The last few years we have seen great performance from stock markets and 2021 was no different, despite heavy market volatility. 2022 may be a different story, as far as market returns are concerned, as we saw Covid hit crazy numbers, albeit a less aggressive version,...
March is here and that means winter is over, so it is time for a little spring cleaning. We still use the term spring cleaning, although the history behind the expression has many versions, a popular one is that it came from when coal burning fire places were in use...
February is often associated with Valentine’s day, a romantic time of the year for couples, so this month I decided to explore the holy grail of romantics, that is to say, marriage. As in all aspects of life, the differences between the UK and France are numerous!...
You have no doubt all heard about the inflationary winds currently blowing through global economies, with rising energy prices arguably the most visible effect. The US is worst hit, with annual inflation to September running at around 5.4%. In the Euro area, the...
For many years wealth tax cast a shadow over France, scaring off wealthy non-residents from even considering becoming French resident. We still see people going to extremes to avoid wealth tax, setting up trusts (which do not work in France and can give rise to...
When we shop, generally, the cost of the things we buy is evident. We see the object we want, assess the price, decide if we are happy, order or pay and walk away. Did you ever purchase a new TV and later, some money simply disappeared from your bank account; an...
When we think about something that is “bespoke”, we think of something luxurious, exclusive, tailored to our exact needs, in a special and unique way. The person or institution, will do everything they can to make you feel that, by buying into their offering, you are...
When it comes to people’s concerns, one that comes up again and again is the exchange rate. It seems that a fair majority of expats have a daily ritual of seeing what the rate is, so they can worry about it. Now we have smart phones, meaning that we can check in...
I always remember someone saying to me “I love France, but I have never spoken about dying quite so much as I do since I got here!” I knew just what they meant; inheritance and succession law in France is complicated and so often wings its way into conversation in...
First and foremost, Christopher Davenport apologies for depriving you good and loyal people of your habitual trusty host, Mr Robert Kent. I blame myself and Microsoft Teams, as I made the subject suggestion in a meeting and was then cheerfully thanked by Robert for...