Our Gallic neighbor has not fully escaped the liquidity crisis, but the marketplace for property in France does remain strong. This is essentially due to modest borrowing levels in France, with only a few local householders even having mortgages. Trisha Mason, Director of French property agent VEF, claims : ‘Overall there’s been a decrease in costs of homes in France of only 3 to 5 percent, with the French south still showing gains.’ She adds that, notwithstanding a break in 2008, interest from UK customers has picked up again this year. He explains : ‘There are opportunities out there to buy properties in France at good reductions particularly if you purchase from a British seller, as they are endeavoring to benefit from the strength of the euro.’ Moneycorp, the currency exchange expert, reports that enquiries about France from possible English purchasers essentially rose by over 34 % during 2008. Some gurus are mooting the way the current state of sterling could put some customers off, at the time of going to press, the pound is just 93 p against the EU Dollar.

The French have a tendency to eat a smaller breakfast than their English opposite numbers and have a tendency to have dinner a while later. Joe Warwick, editor of Trattoria Mag which organises the awards, declared : ‘There’s an agreement among folk who know about diners that France is certainly the most powerful country and likely should be top of the list.’ Eating in or out in France Whether you made a decision to head off to a pricey eatery or decide to eat in the environment of your home, when it comes down to mealtimes there are differences between the French and the Brits. All areas of Francehave a version of their own special dish, cheese and wine, making each place you visit that little more exciting. They’re also massive fans of bottled water in spite of tap water typically being fine to drink and though France is a wine-growing country, area folk infrequently drink it all of the time. Concealed behind rows of olive trees and with a red clay faade, it’d be simple to think you had taken a wrong turn. That is if you ever come up with a way to pull yourself away – the fourteen rooms are all stuffed with personality, the gorgeous outside pool is an oasis of calmness, and the hotel even boasts a recently-opened spa.

Within nevertheless, you are treated to furniture and decorations closer linked with 18th-Century France with luxurious beds, antiques and conventional roll-top baths. An excellent way to recharge and experience the amazing sights of Nimes. Also in the cities in the middle of the road is sometimes an enormous ‘tadpole ‘ formed area cross-hatched with white lines, ( in the middle of the junction but no lines across the road ). This is simple to identify in the cities though not so straightforward at eighty or ninety kilometres an hour on a country road. I’m hoping that this info is handy to some of the people out there, and that it helps you to avoid some pointless accidents ( and near coronaries ) as you drive around France.