Issue #3: An apartment with Eiffel Tower views, a thatched cottage by the beach and a Provence farmhouse with an olive grove
Still no Prime Minister, but who cares... c'est la rentrée !
Bonjour !
C’est la rentrée, the return to life after les vacances (vacation). We’ve spent the weekend cleaning, vacuuming, doing laundry and preparing for the year ahead. And that’s really how it feels. September, not January, is the beginning of the year in France. Kids go back to school. Adults go back to work. Restaurants re-open. New books are published. Radio and TV shows come back on air. It’s a return to daily life and the energy is at an all-time high.
And with that, we’re excited to share a roundup of French news and culture tidbits with you today. We also have some great listings to share, including a cottage by the beach, a Paris apartment with an iconic view and a stone farmhouse that needs some love.
We wish you all a happy rentrée and we’ll see you next week.
In case you missed our first issue, welcome to A Life In France. Every week we bring you tidbits of life in France (culture, news and recs), French property listings and real estate tips. Be sure to subscribe to get our free posts.
President Macron’s team has said he won’t make an announcement tomorrow about the Prime Minister nomination because he doesn’t want to disrupt la rentrée. That’s how sacred it is. And in case you have any Sunday Scaries, at least you’re not President Macron. Tomorrow he has four key meetings: two with former presidents (Sarkozy and Hollande) and two with PM candidates (Cazeneuve and Bertrand) to discuss the nomination. Quite the Monday agenda.
The Paralympics started this past week in Paris and run through September 8th. The Opening Ceremony did not disappoint, with a standout performance by Christine and the Queens for a rendition of Edith Piaf’s song Non, je ne regrette rien. Is anyone else still thinking about that red suit? And bravo to Ugo Didier for taking home France’s first gold medal for the 400m in para-swimming.
Speaking of red suits, Tomato Girl, a nod to Italian 70’s dolce vita style, is officially the style of la rentrée, according to Vogue France.
While we’re on the subject of fashion, Anne-Laure Mais, Founder of French label Musier, shared a tour of her holiday rental renovation in the middle of a pine forest between Bordeaux and the bay of Arcachon. The decor is a bit all over the place, but those high ceilings and giant windows are redemptive. In case you’re curious what her Bordeaux city abode looks like, there’s a tour of that as well.
Hollywood, including Paris transplant Natalie Portman, will descend on Deauville next week as the American Film Festival begins. This usually means lots of great celebrity sightings as they come through Paris, though no self respecting French person would ever admit to being starstruck.
And on the subject of stars, Les Deux Magots, one of Paris’ most famous café littéraire (literary cafes) and artist haunts, is celebrating its 140th anniversaire (birthday). To mark the occasion they’ve opened a new restaurant concept, Comptoirs (Counters), as well as a retrospective of the last 140 years of cultural history. Mmm, you can almost taste the tarte tatin.
A traditional thatched 3br tudor cottage in Deauville with a sweet garden and views, less than a mile from the beach.
Price: 892,500 EUR
Agency Listing
A 1br apartment (that can be made into a 2br) in the 15th arrondisement of Paris with a view so iconic they didn’t bother staging.
Price: 990,000 EUR
Agency Listing
If you can look past the Vegas style furnishings, you’ll see what’s there: old world charm, beautiful balcony views, fantastic location. A gem 2br apartment in Bordeaux that just needs to be polished.
Price: 798,000 EUR
Agency Listing
A traditional stone farmhouse in Provence that is begging for a renovation, someone to tend to the 130-tree olive grove and less pixelated listing photos (c’mon Vincent!)
Price: 890,000 EUR
Agency Listing
Note: We aren’t real estate agents and don’t take a commission on any listings - we simply curate listings because we love French real estate. If you are interested in more information about one of these properties, you can reach out directly to the agency and let them know you saw it here. When English versions of the listings were available, we’ve linked them above.
Our astuce de la semaine (tip of the week) is about property tax in France. There are two main types of property tax paid annually in the fall.
Taxe d’habitation (Residence tax): This is a form of property tax based on residency. Whoever occupies a property on January 1st of that year is required to pay this tax. As of 2023, this tax has been phased out for most homes.
Taxe foncière (Ownership tax): This is a form of property tax based on ownership. Whoever owns the property on January 1st of that year is required to pay this tax, whether they are living in the property or renting it out to a tenant. Many areas with housing shortages, called zones tendues (tense zones), are increasing this tax on second homes. However, there are reductions, exemptions and rebates to be aware of, including relief for those over 65.
In case you missed it, this past week we shared our guide to renting in France when you don’t have French paystubs. We covered what French landlords look for in tenants and how to put together a dossier that will help you secure a lease even if you don’t have a French job.
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