Re: retirement notice

Dear France Bound friends:

I am writing to let you know that the francebound.net website and emails are no longer active following my recent decision to retire and to close France Bound Villa and Vacation Rentals.

The francebound.net domain name now points to this franceboundblog.wordpress.com site. In addition, the francebound.net email addresses are no longer active, but I can still be reached at francebound at telus.net email address.

In case you did not receive my retirement notice in December, here is a summary. After much thought and careful consideration, I decided to retire. This was not an easy decision, and one that I struggled with for many months. However, the time was right: vacation rental agencies have been considerably impacted by industry changes in the past few years, and I have recently been facing some major health challenges.

Almost 20 years ago I founded France Bound, and it has been an enriching and rewarding experience that provided wonderful opportunities for growth, travel, friendships, and fabulous memories.

I genuinely enjoyed the friendship and association that I have had with all of you over the years, and I will miss working with you.  Please accept my heartfelt thanks for your support. I have been very fortunate to work with you, and I will miss you.

Kerry McKeen
France Bound Villa & Vacation Rentals

Customer review:

Customer review: “I have just returned from 3 glorious weeks in Provence, organized by Kerry McKeen at France Bound.I stayed in the cottage on a vineyard estate between the villages of Ansouis and Cururon. I was hosted by Alex and Helen, who were helpful in directing me to the local markets and suggestions on walking, hiking and biking in the area. They made me feel very welcome and the cottage was private without being isolated. I explored as far west as Arles and south to Aix en Provence and took time to see the points of history, antiquity and food markets, and of course did a little shopping. The area economy is driven by tourism and the ex-pat community so language was not a problem and the locals were ever so patient with my broken French. I look forward to returning again soon.” Nancy. Vancouver B.C. June 2016

Turn your dream of owning a villa in Provence into a reality!

If you’re looking for a beautiful house to buy in Provence, we have a very special property to share with you. This gorgeous fully renovated four bedroom house is perfectly located just a short stroll from a charming Provencal village. The property features a large swimming pool, beautiful grounds including an orchard and olive grove, wonderful views of Mt. Ventoux and the surrounding villages & vineyards. The house features tasteful Provencal furnishings and decor, a spacious modern built-in kitchen, and 4 bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms. Also included is a separate caretakers cottage, and a private & beautifully appointed owners apartment.

Finding the perfect villa in Provence isn’t easy; there is a lot of competition, and many of the best properties are sold before they reach the market. It is rare to find a property that offers all of the most important features, but Villa Caromb is one of them, and this perfect property is now for sale.

If you’ve been dreaming of living in Provence, this is an ideal place to call home, and it is move-in ready! Villa Caromb is also one of our most popular rental properties with many returning guests, and a solid rental record. Best of all, the current caretakers are available to look after the property for you, and the France Bound team will market your rental & manage your reservations.

To turn your dream of owning a villa in Provence into a reality, contact us for more information. Email: info@francebound.net

 

France Bound Testimonial

We have used France Bound for our last several trips to France. Previously, we would organize our own trips, often with mixed results. With Kerry, things have gone seamlessly. Because she knows each of the rental owners and has visited them personally, there is a level familiarity and professionalism that we have not experienced elsewhere. We receive a well organized and thorough rental agreement along with detailed instructions regarding the rental that is both helpful and reassuring. The “Things to do in Provence” booklet she provides is very well researched and offers many great suggestions for taking full advantage of the Provence experience. I highly recommend France Bound for any trip you are planning to this most wonderful country. W. Sanders Sep. 2015

 

Provence villa rental review

France Bound client villa rental review: On behalf of my family, I want to express my deepest appreciation for organizing such a spectacular trip for is to Provence. I would highly recommend France Bound to any of our friends planning a trip to France.

Everything was seamless, and we thoroughly enjoyed Villa Goult, We found the central location ideal for what we wanted to see and to do.

The recommended restaurants were spectacular, and one of the best meals we had was prepared at the villa by a local recommended chef. It was a great way to celebrate my wife’s birthday.

 

We also appreciated your day trip recommendations, including a day at Cassis. Although we were unable to charter a boat with a skipper, we took the 65 minute tour boat along the shore and inlets and found it perfectly enjoyable. We also took you up on your suggestion to visit Sault to discover the wonder of the lavender fields.

Thank you for making our trip so special.
With best regards,
Dan
July 2015

Aix en Provence apartment rental review

France Bound client review: “We are back home after our French adventure and wanted to say thank you for your help in ensuring that we had a great holiday. Coming from Australia we find that some organisations are more geared towards the US and Canadian market. We really appreciated the effort you made, not only to ensure that everything went smoothly for us, but also to ensure that we were confident and secure about all of the arrangements that you had made. The France Bound information pack on Provence was also very helpful in helping to plan our stay.

