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France: Glossary – French Property Terms

French Terms

Abonnement: Standing charge, e.g. for electricity, gas, telephone or water services.

Achat en Viager: Buying a property by paying a life annuity with the vendor as named beneficiary.

Acompte: Deposit (non-refundable). If a deposit is described as acompte neither party can withdraw and the sale can be legally enforced.

Acquéreur: The buyer.

Acte: Legal document or deed.

Acte authentique: The final contract (authentic deed or document) for the purchase of a property drawn up, verified and stamped by a notary.

Acte de vente: Deed of sale or conveyance document.

Acte en main: The total cost of a property including agent’s and notary’s fees.

Administration fiscale: Tax authorities.

Agence immobilière: (Real) estate agency.

Agent immobilier: (Real) estate agent.

Aggrandissement: Extension or enlargement.

Aménagé/aménageable: Converted/convertible.

Amortissement: Amortisation. The gradual process of systematically reducing debt in equal payments (as in a mortgage) comprising both principal and interest, until the debt is paid in full.

Appartement: Apartment or flat.

Appartement bourgeois: Spacious (usually 19th century) apartment with separate servant’s quarters (chambre de bonne).

Appartement de standing: A luxury (usually modern) apartment. Also called a grand standing.

Appentis: Lean-to.

Are: 100 square metres.

Arrhes: Deposit (refundable).

Arrière-pays: Hinterland, inland.

Arrondissement: Administrative districts in Lyon and Paris.

Ascenseur: Lift or elevator.

Assurance multirisques habitation: Fully comprehensive (all-risk) household insurance .

Atelier: Workshop.

Attenant: Attached; adjoining.

Attestation d’acquisition: Proof of purchase.

Attestation de conformité aux règles de sécurité: Certificate of conformity to safety standards.

Attestation de propriété: Proof of ownership of a property.

Attribution de juridiction: The formal signing of a purchase contract.

Authentique: Authentic, i.e. a document signed in the presence of a notary and authenticated by him.

Avec tout le confort: With all mod. cons.

Avec travaux: For renovation.

Avocat: Lawyer or solicitor.

Bail: Lease.

Bailleur: Lessor, e.g. owner or landlord of a property.

Balcon: Balcony.

Ballon (à eau chaude): Hot water tank or immersion heater.

Banlieue: Suburb.

Bastide: Square or fortified stone house.

Bâtiment: Building.

Bergerie: Sheepfold or sheep pen.

Biens mobiliers: Movable property.

Bilan (de santé immobilier): (House) survey.

Bi-propriété: Shared ownership.

Bois/Boiserie: Wood/woodwork.

Bon de visite: Viewing confirmation.

Bon état: Good condition.

(au) Bord de la Mer: By the sea.

Bourg: Small town or large village.

Bricolage: Building, repairs and do-it-yourself (DIY) supplies.

Brique: Brick.

Buanderie: Wash house, laundry or utility room.

Bûcher: Woodshed.

Bureau: Study.

Bureau de vente: Sales office.

Cabinet: A small room.

Cabinet WC: Toilet.

Cadastre: Land registry/land registration.

(à la) Campagne: In the country.

Carré: Square (measurement); a mètre carré is a square metre.

Caution: Guarantee or security deposit.

Cave: Cellar.

Cave voûtée: Vaulted cellar.

Cellier: Storeroom or cellar.

Centre foncier: Land office.

Centre des impôts: Tax office. Also called a bureau des impôts or hôtel des impôts.

Certificat d’urbanisme: Town planning permit.

Cession: Transfer of ownership or rights, including property.

Chai: Wine cellar or vat room.

Chambre (à coucher): Bedroom.

Chambres d’hôtes: Bed and breakfast establishment.

Chantier: Builder’s yard.

Charges: Utilities such as electricity, gas, water, insurance, maintenance and other services.

Chartreuse: Monastery or large manor house.

Château: Large country mansion, manor house, fort or castle.

Chaudière: Boiler (water heater).

Chauffage (central): Heating (central).

Chauffage collectif: Communal or shared heating, e.g. in an apartment block.

