is increasing, most people live in rented accommodation. In major cities apartment living is the usual way of life.
The Internet is changing the way we do many things, until recently nearly all property rentals were arranged through an an agent immobilier – estate agent – this was their main business, but increasingly home rentals are advertised and sought online. Sales of private properties have increased, as has the number of agencies and the rental service has changed, although there are usually some specialist agencies offering rentals in large towns.
In France the tenant has very strong rights and is protected in many ways from exploitation by landlords. But this protection has caused problems for property owners. There are many cases where an owner has not received any rent for years yet cannot gain access to their own property. This has discouraged owners from renting and there are changes now planned to some laws which give fair rights to both owners and tenants.
At present an unfurnished property will be offered normally on a standard three year agreement, renewable for a further two three year periods with fixed maximums to the increase of rent to be paid. Furnished accommodation is often offered on a one year agreement and a registered student can obtain a nine month agreement.
Unless there are restrictions (as there are in central Paris) a furnished property can be rented as a seasonal or vacation property for any period less than six months. In central Paris only one year tenancy agreements can be offered, vacation rentals are not allowed, unless the proeprty is correctly registered and rated as a commercial property (very few are).
The tenant can cancel the rental agreement with three month notice. The owner can only request vacant possession at the end of the period of the lease if they require if for their own use or intend to sell the property. If the property is offered for sale the tenant has the first right of refusal to purchase. An owner cannot artificially inflate the selling price or use other devices to inconvenience the tenant without risking expensive penalties.
If you are looking for rented accommodation and use estate agents, you need to know that there is no central listing service so it is necessary to get information from all agencies in a region to find the available properties.
Many commercial owners do prefer to use agencies to assist in protecting them from “troublesome” tenants. Agents will charge normally at least one months rent commission for finding a suitable tenant and about the same each year for managing the rental. Howeern renting diret from an owner does not often reduce the rental demanded, although you mayb able to negotiate the deposit required.
Agencies will normally demand a further two months, sometimes three months, rent as a security deposit. This is only repaid at the end of the tenancy after a full inspection of the property has been completed.
When a tenancy has been agreed, a detailed inspection (an état des lieux) is made – ther are standard foms for this and it is usually ery detailed. The tenant should check carefully all entries, note any prior defects or damage to the property and take photographs where possible. Make an note of every hole, scratch, mark or stain. For a landlord to claim a property had to be completely repainted and to charge a huge professional rate for this to the departing tenant does happen.
Unfurnished property can be very basic, a kitchen may only have a basic sink, I have seen properties where the light bulbs are removed and not offered with the property. If you are taking over a property and view it when it is occupied, do not expect any of the fittings and fixtures to remain, or insist that those items which are with the property are listed and agreed.
Be sure you are aware of any other costs in renting. You will be liable for the taxe d’habitation each year. Interestingly it is the person who occupies the property on January the first of a year who is liable, so if you move in on January the 2nd you get 364 day free of this tax for your first year. The owner of the property is liable for the other local tax the taxe fonciere. Check what this is at the local Mairie.
There are other charges on a property, especially apartments. Management, maintenance and concierge charges may apply, be sure to get these confirmed and explained in writing before you sign an agreement. These charges do change annually, rarely downwards.
Services are usually paid by the tenant, most usually water gas and electricity, but also waste collection and other services may be added charges. Check carefully what is included in the rental.
Once you have found a place to rent and are comfortable with the agreement, you will have to prove your income. This is usually proof of at least the previous three months income, a contract of employment, bank statement details. Your disposable income should be at least three times the rent demanded. If there is any problem, you may also be asked to supply one or more guarantors who have assets or proven income to support your charges. Guarantors are almost certain to be demanded if you are self employed or an “artist”. Now you know why many famous artists lived in squalid garrets, they could not get a proper apartment.
In most cases you will need a French bank account as payment will usually be demanded by autonomic monthly payment.
However, first you have to find your property – this is anther article.
Consumer Protection
December 29, 2009 by tony · Leave a Comment
I am writing about problems with apartment rentals in Paris on my blog at http://2337.com – the aim was originally to give information to owners about problems ahead from laws affecting vacation retals.
Interestingly this site has generated mail from renters telling me some horrific stories about owners. Clearly there is a lot to be cleared up and the Government of France and the City of Paris are taking steps to put things in order.
If you have had problems with any service, most countries have an official department you can complain to and report the supplier. A good website listing these offices is http://oecg.org/ – for France the official consumer protection bureau is The DGCCRF – it is an official French government authority for Consumer Protection, they have a website in English at http://www.dgccrf.bercy.gouv.fr/anglais.htm – they have produced a leaflet, in English, which gives some information and other contacts. You can download this at Welcome to France
As most apartments in Paris rented for vacations are rented illegally, you should ensure that the owner, or the owners agent, has correctly registered the apartment as a commercial property to rent, is correctly declared for taxation on the revenue in France and therefore they are able to show you valid and adequate insurance.
