Southern Times

The Failing French Education System

Rob — 2008-03-25T06:06:38Z

The French view of their education system as one of the best in the world is hardly reflected by their leading establishments' low rankings in the world.

In the top 100 world universities or further education establishments, France manages just two entries at 26th and 28th, the ENS and the Ecole Polytechnique.

The ENS and the Ecole Polytechnique have a combined annual intake of 694 students. They are 'Grand Ecoles' with all the snoberry and elitism that one associates with the finishing schools of the last century.

The top ten being divided at 6 to the US and 4 to the UK.

Looking at individual disciplines, they fare a touch better

In technology one of their grand ecoles manages 34th just after the Indian Bombay Institute of technology and is the only French representative in the top 50.

In Arts and Humanities, the Sorbonne and the ENS are their only 2 representatives in the top 50.with the Sorbonne leading the way at 28th.

In Life Sciences & Biomedicine, the University Louis Pasteur of Strasbourg is the only French representative, scraping in at 48th.

In Natural Sciences France manages three entries in the top 50 with the ENS leading the way at 20th.

In Social Sciences France draws a blank, with no establishments in the world top 50.

If we become more local and look at just the European top 50 establishments, France fares a little better;

The ENS comes in at 7th just behind Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial College London, Edingburgh and King's College London.

The Ecole Polytechnique comes in at 8th, just in front of Manchester, Bristol and Zurich.

But that is it. 2/50 for France, one behind little Belgium, compared to 8 out of the top 10 or 23/50 for the UK, Germany has 4/50, Netherlands 6/50.

So when looking at further education choices, what should one do for the best?

The ENS ( Ecole Normale SupÃ©rieure, PARIS) is France's flagship at 26th in the world rankings and 7th in Europe. This is a 'Grand Ecole', basically teaching would be teachers and professors.

To get your child there, he or she must first pass the BAC and obtain, at least, a mention. then get a place at a 'Preppa' (Ecole Preparatoire) that prepares for the ENS.

There is usually a cull of about 30% of the students at the end of their first year at Preppa and of the remaining students who take the 'competition' for a place at ENS, only 6%, that is a grand global total of 194 pupils each year, win a place at the ENS.

According to statistics, any other further education in France is second rate and mediocre. In a world where the European countries have and are developing equivalencies of qualifications, degrees etc foreign travel would not only broaden your child's mind but also equip him with better qualifications for the future.

So, why is the French education system so bad?

At the top, it is an anachronistic elitist system 194 students admitted by ENS each year, 500 by l'Ecole Polytechnique.

The principle of a place at a university (as opposed to the Grand Ecoles) for all who pass the BAC leads to an absurd situation with a unwieldy masss of first year input - a lot of the first year students at Montpellier have to sit outside their lecture rooms and try to listen to lectures from steps stairs and corridors, unless they get there very early to bag the seats that are inside.

This high input means that the first year is a culling operation and of little or no educational benefit.

From a low level, children are encouraged to learn by rote, the correct answers are what the teacher has said or more often, has handed out on photocopied sheets, and not that which is correct - our children have learnt this lesson, and much to our horror, will often deliberately repeat, in homework and texts, incorrect English to get marks from teachers who have a small inaccurate but fixed grasp of the language.

Original thought is discouraged at all levels, which probably explains why Cambridge, UK can boast more Nobel prizes than the whole of France.

I am amazed by the way French literature is taught. The pupils do not read and are not asked to read the books, but are encouraged to learn by rote the critiques gathered by their teachers about those books. This runs from the lowest level to the very top.

Recently on French television a famous French professor of literature, from one of the Grand Ecoles, stated that he had given courses of lectures on James Joyce and 'Ulysses' but had never read 'Ulysses' - basing his courses on crib sheets and the perceptions of others. Worse, this was not a shame faced admission, he saw nothing wrong with this form of teaching.

I will be writing more on the different stages of French schooling as seen through the experience of our children.

Languedoc Languor and Midi Time

Rob — 2008-03-01T04:47:45Z

Time in the western world is a rectilinear diamond cut obstinately right angled object. Tomorrow lies 24 hours in the future, in one hour is exactly 60 minutes away.

Calendars, agendas, watches all mark the corners and junction points of human interactivity..

In the eastern world it is a more indefinite force, that can be stopped for meditation, started for action - a different way of looking at life and living.

Looking at the mores of the Midi, the region of southern France stretching from the mountains down to the coast - languedoc and its neighbours, it is quite likely that some of the Eastern mystics came here on vacation and took home as a souvenir a piece of languedoc time.

