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About Us
Hello – Thank you for visiting this page.
This is a page about us. We are Carole (40 something), Alexandra (24), Miranda (21), Jack (15), Me (Tony) (65) two dogs, 4 goldfish and a cat with three legs.
We live in Montblanc a village in the South of France, near the town of Pezenas, in the department of Herault and the region of Languedoc
I write in blogs about living here, life and work – you can read these at www.Twiku.com and www.fruk.eu .
We have lived in France for 20 years. We rented for 3 years in a village north of Lyon and spent as much time exploring as we could. We then bought a rambling ruin of medieval masonry in the farming village of Nizas . I was still working on this when we sold in 2004 and moved to our newer (19th century) home in Montblanc, not the big one by Toblerone country, but a village near the Mediterranean south of Pezenas. We chose this house so that our Mothers could come to live with us.
I have done many things, when we moved here from England I was always asked what I did on the official forms (there are a lot of official forms in France). The only paper qualifications I have are in photography so I am officially a “Photographe”. I have worked in the film business and as a freelance photographer for over 30 years. In between I have been involved in computers (since the wire and
valve type in the ’60s) and marketing just about everything everywhere.
In this area for business, the Midi, there is wine and tourism. Apart from this there is sunshine (average
300 days a year), a mild climate, hot summers, the smell of the thyme and wild flowers. A view for over 150 miles on a clear day (no pollution), the cleanest Mediterranean beaches and wine better than
any in the world.
We would like to share our love of this region with you, we sincerely believe this little corner of France
is the best, we chose it after looking for over six years.
You can read some of my thoughts and comments – not all rose tinted – in the newsletter archives at France archives
Do write to us through the contact form and let me know if we can help you
find your little corner of France, for a week or much
longer.
Bonne Chance
Tony Tidswell
I try to write about France and answer any questions on my blog at www.twiku.com
I use a lot of the Web 2 sites and you can see the latest photos of us on Facebook .You can catch me on Twitter join me and my friends there and get the latest news.
7 Responses to About Us
Hello,
I’m currently househunting in the Nimes area.
Would you like to share 1or 2 tips on how to find out who the owner of a property is?
I speak french fluently.
Thanx… btw-great site,great reading!…
Greetings, PhG
Hello Phil,
Privacy and secrecy are French characteristics. The Mairie of the area your are interested in will have all details of the owner.
The first step is to identify the ‘plot’ number on the plan cadastral – this is simple and online at
www.cadastre.gouv.fr
You need the full address, postcode and department (which is in the postcode, the first two numbers)
If the person has a telephone at the address, you can find the name from the French Pages Blanches telephone directory
www.pagesjaunes.fr/trouverunnom/pagesBlanches.do
or for a wider search
www.pagesjaunes.fr/trouverunnom/RecherchePagesBlanches.do
These are publicly available sites
I have a few more tricks I am integrating into a system for finding properties for sale and determining owners, prices and other hidden information which will give the estate agents a big headache
Hope this helps
Tony
Pingback: Finding a home for sale in France
Hi Tony,
After recieving your invitation on Linkedin I decided to Google you to see if I actually knew you as I still can’t get the hang of people I don’t know referring to me as ‘ a trusted friend or colleague’ or even just a ‘friend’. Well, it turns out that I don’t know you but I do love your website! ( I am not so keen on the part where you mention sabotaging the Real Estate Agents as one of your main hobbies ). I am a Property Finder/Consultant and self confessed Real Estate hater myself so I hope I have read between the lines!!!
So…….. I have thrown caution to the wind and accepted your Linkedin invitation!
Kind Regards,
Susie
Corbieres Property Consultants
Our family has been in the Aude for about the same time as yours so I was reading your site with interest. We are Australian ( aaah!! I can hear you saying….)
If you haven’t already visited my site
Hi Susie – I agree – the word “friend” is degraded by most social network sites – I really want just to say “hello, can we exchange ideas and interests” , to people in areas I work in.
I like your attitude to real-estate in France, my personal experience is biased by the underhand tricks and downright dishonesty of many immobilier in the Pezenas area – I am still registered as an agent commercial for agents I do respect, but have back-pedaled on getting further involved, concentrating on rentals and our own properties.
I am now working again to build my websites and part of thsi is offering services for people buying property in France – I hope we can keep in touch and develop opportunities (honorably)
OMG! I am so sorry Tony, I just found your response to my comment. You must think I am really rude. Despite starting life as a graphic arts teacher in Australia, my social networking skills leave a great deal to be desired!!! I have just had the courage to join Facebook and need a manual to work out how to use it. In actual fact it is funny you should mention Pezenas, as this is where my carte blanche is from ( Véronique at CPL Immobilier ) not sure if you know her? Hope she is not one of the characters you mentioned!!!! I did some work with her last year when an Australian client of mine wanted to view some properties around Pezenas. He ended up buying somewhere else but I got along really well with her. I am registered as an auto entrepreneur agent commercial ( ‘formation’ as well as I have taught a lot in France ) but wanted to retain my autonomy for the exact reasons you cited regarding the Real Estate Business. Now I can list until my heart is content and do my own thing completely autonomously and am still legally ablel to have properties on my website.
We have had enough of France and are really hoping to try and head back to Oz before Lucas ( our 13 year old son ) gets too old!!!!
Wishing you and your family best wishes for 2012.
Susie
P.S. Do I have to go back on your site to see your reply? That is the reason I didn’t see the last one and took months to respond.
Hi Susie,
I will reply to your email as well as to this comment.
With all the turmoil in Europe, The Middle East and the USA I can understand your return to Oz – that nice Mr Obama will be building some military bases there soon so you will not feel left out of things
The dollar in Australia is getting stronger, so this is a definite plus and good for us poor euro people as it will attract more tourists to come to see us;
Are you ever over Pezenas way? Do call in and see us
Best wishes and I wish you a Joyful and positive year to come.
Tony