Chauffe-eau: A gas water heater or hot water tank.

Chaume: Thatch.

Chaumière: Thatched cottage.

Cheminée: Fireplace or chimney.

Citerne à eau: Water tank.

Citerne à gaz: Gas tank, e.g. for central heating.

Clause particulière: Special condition.

Clause pénale: Penalty clause in a sales contract.

Clause suspensive: Conditional clause in a contract which must be met to ensure its validity.

Climatisation: Air-conditioning.

Colombage: A half-timbered house common in Normandy.

Colombier: Pigeon house or dovecote.

Combles: Loft; roof space.

Commission compris (C/C): Commission included, e.g. the sale price of a property including the agent’s commission.

Commission non compris: Commission not included.

Communauté: Joint estate of a husband and wife.

Communauté universelle: A marriage régime where all assets are owned jointly.

Commune: Town, village, district or parish.

Compromis de vente: Preliminary contract of sale for a property.

Comptable: Accountant.

Comptant: Payable in cash without a loan.

Compte séquestre: A deposit held in a special escrow account pending fulfilment of certain conditions.

Compteur: Meter (electricity/gas/ water).

Concierge: Caretaker/porter of an apartment block.

Concurrence: A concurrence (competition) sale is where two notaries are involved, although only one can execute the deed. The notary who doesn’t execute the deed (reçoit l’acte) is said to be in concurrence.

Conditions particulières: Special conditions, e.g. in an insurance policy.

Conditions suspensives: Special conditions in a contract which allow one or both parties to declare the contract null and void if they aren’t met.

Congélateur: Freezer.

Conseil juridique: Professional legal adviser.

Conseiller fiscal: Financial or tax adviser.

Conservateur des hypothèques: District land register.

Constat d’huissier: A statement of fact prepared by a huissier (bailiff) which is irrefutable in a court of law.

Constructible: Land available for building purposes.

Contrat: Contract.

Contrat préliminaire: Preliminary contract. Same as a contrat de réservation.

Contrat de réservation: Promissory contract to buy a property off-plan before it’s built.

Convention: Agreement.

Copropriété: Co-ownership of communal property, equivalent to a US condominium.

Copropriété financière: Co-owner finance.

Corps de bâtiments: Group of buildings.

Cour: Yard or courtyard.

Cour de ferme: Farmyard.

Cuisine: Kitchen.

Cuisine américaine: Modern fitted kitchen possibly with a dining area.

Cuisine meublée: Kitchen with fixed cooker, refrigerator, etc.

Cuisinière: Cooker/stove.

Cuve: Tank, e.g. for gas or oil.

Date de livraison prévue: Estimated date of completion.

Débarras: Box room or small store room.

Décennale: Ten-year warranty provided by a registered builder.

Déclaration de sincérité: Formal acceptance of purchase price.

Décorée: Decorated and fitted out ready for occupation.

Dédit: Penalty provided for in a contract should either party default. If a deposit is described as a dédit the buyer will lose his deposit if he withdraws. If the seller withdraws he must repay the deposit and a penalty equal to the same sum.

Délabré: Dilapidated or tumbledown.

Déménagement: Moving house.

Demeure: Any dwelling, but it normally refers to a grand country house with extensive grounds.

Dépannage: Emergency repair service.

Département: Administrative area roughly equivalent to a British county or an American state.

Dépendance: Outbuilding.

Dépôt de garantie: The deposit paid when buying or renting a property.

Dernière étage: Top floor.

(à) Deux étages: Two storey.

Devis: A written quotation, e.g. for work to be done on a house.

Direction Départementale de l’Equipement (DDE): Departmental surveyors, land planning and public works department.

(à) Discuter: To be discussed or negotiated.

Disjoncteur: Electricity overload trip switch or circuit breaker.

Domaine: A country estate with a stately home.

Domicile fiscal: Main residence for tax purposes.

Donation de jouissance: Legal document to safeguard the rights of the surviving joint owner of a property.

Donation entre époux: Gift between spouses, whereby a surviving spouse is given a life interest in a property in priority to children or parents.

