NewsletterFebruary 2005

Up Coming French Events:

• February 2nd is the Fête de la Chandeleur. On this day Crêpes are traditionally eaten.
• Winter vacation for students will start between February 4th and the 20th depending on location and last for two weeks. See - French School Holidays 2004-2005 for more information.
• On February 17th Franc coins won't be exchangeable for Euros. Before this date Franc coins can be exchanged for Euros at any Bank of France or Public Treasury office.

Reignier

We are now moved into our new apartment in the town of Reignier about ten miles from Geneva. So far all is well, our son Samuel seems to like his new school. Just a few days after moving in we had snow. Reignier is about 1000 feet above sea level. We are not far from the Mont-Blanc or Lake Geneva. Reignier is at the base of the French Alps.
Reignier survives as a suburb town of Geneva. There are a few farms and little industrial development in the area. The rest of the economy seems to be service based. I think most farmers found more profit in selling off the land for housing. Reignier's population doubled in the last ten years.
The one tourist attraction we've found is the Pierre aux Fées (Fairy Stones). Not much is known about the Fairy Stones or their origin. They look like a miniature Stonehenge. The three main stones hold a larger stone above them, forming a small shelter with a few other stones scattered around. It's believed the Pierre aux Fées dates from 2000 to 3000 years BC. For more information see - Fairy Stones.

Etat des Lieux

In France when you rent an apartment there is an "Etat des Lieux", that takes place before you move in and after you move out. Etat des Lieux literally means 'state of the place' and as this implies it is a (very) detailed record of the state (condition) of the apartment. In France when you rent an apartment or home, upon moving out, the apartment/house must be returned to its original state, before you moved in. This includes items like the number of screw holes in the walls, if the paint is chipping and if the doorbell works and so on, just about all the little things you can think of. The Etat des Lieux took over an hour for our new two-bedroom apartment.
When we moved into our first apartment in France the owner had counted the holes on all the walls I laughed at this. I no longer do, as any holes you create and don't fill in will cost you two euros each. The holes you fill in don't have to be painted to match the wall they just have to be filled, even a screw in the hole will do. Doesn't make much sense I know, but that's how it works in France. Just another one of those differences between countries!

Prix d'Amérique

As mentioned last month, January is when France's premier horse races the Prix d'Amérique takes places. Jag de Bellouet won the 2005 edition winning half of the one million euro purse.

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