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Everything you always wanted to know about France |
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Rentals-France Newsletter October 12 1999. Number 9. We are here to help you find the perfect spot, from one day to a lifetime.http://www.rentals-france.com/ This week.
1. Tell it how it is.
======================= We always adding to links on our pages with useful information. There is a page of links on : http://www.goto-france.com/links/ All the pages have been checked by us and we only add links where the content is interesting useful and relevant. Please let
us know if you know of any other sites which can give help and
advice to visitors to France. It is said that when Oliver Cromwell (the famous English 'Lord Protector') was asked how he would like his portrait painted, the replied "Paint it how it is, warts and all". Part of the magic of Internet is that there is no limit on the amount of words or pictures I can use to describe the properties you can rent. Buying advertising space is expensive so the usual way to advertise is write only the best and most flattering copy to sell the product. Advertising has become a convention of exaggerated claims and fantasy images. The cigarette industry highlights this with their beautiful abstract and evocative images, with the small print telling you that smoking can kill you. Many of you come thousands of miles to visit this important and beautiful part of the world. To find a dingy and damp cottage when you get here with few facilities and inadequate furnishings at an astronomical price is not usually what you wish to find. I am slowly changing the pages on our sites to give quicker and much more comprehensive information. Carole and I have our own home which has accommodation next door for up to 9 people and we advertise and let other selected properties here. We in fact turn down more than 3 out of every 4 properties we are offered to put on our site as not being good value. However, I still tend to write only about the positive things for each property. I use words like "charming", "comfortable" and "historic" where I could be meaning "small, old and damp". I don't, but I would say that wouldn't I ? I state at the beginning of this newsletter that it is you who is our client, not the property owner. This is our policy and we will be adding more details and photos for the properties so you can really see that you are getting the best value on the market. We will be adding a comparative listing, if possible giving every property a "quality" rating and a "value" rating, this can only really be subjective, but we hope it will give some guidelines to help you choose. Another suggestion is to add a "comments" page to each property where guests can write their findings and observations about their stay. Many of you have agreed to help with a questionnaire we are sending out which will help us ensure the best service for you. I am receiving a lot of helpful advice as to what I should ask in it, so every time I am ready to send it, I change it again. Thank you for your patience, I really hope to have the final draft this week.
I hope to get your attention and to give good accurate
information "Warts and All".
Dear Carole, Tony and Family, Forget the Y2K problems with Champagne provided in one of the post beautiful villas on the Mediterranean. First come, first served. http://www.rentals-france.com/accommodation/paraisette/
Bookings are coming in fast now.
We do have a few smaller properties left to rent, do ask us.
====================== Officially I am a photographer in France (interestingly I am a "Photographe") this is because the French system must put you in an official classification. For my sins, the only qualifications I have really got are as a photographer, I have done a lot of commercial work and I have taught and got diplomas and things. So when they asked me what I was, I thought that these pieces of paper would be needed and therefore registered as a photographer. Sadly no one has ever asked for them, so I may as well have registered as something far more interesting. To make a living as a photographe, I need to be no more than six inches from the advertising agencies in London or New York, you can deduce therefore, that living in the Midi of the South of France where the nearest advertising agency is over 800 miles away is not profitable. I have flogged my snaps in "art" galleries but again they like you to play games and wear silly clothes and be rude to the collectors at the most boring parties (again in London and New York) and this is also difficult here in the Mediterranean sunshine. The paradox is that here in the wonderful light and clear atmosphere of the Mediterranean, there is more to see and create than I ever had before, but now I work for pleasure. I do run a few photo classes if there is time and we have room. When you come here, please take the time to have a glass of wine and talk about your pictures. You are always welcome to use my darkroom.
This really is a very special region.
Getting the correct amount of light through the lens is what
photography is really about. Most cameras have light meters and
exposure control built in but they usually give you the choice
of choosing the subject. If you are photographing a very
difficult subject with a wide rage of contrasts and you need to
give it an "average" exposure, point your camera at an area which
fills the viewfinder in the subject area, such as green
grass or something similar with a flat even tone (preferably
green), this is pretty well a ZoneV tone and your camera metering
will lock this as an average exposure.
There has just been a flurry of Antique fairs, 'Flea markets' and 'Attic Emptying'. This happens every year and the vast majority of the stuff on offer is just absolute rubbish. For centuries this has been a farming area so most of the stuff on display has something to do with grapes, sheep, snails, onions and fish. Not frogs, they are more popular a bit further North. Every hundred years, or so, the farmers here seem to have hit a lucky patch. For the last hundred and fifty years wine has made (and lost) some local families vast fortunes, before that the wool trade made other farmers similar fortunes. These rapid new riches encouraged grand buildings and all the furniture to go with these new chateaux. Unfortunately many of the nouveau riche had absolutely no taste, (I suppose it is the same today) therefore the ghastly lumpish and badly designed furniture which is typical of this region prevails. However, although tasteless, the quality of the joinery is often very good and occasionally you will find a gem of delicate and well designed carpentry.
In particular, the 18th century furniture is fairly commonplace
and not expensive. This week a cupboard was spotted by some
guests of ours which they could buy for $300, on e-bay the
same piece could get bids over 20 times higher. I have noticed
recently that a lot of good art deco stuff is coming out of the
cupboards. The 1920's and 1930's were periods of affluence
for many people here and a lot of good art deco lamps, clocks
and furniture was bought. The big town dealers are always
around the big sales, but there is still an opportunity for
someone with a good eye to find some super bargains here.
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