Douche: Shower.

Droit de passage: Right of way.

Droit de préemption: Mandate to make enquiries for buyer.

Droits de donation: Gift tax.

Droits d’enregistrement: Stamp duty on a property purchase which is paid by the buyer.

Droits de passage: Right of way.

Droit de succession: Inheritance tax.

Duplex: An apartment or maisonette on two floors.

Durée: Duration or period of a mortgage.

Durée initiale: The initial duration of a lease for rented property.

Eau chaude collective: Shared hot water supply, e.g. in an apartment block.

Eaux usées: Drain or waste water.

Echange de lettres: Exchange of letters (type of property purchase contract).

Ecurie: Stable.

Emoluments d’actes: Fixed scale of fees for a notary’s standard services.

Emoluments de négociation: Fees for introducing the buyer.

Emprunt: Loan.

Engagement: Commitment, usually of vendor.

Enregistrement: Stamp duty.

Entrée: Hallway.

Entreprenuer: Building consortium or contractor.

Entretien: Maintenance.

Escalier: Stairway.

Etable: Stable or cowshed.

Etage: Floor or storey.

Etang: Lake or pond.

Etat hypothécaire: Land registry search.

Etats des lieux: Inventory.

Etude: A notary’s office or practise.

Expédition: A certified copy of the title deed of a property.

Expert de bâtiment: Surveyor.

Expert foncier: Valuer.

Expert géomètre: Land surveyor.

Expertise: Survey or valuation.

Expertiser: To value (a property).

Facture: Bill.

Fenêtre: Window.

Fenêtre en baie: Bay window.

Ferme: Farm.

Fermette: Small farm or smallholding.

FNAIM: The initials of the Fédération Nationale des Agents Immobiliers et Mandataires, the main French national association of real estate agents.

FNSAFER: See SAFER.

Forfait: Fixed price or contract with an all-in price.

Fosse septique: Septic tank.

Fosse à toutes eaux: A septic tank which filters all household waste water and discharges it underground.

Fosse traditionelle: See Fosse septique.

Four: Oven.

Four à pain: Bread oven or bakehouse.

Foyer principal: Main or principal home.

Frais: Fees.

Frais d’acte: The notary’s fees for producing a deed plus stamp duty, land registry fees and other relevant disbursements.

Frais compris: Fees included.

Frais de dossier: The arrangement fee charged by a bank for establishing a mortgage.

Frais de notaire: Same as frais d’acte.

Garantie d’achèvement: Guarantee of completion of a property purchased off plan.

Gardien/gardienne: Guardian (male/female) or caretaker.

Gaz en boutelle: Bottled gas.

Gaz de ville: Mains gas.

Gentilhommière: Small manor house, originally a gentleman’s country seat.

Gîte: Self-catering accommodation.

Grange: Barn.

Grenier: Attic or loft.

Gros oeuvre: Shell or basic structure of a house.

Habitation: Dwelling.

Hameau: Hamlet.

Hectare: 10,000 square metres or 2.471 acres.

Honoraires: A notary’s fee which isn’t fixed by an official scale.

Hors frais/taxes: Fees (frais) or taxes not included.

Hôtel de ville: Town hall in cities and large towns. See also Mairie.

Hôtel particulier: Elegant townhouse or mansion, sometimes better described as a palace.

HT: Abbreviation of hors taxe, meaning excluding tax (usually VAT).

Huissier: An officer of the court who’s roughly equivalent to a bailiff and serves writs and court orders and prepares statements of fact (constat d’huissier) which are irrefutable in a court of law.

Hypothèque: A mortgage or loan on a property.

Immeuble: Apartment block or a legal term for immovable property.

Immobilier: Real estate; property.

Impôt: Tax.

Impôts locaux: Local property taxes.

Impôt sur la fortune: Wealth tax.

Impôt sur les plus-values: Capital gains tax.

Impôt sur le revenu: Income tax.

Indemnité de l’immobilisation: Down payment on a preliminary contract of sale, usually 10 per cent of the price.