Interestingly from the websites above I found that most of the disclaimers for loss or damage on rented premises are not legally valid, this applies to hotels as well – you cannot “sign away” your rights on any rental contract.
France the Flip Side
I am a fan of Jeremy Clarkson, his column in the Sunday Times may be the only floppy copy I read each week, apart from his motoring section which rates the Lada higher than the Audi (so do I and I love the Dacia)
He got a column ‘pulled’ recently for suggesting the tying of some chap called Mandelson to the front of a van and parading him around the UK in an attempt to cheer up the increasingly fed-up population of Britain. It seems that this chap Mandy is an unelected lord of all things and responsible for supporting rich people and generally being important. There is also a Mr Brown somewhere and another chap called Darling – it all sounds like the cast of a Blackadder farce, but it isn’t.
Basically the censored article said how fed-up lot of people are with Britain and would love to live somewhere else, France for example, but JC pointed out that there is a teensy problem with paperwork and bureaucracy in France which an Englishman would not get on with.
I am an Englishman and I do not get on well with French paperwork – actually I do not get on well with any paperwork, but I get it in spades in France and really do very badly.
But this is the point – it seems a universal truth that the ‘quality of life’ in France is recognised as being among the best in the world – millions of people leave their own countries and come to live in France. More people come to France to experience the French lifestyle and culture than to any other country in the world.
Yes France does have a horrid number of civil servants, a low income level, privacy and secrecy laws to stun a goldfish and a reputation of being cheese eating surrender monkeys – I refute all of these (well not all, there are a lot of civil servants and a lot of cheese).
On another blog I started at http://2337.com I am presenting facts and opening discussions relating to some legislation affecting short term rentals in Paris. I am doing it because for over a year I have been anticipating some public announcements which will affect anyone who is involved in renting private apartments in Paris, owners, agents and tenants, many of whom read my newsletter or write to me.
Sadly this will inevitably affect some good agencies, some owners who have invested their savings in rental properties and many years of hard work. By my publishing this now and by trying to present the true facts, the good guys could adapt their services and do well – the bad guys who have robbed and tricked people will, I hope, be made to pay.
But what I found interesting in the debates underway on that blog is the assumption that the City of Paris is shooting itself in the foot and that this is ‘bad for tourism’ and will ‘lose Paris income from tourists’.
My belief is that the people of Paris do not give a fig or a tuppenny damn for tourist income and this is the point I am trying to make in this post.
The quality of life in France is good exactly because the French national character values a human lifestyle with values expressed in conversation, food, local shops, affordable homes and which respects a philosopher above transient celebrity. Whereas many other societies establish the value of everything in money.
This explains to me why there is so much control, why I have to do everything in quadruplet and in black ink yet also why health care and education are brilliant. It is because people care about their cities, villages, homes and family life and prefer to have local shops and Parisians living in Paris than chase the quick shilling/dollar/yen/whatever.
The people of Venice are protesting in the streets about the circus their city has become, the city of London is a derelict wasteland in the evenings (I lived in the Barbican for a while).
Wisely, Paris built their Disneyland outside the city – they plan to keep it there.
Now I must get back to filling in another form to wind up a company I have never wanted, never used and which has cost me a fortune but is still there because I missed a dozen pink forms which I only returned in triplicate when everyone knows they have to be in quintuplet.
Post Script…
I am delighted to see that the censored article is back on the Times online site at Tie Mandy to a van Perhaps there is hope – Yogi Blair is not president of Europe and Oz the Rupe did not tug his whatnot for Mandiavelli
Living in Paris
November 8, 2009 by tony · Leave a Comment
Prices charged for vacation and holiday rentals for private lets in Paris are a minimum of four times the rental charged for a regular tenant, it is often many times more than this and the acute shortage of rental accommodation in the city, partly caused by these apartments not being available to Parisians pushes prices up.
Interestingly, as in the city of London, it is actually illegal for the owner of a private apartment in Paris to offer this for rent as a vacation property, or for any form of short-term furnished letting. There are a few exceptions, registered commercial properties for example, or for rentals to students, but these represent a small number of those properties advertised on the hundreds of websites offering Paris apartments.
The laws are clear, but, like many things in France, these laws have not been applied – until now…..
To read the full posing and follow the comments on this important subject please see the full article here.