In the Midi, time is not rectilinear, time has no sharp corners, it is a rounded curving smokey substance, that can not be grasped by the hand or often by an outsider's mind.

The first experience a lot of us have with this is when a builder tells you he is coming "demain" which translates literally as tomorrow, naivete and foreigness persuades us that this means in 24 hours time. It does not, "demaing" means certainly not today, perhaps this week, possibly this month and possibly never. When and if the buider turns up, he will be astonished if you point out that you had been expecting him weeks ago.

Our first Languedoc house was in the small village of Valros in the Languedoc wine producing plains. it had a decent sized courtyard, but we decided to add a roof terrace. For this we needed an RSJ, a steel beam. Because the house was large and wide, the RSJ had also to be large and wide.

I went to a steel yard in Beziers and sat in an office with the owner, discussed dimensions and ordered the RSJ. A delivery date was fixed, which gave me time to lay the concrete pads on which the beam was going to sit. It also gave me time to arrange more hands for the day of delivery.

The delivery date came and we were all there waiting. Floors had been opened up and parts of walls knocked down so that the beam could be manhandled into place. The delivery date came and went, the beam never arrived. On ringing the steelyard, I was told that the beam would be delivered the following week on a Thursday, it wasn't.

As we were rebuilding and renovating through out, I gave up chasing and continued with other jobs. Suddenly with no warning, three weeks after the agreed delivery date, a large truck and my beam arrived. The steelyard owner was with it and he was very surprised I had not guessed which day he was actually going to deliver.

A walk up to the local cafe resulted in us finding enough hands to shift it. The beam, incidentally, was 6" deeper/taller than that which had been specified - the steelyard owner said he had done this because it would be stronger - the results of this difference in dimensions, the heights of the pads we had prepared etc., is another story.

As life in the Languedoc passed on, we have become accustomed to this and can accept appiointments, dates and hours as being wispy insubstantial things with resignation and content. It isd a large part of the pleasure of living in the Languedoc region of southern France.

It is not just us expats, the French from the more northern regions also marvel at Midi time.

Fractional Ownership in the Languedoc

Rob — 2008-02-27T08:43:54Z

Imagine having a holiday home in the Languedoc which is always ready to welcome you. new sheets on beds, no maintenance, no diy, just relax time all at a fraction of the normal languedoc real estate prices.

we've seen them in the States, all around the Caribbean and on offer in Spain from the ex timeshare barons.

Now at last there are two fractional ownership developments coming to fruition in the Languedoc.

i believe fractional ownership is the future of the second home market in france and I am glad to see two different developments emerging.
One fractional development is topend, with a gourmet restaurant, pool and golf course all in the Herault countryside.

The other is a seaview coastal fractional development offering one bed apartments and studios all with sea view terraces down along the coast towards Spain one hop after Colioure the fauvist's fave (hmm, had to get that in! ) destination. Here the sea is part of france's natural heritage classified and protected as such. this is Cerbere which is a divers paradise so all those born with a snorkel on their mouths should watch French Property Fractional, the new French fractional property ownership site for more details as they emerge.

French Architectural Salvage Supply

Rob — 2005-09-11T04:43:54Z

If, like so many of us, you love stone and original architectural details from fireplaces through floors to panelling and door furniture, you are in the right place.

Sylvie, of Gabian, can supply and,if asked, have fitted all sorts of fine antique French objects of architectural salvage. Recently she has been helping refit a noble dwelling in Provence.
As pictures speak louder than words, here are some samples of her stock. Bear in mind that she has just acquired period and original ^panelling from a chateau, she has fireplaces etc, we are just showing some of the smaller brighter pieces!


Door Knockers: All sorts of antique french door furniture.


Cherubs


Character Piece


Brazen Lady


Ironwork: For doors, wardrobes etc.


Stair Post Decorations: Just a few of the wide range of typical French pieces to be found on the first post of the handrail at thebottom of a staircase.


Elegance: A top of post detail

Mail or contact me if you want to be put in touch with Sylvie, or visit Gabian on a Wednesday morning and she is often to be found in the square selling some 'brocante' pieces.

Renover Louer Herault

Rob — 2005-05-20T11:36:57Z

The Department of the Herault, the French state and ANAH, Agence Nationale pour l'Amelioration de l'Habitat, have all joined forces in a campaign to bring more properties in the Herault onto the letting market.

