21/01/2010 |
The Dior-Charbonneries Family Home
This property, “Les Naÿssès” ", is found near the beautiful Provencal hillside village of Callian, in the Var. It was acquired in 1932 by Maurice Dior, a successful industrial man from Normandy, and father of the world-famous couturier Christian Dior and of Catherine Dior-Charbonneries.
The property was originally purchased as their Provençal second home, and later became the main residence of Maurice Dior, and then of his daughter Catherine.
The property was a horticultural heaven, alongside olive groves and vineyards. The flowers which were at their peak in the 1950s were jasmine and violets, and the pickers worked tirelessly every year in the fields. Moroccan and Egyptian flower growers became strong competition, and so following a big frost in 1956, Mr Dior concentrated his efforts on a rose with a “Centifollia” scent, and the grape varieties of “Carignan” and of “Uni-blanc”.
These flowers still grow, like a continuous carpet, on more than 16 000 m2 of softly descending hillside, directly south facing. The terracing is supported by dry stone walls. The vegetation covering the land is livened up with various different types of mature trees. The constant sunshine here is exceptional.
The “maison de maître” (the Master's home), is 260 m2. It was built as a Provencal farmhouse, but has been restored and extended constantly between 1935 and 1960. The famous architect André Svetchine worked there after the restoration of the “château de la Colle Noir” for Christian Dior. This farmhouse boasts many characteristics of beautiful Provençal houses with its high walls built in local stone, with an average thickness of 50 cm. The large stones are visible on the external walls. The roof was built with traditional round tiles and the floors are covered in "tommettes” tiling (hexagonal floor tiles). The chimneys are open, and in marble. These delicate features were the subject of an article in the «Pleasure of France» magazine in June 1960 under the title of «Paris in a farmhouse in Provence».
“La maison d’amis” (the guest house) and the summer living area, which are independent buildings, are the work of the architect André Svetchine. The summer living area is exceptional due to its arched ceiling and fireplace built out of local stone. These are housed under visible roofing, constructed from «parry leaves», with clay-baked earth. This area has a North façade, which is delicately closed by windows and a large opening onto the South of sumptuous bignonias and wisterias. It is a rare haven of peace and charm.
Catherine Dior, having lived in Paris a dozen years, left and established herself in her Provencal farmhouse, with her war-time companion, the Baron des Charbonneries. This return to nature, centered around a culture of perfumed flowers, allowed her to achieve a calmness, well deserved, after a period of deportation when her exemplary courage was acknowledged and rewarded.
Christian Dior stayed regularly at Les Naÿssès. He was very close to his sister Catherine, and in fact, he dedicated a perfume to her; Miss Dior. Soothed by the relaxed rhythm of life and the charming ambiance of the family home, the Parisian couturier also bought a property nearby, in neighbouring Montauroux: the “chateau of Colle-sur-loup” or “Colle Noire”, which he subsequently beautifully restored.
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12/12/2009 |
Christmas is coming- Reasons to be cheerful!
French property prices are on the increase nationally, according to the Knight Frank Global House Price Index, and as a rule of thumb you can count on Provence property prices increasing by more than the national average.
The period between July and September saw the cost of a home in France increase by 1.9 per cent, showing good signs for the property market as a whole. A great time to buy your French property!
More encouraging is that France's economic recovery continues with growth for the second successive quarter in the three months to October. See the Eurostat website for more.
What better New Year’s resolution is there than to buy that dream French Property? Prices are on the up! |
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29/10/2009 |
WANT TO LIVE IN FRANCE?
WANT TO BUY A FRENCH PROPERTY?
WANT TO BUY A PROPERTY IN PROVENCE?
Well www.uswitch.com has produced a quality of life index which (if you needed any) will give you more reasons to answer all three questions in the affirmative. For example compared with the whole of Europe, France:
• Has the highest life expectancy
• Has one of the lowest retirement ages
• Spends the most on healthcare
• Has as an average1967 hours of sunshine per year (2300 hours in Provence!)
• Is one of the highest spenders on Education
Why not give us a call or send us an email and make that all important first move. |
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29/10/2009 |
FAYENCE ANTIQUARIAN FAIR
The Fayence Antiquarian Fair is on again from the 24th October-2nd November.This hugely popular event is in the grounds of an old Provencal Bastide in the medieval hilltop village of Fayence attracting people from far and wide including Paris, Italy, Monaco and beyond to visit.
