If you intend to buy property in France first there are some basic facts that you need to be aware of. Here you can find some useful information on this subject.

1. For several years I have spent few days in January in chateaus for sale. The visits have usually
taken place near the end of the month and have always been very lucky with the weather.
Visiting the picturesque village of Villefranche-sur-Mer (located a few kms along the coast to the
east of Nice) on a Sunday have seen on the sheltered sandy beach, people in their bathing
costumes and other people walking along the road a few meters away wearing fur coats.
Like anywhere there can be exceptional weather conditions, there was thick snow at Antibes on
the 24th November 08 and Marseille came to a grinding halt as a result of the snow on the 7th
January. Along the coast at Nice it was just wet and windy. Riviera Radio's local French news
reported that city authorities were being blamed for the chaos and not being prepared for the bad
weather. That sounds similar criticism of local authorities back in England who are often accused
of not being prepared!
Last year I went up to Gréolières-les-Neiges which is a small ski resort approximately three
quarters of an hour drive from Nice. It was very hot around sixteen degrees in the snow and as
you walked along you certainly did not need a jacket.
This year although I did not visit the area, apparently the snowfall had been much heavier and for
someone wanting to take a ski holiday and many visitors stay closer to the coast and drive up to
the resort each day. This means they have the benefit of more choice of accommodation and the
towns and beaches along the coast to relax in when not skiing.
The city of Nice is well worth a visit at any time of the year, in January it is ideal for climbing up
to the top of Le Château. You can of course take the lift or even drive; however a walk on a mild
January day to the top of La Colline du Chateau with the panoramic views of the city, the
mountains the sea and the airport in the distance. You can walk around to the other side and look
down onto the Port. There are two cemeteries a Roman Catholic and a Jewish one standing side
by side.
The new tram system is now well established. It opened in November 2007 some fifty three
years after the old system was closed. The line has been incorporated well into the paving and
grass on the streets and offers a very regular service.
There is an excellent choice of shops and department stores like Galerius Lafayette.
The area is full of expensive property and one such villa was for sale with a For Sale board
reflecting the new cliental in the Côte d'Azur. It was written in French, English and Russian.
A winter visit to the south of France would not be complete without going across the border into
Italy. It takes under an hour to get there via the A8 AutoRoute and lunch by the sea at
Bordighera. This area along the coast suffered a lot during the heavy storms in November with
several sea front restaurants being destroyed.
Ventimiglia is the first town over the border. There is very large weekly market on a Friday
attracting numerous visitors from Italy and over the border from France. The French are also

2. attracted by the supermarkets and drink shops, as the duty of alcohol in Italy is much lower than
in France and at the border with Manton there are outlets within ten meters of the border.
Driving back along the coast road in January is a pleasure. It can be very crowded in the summer
months, back following the coast via Mentone, into Monaco and Nice is great.