Our stay at France Bound’s “Aix en Provence Apartment Elegance” was one of the highlights of our trip. We really appreciated your detailed directions on how to get to the apartment, after our taxi had to drop us off short of our destination due to road closures. We could not have asked for a more welcoming or helpful hostess in Holly. She was there to greet us, and gave us great advice about the area, as well as restaurants and shopping. The apartment was even better than the photos on the web. It was not only stylish, but more importantly very comfortable and well appointed, stocked with everything that we could possibly need during our stay. It was in a great location, but it was the light bright rooms, high ceilings and big windows that really made it a pleasure to stay in. There is nothing like sitting back with the windows open, enjoying the Aix sunshine with a glass of wine in the late afternoon after a day of sightseeing.

We are back in cold Tasmania now, missing the warm Aix sun, and dreaming of our next holiday. We will be recommending France Bound to our friends.”

Helen Bennett and Ray Smithurst. June 2015

Beautiful villa with pool just minutes from Aix en Provence available July 18 – August 8, 2015

Perfect for a family holiday in Provence, this stunning 4 bedroom villa with pool is ideally situated just minutes from Aix en Provence with easy access to all the surrounding places of interest in Provence. Currently available July 18 – August 08. Rental price 4700 euros per week.

Contact http://www.francebound.net for reservations.

Click on this link to view the full description and photos: http://francebound.net/property.php?id=598

Air France Inaugural Flight Vancouver to Paris

March 29, 2015. Air France makes its inaugural flight from Vancouver to Paris.

Today, Vancouver International Airport (YVR) welcomed Air France’s inaugural flight from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG). The non-stop flight marks the beginning of a new, highly requested non-stop service between Paris and Vancouver.

“Bienvenue Air France! British Columbians have been asking for direct service to Paris for some time, and we are very excited to welcome Air France to YVR,” said Craig Richmond, President and CEO, Vancouver Airport Authority.

“The new service will boost tourism and business, provide more choice for Canadian travellers, and have a positive impact on our economy,” said the Honourable Kerry-Lynne Findlay, the Minister of National Revenue, Government of Canada.

Celebrations for the inaugural flight began as the Air France Boeing 777-200 taxied into YVR with French and Canadian flags waving from the cockpit windows. Inside the terminal the event was celebrated with speeches, an Eiffel Tower cake, and a variety of French food, music, and entertainment.

This is a very important service for British Columbians who travel to France and to Europe, as it has been over 15 years since we have had non-stop scheduled service to Paris from Vancouver. France is the most visited country in the world, and the number of Canadian travellers to France continues to increase, reaching over million Canadian visitors to France in 2013, which was a 15% increase from the previous year. This new convenient direct service between Vancouver and Paris will expand opportunities for British Columbians to discover and explore France.

Service between Vancouver and Paris will operate three times a week until May, then expand to five times a week for the summer months.

L’Isle sur la Sorgue Art and Antique Festival April 3-6

After London and Saint-Ouen/Paris, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue has the third biggest antique fair. Visit one of the most charming villages in Provence to find unique antique treasures at the International Antique Fair April 3-6 in L’Isle sur la Sorgue.

At the fair you will find antique furniture, decorations, boutis, ceramics, rare finds, must-haves, and collectibles from the south of France and elsewhere. The International fair began in 1966 with 14 exhibitors, and now over 200 exhibitors display antiques along the winding streets of this picturesque town.

Full-time antique dealers will open stands in over 10 clusters through the town, conveniently grouped according to theme such as Contemporary Art, Antique Books, Design/Decoration etc. Many of these exhibitors are normally open on weekends only, but will be available throughout the Fair days.

A wonderful experience awaits as you wander the streets of this beautiful town hunting for treasures and enjoying the exquisite selection of pieces on display.

In addition, to celebrate the Easter holiday, there will be 3000 eggs hidden among the antiques on Monday 6, April 2015 10 am at Park Gautier (for children from 3 to 11). The fair returns to L’Isle sur la Sorgue August 13-16, 2015.

La Verticale de la Tour Eiffel March 20, 2015

An outstanding event at the Eiffel Tower March 20, 2015! For the first time in 120 years the Eiffel Tower will host a vertical race in which 60 athletes will ascend the 1,665 steps of the iconic landmark. The open architecture of the Eiffel Tower provides an uncommonly excellent view of the event, unlike most vertical races that take place in enclosed stairwells. La Verticale de la Tour Eiffel, will be dedicated to climbing the monument: a 279 meter race from the ground floor to the top of the Eiffel Tower, with 1665 steps to climb! This event will be held on Friday March 20th 2015 at 8:30pm in the evening.  For the first running of this unique competition, the number of participants is limited. Only 60 experienced athletes will be allowed to climb the stairs of the three levels of the famous landmark, which has not happened for over 100 years! If you are in Paris for spring break, don’t miss this exciting event.