Now I have Stopped Working – Not
October 17, 2009 by tony · Leave a Comment
Now that I have stopped working (well almost) on the house, I am back to marketing and getting guests for our apartments and BandB. We first started this in our old home in Nizas 12 years ago and did all our marketing through the Internet – hopefully I can get back into the same flow as before, there is a lot more actiity on the internet now and the days of getting to the top of Alta Vista in a couple of hours are long gone – the tricks I used then would get me banned from Google for life. I am looking at what is on offer for help in Internet marketing, the rules and ruses seem top be the same, just follow the Google motto of ‘Do No Evil’ – a good website I found is http://www.nikkipilkington.com/about-us/ – Nikki looks good too! (plus she’s a biker)
Hopefully my 20 years experience of Internet marketing will get me started, but I will always look for good skills and help. I don’t have the strong websites I used to own, which got to the top of all French accommodation listings, but I will – Start All Over Again –
If you are thinking of coming to France – stay with us – I will try to make you an offer you cannot refuse.
Villa Roquette
Come Up and See Me Sometime
April 22, 2008 by Tony · Leave a Comment
I think the biggest pleasure in writing any blog like this , perhaps in writing anything, is getting feedback and comments from readers . A lot of my stuff is about our life and experiences in living in the South of France and the reasons why we moved from the UK nearly 20 years ago. Many of the things I say are replies to questions I get and I often publish these to help others.
When we moved to the Languedoc, we adapted a large rambling old ruin in the village of Nizas and to help pay some bills made two apartments for vacation rentals. Over the five years we did this we made a lot of new friends and we now plan do a similar thing with our home in Montblanc and expect this to be sorted out for next year, so book now.
Luckily a lot of readers do come to our area and some ask me for information, often about finding a home or starting a business – I am happy to do this, so if you are in Languedoc drop me a line.
==
Dear Tony,
We were considering coming to your area this coming weekend…not quite decided yet, but if we do, would you be able to meet for a drink or something. Maybe we could pick your brain a bit, or just get to meet the person who has helped us a lot!
Also, if you can suggest a chambre d’hotes or a hotel in the area…
Best regards, Maryvonne
==
Hello Maryvonne,
I would be delighted to meet when you are in the area – I suggest Pezenas on Saturday which is a big open market and if you have not been before you can discover the old medieval city.
Next year we plan to open our own guest house, but there are several excellent places near here to stay – in Pezenas there is..
Hotelde Vigniamont tell Rob and Tracy I recommended them (I may get a free drink)
or a smaller place is La Dordine both are in the old town and charming.
A bit further out, but very special is Le Couvent which is one of the best in France according to the Sunday Times.
My phone numbers are in my signature at the end of this mail – call me when you are nearby, I look forward to a coffee (or glass of wine at sundown) – what is left of my brain is happy to be picked.
Best wishes
Tony
Rental Wanted in France
April 9, 2008 by tony · Leave a Comment
It has been a frustrating month (year, life ?) – property prices seem to be all over the place but people are still coming on vacation and I am told bookings are good.
I am having a lot of delays in getting my new websites moving and creating more demand for bookings – this is all part of a much larger plan to create a strong community for everyone who wants to change their life, from a few days on vacation to aq lifetime – my aim is to offer many important things through a new website community – not just vacation rentals, but housing, employment, careers, friendship and other opportunities and services.
I have a lady looking for a long term rental in the southern “third” of France for up to a year or longer. Here is her request…
>>>
My requirements are:
Budget would be up to 850 euro a month. For that I would expect the property to be furnished (Crockery, cutlery, glasswear and linen need not be included) All kitchen appliances and large furniture would be required.
House or apartment, but if it is an apartment I would want some outside area – small garden or at least a courtyard. It could be something attached to a larger house. Or in a group of houses.
Maison de Ville or out in the country if it has some close-ish neighbours. I don’t mind being on my own, but complete isolation might be a bit lonely.
Would want to be in the Southern third of the country, more East than West if I have a choice.
Bright, comfortable sejour (I’ve seen some dark, pokey places which would be miserable in the Winter months!)
Two bedrooms, minimum and two bathrooms would be nice, but probably not possible. Maybe an additional toilet.
Garage or parking area. Chauffage central, with a woodburner or fireplace.
I would like to be in an attractive area. I don’t find this area particularly attractive – it is too flat. Hilly or rolling countryside is much more appealing to me.
ADSL or WI-FI would be super.
Would want a year long lease in the first instance with possibly an option to renew, but six months to start would be fine??
<<<
If you can help reply to me and I will pass on your contact details and also copy you.
Tags: france, accommodation, rental, french property
A Day In The Life of a Property Manager
February 27, 2008 by Tony · Leave a Comment
This is a note from a friend of ours who lives in Nizas, Esther runs a local property managment company she founded herself.
