Finance
Renegotiating your mortgages and loans: a very profitable business
We’ve all heard about the current drop in interest rates, but borrowers aren’t the only ones to reap the benefits. If you’ve already taken…
Read the journal
Tips, guides, and field notes on French property — from our property consultants and partners.
797 published articles
- Finance
The abolition of the French wealth tax might be official in 2011
Wealth tax, also known as the ‘’solidarity tax on fortunes’’ is paid at a rate of 0.6–1.8% on most assets worth more than €790,000,…
- French property
The enchanting world of thatched cottages- from rustic dwelling to bijou property
Thatch has come to symbolise the quintessential image of traditional, rural Normandy, synonymous with cosy half timbered farmhouses,
- French regions
Top 10 destinations for French ski properties
Winter is still holding us in its icy grip, so a skiing holiday may be just what you need! Sextant French Properties suggests a variety of…
- French regions
Welcome to Les Arcs
Known as one of the most sought after ski resort areas in the French Alps, Les Arcs is about to open another busy winter season. It’s been…
- Learning French
British give up on French
With British pupils shunning French, even ‘schoolboy’ French may soon be a thing of the past while UK students will lose out to their…
- Lifestyle
The secret to bridging loan success in France
It’s a familiar story. You’ve put your UK home on the market, keen to make a fresh start in France. You decide to go to France on a…
- Lifestyle
Spill the beans on your favourite French property and win a bottle of Champagne!
A beautiful French country house. You may own one, or dream of owning one, or have marvelled at one from afar. We all have a property in…
- French property
Asbestos in your French Property
Derived from the Greek word for ‘’unquenchable’’, asbestos is a natural material and has been used since 2500 BC in winding sheets, pottery…
- Legal
Discovery of Hidden Defects in a French Property
Let us first set the scene: you have happily purchased a property in France by yourselves but discover after some time spent in the…
- French property
French domestic electrics
Most of the cabling, fittings and methods that are used in the UK are not relevant to or are not the same as the French way of wiring a…
- Living in France
Gordes – The place to be remembered
Gordes is a magnificent hill top town nestled in the heart of the Luberon, which undoubtedly deserves its title as being one of the ‘Most…
- French property
How does the property basket work?
• Register – Firstly, register on the website by clicking ‘Register free today’ found under the heading My Sextant. This is very simple and…
- Living in France
Lead in your French Property
The issue of lead in old properties is a familiar topic to many home owners in Britain, as many of our old, historic buildings are full of…
- Lifestyle
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe- Race weekend!
Summer may be swiftly fading into shorter evenings and rainy days, and thoughts of Glorious Goodwood and Royal Ascot may be little more…
- Living in France
Termites – The enemy within!
Termites are the nemesis of any property owner or perspective buyer as these tiny creatures have the power to reduce a building to a heap…
- Lifestyle
Lower prices for holiday homes in Normandy and Brittany
According to the well know French Magazine Capital, fifteen years ago France counted 2.2 million holiday homes. Nowadays, 3.3 million…
- Lifestyle
French Property developers go green
Major French developers all adopt LEB standards early (Low Energy Building). LEB. For the last couple of months, it has been all the…
- Lifestyle
Invest in a holiday home in the beautiful Languedoc area
With 15 million tourists each year, the Languedoc Roussillon is a beautiful region of southern France. A few years ago, only the Cote…
- Living in France
Discover the world gastronomy in Mougins
Located in the Alpes Maritimes department, Mougins will be the world capital of gastronomy during a week end.
- French property
Four days in the Languedoc-Roussillon by Jim Beattie
Our weekend started early, on Thursday in fact, with a morning flight from London to the compact airport in Beziers. We left the English…
- Finance
Going overseas for a first buy
.According to foreign exchange and international money transfer specialist Moneycorp, prospects are poor for the British real estate…
- Finance
How to open a bank account in France: a few tips
. Keeping your account in the UK while living in France is a possible but rather expensive solution, as banks very often charge for…
- Finance
Reduction of French VAT for renovation works
If you hire a professional for housing renovation works you can benefit, under specific conditions, from a reduced VAT rate of 5.5%,…
