If you buy your home for a great view, a quite neighbourhood or for local services, nice neighbours or low taxes – guess what will happen next !

I read somewhere, “The only thing certain in life is change” (Google says it was Confucius, but he didn’t speak English – please mail me if you know who it was).

France is not a country with a “compensation culture” – the quote “All for one and one for all” comes from Dumas ( I am pretty sure about that) and the Rights Of Man are engraved in stone “literally” in many public places in France.

However, here is a mail exchange I had today ….

Dear Tony,

Just a shot in the dark; short and to the point.

I have a house at La Napoule nr Mandelieu, a very small residence privee.
Last year a development started around our lovely little lake which has now
turned into a huge holiday home, hotel complex which has completely ruined
the location of our homes.

I am not permanently resident and could not prod my French neighbours into
action but do feel we should have some compensation from the development
company for loss of value of our properties.  The French don’t think we
will lose out BUT WE WILL.

Please do you know of any groups who have been successful in cases of this
type. I am sure the developers are laughing as it is obvious that any one
in our situation should have made a stand and claimed.  We have a
management company, Foncia Azur. They did send us a copy photo of the
mock-up which didn’t indicate the full horror of it at all.   Seems they
were warned of it in advance. But, that was the end of their involvement.

Yours sincerely,

Jo

==

Dear Jo,

You have pinpointed a feature of life in France which clearly illustrates some basic cultural differences. I always tell people looking to buy a home in France, “There is only one thing you can do with a great view – and that is to lose it”.

Short and to the point answer – there is no compensation for the loss of a view or the blighting of a property. It is one of the reasons that motorways, railways, a by-pass, a nuclear reactor or a sewage farm can be built with simple planning permission. No committees or appeals – no compensation.

If a resource, building development or any construction is considered “in the public interest” (a cynic may suggest in the local landowners, mayors or investors “interests”) or for the National good – then anyone complaining would be considered as being unpatriotic and against the interests of the people of France.

In your area tourism is very much in the “interests of the people of France” so just about anything which increases tourist revenue is acceptable.

The developer, I assume, has full planning approval for the development and providing the regulations relating to noise are not broken, then I do not believe there is anything you can demand from them.

Your French neighbours may actually be surprised at your thinking that the value of your property will be affected. A home for a French person starts at the inside of their (usually high and impenetrable) front gate and their properties are usually surrounded by dense hedges plus secure wire fences. Being in sight of (and seen from) a motorway is actually considered a good feature by many people.

I do not know of anyone who has claimed for the loss of a resource you are describing. I doubt if the developers considered they were making any difference to the locality or your management company was concerned that owners would be affected or even interested.

However, I will publish this story and ask if any other readers have any experience, insight or success with this sort of planning problem.

Does the complex have a nice restaurant or club facilities you could use, gym, golf, tennis or something which is a positive aspect for this disruption?

Best wishes

Tony

Building in France, coast country france, French, French life, fruk, Investment, life, Personal Blog, Property in France, Property Values, Real Estate

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In Languedoc, my own village of Montblanc, do look at http://www.coast-country-france.com/french-property/2958.html

On the estate agents details in our region, Languedoc, properties are often described as “Maisons de Maitre” or “Maisons Vignerons” – typically both are from the period from the 1840’s to around 1900.

These were properties built from the huge wealth generated by the advent of the railways combined with the industrial development in the North of France. Suddenly it seemed there was an unlimited demand for cheap wine, billions of liters of plonk were transported by rail to the happy workers in the factories – each person in the army and most factory workers had an allowance of 3 liters of wine a day. later at the Citroen factory the delivery drivers received an allowance of five liters a day.

This massive consumption, coupled with a 300 days of sunshine in Languedoc each year, made some previously very poor landowners suddenly very, very rich, much like Boris Yeltsin and the “democratising” of communist Russia.

The 19th century wine “Oligarchs” went on a building spree – the landowners build their Master Houses (Maisons de Maitre) – the wine makers or those with a little land and independent farmers built their Wine Makers Houses (Maisons de Vingnerone).

Thousands of these solid, stone built homes were constructed, using techniques which had been fossilised for centuries. Thick stone walls, roman tiled roofs and vaulting. The modern crafts from the “North” percolated through, cast iron and reinforced concrete – from Morocco Spain and Italy, tiling techniques were adopted – many of the massive oak beams from the ships made and demolished at Agde and Sete plus those remaining from the medieval (even Roman) homes demolished to make way for this building boom were used.

The result is a unique period when magnificent homes were made and many of these are here today. OK , a lot of rubbish was made as well, no planning and bad builders can create horrors, but luckily these have all fallen down.

What is left is a select heritage of wonderful, well proportioned and classic homes which are unique.

However, a word of caution – the cost of renovating one of these masterpieces is much more than building a new luxury villa – from five to fifteen times more expensive in my experience. Only ever consider something which you have good sound advice about (unless you too ar ean oligarch).

Occasionally a home comes onto the market which is not only in perfect condition and has been carefully maintained, but is also a fantastic buy.

Here is a Maison Vingeron which came onto the market this week – At the price of 265000 euro is is a very good buy and in excellent condition, it even has air-con in the barn.http://www.coast-country-france.com/french-property/2958.html

As an added bonus, it is in the same village as me – so you can use my pool before you build your own in the grounds.

coast country france, French life, Personal Blog, Real Estate

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