French Property Toolkit

A few years ago I was commissioned to write a book on buying property in France for an English-speaking readership. During my research I found that many of the property buyers I interviewed, whatever their competence in French, found difficulty with some of the terms used in building, gardens, conveyancing, banking and the law. I also found that some new residents often knew very little about the country outside the immediate area in which they had settled. And I found few knew anything about French history, nor about their great cultural and scientific icons. I thought it might be useful if I could think of all the things that might be helpful to these folk, and put it all down in one place. This is the result, and I hope it is helpful.Its first section is called Finance & Officialdom and has French/English /French translations of all the words and phrases you are likely to run into here. The next is called Property & Building and does the same for the house and garden. The third, Places & Transport is about France itself, its regions and departments, and about its infrastructure. The last, People & Events is about its culture, its artists, scientists, great men and historical events.This should be useful as a general reference aid, as well as a help to any one about to settle in that beautiful land