This is the first time in France that such an initiative has been launched on such a scale.
The need is obvious:-

The Herault is seeing its population grow at an unprecedented rate - more than 1000 extra inhabitants each month - as a result there is a taut property market and a growing shortage of of privately owned rental accommodation, most markedly in the East of the Herault department.
At the same time, the number of empty properties is increasing, specially in town centers.
There are already certain grants available on a very local scale (OPAH, PST etc). But the problem is departmental in scale and hence this new initiative.
This operation, 'Renover Louer', targets 161 communes (75% of the population of the Herault) in the regions of Montpellier, Sete, Frontignan, Agde, Pezenas, Clermont l"Herault and Lunel and will run for a minimum of three years.

The aim : to persuade owners, who don't want or can't afford to renovate their empty properties and hesitate to rent them out, for fear of tenant/rent problems, to join in this campaign , which works to the benefit of both owners and tenants.

The owners will benefit from exceptional grants(up to 60% of costs) towards the renovation and improvement of the properties (comfort, cleanliness, security, insulation and equipment). On their part, they must rent out each property for a minimum period of 9 years with a rent fixed by the rules of the scheme. The rental payments will be guaranteed by the state and will rise in line with inflation.

The tenants will benefit from renovated properties, fixed rents, as long as their earnings fall below a certain ceiling (65% -70% of the Herault popilation would qualify).

The first objective : 300 more properties on the rental market.

Grants range up from 40% of the renovation costs.

Please note not all the communes in the regions mentioned qualify. i.e. Gabian does not, Montagnac does.
Hence this huge ruin in Montagnac might be a very wise investment.
For more information about the schrme please visit http://renoverpourlouer.com/ the official project site.

This has been provided by Rob Thorne of The French Property Company Ltd

Market Drayton Pezenas 2005

Rob — 2005-05-01T06:43:55Z

May 6th 2005 sees the arrival of a delegation from Market Drayton. This year Pezenas and Market Drayton celebrate 10 years of twinning. Here are some of the events planned for this visit.

From Saturday 7th of May, there will be an exhibition in the Mediatheque de Pezenas centred on the activities and meetings that have marked the past 10 years of Jumelage.

Saturday 7th May 3:00 Chateau de Castlesec there is a garden party arranged by the Pezenas Twinning Association and 'Bienvenue au Pays'.

Live music, English tea and cakes, petanque tournament (bring your boules), badminton, childrens drawing competition, raffle etc. Chateau de Castlesec is to be found just up above Champion in Pezenas. You head up from Champion towards the Campotel and there you are. Cake makers, washer uppers etc are always more than welcome.

Modern and Contemporary Art Auction

Rob — 2005-04-14T00:18:39Z

On Saturday 17th April at 15:00, there will be an auction of modern and contemporary art at St Martial, Alignan du Vent.


'Le Mariage du Peintre' by Raya Sorkine (born 1936)

St Martial opens for viewings on Saturday, 16th April, from 11:00 - 13:00 and 15:00 - 19:00, and on Sunday, 17th April, from 11:00 - 13:00.

Maitre Gerard Foure-Labrot of Toulouse is the auctioneer.
To get to St Martial take the RN9 from Pezenas in the direction of Beziers and when you come to Valros, follow the signs for Alignan du Vent. You pass St Martial on a corner, on your right, halfway to Alignan.

Barge Cruising on the Canal du Midi

Rob — 2005-04-01T00:55:51Z

On Sunday we had lunch with Barbara and Berend Gozens in their house on the banks of the Canal du Midi in Villeneuve les Beziers.

The canal side location is not the result of a whim or a chance.

Barbara and Berend own the Clair de Lune, which is the most luxurious hotel barge plying its trade on the Canal du Midi.

The Clair de Lune reflects their 30 years of experience in the luxury canal cruise market. Barbara and Berend designed, built and decorated the Clair de Lune. From the cherry wood interior through the air conditioned cabins each with ensuite bathrooms to the six seater spa pool on the stern deck, no detail has been forgotten.

So outstanding is the Clair de Lune in the canal cruise market that she and her creators have twice been featured on French television.

The prices of charters reflect the boat, the fine cuisine, good wines and the friendly but professional crew. These cruises are special luxurious treats.
For details of prices, menus, routes and so forth please visit their site at www.bargeclairdelune.com

Setting French Property Leasebacks and Investments Against Tax

Rob — 2005-03-17T02:52:51Z

The French government has a very simple way of dealing with the property related predictions of the French statistics office(INSEE).

INSEE predicts a growing demand for and shortage of housing units for long term rentals, student accommodation, 'medicalised' retirement homes, retirement homes and short term accommodation for tourists and business travellers.

