When and why did you form Blackhen Education?
Blackhen Education was started in August 2010. Both my partner Andy and I had been teachers in the UK for 20 years and after moving to France we realised there was a need for English tuition that supported English-speaking children.

Why did you think it would work?
Literally since day one we have had a flood of enquiries from concerned parents who want their children to retain a solid grasp of both spoken and written English.

What type of English tuition do you provide?
We offer keystages one to three (ages 5-14) and for these age groups we provide study packs that can be followed as part of a course or bought individually. Our lessons are topic based and improve reading, writing, punctuation, grammar and spelling skills. They also allow for the research and discovery of British history and culture, so as well as working on their English skills children can learn about their cultural background. We also offer IGCSE English (ages 14-16), which is a two year course that follows the Edexcel English IGCSE syllabus. There is no course work and students sit two written exams in the final year. The IGCSE is considered the equivalent of the GCSE and is recognised by UK universities and colleges.

Who is your market?
It is mainly British parents, but we now also work with a couple of French families and recently a Dutch family. Basically anyone with access to a computer and of school age can take one of our courses.

What makes you different?
Our courses are online so a child can work at their own pace allowing them to fit the lessons in with their school studies. We actually have some students who take our packs into school to work on during their English lessons.

What will come next?
We will be building on last year’s success and are currently in discussions with a Paris-based organisation that is interested in our study packs.

05 46 32 21 69 blackheneducation@hotmail.co.uk www.blackheneducation.com

With clients including supermodel Elle MacPherson, Cadogan Tate has years of experience – including a total of 25 years on the Côte d’Azur – in taking care of other people’s property, both in transit and on its secure sites at Mouans Sartoux, Alpes-Maritimes, and its offices round the world.

Whether you are looking to move the contents of a one- bedroom apartment or a chateau with dozens of rooms you have a personal contact with Riviera removals and storage expert Charlie Goblet d’Alviella who will organise whatever is needed.

Personal contact is paramount at Cadogan Tate as this is one way of giving clients peace of mind about the progress of their move. With offices and storage facilities in London, Paris, the Côte d’Azur, New York and Los Angeles, Cadogan Tate has extensive experience in moving all kinds of furniture, delicate objects and fine art round the world.

Each fortnight it also has trucks travelling to and from the UK and the south of France and these offer, amongst other benefits, a simple way of getting designer furniture sent safely to clients’ new homes.

The company also has long- term and self-storage options which give flexible and secure storage facilities ranging from one cubic metre lockers in self- storage to seven cubic metre containers in long-term. The secure warehouse facilities allow consignments to be received and, if needed, amalgamated on- site in preparation for delivery to the new home.

Clients get the flexibility to pick the best means of getting the best service, whether that is inexpensive long-term storage while waiting for a move to complete or just to clear space for redecorating or making home improvements.

Five business groups covering residential removals, worldwide shipping, fine arts, business removals and storage, give Cadogan Tate the expertise to handle any task and the fact that 90% of its residential business comes from repeat customers or recommendations is a sign of its quality approach.

Cadogan Tate Côte D’Azur 631 Route du Tiragon, 06370 Mouans Sartoux
04 93 90 01 01 nice@cadogantate.com www.cadogantatemoving.fr

Most properties on the market in France need altering, extending or changing in some way or another. When deciding on whether to go ahead with a particular purchase it is important you ensure that you will be able to develop the property according to your plans before committing.

“Always ask for a Certificat d’Urbanisme (CU) to be a condition of purchase,” said Cedric. “You should also ideally specify the work that you would like to do to the property, otherwise you will only get an answer as to whether or not the land is constructible.” An architect can help you to realistically document the work that needs doing, and a bilingual artisan, like Cedric, can make sure that the language barrier doesn’t present an additional problem.

Another area where property purchasers, who are not used to building work, can face difficulties is when estimating the cost of turning an idyllic ruin into the dream. This is where the advice of an architect can
potentially save you thousands in the long term.

“I recently talked to a lady who was buying a barn for conversion and a friendly builder had told her that the cost would be no more than £15,000,” said Cedric. “Having looked at the property it became obvious that this would barely cover half of the work needed. Since she had already signed a Compromis de Vente, and paid a deposit, she lost several thousand pounds when she pulled out of the purchase.”

Property buyers should also beware of buying old properties with beautiful and complicated roofs. “These can be very expensive to repair,” said Cedric. “If you intend to extend, alter or build a new house you will need to submit a planning application, a Demande de Permis de Construire,” he added. This form can be filled in online, although the final copy must still be printed out and sent by recorded delivery to the Mairie.

“If your house is below 170 square metres you are quite entitled to submit the plans yourself. For anything above that figure you must have the design drawings prepared by a French-registered architect,” said Cedric.

