Full time through winter in search of new life

Strange not to have had any updates from dawsey and to see he has not renewed his subscription. Has anybody heard from him and what he’s up to?
 
I saw this thread resurrected and was hoping it was an update
It is strange he's gone quite, but I never got the impression it was a wind up despite some bizarre twists.
Perhaps he's still at the french lessons ? :rofl:
 
I thought he was currently really busy with classroom based work.

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Mother Ship said:
Strange not to have had any updates from dawsey and to see he has not renewed his subscription. Has anybody heard from him and what he’s up to?
Click to expand...
Maybe upset that he lost the site he was after . He seemed to suggest someone dobbed him in to the CCC and they contacted the owners. :unsure:
 
Mother Ship said:
Strange not to have had any updates from dawsey and to see he has not renewed his subscription. Has anybody heard from him and what he’s up to?
Click to expand...
Sub renewed. I wasn’t going to post here anymore for various reasons, not least we have moved away from the idea of a campsite. We are still in Helga, and she has held up beautifully through loads of rain and wet last back end and so far through this winter. We went to Spain for Christmas.

We have found something fairly close to where the ‘escape to chateau’ place is, and we happened to pass it by accident last week. Bea recognised it so we pulled in their drive to have a look and promptly got stuck in the mud, having chewed up their lane a bit we had to ask Dick for help to pull us out, which after first getting one of his staff to try with a mini tractor which wasn’t up to the job, he pulled us out himself with his Defender. Took a while though, and the Defender chewed up his land quite a lot trying to pull a fully loaded 4 ton camper through his rain sodden soft and boggy field.

Dick came across as a top bloke though, he didn’t seem bothered in the least, and was very helpful. I think his kids enjoyed the fun of all the mud spraying everywhere as well.
 
How did the language lessons and carte de sejour application go?

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eurajohn said:
How did the language lessons and carte de sejour application go?
Click to expand...
It was supposed to be 100hrs of lessons, but if they feel you are progressing quick enough they can submit you for the test anytime after 50hrs. They put me forward after 48hrs (test itself counted for the last 2hrs) and I passed. Aced it actually. Pass mark is about 75%, I got 96%

That was November 17. So then we immediately applied for the Carte de Sejour, you are supposed to apply at latest 2 months before visa expiry, which was Jan 15, meaning latest was Nov 15. We submitted all documents and applied on November 18…

We then got back on with the search, switching to a different business model. Not camping, more gite complex, land, events, maybe an opportunity to develop a glamping operation. We looked at loads in November and December, and found something of interest, owners retiring.

In Spain for Christmas/NY we started getting nervous having heard nothing from the Prefecture in Brittany so starting following up. It turns out some documents (which weren’t requested) were missing from the application and it had been rejected, they just hadn’t got around to notifying me because, well, Christmas. I had to reapply, attaching this time the required documents. Problem was I didn’t have the required documents - proof of french residence which had to be a french bank account.

About this time Bea received notification from the UK that her UK settled status had to be renewed to allow her to continue to live in UK if she wanted. The documents required in both cases were specific evidence of residence, bills/bank accounts in our name at a registered UK and French address.

We had to prioritise taking action to renew Beas right to stay in the UK - using a friends address, having a UK bank statement sent there, going on electoral register etc. If we hadn’t, we could have one day soon ended up with Bea having no right to live in UK and me no right to live in EU. If we’d have needed to return to the UK after her current residence expired in 2024 I’d have to return to UK first and get a job earning some minimum salary (£40k I believe it’s going to) and then we’d have to make a new application for her to join me in the UK - despite her living and working and paying tax in UK for 20yrs!

And people wonder why I loathe the whole utterly stupid, cut off our nose to spite our face Brexit thing…

After that we focussed back on the French Carte de sejour for me. After dozens of exchanges and explanations as to why I don’t yet have a French bank account, ie I will only become tax resident in France once we buy somewhere and start a business (which apparently there is no ‘box’ for), they accepted other evidence, which was a long explanation letter from Bea, a written ‘statement of honour’ by Beas dad that I was living at his house, my French mobile phone bill and a review by a more senior decision maker.

