what top international companies want to operate in france? A question posed earlier on,well what about orange, edf, bouyges, effiage, spie batinoglles oh sorry they are major international french companies!
I work in the french construction industry and its not all doom and gloom so as someone else said wait and see.
Kerry, we did it too. Because my own work was going so well and all other people we knew in clover, my wife gave up a university senior lectureship to go freelance too and we moved here. Almost immediately the bottom went out of the market. Different reasons, but still because we read the situation wrong. We can all do it and we do and there is only right or wrong and nothing in between which makes it tougher.
Everybody, including me, is speculating. Look how often that has gone wrong in recent memory. People also follow their political preferences or loyalties in opinion making, that goes far too wrong far too often as I have learned to my cost.
Kerry - trust the Telegraph and you might as well trust your bank and nobody does that any longer. Worldwide the right wing press is scaremongering. Absurd really, Hollande is not president until tomorrow. What is in people's minds is probably not what the newspaper at he heartland of Englishness believes. Let us wait to see. I remember similar noises when Blair was voted in and they got it 200% wrong.
Jason, how different is France to other European countries? Is each not different from the other and that is what we see, not what each country is trying to do. I first came to France with a school 'holiday' to improve my French in about 1962 and have seen France change since then. That was at the time the present constitution was passed in the wake of 1958 and the Fifth Republic. Since then I think the country has gone tax crazy, has enlarged the 'state' far too much, creating dependency on France rather than companies employing people. It is not a time warp but looks very much like one when compared to countries who have vastly reduced the size of the state it certainly looks that way.
Whatever the case. All of us have it in essence easier than the French. We do not like it, we can go. OK, it may be a lot of hassle and a loss selling the house, etc, but we do not have the emotional tug of war patriotic or simply other-world-naieve people have. Some of them can simply not go. We are, as perhaps during the coming five years people may show, in a country in unheaval that appears not to cahnge but knows it needs it and must. Will government be any different and do anything to do that? I have my doubts.
Umm a good one this. I feel looking at the current state of France that unless something changes for the better France will soon become like Greece. The huge charges the goverment levy on business or businesses kill this country, hence the high unemployment. What top international companies would want to operate a business here and let alone employ people. Seems this country is stuck in a time warp but hey new president or not I am sure we will just see scandal, corruption and a fist full of lies. On a positive note the sun is shinning :)
Too many years in Cambridge, my limit is roughly speaking Bergerac. Bordeaux or Perigueux get me wound up. I'm fine if all is within a single neighbourhood, it's after 15 May so if it all seems to shi**y I'll blame Hollande!
take it easy in Paris Brian, not my cup of tea either, Rodez or Albi starts getting too big for me...!
spoke too soon...St Cyp decidedly cloudy and grey this morning..though very close..could be a storm brewing.. back to the Dordogne tomorrow...hope all goes well Brian..
Carol, ooof. I am simply going fot an MRI scan and to be prodded about by a neurologist. It's a case of off the train to hotel, up in the morning for an 0800 scan, 1400 appointment then allowing for timing we will return next morning. I have been there x times, remember the 1960s far more fondly (rattley old trams with very loud bells, etc), and do not have the physical or mental stamina to wander around a large city. But you, enjoy this spring into summer which so far appears great - I shall by hook or by crook.
Brian...enjoy Paris...someone has to! the weather is finally catching up with the season and we have sun and warmth...enjoy!! hope the shoulder better soon..x
I am in the Dordogne Carol. Shoulder still hurts like hell, picked up a cold in hospital (of course) which developed into a real fantastic sinusitis which means my hay fever is already on track for a bonzer year. But the sun is shining, it is hot and getting hotter. The farmer has cut our grass, tomorrow lots of vide greniers and I've queue jumped an MRI scan by at least two months by moaning enough, OK so we have to spend two nights in rotten Paris. Me, optimism comes out on top with the sun and I just want everybody else to be on the bright side ;)
excellent ;-)
and its blowing here today...30 in St Cyp...but we have been back to the Dordogne...only arrived here today..(second visit in 8 days!) our niece and family stayed for a week...so we got the apartment ready and have now come to pick up some of the stuff she couldnt take back on the plane..and I will deliver on my next trip to the uk...it was lovely in the Dordogne...spent the last few days gardening...in high 20s low 30s sun...smashing!
good to hear you're not bitter Carol, ironically I think you left the Dordogne when the rain stopped, we've had nothing but sun for a week or so now in the Aveyron and were up to 35° yesterday but no wind so send me a little tramontane stp ;-)
Despite outward appearances...I am not bitter....! and humour is most def. intact. The problems I listed were less than half the problems we actually had...lots more for other days!!! like the fosse replacement we were quoted a price for and then the bill was double!!! why? because they hadnt reckoned on rocky terrain and our rocks broke a bit of his equipment that he charged us for.....we are way past feeling sorry for ourselves and see the black humour in it....I just know that because I am not exactly a shrinking violet...and in the past my husband has always left me to deal with moronic companies, difficult builders etc...and I have, I can say, hand on heart...always won the battle...they came so thick and fast here we were shellshocked...no matter.....one day you can read the full account...in the meantime..we are at our apartment in St Cyp...lapping up the sun...this apartment and this little bit of France is perfect..we have even considered trying to swap the Dordogne property for a house here...anyway..the sun is calling..have a good weekend folks...
