French Property Insider, Weekly E-Zine About Investing in France

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Fractional ownership is the hottest way to own your piece of Paris simply, easily and inexpensively! Here is one of our newest offerings available through French Property Fractional:

Le Notre Dame - The Ile de la Cité is where life in Paris began centuries ago, centered around one of the world's most important cathedrals, Notre Dame. Just a few steps away is this old-world elegant studio apartment with windows providing a perfect and beautiful view of "Our Lady."

For more information on this and other fractional ownership properties now available, or to learn how you can design your own property, visit French Property Fractional.

This is the last issue of French Property Insider for 2010. I am ending the year with a report on a visit I made to eastern France along the German border, to the region known as Alsace. It is the 4th smallest of all the regions of France, but is the third most densely populated in metropolitan France. The capital of Alsace, Strasbourg, located on the Ill River (which flows into the Rhine at the German border), is also the seat of dozens of international organizations and is one of the most important cities politically speaking in the European Union.

None of this is why we traveled to spend our Christmas holiday here. We came for the sheer beauty, the famous Christmas markets and the thermal baths at the neighboring German city, Baden-Baden.

Travel from Paris to Strasbourg is simple by TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) from Gare de l’Est to the second largest railway station in France that can then take you to other parts of France as well as Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands and other European countries. In our case, we chose to go by car the 360 kilometers direct on Autoroute A4 to have freedom to travel around the region and into Germany. The landscape from Paris to Strasbourg at this time of year was a sea of white snow and cool gray skies without skipping a beat from beginning to end. The trees were so heavily coated that they looked like flocked Christmas trees in a winter wonderland. "Magnifique!"

Alsace, along with the region of Lorraine, has been contested as German territory four times during the 19th and 20th centuries. The historical language is Alsatian, but the official language is French, and about 40% of the adult population is fluent in Alsatian. Culturally, Alsace is a blend of French and German which makes it an interesting combination of Latin and Anglo Saxon characteristics.

Architecture aficionados can have a field day in Alsace and Strasbourg. The city is known for its sandstone gothic cathedral with its famous astronomical clock and its medieval half-timbered buildings, particularly in the Petite France district along the Ill River. One need only to wander these pristine cobblestoned streets to get a sense of Strasbourg in the middle ages -- streets such as: rue Mercière, rue des Dentelles, rue du Bain aux Plantes, rue des Juifs, rue des Frères, rue des Tonneliers, rue du Maroquin, rue des Charpentiers, rue des Serruriers, Grand' rue, Quai des Bateliers, Quai Saint-Nicolas and Quai Saint-Thomas. We wandered them in several inches of slush and snow, but beautiful just the same.

The farms in the region have much the same architectural style. Usually, several separate buildings (home, barn, stable) are laid out around a large courtyard and sometimes enclosed by a porch. The timber framing featuring exposed beams is classic for farms and winegrowers’ houses. In the mountains and valleys, the architecture may differ substantially, using stone and a floor pan for one main building with smaller rooms for easier heating.

The Renaissance brought with it a rapid growth of merchant towns and public buildings with elaborately-decorated arsenals, halls and town halls. Sumptuous mansions sprung up in Colmar, Riquewihr and Strasbourg and the smaller towns.

Homes in Alsace range in average price from 138,900€ for three-room houses to 240,900€ for six rooms (September 2009 through August 2010). Apartments range from 2,150€/m2 for studios to 2000€/m² for five-room apartments for the same time period.

P.S. I just got word that our 'cool & comfy' studio in New York’s West Village (with a perfect view of the Empire State Building) is available for vacation rental January 8th through January 17th. Located in the heart of the chicest 'hood' in the city, it's ideal for any two travelers and two-thirds the price of the least expensive hotel in the Big Apple. $175/night, $1000/week. Four night minimum, a 50% deposit reserves your stay. For your reservations requests, email: erica1111@gmail.com

Travel in Luxury, Stay in Style with Paris Palais Apartments

At Paris Palais Apartments you will find our most luxurious and palatial vacation rental apartments. Large and spacious, beautifully and professionally decorated, completely equipped and functional, these apartments can accommodate up to eight in your party -- all in the center of Paris just steps away from the city's main attractions and neighborhood amenities.

Book now at www.parispalais.com or email: apartments@adrianleeds.com for more information. For Les Petits Palais, visit Parler Paris Apartments.

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Visit frenchpropertyconsultation or email info@adrianleeds.com

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Practice Your French...or English!
Parler Parlor French-English Conversation Group

KING CAKE PARTY!
(Les Galettes des Rois)
Saturday, January 8, 2011
11 a.m. at Lutèce Langue
OPEN TO EVERYONE!

Come for conversational exchange and celebrate the New Year over Galette des Rois
with Vin Chaud.

SAVE 10€ OFF A 10-SESSION CARD AND 25€ OFF A 20-SESSION CARD THAT DAY!

Practice speaking French and English. Make friends, discuss interesting topics, learn about other cultures, progress in understanding and speaking, naturally and easily. Meets three times a week -- come as often as you like! For further details, visit Parler Parlor

Note: Parler Parlor is closed from 23 December through 3 January, reopening 4 January.

For further details, visit Parler Parlor