When looking at properties that need extending or altering, or if you want to build from scratch, the first port of call should always be the Mairie, as they can usually answer your questions.

“A copy of the POS, which is the equivalent of a local plan, can also be found there and this gives information on where you can build and what restrictions might apply, such as heights of building, distance to be set from boundaries and so on,” added Cedric. To ensure a smooth path consult your architect at an early stage as his advice can save you money.

Cedric Mitchell +44 1243 773166 cedricm@about-architects.com

Oxford graduate Claire Campbell invites guests to stay in her holiday flat in the idyllic Roussillon village of Cucugnan, and take one-on-one French lessons during their stay.

Famous from Alphonse Daudet’s Lettres de Mon Moulin, Cucugnan is set between two Cathar castles in the hills and is not far from Rennes-le- Château, whose church has a mysterious tale to tell which makes for a key plot twist in The Da Vinci Code. “When you look out of your window or step outside the door, you find yourself in a landscape of great beauty, steeped in history,” Ms Campbell said.

The language courses are personalised, so you learn at your own speed, and Ms Campbell believes in giving plenty of explanation in English, especially for beginners, rather than the “immersion” approach. If you learn from a native speaker who explains everything in French, “you may be left floundering, having gained the impression that the whole business is impossibly difficult and that you are stupid,” she said. “It isn’t, and you aren’t.”

Grammar is covered, but stories, songs (such as those of Edith Piaf), films and language games all play a part. Concentrating on study, free from the distractions of daily life, offers you the opportunity to improve your command of the language rapidly. “It is the chance to make a breakthrough,” Ms Campbell said.

If desired, it is possible to go in- depth into such topics as rural French life, wartime France, great singers of French chanson, history, poetry or theatre. The beliefs and history of the Cathars, the persecuted medieval Christian sect that left its mark on the landscape of the area, can also be explored.

Ms Campbell has extensive teaching experience, including teaching French in state schools in Devon and English in language schools and adult evening classes. One satisfied student described her style as “scholarly but relaxed” and said: “In spite of many group lessons in the past, I struggled really to grasp the logic of French and had many unanswered questions. Now I chat to my neighbours in a way I never did before.” Typical courses are three hours a day, with the afternoon free to explore the area, though more intensive options are available.

Cucugnan is less than an hour’s drive from Perpignan, an hour and a half from Narbonne and two hours from Carcassonne. It is an ideal centre for walking, sight-seeing, wine-tasting, bathing in river pools or, if preferred, in the Mediterranean (an hour’s drive away).

Guests stay in a 35m2 self- contained, air-conditioned flat and have access to a patio-garden with pleasant views, for sunbathing, drinks and barbecues. There is also an option, at an extra cost, of living as a family member, sharing meals, rather than making your own.

More details tel: 06 78 15 19 29, www.cours-a-cucugnan.com or email: campbell claire53@yahoo.fr

Having left the UK and a career in motor racing fabrication, Edward Brewin moved to south-west France in 2004. It was then that he set up a business producing swimming pool fencing in accordance with the AFNOR regulations that had just been introduced.

After several years of producing a wide range of elegant swimming pool fencing, Edward progressed naturally into all other aspects of metal work construction. As his business grew, so did the scope of the projects, which have ranged from a simple security well cover through to a two-metre chandelier. He is also well prepared for projects that are a step outside of the more typical range of requests.

“The most recent unusual project was a log basket on wheels, filled with logs, which could be pushed and attached to a winch on the client’s house, which I had fabricated and installed,” he said. “The basket was then raised up to the first floor window, so that the wood could be unloaded and stacked into an awaiting log basket, which I also made.”

Edward works closely with architects producing customised architectural metal work and while he still manufactures and installs fences around swimming pools, he now spends much of his time producing a large range of fabrications.

He now produces balcony railings, small garden gates, large drive gates, staircase balustrades, tie bars for support to walls and window security bars – he can also renovate existing metal work and undertake any type of welding on all materials. In addition to this Edward is creating his own range of interior or exterior tables and chairs.

Should you have any project in mind then contact Edward as he will will be happy to advise on how he can best meet your needs. He is currently creating a new website, that will feature new photographs and examples of past projects. It will be available soon at the web address given below.

edward@ebcreations.net 05 53 83 68 15
www.ebcreations.net

With over 18 years’ experience, Eurolec offers customers the satisfaction that all work has been completed by a time-served engineer with ten year’s insurance cover for your peace of mind.

Owner James Gunn said: “Eurolec provides all electrical and plumbing services for domestic and commercial dwellings, ranging from new builds to renovations, while not forgetting simple jobs like installing a light fitting or changing a tap.”

