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| Throughout
the 1990s, as a financial adviser, living within the commuter belt of
Hampshire and working around the M25, Peter Elias became disillusioned
with his 'run of the mill' UK lifestyle. With the help and support of his partner Bridget, they took the plunge in 2000 and embarked upon a house search in France, culminating with the exchange of their neo-Georgian four-bed-roomed house in Fleet for a former friary in the Deux-Sèvres. Their lifestyle has changed radically, with a marked improvement in their quality of life in general. "We love France, the food, the wine, the weather, and' the people have been fantastic," they enthuse. Peter has exchanged his former commute around the M25 to Kent and Sussex, for a rather different journey using the flights between Poitiers and Stanstead on a regular basis to continue his work as a financial adviser. Additionally, as a consequence of the lack of quality information given when they made their move, Peter and Bridget have set up Allez Français, a business that caters for relocation needs. "When we moved, nobody offered good help or advice and we were left to do our own thing. Fortunately, I made a lot of effort reading up on different subjects and so made sound decisions. But the amount of contradictory advice is quite alarming," says Peter. "By using Allez Français, our clients will be able to tap into expertise across a wide range of services using 'approved' business partners specialising in French property matters. Many of the services are provided at no direct cost to the customer." "Our research shows that most buyers arrange the exchange of their own currency for their purchase using their high street bank. |
From Hampshire to Deux-Sèvres Moving to France turned out to be a smart move for Peter Elias and his partner Bridget. They now run Allez Français, a company that helps other British people move to France |
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| Having perhaps negotiated a reduction
in the selling price of the house, they then lose that gain by failing
to secure the best currency deal. We use a specialist currency house (Foreign
Currency Direct), to arrange immediate or forward transactions. "Most people rely totally upon their notaire (who may or may not speak English). We prefer to recommend English-speaking notaires, who can explain the major issues in English, backed by a Title Insurance policy, avail- able for a nominal cost of around £150. |
"We can also arrange a series of
policies to cover buildings, contents, motor and other insur- ances -
importantly, with English wordings." During their own house hunting visits to France, Bridget and Peter drove many miles (averaging 3,000 miles a week). They now offer a property search facility available for clients look- ing in the Poitou-Charentess region. Because France is such a vast country you can end up spending a day in the car to view four or five houses. |
This is physically and mentally
tiring, and memories can become mixed and blurred. Peter and Bridget aim
to maximise the time clients spend viewing property rather than driving
in search of it. They say they have also tried to build into their service added extras like contact points for services that may be required after arrival, such as a translation service. They also aim to build a detailed bank of service providers - ranging from builders and plumbers to TV installation providers, using client feedback. Bridget has not returned to the UK since leaving in March 2001, but will assist'Peter with the Allez Français stand at Olympia. She says that her enjoyment of the French lifestyle continues to grow. Allez Français has bases both in the UK and France and has invested in a managed website that is subject to constant improvement and modification. Properties handled by Allez Français range from small houses to chateaux. As Peter says: "For the price of a studio apartment in London you could have your very own chateau in Poitou-Charentess. In fact, he currently has a choice of a traditional old-style chateau or a modern 20th century version. The older chateau is located in parkland grounds of 1,600m² and has eight bedrooms, four of which are located in turrets. Other features include superb salons, a games room and a 35m² kitchen. There is also a 50m² cellar - all for €274,408. The 20th-century alternative comes with 3.8 hectares of land, a magnificent entrance hall, large main reception rooms (40m² and 65m²) featuring stone fireplaces, three bedrooms and a modern kitchen. It was built in 1980, and is available for €297,275. |
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 Above: Traditional old chateau with eight bedrooms, four of which are located in turrets. There are also superb salons and a large cellar. Below: This three-bedroomed, 20th century alternative has large main rooms and a modern kitchen. 
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