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22/10/2009 |
FRENCH PROPERTY MARKET PRICES NEWS
FNAIM who are the National Association Real Estate Agents in France have said that house prices on average across France increased by 3.9% in the second quarter of 2009. The highest quarterly rise since 1994. What better time to be looking at buying a French Property? |
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16/10/2009 |
French Property Market- Provence
Summer is drawing to an end here in Provence and despite the global economic problems over the last 2 years and the volatility of the sterling- Euro exchange affecting those buyers not in the Euro-zone there are lots of reasons to be positive. We have seen a huge rise in enquiries both through the website and our office door in the last quarter and crucially in the people coming to France to view and buy their dream property in Provence.
October & November are normally a busy time of year in real estate and 2009 is no exception with lots of clients already booked in for viewings. British buyers are returning and as always lots of interest and clients from other parts of Europe.
One question that people frequently ask is when is the best time to search for property in France? The answer is an easy one - winter is the best time to view French property, it is always best to see a property at its worst. If you like a property and area during the winter months, then you are going to love it during the peak summer months. We guarantee this area will pass that test with flying colours! The Var, Provence is after all the most popular place in France for people buy a secondary residence.
It is considerably cheaper to look in the winter months; flights and accommodation are markedly cheaper than in the summer months so why not get in contact and make that first move.
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08/09/2009 |
UNIQUE PROPERTY IN FAYENCE- Old style Italian hunting lodge
Much of the appeal of the French Riviera is to be found in the hill villages set back from the coast, as well as the beaches and famous seafronts. Historically these villages were fortified against seaborne raiders who regularly pillaged the coastline and for this reason their locations were carefully chosen to enable their best defence. Today their elevated positions provide splendid outlooks over the surrounding countryside and the Mediterranean.
Chateauneuf, Mougins and St Paul de Vence are classic examples and property prices have soared to match their lofty locations. Subsequently house hunters have extended their searches to the west into the Var, where equally picturesque hill villages can be found such as Fayence, Seillans and Bargemon.
Typically the search has focussed upon stone farmhouses as the ideal choice, but finding character properties today is increasingly rare, which is why this property is a unique find. The locals call it ‘le petit chateau,’ built as a hunting lodge around 1830. The Italian styling is immediately apparent and has little in common with the French ‘mas’ (farmhouses) of the same era, being far more elegant with high ceilings and tall windows.
The building is entirely built in local stone with massive metre thick walls around the basement. The stone walls were rendered and mouldings were added and decorated with trompe l’oeuil painted stone and brickwork. Around the windows decorative panels were picked out with floral motifs. Originally the lodge would have had a striking presence within the surrounding rural countryside
Italian fresco painters applied their trade to both outside and inside with delicate skill. Each room on the ground and first floors were completely covered in frescos and painted wall panelling in subtle colours of ochre’s, sienna and touches of cobalt.
The lodge’s surrounding terraces required enormous labour with supporting walls all crafted from stone topped with terra cotta balustrades, all of which survive today, creating an atmosphere of fading elegance. The driveway was planted with an avenue of Lebanese Cedars, which have grown into giants. A small fortune must have been invested in the property, creating a gem amongst the surrounding green.
Time has passed by and the surrounding land was sold off, and the property now stands out as totally unique within the changing landscape, but it has never lost its stature, today it looks out across green fields to the ever more popular village of Fayence. The original walled garden of 4200m2 is now the limit of the property and while much around has changed it still provides a sanctuary from the busy world around.
The current owners found the property unoccupied eight years ago and in need of total renovation. The house was emptied and the slow process of restoration began, blending the convenience of all new services with careful restoration and preservation of the past. The result is an elegant house of four bedrooms and three bathrooms with a subtle blend of the old with the new to which were added a magnificent 14 metre swimming pool, a bright and spacious artists studio and living room extension ablaze with natural light and creature comforts.
The perimeter stone walls on all sides contain the privacy and security of the mature garden. In summer it becomes a haven for bathers serenaded by the cicadas, then its cocktails on the terrace, perhaps a game of Boules on the shaded driveway, before the serious business of another al fresco meal under the gazebo.
The celebrated hill village of Fayence lies directly across open fields with its markets, restaurants, cafes and summer festivals. The idyll of the famous French Riviera continues and this very special property is currently for sale.
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14/08/2009 |
FRENCH ECONOMY OUT OF RECESSION
France and Germany have become the first of the major G7 powers to emerge from the Great Recession of 2008-2009, surprising markets and economists with growth of 0.3pc in the second quarter. This is in contrast to the situation in Britain and the US which have seen falls in second-quarter GDP.
Early days yes, but very encouraging news!