Eurolec offers a full heating design and advisory service, from conception to completion, installing underfloor heating, aerothermie, electric radiators, wood burning stoves and Aga systems.

They advise on efficiency, operating requirements and benefits of the various systems, allowing the client to select the system best suited to their needs.

Eurolec installs ventilation and extract systems to homes, restaurants and commercial properties including the combined VMC and hot water production system, whereby the energy from the kitchen and bathrooms is recycled to heat the hot water tank, with savings of up to 75 per cent.

James also specialises in commercial and industrial installations and offers breakdown services for machines, motors and pumps.

The company only supplies top quality brands and products from local French businesses at very competitive prices. Over the years, James has developed a very strong relationship with his suppliers that allows him to offer lower than average prices for his products.

James said: “I only fit the best quality products, mainly Schneider, formerly Merlin Gerin, as there are less faults and therefore less callbacks or repairs.

“Basically any profit made on a product is lost the moment you have to return to a customer to replace a faulty part, so it pays to fit the best.

“Customer satisfaction and my professional reputation are the two most important factors that dictate the way I run my business. Without these I wouldn’t have a successful company.”

Over the years, Eurolec has formed strong bonds with registered builders and tradesmen and together they run a highly efficient customer- focused team that caters for every new build or renovation need. This partnership allows the tradesmen to progress efficiently from one stage to the next with communication and customer satisfaction as the main priority.

Eurolec is situated in Saint Rabier, close to the N89 motorway. This enables James to cover the areas surrounding Brive, Sarlat, Perigueux, Brantome, Saint Yrieix la Perche and Lubersac.

EUROLEC 06 37 09 55 13
james.gunn@club-internet.fr www.eurolec24.com

Established in 2009 by Jon and Andrea Prince, Jon – The Carpet Man draws on over 30 years’ trade experience in the UK and now has hundreds of satisfied customers here in France. The business offers a full range of carpets, vinyl, laminate flooring and so on as well as underlays, gripper rods and ancillaries to complete a perfect job.

The couple have recently been appointed agents for both Axminster Carpets and Westex Carpets, which adds to the vast range of suppliers they already represent in France.

While the accepted method for fitting carpets in France is to glue them directly to the floor, the best way to add comfort and “feel”, increase the lifespan of the carpet and give extra insulation, is to fit the carpet over a good underlay.

“We fit carpets in the traditional English way, stretched over underlay onto gripper rods, source all our materials from the UK and transport them back in our own vans,” said Andrea.

As the company has continued to expand it is now moving to a much larger, purpose-built warehouse at the beginning of October. “We bring a large delivery of goods back every couple of weeks now, so the new storage facility will enable us to handle this more smoothly,” added Jon.

The company covers most of France and during the past year has worked as far afield as Monaco, the Alps, the Pyrénées and the Champagne region – and just about all areas in between. It offers a “choose at home service”, which is a great idea for rural locations, where Jon visits with a full range of samples that cover all styles and budgets. Even if you have seen something in a UK carpet outlet, Jon – the Carpet Man will normally be able to identify and quote for the same carpet.

So, whether you are looking for a budget cord, a quick cover up while renovations are being carried out or a luxurious Axminster to put a finishing touch to your dream home, get in touch with Jon – The Carpet Man.

05 55 73 63 16 www.jon-thecarpetman.com
jon.prince@sfr.fr carpetfittersinfrance@sfr.fr

The intensive-learning Ceran method offers complete linguistic immersion during courses. Some students have even reported to be thinking in French by day two, but courses last a minimum of one week and can be tailor-made.

Based in Provence, near Avignon, this intensive French course is designed to meet every individual’s language expectations and objectives. “Complete immersion in the French language can be a frightening thought and lack of time is the argument people most often use to avoid this uncomfortable prospect,” says Nathalie Kidd of Ceran Provence.

“But do not let yourself be put off, the Ceran method helps you to overcome your fears with a learning system based on listening and dialogue.”

The language course takes place over the course of a week, which includes 30 hours of lessons along with over 30 hours of practical language work with the centre’s native French speaking trainers. The team accompanies the students through various activities during the week, including meals, breaks and socio-cultural events, so that constant exposure to the French language is experienced.

“Each day is made up of nine training activities, lessons and guided self- study. They include private lessons, workshops, a language laboratory and phonetic training,” said Nathalie. Each evening, the learning programme is supplemented by socio- cultural activities, which include role playing, wine tasting and intercultural activities. It is the continual use of French that ensures each student is fully immersed in the language.

“From breakfast until the end of the evening you benefit from the constant support of Ceran trainers, so you can concentrate on a single objective: communicating in French,” said Nathalie. “Participants themselves have told us that by the second day of the course they can already think in French,” she added.

