background preloader

Property in France & Italy

Facebook Twitter

Uzes Accordion & Folk Music Festival. OK, so we didn’t actually witness too many accordions being brandished, but this free outdoor music festival was still great fun.

Uzes Accordion & Folk Music Festival

La Fete Accordion du Plein Pot was held in the village of San Quentin la Poterie (no Johnny Cash tribute acts in sight, but we did learn about the particularly nasal preferred local pronunciation of San Can-tanne!) , over the last weekend of May, just a few minutes drive from our Uzes holiday home on Rue St Etienne. It seemed to be held under a road bridge and saw a number of bands playing a spirited melange of Irish, Scottish and American folk and uptempo rootsy music, with a few Creole and Gallic touches throw in for good measure. A few hundred people came along and it was lovely to see the enthusiasm with which people danced, sometimes locking arms barn dance style, other times pogoing and jiving where they stood. Provence Music Events for the Diary This Fete de la Accordion Plein Air is held over three nights every May. Exploring France by Train, Bus & Car: Public Transport in Provence.

Lisa has been a co-owner in International Property Shares’ Le Muguet “castle” in Vers-Pont-du-Gard (or simply Vers) since 2010.

Exploring France by Train, Bus & Car: Public Transport in Provence

She travels alone and with family or friends. Here, Lisa shares her thoughts on enjoying Europe without a car and using public transport in Provence. Public transit is romantic. 4 Free Language Learning Websites to get you talking. So you’ve just returned from your trip to Europe, perhaps you’ve enjoyed the luxury of staying in one of our affordable holiday homes, and you’re keen to keep your language learning going…. but it’s summer and maybe your local university or language school doesn’t re-start classes until the fall.

4 Free Language Learning Websites to get you talking

When you’re still learning the basics of a language just a few months off can leave you feeling a little rusty. It’s all too easy to lose momentum when you no longer have the structure of regular classes, exercises and everyday exposure to the language. But the fact is it’s never been easier to keep your linguistic muscles in shape, thanks to a number of free websites and services to top up your learning any time you like.

Duolingo This free smartphone App and website is an absolute godsend for anyone who wants do little spurts of quickfire language practice every day. You start each round with three lives, losing a life every time you get a wrong answer. What is a Fractional Property anyway? What is a Fractional Property?

What is a Fractional Property anyway?

When we first tell people about our business here at International Property Shares they often exclaim, “Oh you mean it’s a timeshare?” That very statement reinforces the most common misconception – that fractional ownership is a timeshare by another name. We thought we should straighten things out so it’s clear because while fractional ownership is a trend gaining ground around the world, no one seems to be able to explain just what it is and is not – and why it’s not really much like a timeshare. Although each type of arrangement offers people the right to use a vacation property, the distinctions are many and misunderstood. So here is our response to the “What, why, who and how is it different?” Long Distance Home Decor. The Challenges of Decorating a Home 3000 Miles Away About 15 years ago, a friend and I met in Bordeaux to spend a couple of weeks shopping for antiques and basic necessities for a shared ownership home in France.

Long Distance Home Decor

We had no idea what we were doing but we learned fast. Our motto became “We brake for brocantes!” (a kind of less expensive antique shop in France). To our delight, things were cheap with the dollar at a 20% premium to the franc. Fifteen years later, the rules have changed a bit and I still find myself wondering if I have any idea how to best do my home furnishing projects for IPS. “I love this but gosh, it’s hard. To begin with I made this list: Things to See & Do in Tetbury. Enjoy the ultimate holiday in the heart of England’s peaceful rolling countryside known as the Cotswolds (since Shakespeare named it in Richard II).

Things to See & Do in Tetbury

Its boundaries spill over six counties, though the majority lies in Gloucestershire. What is a Fractional Property anyway? French flea markets - garage sale heaven! - International Property Shares. From fine fabric to china and demi-lune tables, France is garage sale heaven!

French flea markets - garage sale heaven! - International Property Shares

French Flea Markets Back home in the States we have garage sales. When hunting for cool furniture finds in France, you should head straight to the many flea markets, which present no shortage of quirky items and bargains to deck your new holiday home out with. It AMAZES me what Dan, Francesco and Arcadio have managed to orchestrate in merely three weeks at our house in Vers Pont du Gard. It takes a certain personality to see, feel, hear, and sense what changes need to happen in an architectural gem like le Muguet and THEN to pull it off. Wow… I believe one of the tricks is to have a super organized spirit (not me!) I am 100% content to just sing in the choir and let the maestros direct. “I love getting your updates, dead tired that you are.