So what does the French government do? It gives huge and hearty tax incentives and breaks to those who would invest in supplying this demand. 'Leasebacks' are the ones you've probably read about, because these work for foreigners as well - Brits, Americans etc -, they are usually tourist accommodation units in Paris, Languedoc, Provence, Dordogne or the ski areas.

But these types of developments, sold on the LMNP (Location MeublÃ© Non Professionel - Non Professional Furnished Rental) basis are just the tip of the tax effective property investment French mountain.

Remember anyone officialy resident in France must pay tax in France. You can pay some of your tax in the UK if you want to, but if you are resident in France, you must make a declaration in France and pay your taxes in France as well. This means that if the tax you have paid in the UK is lower than you would have had to pay in France, you still have to pay the difference to the French government. Hence if you can minimise your tax in France, why not just declare and pay in France?

Here's a list of some of the different forms of tax effective property investment.

De Robien
Up to 45,000 â‚¬ of tax savings spread over 15 years,for a purchase of 160,300 â‚¬, you would save 5,762.50 â‚¬ the first 5 years and 1,759 â‚¬ pa for the following 10 years. assuming that you have a TMI of 48.09 %.

Often have 9 years garanteed rental returns.
Good rates of rents
No maximum income qualifications for tenants.
Possibility of renting to your children or grandparents.
Simple resale after 16 years, no capital gains, empty property.
Brought in to deal with the lack of long term unfurnished rental stock. This gives huge tax incentives if you purchase something intended for long term rentals. The maximum rental levels are fixed depending on the geographic zone that the property is in. If you have children this has recently become more interesting because your tenants for part of the minimum 9 year period can be members of your family. On some schemes 100+% interest only loans are available for french residents. Visit The French Property Company's site they have a De Robien development on their listings and on enquiry can fully explain how this type of property investment works.

Malraux -
All works of renovation are deductible from net taxable income.
All expenses, taxe fonciere,loan interests can be set against rental incomes.
Automatic allownce of 14% on the rentals.

Owe a lot of tax? This is for you. This works on renovating old historic buildings, Chateaux etc. again for details contact The French Property Company's site

ZRR, LOI DEMESSINE, Residence de Tourisme
All fall into the group of products that have been deemed 'leasebacks'. With all of these there is the possibility of getting the TVA, 19.6Â¨% charged on all new build, back from the state, often garanteed rental returns often mixed with varying amounts of owner occupation.

Student accommodation, medicalised accommodation etc. is included in this bracket.
These can generally be bought on a LMP (Location MeublÃ© Professionel - Professional Furnished Rentals) or a LMNP (Location MeublÃ© Non Professionel - Non Professional Furnished Rentals). For non French tax payers the LMNP basis is best, for French tax payers there are bigger advantages in buying on an LMP basis.
The French Property Company has a wide range of these products on offer ranging from luxury ski chalets down to Provencal beach huts, check them out here The French Property Company's site.

By Rob Thorne of The French Property Company

Chateau Restaurant

Rob — 2004-03-19T06:25:40Z

Fourteen years ago, Liz and I and our two small children moved out to Valros, a village just outside Pezenas. There we had bought a large property and we started doing seasonal lets.

As we lived down here, we would be asked about outings, beaches, shops, markets, wine and retaurants, and we would help as best we could.

All this advice went down extremely well with those who came to stay, including our suggestions for a good Sunday lunch.

Between Valros and St Thibery there lies a chateau,which, when we first arrived was home to a restaurant run by a couple from Paris. The food was always excellent, specially if you liked duck, and from the quacking in the castle yard it was evident that the ducks misguidedly liked the Paris couple.

Sunday lunchtime, eating at a shaded table in their formal park, with our small children running round the bushes safe but lightly distant, was always a great pleasure.

We recommended the Chateau roundly and fully to all and sundry.

As happens, although recommending it, we found ourselves engaged in other pursuits on Sundays - maybe older children made river island barbecues etc a pleasanter alternative, maybe it was the arrival of our two younger children.

However, we carried on recommending the Chateau for many years, and when we asked our guests if they had visited the Chateau and what they had thought of it, we heard nothing but good.

One day, on discussing the Chateau with a French friend, we discovered that it had changed and that the Sunday lunch time delight that we had been heartily and fully recommending had, for the last 7 years, been and become a 'boite changiste' - a wife swapping club - with food, lewd posters, suggestive menus, rooms by the hour and all the trimmings.

What our guests thought of us, or thought that we thought of them, who knows?

"They kiss you twice in France, three times in Paris, and you'll never believe what they do in the Languedoc........" ?

Rob Thorne of Southern France Ltd the southern France rentals experts.