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On the 15th February 2010, a new HMRC statutory instrument came into force which creates significant opportunities for UK resident domiciles and British expatriates who remain UK domiciled to save UK inheritance tax (IHT) as well as local taxes in the country in which they are tax resident.
With growing concern over how far our food travels and the damage this does to the environment, Dominic Bliss heads over to Picardy to see if the French, with their unrivalled love of fine food, are buying into a local, organic lifestyle.
Edward Coxall of Mayo Wynne Baxter LLP looks at one possibility for minimising the costs associated with transferring French property owned by a UK company to its members.
French legislation was modified by the July 2010 Act in order to provide the consumer with a more secure position, notably when a loan is offered or when insolvency is close.
Jane and Ron Bennett have a property in the Gers that they rent out to holidaymakers. They intend to spend more time there once Ron has retired, but their investment has already brought with it a career change for Jane.
The cost of using toll roads in France can soon add up. Signing up for télépéage could work out more economical on many levels, offering discounts and allowing you to avoid the queues.
Those of us who have been lucky enough to spend a summer in Provence know that it is an exceptional experience - the combination of scent, sound and heat make it unlike anywhere else.
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Limousin has long been a retreat for artists and writers, who are inspired by the peace, tranquillity and breathtaking landscapes which make up this wonderful region of France. Sue Crampton has recently moved to the Limousin and is keen to start a writing group with other like minded individuals.
A less back-breaking way to better soil, plus expert advice on how to dead-head roses. And if your apricot tree is ill, here's what you must not do
Mimi and John live near Rennes in Brittany. Twelve months ago they packed up all their things and moved their young family to another town just 2km away. In spite of the short distance involved, there was plenty to do!
Saint Tropez is a town dedicated to art, culture and tradition. Celebrities, artists and writers all fell under its spell in the 1950s. Back then one could bump into Picasso, Francoise Sagan and Jacques Prévert amongst others...
A first-hand experience: new life in Limousin highlighted, name and marriage complications. The addition to the family of a new baby boy ultimately led Natalie to apply for French nationality.
It is claimed that Grenoble has one of the biggest Anglophone communities of any French city. Coming to live in France doesn’t mean you should only spend time with French people. There is all manner of pan-European activity.
Which school? There are around 57,000 nursery and primary schools and 7,400 lycées in France so there is plenty of choice ! But of course most people will want to know where the nearest schools are in relation to an area they might consider moving to. A good place to start is to check the website of the nearest Académie...
Since coming to power in 2007, Sarkozy has highlighted the importance of France’s ecological position in Europe and the world. Sarkozy has often been quoted saying that he wants France to be a leader in its environmental policies with a “green revolution” in France...
When buying a property, the mantra is “Location, Location, Location”... perhaps, with ever increasing fuel costs and spiralling carbon emissions, we should change it to "Insulation, Insulation, Insulation”, says expert Tom Wood. Here he reveals some important facts about insulating your home in France...
Buildings account for 46% of the total energy consumption and 25% of greenhouse gas emissions in France. Insulating them is a necessity. Experts from Kingspan Insulation look at the options available.
Real Life: When Giles and Fi bought an old mill back in 1999, they never envisioned quite what life off the electricity grid would be like. In 2002 they decided to install a water turbine to generate their own electricity and now run a B&B...
So what’s it really like running a Gîte business in France? Well, in short – it beats working for a living! So forget what you think it’s like and give 5 minutes to reading a real life account of setting up and running gîtes in France...
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Hunting in Limousin is far removed from the traditional view we hold of hunting back in the UK. The hunt is an important source of free food and forms the basis of many of the traditional Limousin family meals.
Swimming pool water needs to go through a variety of purification processes in order to keep it clean and safe. Chemicals, filters, ph, water types and many more factors need to be taken in to account.
Not too many years ago, in what now seems a completely separate universe, I sat gazing out of my office window in London. I longed to be in Burgundy. Over the years, I had fallen in love with the region and its inhabitants as we passed through on holidays elsewhere in Europe...
When Steve and I were introduced to each other, on a blind date nearly 8 years ago, we discovered that we both harboured a dream to live in France. In 2002 we started our hunt for the “perfect property” and after 2 years we found plenty of properties we didn't want but none that we did...
When working out your finances to buy that dream property in France, you need to take into account the taxes involved in purchasing French property. These costs vary depending if the property is subject to VAT, as David Franks of Blevins Franks explains...
In 2008, Yasmeen and Jonathan Moore set up a gîte complex in the Mayenne with a restaurant for guests. Due to the popularity of the restaurant and also due to the pleading from local British people they decided to open the restaurant to non-residents on Friday evenings for curry nights. Here's their story..
My decision to teach French happened by accident really. I had a call from a friend who had artisans on site and both sides were having trouble understanding what was required. I was happy to help but after I’d gone I was flattered to find the builder thought I was French. When my friend understood this, he said ‘Why don’t you teach it? It would really help me and I can think of several other people who would really value it too’.
And that's how it all started...
There are numerous good reasons for considering the landscaping of flat roofs. To start with it offers an effective and practical use of space, whilst helping to sustain and replace lost habitats in the process.
Get married in France? Isn’t that difficult, people will ask, mindful of French bureaucracy? Well, I got married myself here eight years ago, I have just organised my stepdaughter’s – much bigger – wedding and I have helped various friends with the paperwork in the intervening years. So here’s how to do it! I am writing this from the point of view of British nationals, though I believe it will equally apply to other nationalities...
What do you do when you return to a familiar French city? Try something different, of course. FrenchEntrée Magazine Editor Justin Postlethwaite heads south for a three-part tour of the Riviera...
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French entrée-Limousin receives around 13,000 unique visitors each month. Predominantly from the UK and France, but we also from all over the English speaking world. So we thought it would be interesting to find out what a young Australian currently travelling through Europe thinks of the Limousin. Sean Whelan is a 19 year old civil engineering student....
Market day in Provence is not just a day for selling and buying, it’s a major social event, an excuse to chat with friends, an intrinsic part of French life. There’s nothing quite like the hustle, bustle and noise, jostling with people of all ages and sizes amongst stalls.
Although not immediately recognised as a wine producing region, Limousin has, from ancient times produced its own range of wines. Through periods of adverse weather and prolific diseases the production has fluctuated and at times completely disappeared but today the proud tradition of Limousin wine is alive and well.
My love affair with France began nearly 20 years ago, when I was 18 years old. I was drawn to France, why - I don’t know. I had never been to France, never experience the French culture or food; I just knew I wanted to be there someday. I used to dream and believe by the time I was 35, I would live 6 months in Australia and 6 months in France...