Top Tips For Owners

Diary Years

Here are our tops tips for owing a French holiday home.

1. Learn the language.

You do not have to be fluent but it is a great help to be able to speak some French.

You will have a better appreciation of the charm and culture of France if you can speak the language and it makes life a lot easier in rural France where little English is spoken.

Your attempts at French will be much appreciated by your French neighbours and friends.

2. Introduce yourselves to the neighbours and invite them over for coffee.

Show a little bit willing and you will generally be welcomed into the local community.

Neighbours are a great source of advice, news and, quite often, assistance.

It is a very practical way to improve your French!

3. Have a checklist for opening and shutting your holiday home.

You do not want to remember half way across the Channel that you forgot to turn off the gas.

It is a great help to friends or relatives who might want to use the house.

Handy hints off our checklist:-

• Drain all the water out of the system over the winter period to prevent split pipes.
• Leave all the cupboard doors open to inhibit the effects of damp.
• Leave a large bowl of salt in each room over the winter period to minimise damp.

4. Avoid buying French paint!

For some reason, French paint is twice the price and half the quality of English paint. If you can, take paint over with you.

We have found other things such as building materials and household items (except mattresses) to be much the same price (or cheaper when the £ is strong) in France.

5. Check out the local "Brocantes" and "Depot Ventes".

Brocantes and Depot Ventes are like a cross between cheap antique shops, junk shops and second-hand warehouses.

You find them in towns and rural areas. Your neighbours will know about the local ones.

They are interesting to look around and you can pick up the odd piece of furniture or bargain for the house. (Some of our 'finds' are shown below)