Property buying trips to the Dordogne (dept.no.24) and the Charente (dept.no.16), France
-- all your questions answered ! --
Five-day property buying and information gathering trips to France that provide the big picture.
The chance to meet people with similar aims, locals who have moved here or bought second homes, and some English-speaking professionals who can ease the process - WITH NO OBLIGATION. No one should make a life changing decision without being in full possession of all the facts.
You have made the decision to buy a holiday home or move to France permanently.
How much do you know about the planning laws, building regulations, the legal system, the social security system, education, health and the reality of life, living and working in France?
No matter how much you read up on the subject, there is no substitute for meeting the people who have already done it, sharing their experiences, learning about their mistakes, and talking to professionals in their own areas of expertise. We offer this opportunity. You will also have time to meet with locals and explore this beautiful and fascinating area, its history & geography, its social and commercial facilities, its shops, schools, sports and leisure amenities.
Where On Earth Buying Tours provide a long weekend of organised property viewings, packed with information-gathering to ensure that you can glean the aspects important to you. We also look after the "inner self" - as well as these being business trips, we build in time for relaxation and enjoyment, and take great care with our choice of B & B accommodation and meals. Please read on to discover how.
Why book a WOEG Buying Tour ?
You are about to make a major purchase and a life-changing decision.
Where On Earth Group provides a wealth of information about buying property abroad through their range of Internet sites (start with www.whereonearthgroup.com) but there is no substitute for meeting people who have already done it and for contacting professionals whom you will undoubtedly need either before or after your purchase.
Buying Tours will help you avoid making expensive mistakes.
Buying Tours ensure that if you see a property that you like, you can arrange for a surveyor, builder, electrician etc to visit the property before you commit yourself and possibly before the end of the Tour.
About Buying Tours
Buying Tours is a member of the Where On Earth Group; the largest resource for buying property abroad (www.whereonearthgroup.com).
Buying Tours is set up to ensure that clients of any Where On Earth Group company or service are placed in full possession of the facts, have access to experts and professionals in all the areas required, and can meet English-speaking locals who have already moved here.
Our local area
This north west corner of the Dordogne, bordering the Charente, is a lush green part of France with country lanes, rolling hills, clear skies, magnificent Chateaux, vineyards and sunflowers as far as the eye can see. The Isle and the Dronne rivers and their numerous tributaries wind their way through this splendid area, passing through numerous sleepy, rural villages. The departement capitals of Angouleme and Perigueux, with their pedestrianised medieval centres, are each just 45 minutes’ drive away.
Our region is known as the 'Périgord Blanc' due to the chalky subsoil. This is one of the sunniest regions of France without being oppressively hot, often providing fine weather from early March to the end of October.
Bordering the Charente departement, our Dordogne base is only 320 miles from St Malo (about 5 driving hours) and 500 miles from Calais (about 9 driving hours). The TGV high-speed train from Paris or Lille (Eurostar) calls at Angouleme, 40 minutes drive north. Airports at Bergerac, Bordeaux, Poitiers and Limoges are all within 2 hours’ drive.
This area attracts Northern European buyers because of its equable climate (long, warm summers and short, crisp winters with less rain), the easy and fast access from Britain, Holland, Belgium and Germany, and the relative lack of traffic, people, busy towns or factories. The local inhabitants appreciate the significant economic improvement caused by the population influx over the past few years that counteracts the steady depopulation of rural areas, and they have reacted by providing fine shopping outlets and major sporting facilities. Particularly for Brits, this environment is the realisation of the dream-life that was, or might have been, England in the early and mid-20th century with its cheaper and better quality food and drink, its colourful markets, fascinating architecture, preserved rural scenes and a more-relaxed lifestyle. Additionally, the locals are used to hearing and understanding the English tongue, which makes communication easier. And there are plenty of French professeurs offering language courses if you’d like to learn.
Tour details and schedule
Five nights good quality B & B accommodation, (Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon) including continental breakfasts and buffet style or BBQ evening meals, wine & soft drinks included.
Arrive Thursday afternoon in your own hired car from airport or rail station:
- Deposit luggage at local B & Bs using the details, addresses and maps already posted to your home with our confirmation of your booking.
- Joint introductory session at Les Marteilles in Bouteilles (yes, “bottles”!), to meet your Buying Tour hosts, Peter & Carol, and for you to brief some local English-speaking Estate Agents (“immobiliers”) on your initial objectives.
- Evening hot & cold buffet style meal with the Estate Agents and your hosts.
Friday:
- Visit Estate agents and view properties.
- Lunch at local restaurant (about 12 euros, not included in price) with some friends who have recently moved to France or invested in holiday / second homes.
- View more properties in afternoon.
- Evening hot & cold buffet style meal or BBQ with local builders, electricians (“artisans”) and professionals (a surveyor, architect, solicitor or perhaps a local schoolteacher).
Saturday:
- Visit Estate agents and view properties.
- Lunch at local restaurant. (about 15 euros, not incuded in price).
- View more properties in afternoon.
- Evening buffet style meal or BBQ with WOEG BT hosts to review progress and prioritise immediate needs.
Sunday:
- Flexible day sightseeing or just exploring the area. Possibly re-visiting properties on your own.
- We can provide an itinerary of interesting places to visit with maps & brochures and a little advice if needed.
- Evening buffet style with other ex-pats and French Locals.
Monday:
- Second viewings or viewing more properties, maybe with surveyors or architects etc.
- Meetings with Notaires, the Mairie and banks if you have successfully chosen a property.
- Lunch at local restaurant (about 12 euros, not included in the price).
