Clé France

Dear Sharon & Cle France.

I am writing to tell you the experience we have had purchasing a French property with Cle France.

We are an English couple living in the UK and after searching for many months on various web sites, we found a very nice fishing lake with a cabin on the Cle France site.

We engaged with Cle France to arrange a viewing, advice on money transfers, legal help and as we have little spoken French, a local agent who speaks English and French to meet the seller and us at the property in France.

The process was a very good and the experience with Cle France very easy. Cle France have UK agents and are very experienced in the purchasing process.

After meeting the agent in France with the vendor and viewing the property, we were pleased to be able to make an offer. Cle France handled all the process via email (our preference) and then on telephone calls for confirmation. The price was agreed and we travelled to France for the official transfer of the deeds.

The Cle France agent was there at the signing with the Notarie to make the process as easy as possible.

In summary - Cle France are a very good company to work with, they assist at all stages of the purchase process and help to make the transition a pleasant and stress free time.

Thank you very much,

Simon & Jenny Henman.

Buying a Chateau, Manor House, Farmhouse, Cottage, Holiday Home, Lake or just a Plot of land in France is easy with Cle France, You can do the same, it is easy for you because WE guide YOU through the French Property Buying Process from the very start to completion and beyond!

And as several of our clients say "Follow your heart and make the move"!

First and foremost thank you for the time spent in showing us properties last week, your very courteous attention to our needs was appreciated, we enjoyed visiting the properties you shared with us and have come away with a very positive impression, not only of the area but in in the service you have provided.

I will keep you updated on how our overall trip to Limousin has gone and what our next move intends to be, but sooner than later we feel that we will be living here and enjoying a life style which is proving to be in agreement with our desires.

Thank you again for doing your part to help us come to a decision.

In appreciation.

All the best, John & Ingrid.

Buying a House in France is easy with Cle France, You can do the same, it is easy for you because WE guide YOU through the French Property Buying Process from the very start to completion and beyond!

And as several of our clients say "Follow your heart and make the move"!

French Question: Why is it “Le Novel An” and not “Le Nouveau An”?

We wish all of our readers a happy and healthy 2018.

Talking about the new year in French can be especially difficult. This is because there are two words that mean “year”–an (m) and année (f), and because both of these words start with a vowel, which can change the word that comes before it.

What’s the difference between an and année?  Besides the fact that an is masculine and année is feminine, an describes a particular moment during the year while année describes a span of time (this is similar to the pairs soir and soirée).

Thus, you would say: C’est le jour du nouvel an (It’s New Year’s Day) using an instead of année because you are referencing a particular moment of time during the year (New Year’s Day).

If, however, you would like to wish someone a happy new year, this is over a span of time, which lasts for the entire year. That’s why you use année in the expression “Happy New Year” or bonne année.

But there’s another trick when referencing the new year, or le nouvel an, in French. Because an is masculine, the adjective typically used with it should be nouveau. However, in French, an adjective cannot end with a vowel if the following noun also begins with a vowel (for reason of pronunciation or liaison).

Thus, there is always a masculine form of a word that can be used only in front of masculine nouns that start with vowels. In this case, that would be nouvel. Nouvel is pronounced just like the feminine form nouvelle, so don’t get confused if you hear someone say le nouvel an–this doesn’t mean that an is feminine. (You can also think about the difference between the demonstrative adjectives ce (masculine), cette (feminine), and cet (masculine before a masculine noun that begins with a vowel).

Alors, je vous souhaite tous une bonne année et j’espère que vous avez passé un bon nouvel an avec votre famille!

Bonne année! Happy New Year!

Blog submitted by: Alex at The French Property Network - Cle France.

This blog was originally posted on The French Language Blog pages.

Bonne Année à vous tous !

So what about some 'learning French' New Year's resolutions?

Une Bonne résolution de nouvel an...

Resolution 1: set learning French as a priority.

Fit it in between work, school, family, friends etc. we are all busy, all the time, these days and it can seem impossible to squeeze anything else in. But there are a number of easy ways to fit more French into your life so why not find someone else who wants to learn as well and start a conversation.

Resolution 2: Don't be shy.

Many French learners hesitate to use their French because it's not perfect, don't be one of them - keep practicing, mistakes and all and you will improve.

Resolution 3: Practice French every day.

The more time you spend practicing French, the more quickly you will learn and the better you will become, even if it's just by learning a word a day.

Resolution 4: Read in French.

Read the French news (online or off), read a magazine, a blog, a book, - try to read something in French at least once a week.

Resolution 5: Listen to French.

You don't have to go to France to listen to French - there are all kinds of opportunities on on the internet.

Resolution 6: Join a club or society.

Classes, meetings, internet learning, French movies & DVDs and other opportunities for more French practice are just around the corner, if you look.

Resolution 7: Watch French movies, TV & DVDs.

Make an effort to watch French TV once in a while, you can from the UK with SKY and other TV suppliers. French departments of local colleges sometimes put on plays, and independent cinemas are usually good for a French movie now and then. Join the local library who nearly always have a foreign film section.

Resolution 8: Get rid of mistakes.

If you're like me, there are some mistakes that you make over and over. Resolve to get rid of at least one a week, with regular practice and self-correction.

Resolution 9: Have fun.

French learning doesn't have to be boring - play French scrabble, read comics, listen to music.

Resolution 10: Plan a trip.

Why not put your French to the test? A visit to France on a viewing trip with us may be in order this year - Contact Cle France to set up your viewing trip.

Blog submitted by: Alex at The French Property Network - Cle France.

Le réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre (New Year’s Eve)

The New Year (le nouvel an) is fast approaching. After a less than stellar 2017, I for one will be saying vive 2018! 

In France, as elsewhere, New Year’s Eve (called le réveillon du jour de l’an) is typically celebrated with friends. It’s common to celebrate the new year with champagne and fireworks. But did you know that, unlike in English, New Year’s Eve also has a different name?

In French, New Year’s Eve is also known as le réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre.

But who was Saint Sylvester?

Saint Sylvester was Pope (Pape) from 314 to 335 AD. Not much is known about his life, although the church grew in power during his tenure, erecting such monuments as Santa Croce in Jerusalem and the old Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.

Most of our common knowledge about Saint Sylvester is through unverified (and potentially fictional) stories about his relationship with the Emperor Constantine. One fictitious story stated that, upon administering blessed water, Sylvester cured Constantine of leprosy. Supposedly, it was Sylvester’s miracle that influenced Constantine to convert to Christianity.

The Feast of Saint Sylvester is celebrated around the world on December 31, because this was the day he died in 335. Today, many countries around the world, and not just France, refer to New Year’s Eve as Silvester, or a similar name in tribute of the ancient pope. For example, in Germany, Christian households traditionally celebrate Saint Sylvester’s Day by melting Silvesterblei (Silvester lead) in a spoon and dropping it into cold water, then divining the year ahead based on the shape of the cooled metal. In Switzerland, men dress as Silvesterklaus and ring large bells to welcome in the new year. 

In France, la Saint Sylvestre is celebrated with friends, good food, champagne, and firecrackers or noisemakers. But there is one more tradition that is often reserved for this special day: le baiser sous le gui (kissing under the mistletoe). Unlike in some Anglophone cultures, where kissing under the mistletoe is a Christmas tradition, this ancient ritual is reserved for la Saint-Sylvestre in France. 

Bonne année!

Blog submitted by: David at The French Property Network - Cle France.