Page 10. South East Times. Issue 67
International Property Guide
When to travel
If possible, try to avoid French school holidays
and Easter, because hotels are very likely to be
overbooked and traffic on the roads is simply
awful.
Holidays: search internet for [French school
holidays], as they vary from region to region.
Mostly, the winter holidays are 10 Feb-10 Mar.
The spring holidays are often 10 Apr-10 May.
Winter gets very cold, sometimes freezing. Make
sure to bring appropriate clothing to keep you
France is the country that more people enjoy
warm while visiting.
visiting than any other.
Hotels are very likely to be overbooked and road
France is geographically one of the most diverse
countries in Europe. Its cities contain some of the traffic will be awful during the 1 May, 8 May, 11
Nov, Easter Weekend, Ascension weekend too.
greatest treasures in Europe, its countryside is
Regions
prosperous and well tended and it boasts dozens
of major tourist attractions, like Paris, the French France is divided into 22 administrative regions,
which themselves can be grouped into seven
Riviera, the Atlantic beaches, the winter sport
cultural regions:
resorts of the French Alps, the castles of the
Île-de-France
Loire Valley, Brittany and Normandy. France is
The region surrounding the French capital, Paris.
renowned for its gastronomy (particularly wines
Northern France (Nord-Pas de Calais, Picardy,
and cheeses), history, culture and fashion.
France has been the world’s most popular tourist Normandy)
destination for over twenty years (83.0 million in A region where the world wars have left many
scars.
2012).
Metropolitan France is in Western Europe sharing Northeastern France (Alsace, Lorraine,
frontiers with Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany Champagne-Ardenne, Franche-Comté)
A region where wider European culture (and
to the northeast, Switzerland to the east, Italy to
especially Germanic culture) has merged with the
the south-east. Spain and the small country of
Andorra are to the south-west, across the Pyrenees French, giving rise to interesting results.
Great West (Brittany, Pays de la Loire)
mountain range. The Mediterranean Sea laps the
south of France, with the Principality of Monaco An agriculture-based oceanic region with a culture
forming a small enclave. To the west, France has greatly influenced by the ancient Celtic peoples.
a long Atlantic Ocean coastline, while to the north Central France (Centre-Val de Loire, PoitouCharentes, Burgundy, Limousin, Auvergne)
lies the English Channel, across which lies the
A largely agricultural and vinicultural region,
last of France’s neighbours, England (part of the
featuring river valleys, chateaux and historic
United Kingdom).
In the Caribbean, France borders the Netherlands towns.
Southwestern France (Aquitaine, Midi-Pyrenees)
via the French territory of Saint-Martin which
A region of sea and wine, with nice beaches over
borders the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten.
the Atlantic Ocean and young high mountains
Five oversea regions also form part of France:
close to Spain.
Martinique and Guadeloupe in the Caribbean,
Southeastern France (Rhône-Alpes, LanguedocFrench Guiana in South America, and Reunion
Roussillon, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Corsica)
and Mayotte, both off the coast of Madagascar.
The primary tourist region of the country outside
Numerous French oversea territories also exist
of Paris, with a warm climate and azure sea,
around the Earth with varying status.
contrasting with the mountainous French Alps.
Bonjour!
I am an independent agent based
on the borders of the Vienne, Haute
Vienne & Charente in south west
France. Having lived and worked
in France for the past 10 years I can
offer a wealth of local knowledge
to any prospective property hunters.
Let me help you explore this hidden
gem in deepest France, with its
rolling hills and excellent transport
links. The Haute Vienne situated
in the Limousin region is known
as the land of the thousand lakes,
where you can enjoy swimming,
sailing, wind surfing or just relax
with a good book. The outdoor
lifestyle reigns supreme here. With
an excellent climate you can enjoy
this part of France all year round,
from crisp bright winter walks to
long lazy days in the sun. And being
close to both Limoges & Poitiers
airports you can be enjoying a quick
weekend away in a matter of hours.I
have a wide range of individual
properties to suit all budgets, from
Châteaux to farms to lock up &
leave holiday homes, also including
business premises, established
B&B’s & restaurants. If you are a
DIY addict or simply want to put
down your suitcase and relax, there
is something for everyone. Once
you find your ideal home, be it a
permanent move or a holiday bolt
hole, I will guide you every step
of the way through the purchase,
from negotiating a purchase
price, arranging all the necessary
documents and accompanied
visits to the Notaire, translations,
arranging reconnection of utility
services, Insurance and opening
bank accounts. My pricing structure
initially shows the cost including the
agency fees, however, I also include
the cost of the Notaire, so you get to
see the true cost of your purchase,
no hidden extras, no surprises. My
website shows a selection of what I
can offer, but if there is something
that you don’t see, then please ask.
You can visit the website at www.
thefrenchpropertyagent.com or
contact me directly on +33 677 01
21 73. I look forward to meeting &
welcoming you to this beautiful part
of France. Lisa McKenna