Carol. I am sympathtic too. However, we seem to have walked most things. Notaire was as good as gold, to the point we are chatty in public which people of are distinctly not. EDF have danced to our tune and France Telecom/Orange may be too expensive but never once been tricky. With all my medical business right now there is only one problem, that is the hospital which has an atrocious reputation locally to begin with. You seem to have walked into bad luck up to your neck.
However, I have known somebody who found a dream house in England. Bought, then found the person who sold was a co-owner whose dodgy solicitor had avoided certain things. It took four years to sort out, during which time he was paying rent and his wife-to-be blamed him and walked. I am certain Andrew will have encountered similar in Devon and Cornwall. I never had any problems as such. Blaming France is easy, and I am sure we all do it, but it is probably a toss of the coin where is worse and then Lady Luck!
One last thing, I've dealt personally with 5 notaire on various sales and related maters and always been very well advised and had the professional service I expected BUT a notaire isn't there to act on your behalf as a solicitor does in the UK, he or she is simply there to collect the taxes for the state and sort out the necessary legal work. He must however tell you about the assainissement and if it doesn't conform that you have a year to carry out the works so it does - it's an obligation! (that no one takes seriously, including me as I've resold two places having done nothing about non-conform fosses but I was completely open about that with the buyers) I think you should write a book about all the things that have gone wrong for you Carol, with a touch of humour added I think it would sell really well and enable you to let off steam about France and get it out of your system; Oh and the weather - no one can guarantee that, this april was one of the wettest and cloudiest on record, and you should never have bought in the west of France if you wanted dry weather in spring, the Dordogne is a true oceanic climate, there are areas, as you know, where spring is better/drier... St Cyp ;-)
Carol, I've heard you story a few times now and each time it hurts, I do feel for you but in a few years managing various estate agents in Devon and Cornwall I saw similar problems with builders and authorities, (solicitor doing a runner with the money... yes things have been tightened up now!) I've also seen people lose over a third on their houses in three years 89-92, I've had to be present when the balif evicted people and I was then selling the reposesed houses... The two countries are very different, however what happened to you does seem to be a relitively isolated (and very unfortunate) case - there are somewhere close to 5000 members here, a good percentage of whom have bought here, some like me several times and not many others are coming out with the same stories. unfortunately there is a false market for foreigners that the unwary seem to buy into, that's fine when things are good but when it all goes pear shaped they're the first to suffer. I think you're place in Dordogne was a bit like a Friday afternoon car - bad luck all round that seems to attract more bad luck.
The red tape, it's hassle but once you're in the system it's normal, you just get used to it but yes it could be so much easier. And the work situation isn't ideal either but I think you will find the same situation in any other european country, try finding work in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, dare I say Greece at the moment. the UK is the odd one out and seems even easier because... well you're British so nothing needs explaining, no language barrier, it's home for you. Yes there are many foreigners working in the UK, I'm not so sure they're doing so "no hassle", there are also many many foreigners working in France, just look at BTP, hotels, bars, agriculture etc. I'm in a town that has been built on waves of european immigration. Rural Dordogne probably doesn't represent this but it is just a microcosm of France where, before the Brits moved in, things were dirt cheap because there was no work there, the fact that it has become very chic and full of expats and expensive houses doesn't redress the work situation though, it's very hard for French people too! I hope you find a buyer soon ;-)
well John I beg to differ.....we have been royally screwed since coming to France...Notaire who threw his toys out of the pram when we pointed out the things he neglected to tell us before we signed on the dotted line... like the septic tank not complying...(its not for you to know that...!) he actually said that to us...a surveyor who found no problems..there were a miriad of problems...our roof was incorrectly laid...(so sue me said the roofer)...we would have till we were told it could bankrupt us..take 5 years..and all we would get was the roof relaid...(this was a roof with a guarantee mark you) my husbands CPAM info was lost when we moved.. (we didnt lose it...but he came off and we had to start again)...damp walls...so we paid for replastering after the walls were treated...guess what...a year later and the plaster is coming off through damp...you guessed it...so sue us they say...5 months waiting for France bleeding Telecom to connect us...it took our French neighbour swearing and threatening violence for us to be connected, we have now lost a couple of hundred thousand euros on our house..and cant sell it because it was overpriced when we bought it and property prices have fallen in the last 3 years, despite all the money we have spent on putting the house right, decorating..adding top of the range log fires etc.........and the final insult has been the delightful weather this year...to be honest...there is nothing really I will miss.....bet you are sorry you made that comment now! In seriousness...no...we do want to return to the UK....its just right for us...I want somewhere where I can get a job without having to start my own business....in France most...the majority of foreigners cant find employment, they have to start their own businesses.....I enjoy the fact that in the UK it seems fairer...I believe the UK actually operate the way the EU is supposed to....without the discrimination, europeans can get jobs in England...certainly its made almost impossible here...europeans get our NHS... and as a nurse..I know there are problems..but if we adopted the French system of insurance...it would work better...but the Brits dont want to pay...anyway..each to his own...its been a little adventure...but a very expensive one for us...
Here's an article in The Independent saying that the current austerity measures are straight out of The Shock Doctrine. Interesting.