I was finally informed that the decision had been taken to grant me a 2yr visa extension (carte de sejour) on the 17th January, after 2 very nervous days spent as, officially, an illegal immigrant. I was advised early in the ‘communications’ not to try to cross a border in the meantime once my original visa expired, hence we returned from Spain a week before it did. Not that there are any checks on the Franco-Spanish border where we crossed, but you never know.

So, having been informed I had it, we had to go all the way back to the tip of brittany again to have the final face to face check and get it printed off and handed over 2 weeks ago. I handed over another 225 Euros and hey presto I have a 2yr Carte de Sejour and can stay here and work here until December 2025 - at which point I have to do the whole thing all over again, unless I pass higher level French language tests in which case I still have to do it all over again but that would be the last time for 10yrs. If I want citizenship, then it’s even higher levels of French language… ahh.

So… We are now in process of making an offer on the new place.

Helga the camper has performed spectacularly. STILL no damp, no leaks, no breakdowns. I’ve changed the oil 5 times in the last 15 months - always fully synthetic. Coming up on 160,000km..
 
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Looking forward to the next installment.
Being risk adverse your adventures ate fascinating far braver than me
 
I look forward to hearing that you have completed on your purchase, whatever it is, wherever it is and this time don’t tell any of us where it is until you have. Whatever happened, I’m certain it was never intentional, unless it happened by chance. if it was anyone on here, I’m not sure they would own up to it anyway, but it would be nice if they did, was it you?

Congratulations on your two year Visa and least sorting out Bea’s too.

Carol

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Reading dawsey 's interesting adventures with its multitude of dilapidated camp site potential issues reminded me very much of the many years I spent restoring rusted and bashed about money-pit classic cars with ripped upholstery and knackered engines. What began as an interesting project often turned into a frustrating nightmare.
In his shoes I'd do the same as he may be doing now: Go for a site that someone else has already agonised over, invested a fortune in, grafted on and hassled with, then improve/develop/exploit it further in my own time whilst taking an income from it.
 
Spriddler said:
Reading dawsey 's interesting adventures with its multitude of dilapidated camp site potential issues reminded me very much of the many years I spent restoring rusted and bashed about money-pit classic cars with ripped upholstery and knackered engines. What began as an interesting project often turned into a frustrating nightmare.
In his shoes I'd do the same as he may be doing now: Go for a site that someone else has already agonised over, invested a fortune in, grafted on and hassled with, then improve/develop/exploit it further in my own time whilst taking an income from it.
Click to expand...
Well spotted. This is precisely what we are now doing. €1m has been verifiably invested not too long ago. It needs another €250k to make it tip top and develop the potential. Purchase price is in budget - no borrowing needed. It’s a much smaller project, but still interesting and won’t be years of graft, stress and worry. A lovely peaceful place too.
 
Spriddler said:
Reading dawsey 's interesting adventures with its multitude of dilapidated camp site potential issues reminded me very much of the many years I spent restoring rusted and bashed about money-pit classic cars with ripped upholstery and knackered engines.
Click to expand...
Ha - this is one of the many things I look forward to being able to do, I can’t wait to get spannering again on my own classic, all my cars have been left to rot in storage for far too long…
 
dawsey said:
Ha - this is one of the many things I look forward to being able to do, I can’t wait to get spannering again on my own classic, all my cars have been left to rot in storage for far too long…
Click to expand...
You sound like the masochist who liked a hot shower every morning..........so he had hot ones.
 
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dawsey said:
Well spotted. This is precisely what we are now doing. €1m has been verifiably invested not too long ago. It needs another €250k to make it tip top and develop the potential. Purchase price is in budget - no borrowing needed. It’s a much smaller project, but still interesting and won’t be years of graft, stress and worry. A lovely peaceful place too.
Click to expand...
Although you didn't like us having an opinion on past venture, I can assure you it wasn't out of spite or anything else we just tried to not let you throw good money after bad.
And must say this new one sounds a lot more sensible and wish you every success with it and look forward to hearing how you get on.