Whether you are a total beginner or already at ease in French, each stage of the course builds your confidence. The method has proven to be very successful in many cases.

L’Oreal’s Zu Rafalat confirms its effectiveness for language students at any level. “The Ceran method is very well designed and it offers a total experience of language learning. Whether you’re a beginner or a perfectionist, there’s something for everyone,” she said.

Ceran provides an environment where you can push your knowledge further and faster for lasting results. “In addition, meeting people from all over the world with a similar profile to yours will help to make this experience an unforgettable one,” added Nathalie.

Nathalie Kidd 04 90 02 05 00
administration@ceranprovence.com

With so many property portals in cyberspace containing information about thousands of French properties it should be easy to find those that fit your criteria. But traditional search filters require searches by area or by postcode, which international buyers do not necessarily know.

Prospective purchasers might sim- ply want to find out what three-bed- room properties are near golf courses in a particular region. But what seems like a straightforward request in reality can demand far
more research and time than antici- pated when searches are limited to property type by postcode or department or region.

This is where the Breeze property portal is different as it is designed to be ultra user friendly and to keep searching simple. A user would type in keywords in the same way they would to perform a search in Google, such as ‘three bedroom house near golf course’, and then all the property results fitting this criteria would show up on a map.

Users can immediately see how far the properties are from the amenities that are essential to their search, such as a school or golf course. Breeze France is the brainchild of Heather Hughes-McVeigh who is based just outside of Toulouse in the Haute-Garonne. The site is run on a daily basis by Martin Mowat, the commercial director, and four other members of the Breeze team, but all activity is overseen by Heather. “The Breeze site is very user friendly and contains over 29,000 properties,” said Heather. “The company’s motto is: keep it simple and keep it international.”

Heather is something of an expert when it comes to being aware of what people need to know when they are relocating. Originally from the UK, she started relocating people in 1972. Heather has worked with the Royal Air Force and relocated employees for many companies, including British Aerospace, IBM, Airbus and EADS. To date she has relocated over 2,000 families and it is work she still does today through her company Toulouse Relocation.

Heather also runs a successful bilingual estate agency in France called Ticket Immo and a company called The Lofts, which offers serviced apartments and conference space – with panoramic views of the city – in the heart of Toulouse.

Another way in which using the Breeze site is more pleasant than other portals is the minimal advertising which does not distract the user and is directly linked to property. “There isn’t any flashing or unrelated advertising,” said Heather. She also works with the French estate agents to ensure that every property description on the Breeze site can be
understood by an international audi- ence. “Not everyone knows what ‘T3′ is, for example, it is actually an apartment with three rooms, but we would make sure the description describes each room of the property fully.”

Heather added: “We reach over 900,000 users with our website and its traffic is increasing on a daily basis. We are very excited about how we can continue to optimise the user’s experience, so they can find properties that match their full criteria in the most simple and effective way.”

Breeze France, Martin Mowat martin@breeze-france.com +33 (0)6 25 49 56 49 www.breeze-france.com
Toulouse Relocation, Heather Hughes-McVeigh heather@toulouserelocation.com +33 (0)6 85 23 00 27 www.toulouserelocation.com

A&S Self Storage would like to help ease your way across the water. The company offers short- and long- term quality storage to provide a ‘staging post’ during the sometimes stressful buying and selling process.

George and Diana Pelly founded the company more than 17 years ago, basing their service on the principles of customer care and value. With a military background, they had experienced the highs and lows of international house moves and brought empathetic knowledge to their business.

Increasingly, they have found their storage facilities in Dover are ideally sited to help people relocate between England and the Continent – in either direction. They have built up a number of links with removal firms who will transport the contents of large houses down to single items.

“Often, goods can be carried as a ‘return load’, thus saving on the cost,” said George.

When planning the ‘house move campaign’, consideration of the following may be helpful:
- Prior to marketing of the property, it is often a good idea to de-clutter and spring clean;
- During the viewing stage, valuable items can be stored; George Pelly runs Dover-based A&S Self Storage
- French notaires and British lawyers operate to different rules, which can create delays, causing an unexpected requirement for instant storage;
- The ideal new home may not be immediately available – storage can give breathing time and space;
- The new home may require some decoration or refurbishment;
- All storage is in secure, self-contained private rooms to which only the customers hold the key.

As well as those on the move, both French and British small businesses store goods with A&S Self Storage taking advantage of easy access to the port of Dover and fast road links to the M25.

There is also 24/7 access available to help customers needing to move goods outside office hours.

Visitors are very welcome during the long opening hours – so that individual requirements can be discussed face to face – and the staff are always pleased to meet new and existing clients.

More information detailing the company’s storage facilities and service can be found on the website.

www.doverstorage.co.uk
+44 1304 822844