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27/07/2009 |
Our view on the current French property market
It is a subject on which we are quizzed several times a day in the agency, so we thought we would share our views with you here! Unless you have been living on Mars for the last 12 months, you will have experienced the global crash in both the financial and property markets.
Contrary to some reports from over optimistic agents, France did not escape unharmed. However, they were significantly better prepared for it. Property in the south of France has never experienced the huge boom/bust culture that is so talked about elsewhere. It has historically enjoyed a very steady increase in capital growth. The French have also had a relatively low percentage of property ownership, with very strict bank lending criteria (being able to borrow more than 80% of the value of a property was inheard of, unlike in the UK). Therefore, when the crisis hit, the French have not suffered as badly as many of its European neighbours.
Absolutely, there are fewer buyers around, but in fact, properties are not being valued any less than they were 6 months ago. The only difference is that, when a buyer is interested, vendors are generally willing to negotiate more, as they are unsure as to when the next buyer will come through their door.
2009 had a slow start, but since April, we have been inundated with clients, and are now back to similar numbers of clients as July 2008. The comments we are hearing from our buyers are
"Life goes on"
"Our confidence was shattered for a few months, but we now realise that the world is not going to end!"
"How long were we going to leave it before we stopped listening to the UK media and followed our dreams?"
"France is still where I want to be, Fayence is still where I want to be, I may have slightly less money to play with, but that just means a slightly smaller house - it will not mean completely changing my plans!"
For the future, we do not anticipate falls in the property market here in Provence, Alpes, Cote d'Azur, as it is a uniquely attractive area. Development is limited which means property for sale is limited, which in turn means demand is always strong. Despite the blip over the winter/spring of 2008/2009, Provence and the Cote d'Azur remain one of the world's most popular destinations, and the property and holiday market will continue to flourish.
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13/07/2009 |
The Fayence Antiquarian Fair is here again from the 11th-19th July
This hugely popular event is in the grounds of an old Provencal Bastide in the medieval hilltop village of Fayence attracting people from far and wide including Paris, Italy, Monaco and beyond to visit.
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08/07/2009 |
Tour de France party comes to Fayence
On Sunday the 5th July the Tour de France party came to Fayence and what a day it was too! People were lining the streets from early in the morning and securing the best vantage points. Great atmosphere, great support (especially for Lance Armstrong) and a real treat to see these top class athletes at work. |
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02/07/2009 |
Tour de France is nearly upon us in Fayence!
On Sunday the 5th July the Tour de France sets off from Monaco and the cyclists will pedal across the French Riviera. They'll zoom from Monaco to Cagnes-sur-Mer to Grasse, then through the beautiful perched village of Fayence where our office is located.
It really is a privilege to have the Tour coming through your town or village and Fayence is buzzing with excitement. Hedges have been cut, some of the roads re-laid and people have already decided on where is the best place to watch the race from. It will be an early start to get to the best vantage points as this is a huge event- picnic baskets will be full and the rose chilled as we get ready for one of the most famous sporting events in the world!
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24/06/2009 |
French Property News- Nat West poll of Expats
France has been polled the top European destination in a new quality of life index for expats, beating countries such as Portugal & Spain.
For those who have bought a French property as a home to live in were among the happiest with their new lifestyle in a recent poll by Nat West. The survey was based on factors such as cost of living and health.
Only the far-flung destinations of New Zealand, Canada and Australia came ahead, meaning France is the number one for those who wish to stay in Europe and have easy access to and from the UK.
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18/06/2009 |
Property in France- Wealth Tax exemption for Expats
Anyone who now relocates to France will be relieved from liability to French wealth tax (Impôt sur la solidarité fortune – ISF) for five years. The change has been made in to alter the image of France as a high tax country.
The change is backdated to anyone who has relocated to France since 6th August 2008 and it will apply to the 31st December of the fifth year you relocate to France. Unfortunately it doesn’t apply to expats who were resident in France before 6th August 2008.
The tax is payable if you have net assets greater than 790 000 euros and the exemption only applies to assets held outside of France, those assets in France will still be liable to tax. |
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12/06/2009 |
Provence and the Côte d'Azur - Increase in tourism expected.
Here in Provence Var and the Côte d'Azur, we expect this year to see a rise in the number of tourists visiting the area, despite the global economic down turn. If Easter weekend, the recent half term holidays and the first half of June are any indication it is going to be a busy and exciting summer season. What does this mean for anyone thinking of buying a property in Provence Var or on the Côte d'Azur? Well, if you are considering renting out your property to earn an income, you can be re-assured that you have an excellent chance of being able to do so in an area where this is a highly lucrative market.