Indivision: Joint ownership of a property or tenancy in common.

Inscription: Registered charge.

Installation: Fixture or fitting.

Installation électrique: Wiring.

Interdiction: A restriction on a vendor assigning rights to a third party.

Inventaire détaillé/état des lieux: An inventory of the contents and condition of a rented property.

Jardin/Jardinier: Garden/gardener.

Jouissance: Possession (or taking possession) or tenure.

Jouissance libre: Vacant possession.

Jumelle: Semi-detached house.

Laverie: Laundry room.

Living: Living room.

Location: Tenancy.

Location vente: Renting a property while buying some of the equity value.

Locataire: Tenant.

Logement: Lodging, accommodation.

Logis: Manor house.

Lotissement: Housing estate.

(à) Louer: To rent, hire or let.

Loyer: Rent/rental.

Lucarne: Dormer window or skylight.

Maçon: Builder such as a bricklayer or stone mason.

Maçonnerie: Brick or Stone work.

Mainlevée: Release or withdrawal of mortgage or charge.

Mairie: Town hall (or equivalent in village).

Maison: House.

Maison à étage: A two-storey house.

Maison d’amis: Second or holiday home.

Maison bourgeoise: Large period house designed for the professional classes during the 19th century.

Maison de campagne: House in the country.

Maison de caractère: House of character, often with a dovecote or pigeon tower.

Maison en carré: House built around a courtyard.

Maison de chasse: Hunting lodge, usually located on the edge of a forest.

Maison de maître: Gentleman’s mansion or imposing house, usually a few centuries old.

Maison mitoyenne: Semi-detached house.

Maison neuve: New house.

Maison paysanne: Farmhouse.

Maison secondaire: Second or holiday home.

Maison de viticulteur: Winegrower’s house.

Maisonette: Cottage.

Maire: Mayor.

Mairie: Town hall or office of the mayor in small towns and villages. See also Hôtel de ville.

Maître: Title used when addressing a notaire.

Maître d’oeuvres: Master builder, clerk of works or project manager.

Mandat/Mandataire: Mandate or power of attorney document. The representative or proxy who’s given a power of attorney.

Mandat exclusif: An exclusive mandate, e.g. for a real estate agent to sell a property.

Mandat de recherche: An agreement with an agent to find a property.

Mandat simple: A non-exclusive mandate, e.g. for an estate agent to sell a property, meaning that the vendor reserves the right to deal with other agents and to negotiate directly with private individuals.

Mandat de vente: Sales mandate.

Manoir: Manor house.

Marchand de biens: Property developer or speculator (no longer a recognised profession).

Marquise: Porch.

Mas: A Provençal style farmhouse, usually L-shaped, often used to refer to any house built in the Mediterranean style.

Mazet: Small stone hut.

Menuisier: Carpenter or joiner.

Mètre carré: A square metre.

Meublé: Furnished. Unfurnished is non-meublé.

Meubles: Furniture.

Mode de paiement: Method of payment.

(à la) Montagne: In the mountains.

Montant: Amount (of money) to be paid.

Monument historique: Listed building.

Moquette: Fitted carpet.

Moulin: Mill/Watermill.

Moulin à vent: Windmill.

Multipropriété: The most common term for timesharing.

Multirisques d’habitation: Fully comprehensive (all-risk) household insurance.

Mur: Wall.

Mur mitoyen: A party wall shared with another property.

Nantissement: Collateral or security for a loan.

Net vendeur: The amount the vendor receives, excluding any agent’s fees.

Non-meublé: Unfurnished.

Notaire: Notary. The legal professional who handles the conveyancing for all property sales in France (similar to a British solicitor or an American property lawyer).

Nouvelle propriété: Property under five years old..

Nu-propriétaire: Rights of owner set aside during a tenant’s lifetime.

Nue-propriétée: Reversionary interest in a property.

Offre d’achat: Offer to buy.

Offre de vente: Offer of sale.

Parties communes: Communal areas (e.g. in block of flats).

Parties privatives: Private areas of a shared building or development, e.g. an apartment.