Comments from Dan on 4/5 about his flea market purchases: “We have made more WONDERFUL purchases for you at flea markets. Slowly filling up your book shelves. Asparagus Festival Uzes - Vers Pont du Gard - International Property Shares. Asparagus Festival in Uzès, Vers Pont du Gard Does it sometimes sound like I’m “ga -ga” over life in France?

Asparagus Festival Uzes - Vers Pont du Gard - International Property Shares

It’s true. In so many small ways, undoubtedly taken for granted by the natives, la vie quotedienne (daily life) in the south of France, has an irresistible pull on my heart strings. Take, for instance, the asparagus festival (or La Fête des Asperges) that is held in Vers Pont du Gard every year in April. Dan mentioned that the local planners had set up a table and chairs in the center of the petanque square, laden with food and drink. Day festival about to unroll. These simple and simply delicious events are a feature of nearly every small village in rural France. Those of us who own a share of fractional holiday homes in Quarante, France, can recall the lively running of the bulls each May.

International Property Shares - Canandaigua - Immobilier, Agence de voyage. Fractional Ownership - International Property Shares. What is fractional ownership?

Fractional Ownership - International Property Shares

Fractional ownership offers you the smartest way to buy partial ownership of your ideal holiday home. At a fraction of the cost of owning a holiday home outright, fractional ownership enables you to maximize the size, location, and quality of your property investment while minimizing the investment. I believe that houses really do “speak to you” and it’s essential to wait until you find a property which makes your heart “sing” before purchasing it. This approach must work, as time and again my clients say “This house is SO much neater than what we saw online!” Investment Property. Impressions of an American chef in France. Impressions of an American chef in France In this post we’re delighted to share the observations of one of our shared property owners, Jim Lesser, a chef from Westchester County, NY.

Impressions of an American chef in France

Jim ran Les Garçons, a small bistro style restaurant near Columbus, Ohio, serving a mix of American Regional and Mediterranean cuisines. What is a lifestyle property? "Urban Pedestrianism" is the latest high-concept in healthy living. Homes that live next to the Lake Hollywood Reservoir in Los Angeles are increasingly considered lifestyle properties. In the Land Of The Car, being in such close proximity to a popular walking and running spot is considered highly desirable.

Imagine waking up early each morning and stepping into your "backyard" and hopping into your rowboat for a quick workout on the sea water? On the Property Trail from Umbria to Provence - International Property Shares. On the road again Me voici (here I am) back on welcoming Languedoc soil and wonderfully settled into le Muguet in Vers Pont du Gard, our property share on the Languedoc/Provence border.

Admittedly the 9 hour drive from Casa Leone was not a picnic, but stops en route to buy a souvenir bottle of Umbrian red, as well as a gas stop in Provence made for two good breaks. I had one moment of absolute fright as I pulled into the rest stop near Marseille for diesel fuel. It takes a bit to figure out which pump to use, where to insert the American Express card etc. When my American Express did not work (very common in Europe with their credit cards with a circular “puce” or thumbprint on them), I reached for my travel bag with passport, change and extra visa cards and… it was missing.

Zut Alhors! I wondered and started searching under coats, cookies, bottles of travel water and so forth- no travel bag! I was feeling pretty low. ” Ok” , I told myself, “Let’s give this one more look”. 1. Umbria real estate - Monteleone Orvieto - International Property Shares. Casa Leone – Monteleone d’Orvieto Take a quick video tour of this stunning Umbrian property. Casa Leone LLC (the House of the Lion) near Orvieto. Casa Leone is perched in a picturesque medieval town near Orvieto. It’s 185 square metres in size and is fully furnished. Monteleone, Italy - International Property Shares.

It all began in Todi, Italy - International Property Shares. It all began in Todi, Italy this past December. My friend and I were shopping for a new fractional ownership property in Italy and coming up seriously short-handed. As we sat in a marvelous enoteka (a petite wine-tasting bar/bistro) in Todi, Umbria, the owner Christina joined us for a spell. Our talk turned to finding a “to die for” affordable place to buy and Christina thought for a minute and said “Signore Bianchini, my landlord, might know of a place.” 8 steps to decide if Shared Holiday Home Ownership is right for you - International Property Shares.

How to decide if Shared Holiday Home Ownership is right for you In 1998 when my husband convinced me to look at properties for sale in the south of France, I thought he was daft. We lived on the west coast of the United States on a 20 acre farm and had 3 children under the age of 6. Granted they were studying at a bi-lingual school in Portland, Oregon, but certainly, I thought, I can’t manage owning a property at this distance. Perhaps you’ve felt the same way? Scouting the Dordogne.