Have a look at references 1100122, 1100073 & 1100003. All stunning properties in the Provencal countryside, a great place to spend your holidays!
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06/06/2009 |
OECD "Society at a Glance" report for 2009
Thinking of buying a property in France, thinking of moving to France full time? Read on as the OECD (ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT) report of 2009 has provided some great findings that make this a wonderful country to live and work in:
-In France over 2 hours a day is spent eating and 8-5 hours sleeping, more than any other country in the OECD
-French women have a life expectancy of 84.4 years and live on average longer than anyone else in the OECD, other than the Japanese.
-French men have the third highest life expectancy and live on average to 77.3 years, just two years less than Swiss and Icelandic men.
Interesting reading, so if you want to eat and sleep for longer and until a ripe old age, give us a call to discuss buying a property in France and we will do the rest.
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30/05/2009 |
Tour de France comes to Fayence!
The first leg of the Tour de France is coming through Fayence. This is causing a frenzy of excitement around the villages of Provence and the Cote d'Azur! On Sunday 5th July, the cyclists leave Monaco and will pedal across the French Riviera preferring the rolling hills to the coastal road.
They'll zoom from Monaco to Cagnes-sur-Mer to Grasse, then through the beautiful perched village of Fayence (where our office is located!) to Draguignan then through the vineyards around Lorgues to end the first day in Brignoles.
The Monaco-Brignoles leg will stretch for 182 km through an area that makes for a fine tour of the Riviera's backcountry. But at about 40 km/hour on average (2008 winner average = 40.50 km/hr), competitors won't see much other than blurred countryside. But spectators will be sure to enjoy lots of folks out in the streets and plenty of local cheer in restaurants and bars.
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13/05/2009 |
French Property Market- Reasons to be optimistic.
There is no doubt that France as a whole and the French Property Market was less affected than the UK & USA by the global economic downturn, but affected it has been. Sales of property in Provence Var and the Côte d’Azur are significantly down on previous years. However, there are now signs of genuine optimism.
They come from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), who have suggested all may not be quite so bad in some countries. Economic indicators, including trade figures, order books, employment data and production levels, suggest "tentative signs of, at least, a pause in the economic slowdown" in France, along with Italy and the UK.
In addition, one very high profile Frenchman has indicated that the French economy will not reduce by as much as previously predicted. Jean-Claude Trichet, the president of the European Central Bank, said there was a "slowing down in the decrease in GDP
Of course there is still along way to go, but the signs are there, so let’s be positive! So, for anyone thinking of buying a French property now is a good time to really start looking (again) and “steal a march” on other potential buyers in the market. As an estate agent covering Provence Var and the Côte d’Azur there are lots of great properties around at very good prices. Please give us a call to discuss any of our properties or the property market in general.
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07/05/2009 |
The Fayence Antiquarian Fair Returns
In Fayence we are lucky to have one of the most popular and unmissable antique fairs in France. They are internationally renowned and take place five times a year in the grounds of an old Provencal Bastide in the medieval hilltop village of Fayence and are hugely popular with people travelling from Paris, Italy, Monaco and beyond to visit.
With many antiquary shows in Provence it has to be said that the Fayence Antiquarian Fair is amongst the most appreciated. The current fair is on until the 11 May so it is not too late to visit. The next one will be in July.
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24/04/2009 |
France one of the most popular destinations- Expedia
One consideration when looking to buy a French property is access. Here in Provence Var, our office is located in the medieval hilltop village of Fayence. Fayence is only 45 minutes from Nice Cote d’Azur airport, 1 hour from Toulon St Tropez airport and 1 hour 30 minutes from Marseille airport.
Travel firm Expedia reveals that the majority of popular locations are close to the UK, something that may benefit investors in holiday rental property in locations such as France. The reason being is that people tend to favour shorter distance trips overseas, particularly during a recession as a way of ensuring they can still enjoy holidays.
Nice airport welcomes approximately 35 flights from numerous airlines daily from the UK & Ireland and is the largest French airport outside Paris with flights leaving Nice for 97 destinations worldwide. This in itself is a real bonus if you are looking to tap in to the lucrative holiday rental market, which is truly international!
It really does give you peace of mind that when you find your property in Provence Var, you and any clients looking to rent your property will always have a choice of airlines on how to get there. What a selling point that is!
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20/04/2009 |
Property in the South of France as popular as ever!
The South of France is currently the SECOND most popular place to buy a holiday home in the world...!
