Chateau Keyboard

Tuesday, May 20: Important, life-changing stuff

We go to see Maitre Salindre today, our favourite local Notaire. We're signing a compromis de vente, a binding contract to buy a plot of land in St Cristol-lès-Alès, on which we're planning to build a villa - a nice one, too - and then flog it. You thought getting married and having kids was grown up? Try becoming a property developer.
Naturally the process takes ages and ages and ages, what with everyone present - us, the land vendor, our estate agent and the Notaire - all having to swap stories and chat continuously for 90 minutes. Everyone takes the opportunity to ask for some free advice, debate its value with Maitre Salindre and generally make free with the time we're paying for. We do the same, though, so it all evens out.
Then we spend half an hour discussing company formations with Maitre Salindre, including a debate about the name - au vs. du in the middle makes a big difference, and we get heavily into the finer points of French grammar.
Then on out and up to Alès to meet our builder, M. Jolivet. Who looks like a builder and is thoroughly nice and pleasant. We chat through potential designs with him and the architect and plump for a two-story, four-bed model with two, possibly three terraces, perhaps a chimney and a cuisine americaine avec breakfast bar. Should be lovely. If you'll be needing such a place - 120 square metres of floor space, 500 sq. m. garden, let us know.
Oh, Mrs K's put up some pictures of the patch of dirt we're buying if you're into patches of dirt.