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NEWSLETTER No. 15 - JANUARY 10th 2006 The theme of this first newsletter of the new year is the log fireplace. A routine feature of old houses, the log fireplace has modernised over the years but remains a main focal point within a house. The top property is an extensive house with an underground swimming pool and sauna in a village 6km from Uzès. Should you wish to be removed from this mailing list, please use the link provided at the bottom of the page. Otherwise, kindly read on. Theme Of The Fortnight: The fireplace often forms the centrepiece of a living room. Today, its multiple forms include the very rudimentary open hearth, the glazed unit, termed "firebox", or "insert" in French - common in French houses comprising ducted airflow around the main fireplace, stoves, modern ceiling suspended or wall mounted units and ultramodern, perhaps less poetic but very practical remotely-controlled systems using wood pellets. A choice of fireplace is dependent not only on the desired aesthetics and practical aspects like location and available flues within a house but also the function of the fireplace (as main or secondary source of heat). Some log fireplaces are designed to fulfill the functions of heating one or several rooms by means of air ducting or a fully fledged central heating system with radiators. There is a real environmental argument for using wood for heating. Wood is considered a clean source of energy given that French forests are growing faster than they are being cut down. Hence the French government grants tax rebates for wood fired heating installations. Types and Designs Enter a rural house in France and you are likely to be confronted with a rudimentary wide stone pillared fireplace, possibly blackened from centuries of use, and potentially retaining features from a previous age, most notably some means to suspend cooking recipients over the flames. The same fireplaces are likely to seem vastly over-proportioned by today's standards. Yet sizes are representative of the role of the fireplace in previous ages. The modernisation of homes with central heating, efficient thermal insulation and double-glazing, and a different way of living within the house has dramatically altered the way we use fireplaces.    >From a design standpoint, there are various options, most of which fall into the four categories developed below. - Rudimentary with Classical look Among the more classical designs are fireplaces comprising sculpted pillars and lintels, others with plaster mouldings or spiral cornices inspired from antiquity. Such designs are often accompanied by a mirror atop which tends often to give a room extra depth. It is common to find sculpted stonework in antiques shops to recreate this type of look.    - Fireboxes (Glazed door units) Fireboxes (with air ducting and sometimes water flow) are a common feature in houses throughout France. The French term for these units is the 'insert', given that it is generally inserted where there would otherwise have been an open hearth. These generally are of rectangular format with a glazed door that slides or hinges and are raised off the ground enabling easier loading and storage space for wood beneath. Finish either side is often sculpted stone work and a wood mantlepiece.   - Stoves Stoves come in various forms and sizes and have the advantage of being easier to install and withdraw. The classic Godin cast iron stove is a cylindrical top loaded design and is a very practical and stylish addition to any room. Some modern designs of stoves have opposing glazed surfaces which are a valid option when a stove is required in the centre of a room. A recent innovation is the wood pellet fired stove which can be installed with automated loading and controlled remotely. These are often modern rectanglar designs with a glazed area where the fire can be viewed. The Italian firm Palazzetti is one such manufacturer, proposing stoves with water circulation for radiators. These devices achieve very high efficiency levels, are easy to maintain and operate on a daily basis.   - Contemporary designs Contemporary styled fireplaces abound. A number of cast iron devices exist for old style interiors. The firm Focus-Creation headquartered in Viols-le-Fort, a half hour drive from Montpellier, created the "Gyrofocus" back in 1968, an audacious ceiling suspended clam-shaped device. Since then, the design team have created many other striking designs, some suspended (Iotafocus, Agorafocus etc.), others wall installed (the discrete Pictofocus, Altissimofocus, and Stellafocus), but all have distinct style. With contemporary interiors, architects tend to opt for a more minimalist look. Hence often an open hearth and a large rectangular overhang is employed, sometimes including an element of asymmetry to add interest to the design. With this sort of design, the idea is to make the fireplace look like an integral part of the construction of the house.    Practical aspects An average household consumes 4 stères* (the local unit for the cubic metre of wood comprising 1m lengths) when used as a complimentary source of warmth along with central or electric heating. This represents an annual wood budget of 180€. *The term "stère" is adopted for a unit of volume rather than cubic metre because the same logs cut in two occupy only 0.8 cubic metres. Of the different forms of log fireplace, an open hearth is the least efficient, with only 10% to 30% of the heat retained within the house. With a glazed firebox or stove, this is raised to a minimum of 30% for the older systems and as much as 85% for modern devices. Combustion times for one wood load of up to 10 hours can be achieved. Useful links http://www.focus-creation.com/UK/index.asp http://www.palazzetti.it/fire/home.html http://www.godin.fr/accueil/home.htm Top Property Of The Fortnight: Beautifully restored house with interior swimming pool in a picturesque village 5 minutes (6km) from Uzès. This spatious house has a surface area of approximately 300m² and is entirely restored. It has a large living room, three bedrooms each with fireplace, a kitchen with period fireplace, and a library. Outdoor space is provided by a roof terrace and a spatious patio, partly shaded by a sloped pan-tile roof supported by round stone pillars. The upper of the three bedrooms has an open bath area and benefits from a view toward the Duke's residence in Uzès. Interior features include a heated interior swimming pool housed in a low vaulted room, a hammam and jacuzzi. The house is fitted with gas fired central heating and has air-conditioning. It has been restored with great attention to fine detail and respect for the authenticity of the house. Stone vaults, alcoves and fireplaces, timber ceilings and tiled / parquet flooring give tremendous character. The pretty town of Uzès offers an interesting cultural calendar, and the cities of Nimes, Avignon, Orange and Arles are all within easy driving distance. The asking price is 667,800€.       Further photographs are available on request. The details can also be viewed on the web site at the following address: http://www.jamespropertiesfrance.com/viewpropNP.php?id=304 Kindly note that the top property of the previous newsletter has undergone a significant price reduction (from 484,400€ to 419,700€) in order to facilitate a quick sale. Details are available at the following page: http://www.jamespropertiesfrance.com/viewpropNP.php?id=303 Other News: - The magazine French Property News published in its December 2005 edition a new article by James Properties France - The next newsletter will be on January 24th.  +33 626 581 415 Enquiries can be made through the following page: http://www.jamespropertiesfrance.com/contact.php About James Properties France: Based in Montpellier in the south of France, bringing to you a carefully picked selection of properties within a 70 mile radius - with the occasional more distant exception - that are chosen for their combinations of attributes, most notably: - Setting of outstanding natural beauty - Distinct character or unusual features - Quality of renovation or authenticity - Value for money James Properties France serves primarily an English speaking, though often highly Francophile clientele looking to move or own a second home in the south of France around such places as Uzes, Nimes, Montpellier, Anduze, St. Hippolyte du Fort, the Southern Cevennes, Gignac and Clermont l'Herault and the Hauts Cantons. Besides being a rich source of housing options, James Properties France represents a useful accompaniment during the process of viewing and purchasing a house. If you would like to unsubscribe from this newsletter, please click on the following link: www.jamespropertiesfrance.com/unsubscribe.php |