Just being pipped to the winning post by Verbier in Switzerland, the South of France has been found in a report by Newsweek to be the second most sought after place to buy a property and bag a bargain in the economic down turn.
Historically considered to be the beyond the reach of the ordinary buyer, it is no longer!!! The Russians who bought up a lot of the mega properties on the beach are having to sell, and fast! This is pushing down towards the rest of the market to wake up and accept lower offers than ever before. There are more properties coming on to the market than we have seen in a very long time, and there are some great deals to be had, which is great news for buyers.
The Top Ten reads as follows:
1. Verbier, Switzerland
2. South of France.
3. Balearics, Spain.
4. Tuscany, Italy.
5. Marbella, Spain.
6. Algarve, Portugal.
7. Barbados.
8. Sarrasota, Florida.
9. Marrakech, Morocco
10. Mauritius & Seychelles.
Give us a call, before you’re pipped at the post…. We are certain that an opportunity to buy like this will not come around again for a lifetime. |
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17/04/2009 |
French property market: Are you a British Seller returning to the UK with euros?
As the French property market comes to terms with the global economic downturn, even the much loved and endlessly popular Provence/Côte d’Azur region has suffered from a lack of available buyers in the last 6 months. Vendors now have to work much harder to attract fewer buyers. Not to mention a general lack of confidence in the global markets and the dwindling value of the pound versus the world's currencies......
However, in every set of market conditions there are always advantages to be found. British vendors, who will sell their French properties and then plan to return to the UK, have discovered themselves holding a very real "ace" card in the fight to attract a buyer. Whilst a traditional non UK seller can only realistically drop the price of his property in line with market values, a British vendor who intends to repatriate his or her money back to the UK in sterling could be seeing a real gain of up to 50% in value and has a major advantage!
Example: Mr and Mrs UK Seller bought their French property in 2007 for 500,000 euros. When they purchased their currency on completion, the exchange rate was at 1.46 euros to the pound, meaning their property cost them around 342,000 pounds. Even taking into account the growth in property values since they purchased 2 years ago, they now find themselves in a slower market as a result of falling demand and a real risk of lower prices. If they were to sell today at the same price at which they purchased their property, based on today's euro sterling exchange rate of 1.08, they would gain, purely on the value of the weaker pound, by more than 120,000 pounds. Furthermore, in order to secure a buyer, they could even potentially drop their selling price down as low as 369,000 euros and still walk away with the same amount of sterling as they started with!!
Because of this situation, many British vendors are putting themselves in a very strong position in the market by dropping their prices aggressively to make their own properties stand out from the crowd. Those that are not adopting this strategy immediately are still going to be much more inclined to accept a stronger negotiation on their price for the same reasons.
We are not suggesting that anyone would buy a property simply because it could be bought below the market value. Purchasers should always aim to find the best property to suit their requirements at the best possible price. This does mean however, that many cautious buyers are now coming back into the market, tempted by this unique situation.
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10/04/2009 |
Big reduction on a property with views of St Tropez and the Mediterranean
Living and working in Provence Var and running our own French estate agency it allows us to really keep our ear to the ground. So when a particular property on our portfolio is reduced by the vendors to an absolutely cracking price, we feel compelled to write about it.
Take a look at reference 1100073 which is one such property. Not only is it a perfect holiday or full time home but it also has great potential for the lucrative holiday rental market. Located in a quiet and highly sought after area, within easy reach of the stunning Provencal village of Plan de la Tour. For a taste of glamour and the beach, Ste Maxime is 15 minutes away and St Tropez is 30 minutes away.
The property itself has 4 bedrooms, a lovely terrace, large garden, large swimming pool and views over the bay of St Tropez. It is ready to move into and has been finished to a high standard. This will not be on the market for long at this price, so do not waste any time, get in contact to come and see us here in Provence Var. You will not be disappointed!
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27/03/2009 |
News: Canton de Fayence- The holiday rental market goes from strength to strength in Provence Var.
Spring is well and truly in the air, summer is just around the corner and the sun is streaming from dawn to dusk- it is clear to us the property rental market in Provence Var is booming. And what better place to spend your holidays! It is 45 minutes from Fayence to Nice airport, stunning Provencal villages and the Cote d’Azur coastline.
Do you fancy tapping into the highly lucrative rental market? Well, buying a property in Provence Var means that you can. Have a look at references 1100046 & 1100048. These villas are located in the Canton de Fayence and Cotignac areas, both are ready to move in to and have fantastic views. Perfect for your family holidays, and why not earn some extra income when you are not there?
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