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dawsey said:
It was supposed to be 100hrs of lessons, but if they feel you are progressing quick enough they can submit you for the test anytime after 50hrs. They put me forward after 48hrs (test itself counted for the last 2hrs) and I passed. Aced it actually. Pass mark is about 75%, I got 96%

That was November 17. So then we immediately applied for the Carte de Sejour, you are supposed to apply at latest 2 months before visa expiry, which was Jan 15, meaning latest was Nov 15. We submitted all documents and applied on November 18…

We then got back on with the search, switching to a different business model. Not camping, more gite complex, land, events, maybe an opportunity to develop a glamping operation. We looked at loads in November and December, and found something of interest, owners retiring.

In Spain for Christmas/NY we started getting nervous having heard nothing from the Prefecture in Brittany so starting following up. It turns out some documents (which weren’t requested) were missing from the application and it had been rejected, they just hadn’t got around to notifying me because, well, Christmas. I had to reapply, attaching this time the required documents. Problem was I didn’t have the required documents - proof of french residence which had to be a french bank account.

About this time Bea received notification from the UK that her UK settled status had to be renewed to allow her to continue to live in UK if she wanted. The documents required in both cases were specific evidence of residence, bills/bank accounts in our name at a registered UK and French address.

We had to prioritise taking action to renew Beas right to stay in the UK - using a friends address, having a UK bank statement sent there, going on electoral register etc. If we hadn’t, we could have one day soon ended up with Bea having no right to live in UK and me no right to live in EU. If we’d have needed to return to the UK after her current residence expired in 2024 I’d have to return to UK first and get a job earning some minimum salary (£40k I believe it’s going to) and then we’d have to make a new application for her to join me in the UK - despite her living and working and paying tax in UK for 20yrs!

And people wonder why I loathe the whole utterly stupid, cut off our nose to spite our face Brexit thing…

After that we focussed back on the French Carte de sejour for me. After dozens of exchanges and explanations as to why I don’t yet have a French bank account, ie I will only become tax resident in France once we buy somewhere and start a business (which apparently there is no ‘box’ for), they accepted other evidence, which was a long explanation letter from Bea, a written ‘statement of honour’ by Beas dad that I was living at his house, my French mobile phone bill and a review by a more senior decision maker.

I was finally informed that the decision had been taken to grant me a 2yr visa extension (carte de sejour) on the 17th January, after 2 very nervous days spent as, officially, an illegal immigrant. I was advised early in the ‘communications’ not to try to cross a border in the meantime once my original visa expired, hence we returned from Spain a week before it did. Not that there are any checks on the Franco-Spanish border where we crossed, but you never know.

So, having been informed I had it, we had to go all the way back to the tip of brittany again to have the final face to face check and get it printed off and handed over 2 weeks ago. I handed over another 225 Euros and hey presto I have a 2yr Carte de Sejour and can stay here and work here until December 2025 - at which point I have to do the whole thing all over again, unless I pass higher level French language tests in which case I still have to do it all over again but that would be the last time for 10yrs. If I want citizenship, then it’s even higher levels of French language… ahh.

So… We are now in process of making an offer on the new place.

Helga the camper has performed spectacularly. STILL no damp, no leaks, no breakdowns. I’ve changed the oil 5 times in the last 15 months - always fully synthetic. Coming up on 160,000km..
Click to expand...
Good to hear you've got your CdS now, the French can be extremely frustrating at times can't they.
You mention a visit to the Chateau de la Motte-Husson is that the area you are searching, I live in the Mayenne and there are many opportunities in and around here.
Anyway, really happy you are back in the fold and giving us all something interesting to read.

​

 
dawsey said:
Well spotted. This is precisely what we are now doing. €1m has been verifiably invested not too long ago. It needs another €250k to make it tip top and develop the potential. Purchase price is in budget - no borrowing needed. It’s a much smaller project, but still interesting and won’t be years of graft, stress and worry. A lovely peaceful place too.
Click to expand...
So you won’t be inviting any of us riffraff 🤔🤣🤣
 
dawsey said:
Ha - this is one of the many things I look forward to being able to do, I can’t wait to get spannering again on my own classic, all my cars have been left to rot in storage for far too long…
Click to expand...
I do have one question. Are you taking the chef from the last place with you 😀

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