Pavillon: Small detached cottage or house, usually located on the outskirts of a town or village.

Pays: A country or the countryside.

Pelouse: Lawn.

Pépinière: Garden centre.

Période d’anticipation: The period before completion of a property purchased off-plan, during which interest is paid on a monthly basis on the amount advanced by the bank (plus insurance).

Permis de construire: Building permit.

Perron: Flight of steps in front of a mansion.

Pièce: A room.

Pièce de garantie: The amount of the financial guarantee of a bonded real estate agent, which must be displayed in his office.

Pierre (du pays): Stone (local).

Pierre apparentes: Exposed stonework, e.g. the outer surface of a wall.

Pigeonnier: Pigeon tower.

Pignon: Gable.

Piscine: Swimming pool.

Plage: Beach.

Plain-pied: Single storey.

Plan d’amortissement: Schedule for paying off a mortgage.

Plan cadastral: Cadastral plan showing the dimensions of a property’s land area.

Plan de financement: Plan or schedule of purchase payments, e.g. in stages when buying a new property.

Plancher: Wooden floor.

Pleine propriété: Freehold.

Plomberie: Plumbing.

Plombier: Plumber.

Plus-values: Capital gains.

Portes-fenêtres à la française: French windows.

Potager: Kitchen garden.

Poubelle(s): Dustbin or garbage can.

Poutre: Beam (wooden).

Pouvoir: Given power to act, e.g. power of attorney.

Prélèvement automatique: Direct debit.

Presbytère: Presbytery or vicarage.

Prêt: Loan.

Prêt immobilier: Mortgage.

Prêt relais: Bridging loan.

Prix déclaré: The price of a property declared to the authorities.

Prix demandé: The asking price.

Prix fermé: Fixed price (non- negotiable).

Procuration: Power of attorney. Also known as a mandat or pouvoir.

Projet d’acte: A draft conveyance deed.

Promesse d’achat: Preliminary or promissory contract to buy a property.

Promesse de vente: Preliminary or promissory contract to sell a property.

Promesse unilatérale de vente: A property that is rented with a promise to sell at an agreed price in the future with part of the rent going towards the purchase price.

Promoteur: Property developer.

Propriétaire: Owner.

Propriété: Property.

Propriété à restaurer: Property for restoration.

Propriété en ruines: Property in ruins.

Propriétés baties: Developed or built property.

Publicité foncière: Obligatory registration of a property at the land registry.

Puisard: Cesspool or sump.

Puissance: Electricity power rating (in kilowatts).

Puits: Well.

Quartier: Neighbourhood.

Quincaillerie: Hardware store or ironmonger’s.

Quittance: Receipt.

Ramoneur: Chimneysweep.

Rangement: Storage area.

Ravalement: Restoration.

Réalisation: To carry out or fulfil an agreement.

Réduit: Box room.

Réfection: Reconstruction.

Réfrigérateur: Refrigerator (often shortened to frigo).

Règlement de copropriété: The document containing the rules and regulations of a copropriété building.

Remis: Storeroom.

Remise des clefs: Handing over keys to a new owner.

Rénovation: Renovation.

Rente viagère: Life annuity.

Représentative accrédité: A guarantor for capital gains tax purposes.

Réservation: Deposit (in a contrat de réservation).

Réservoir: Water tank.

Résidence principale: Main or principal home.

Résidence secondaire: Second or holiday home.

Résiliation: Cancellation (of contract).

Responsabilité civile propriétaire: Third party liability of homeowners for which insurance is mandatory.

Restaurer: To restore (a building).

Révision de loyer: A revision or review of the rent payable on a property.

Renouvellement: The renewal of a rental contract (lease).

Rez-de-chaussée: Ground floor.

Ruine: Ruin or run-down property. A property in need of restoration, renovation and modernisation is referred to as a propriété en ruines or a propriété à restaurer.

SAFER: Société d’Aménagement Foncier et d’Établissement Rural; regional member of the Fédération Nationale des Société d’Aménagement Foncier et d’Etablissement Rural (FNSAFER).