==
As often happens, you don’t choose what you become, it just happens.
I realise that the title is “the day in the life of a Property Manager” but as a start I have to give you the background of this story. I am a Property Management Manager based in Pezenas (often wondered if this is a correct title, it never really sums up all the activities that are involved) Pezenas is a beautiful town, and I have always liked houses. I sincerely believe that houses have a soul. Well, you enter a house, and it feels comfy, and yet, other homes, you just itch to change things around, and some houses change owners every 3 years or so. But I like them all.
Pezenas and the area have its share of lovely houses. They are all happy houses. In fact I could say that the old houses in Pezenas are a treasure. You look at a house from the outside and it is ordinary and then you walk in and it hits full in the face, and you think: This is character; this is your dream come true.
Pezenas has a population of 8000, but it is still a small village to me. It is a good place for living. I go to a different butcher every other day, to the baker, I meet the plumber, and I meet the locals around court Jean Jures, on market day. I deal with people and houses. I am better with the houses, I have to admit. So my days are full of surprises.
Take the other day.
6.00am, It started with a fax, and a phone ringing. Both at the same time. The fax from plumber sending a quote – and phone call from a tenant on vacation calling to say that the house is on fire. This is south of France, and this is Pezenas area and some of the electric wiring is 50 years old. I picked up the fax and realised that the quote is too high for the work involved, and the work has to get done, well, for yesterday. On the other hand, I have a scared vacationer with a house that is on fire. I have to choose from 3 options: take a shower, call the plumber to ask him to revise the quote or drive as I am to see the house on fire. I am not sure what I did, but I think that I had to do all 3 things at the same time. I dressed and spoke to the plumber, and than drove like mad to see the house. Before, I got there, I spoke, while driving – a no no- to an electrician and got him out of bed. Both the electrician and I stopped in front of the house at the same time. You still remember that this is Pezenas where streets are narrow and winding and parking at a premium. The fire was caused by burning wires, which we corrected. It is 6am, and next task is calling the owner to say that we had an electric problem. He is 80 years old and he will never believe me.
8.00am The vacationer doesn’t want to stay at the house, she wants out of it, and she wants out NOW!!! Problem is who pays for it, and how do I find another house that is both empty, and in the same budget range? Back to the phone to solve a problem, called 5 owners and lucky for all I found a home owner willing to lower his rent and accept to accommodate the surprise tenants at a low cost. It was another matter convincing the owner of this beautiful house in the centre of Pezenas to agree to refund the fees. After all, his contract said “not responsible in case of malfunction”. It is now 8am. I need my first cup of coffee or I am ready to kill someone. But I am smiling; our internet site www.maisonstournesols says we always work with a smile so I have to keep on smiling! I walk to the nearest café and in Pezenas there are several with a terrace, and before I have the time to sit down an estate agent sees me and asks if I could, please, come with him to see a house the agency just sold to a Scandinavian family. It isn’t in Pezenas but 20 kms away, in Canet. I can’t have my cup of coffee; it is now or never, because the owners are due to leave for home in the afternoon. So we drive to see the house.
12.00 noon It is now mid day and I have my first cup of coffee in Canet. The owners sign a contract; they give me the keys to the house and a set of instructions, petty cash, and dash off to the airport with a promise to write with more instructions.
14.00 I drive home, inhale my hefty lunch, answer all my e-mails, note on the to-do lists, and drive back to a house where there is building work in progress. I have renovated 9 houses, and have moved 28 times in my life, so I know a bit about building sites. I like working with builders, painters, etc., and they reciprocate, and harmony rains…. But this time there is no harmony, there are no workers at the site, and Saturday guests are due to arrive. The house needs a total clean-out, and the work MUST be done. So back to the phone again, get the workers to come over. They have to work till mid-night if need be, I am a bundle of nerves and I tell the workers off. Now they feel stupid, a woman 4,11ft tells them off, but they are used to me and they will finish the work – promise (and I hope that they keep the promise). But this is the south of France, and this is Pezenas area. It is 5pm.
17.00 Back to the office, answer phone calls, write e-mails, and get ready for the next day. I also have a 5 booking enquiries through our holiday rentals site www.golanguedoc.com to deal with, but those I happily transfer to Jane Wilson. My desk is a mess and I know that work will finish at 9:00 pm, when I close the computer. Demain (tomorrow) is another day….
Esther Rouff is the Managing Partner of “Maisons Tournesol”. www.maisonstournesols providing a full range of property management services in and around the Pezenas area of Herault, covering everything from pool maintenance, building project coordination, website marketing, of holiday rentals, property repairs and assistance with French paperwork and bureaucracy.