- Evening buffet style meal or BBQ with Where On Earth Group representatives. Final discussion and round-up.
Depart Tuesday Morning
Please note that the cost of travel, car hire, lunches, extra drinks and snacks are not included in the price of the tour. Gratuities / tips are not expected in restaurants unless you feel you have had exceptional service.
Tour Dates
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- Thursday June 17th to Tuesday June 22nd - full
- Thursday September 9th to Tuesday September 14th - full
- Thursday September 30th to Tuesday October 5th - full
- Thursday October 28th to Tuesday November 2nd - full
- Thursday November 18th to Tuesday November 23rd - full
- Thursday December 9th to Tuesday December 14th - full
Tour Prices
The cost of our 5 day tour with 5 nights’ accommodation is £350.00 per person. Buying Tours is not registered for VAT in UK or France.
Children
Business meetings and long meals with adult conversation are not perhaps the best way to persuade your young children of your plans to move to France or to spend most of your holidays here. We therefore do not recommend bringing children under the age of 11 years or if they would restrict your enquiries and activities.
However, do tell us in the Comments/Criteria section of the Booking Form the ages of your children so that we can try to introduce you to local families who already have similar aged children in the French school system.
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To book your flights click here
To book your car hire click here
Booking Conditions
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Detailed below are the terms of the agreement between you "the client" and us, Merrilaw Ltd., trading as Where On Earth Group Buying Tours. Please read these conditions carefully. Submission of the booking form indicates acceptance of the conditions.
Booking your Tour
Check with us first by telephoning Peter or Carol on 0033 (0)5 53 91 54 30 or email us at BuyingTours@merrilaw.com to ensure that we have availability for the dates you have chosen. Then complete the Booking Form (below) and click on SUBMIT BOOKING or print it out and post to:
Peter Hallam,
WOEG BT,
Les Marteilles,
24320 Bouteilles St. Sebastien,
France
with your deposit cheque, unless using BACS.
Payment
Upon our confirmation of availability, immediately pay 30% deposit by cheque or by direct bank transfer to:
Lloyds TSB Bank,
32 Oxford Street,
London W1D 1AX.
Sort Code: 30-98-71.
Account No: 1409197.
Account name: Merrilaw Ltd.
This deposit is not refundable unless, due to unforeseen circumstances, we have to cancel the tour. The full balance is required 8 weeks prior to departure, also by cheque or direct bank transfer. If full payment is not received 7 weeks before arrival, we may assume that you have cancelled, we will attempt to book in replacements and you will lose your deposit.
If a booking is made within 8 weeks of the departure date, full payment must be made at the time of booking.
Travel Insurance
It is strongly recommended that you take out comprehensive travel insurance at the time of booking, including cancellation cover, to provide full cover for all your party's personal belongings, accident, medical, repatriation and public liability.
Neither the owners of the houses you visit nor Where On Earth Group nor Merrilaw Ltd accept any liability for any losses or injury however that may occur.
Click here for Travel insurance.
Cancellation charges
Cancellation of any Tour must be made in writing to WOEG Buying Tours, Les Marteilles, 24320 Bouteilles St. Sebastien, France at least 8 weeks prior to arrival.
Deposits are not refundable.
If you have to cancel within 8 weeks of arrival the full costs must be met. No refund will be made. It is therefore essential that you take out comprehensive travel insurance. Provided cancellation is unavoidable, these costs should be recoverable via your travel insurance.
Changes to your booking
In the unlikely event that we have to change your booking, we will notify you as soon as possible. You will be offered a choice either of alternative dates or cancelling your trip and receiving a full refund.
Airlines have different conditions and charges for making changes to a booked flight.
Please remember that it is your responsibility to ensure you are covered by travel insurance for any extra charges.
Flights
It is your responsibility to satisfy the airline's terms and conditions. Where On Earth cannot be held responsible if the airline does not allow you to board the aircraft. You should therefore ensure that you arrive at the airport in good time and that your passport and other travel documents are with you and in order. Where On Earth cannot be held responsible for delayed and cancelled flights. Tours have to finish on the original termination date.
It is your decision as to whether you board the delayed flight and that you have insurance to cover these eventualities.
Accommodation Artisans and professional introductions
WOEG BT books your accommodation and makes all initial introductions with local professionals based on your Booking Form comments and criteria. We believe that you will be very comfortable in the accommodation and with the host families. However, if you believe that you have a justifiable complaint please try to speak to the owner. In the unlikely event that the problem is not resolved, a representative of Where On Earth will be happy to deal with the problem.
All artisans, estate agents and professionals are people known to Where On Earth and come highly recommended. All are legally registered in France therefore providing you with the protection of the French courts.
Itinerary
Our estate Agents are members of the One Call Estate Agency Network (O.C.E.A.N) and therefore have large range of properties on offer. Each tour is planned to show clients as wide a selection of properties that fit their criteria. It is therefore important that you complete the property criteria form in as much detail as possible. The timetable and itinerary for your Tour will be drawn up according to the availability of properties and their owners at the time.
Appointments
Estate Agents operate to a timetable with appointments made at specific times. It is essential that you meet at their offices at the appointed times, in particular first thing in the morning and after stops.
In some circumstances, where clients have expressed an interest in the same properties, you will be travelling in groups.
You will be guests in people's houses. If the householder is present please respect their privacy and remain with the group and do not explore unaccompanied.
Booking form
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Before filling in this form, you should have phoned WOEG Buying Tours on 0033 (0)5 53 91 54 30 to confirm availability of your chosen tour. A deposit of 30 % will be payable upon confirmation of availability. If you are booking a tour within 8 weeks of commencement the full cost will be payable in advance.
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