Saisie-arrêt: Distraint or attachment.

Saisie-exécutions: Distraint for sale by court order.

Salle: Room.

Salle à manger: Dining room.

Salle de bain: Bathroom.

Salle de douche: Shower room.

Salle d’eau: Shower room.

Salle de séjour: Living room.

Salon: Sitting room, lounge or drawing room.

Sanitaire: Bathroom or plumbing.

Sanitation: Sanitation or main drainage.

Sans travaux: Ready to occupy.

Séjour: Living room.

Séjour principal: Main or principal residence.

Séparation des biens: Separation of property. A marriage régime where each spouse retains legal ownership of his or her own assets.

Service du cadastre: Land registry or cadastral survey.

Servitudes: Building regulations, rights of way or easements.

SNPI: Syndicate National des Professionnels Immobiliers, a professional association of estate agents.

Société civile immobilière (SCI): A civil company that holds voting shares in a property.

Sol: Ground.

Source: Spring (a sourcier is a water diviner).

Sous-seing: Preliminary contract.

Sous-sol: Basement often used as a garage or cellar.

Studio: A one-roomed apartment or bed-sitter.

Surface habitable: Habitable area excluding terraces, balconies, cellars, store rooms, etc.

Syndicat (des copropriétaires): The committee appointed to manage a community development
[b](copropriété).

Système de chauffage: Heating system.

T: Abbreviation for type used by estate agents and in property advertisements, followed by a figure indicating the number of main rooms (i.e. excluding kitchen, bathrooms, toilets, etc.).

Tapis: Carpet or rug. A fitted carpet is a moquette.

Taxe d’habitation: Dwelling or local property tax based on occupancy (not ownership) of a property.

Taxe foncière: Local property tax (rates) levied on property owners. The tax is split into two amounts:[/b] one for the building (taxe foncière bâtie) and a smaller one for the land (taxe foncière non bâtie).

Témoin: Show apartment or house (appartement/maison témoin).

Terrain: Grounds or land.

Terrain à bâtir: Building site for sale.

Terrasse: Terrace.

Testament: Will.

Titre de propriété: Title deed.

Toilettes: Toilet or lavatory (public).

Toit/Toiture: Roof/roofing.

Toit en terrasse: Flat roof.

Toiture: Roof (structure).

Tontine: Ownership in joint tenancy under which the assets pass to the survivor. A clause tontine can be included in a property purchase contract (acte de vente).

Tout à l’égout: Mains drainage system.

Toutes taxes: Including taxes.

Travaux: Building works.

Trésor public: Public treasury or treasurer’s department.

Triplex: Maisonette on three floors.

TTC: Abbreviation of toutes taxes comprises, meaning inclusive of tax (usually VAT).

TVA: Abbreviation of taxe sur la valeur ajoutée, meaning value added tax (VAT).

TVA immobilière: VAT payable on property under five years old.

Urbanisme: Town planning.

Urgence: Emergency.

Usufruct/Usufruit: Legal term for a life interest in a property.

Valeur cadastrale: Assessment of a property’s value for land tax purposes.

Valeur vénale: Market value.

Vendeur: Vendor or seller.

Vente en l’état futur d’achèvement: Sale of a property off plan (on plan) before it is built.

Vente à réméré: Sale which is subject to a right of repurchase.

Vente sous conditions suspensives: Sale subject to special conditions, e.g. the sale of an existing property.

Viabilisé: (Plot) having mains water and electricity connections.

Vente à tenure: Sale of usufruct.

Véranda: Conservatory, sun-room or extension.

Verger: Orchard.

Vieille maison: An old house.

Villa: A (usually modern) detached house with garden.

Ville: Town.

Volet (roulant): Shutter (roller).

© Survival Books Limited 2005

“Buying a Home in France 2006” 6th Edition, David Hampshire.

Reproduced with the permission of Survival Books Limited.

Further information on this topic can be found in “Buying a Home in France 2006” 6th edition, by David Hampshire.

For extensive, annually updated information about buying a property in France, you can purchase this book at www.survivalbooks.net

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