This newsletter is the hardest and, for me, the most important one I have ever written. The aim of my writing to you is to give news and information about visiting or living in France and buying or investing in property in France - as I say on some of my websites "France, from us, from one day to a lifetime".

All my comments are based on our own experiences, work, schooling, our friends and our life in France over the last 18 years. I do try to keep personal stuff to a minimum as this is usually boring and write about matters which are useful and interesting.

Inevitably I do chat about my family - like this week when Renault F1 have won the driver and team championship again, as my son is one of the team who build the cars and I am very proud of him. I also upset people with some of my comments - like my comparisons of the English health service and the French system. Many of you have told me that they have had excellent service in the UK and that I should not quote propaganda from the Daily Mail, you are right and I will try to be more objective.

The reason I have had difficulty writing is that since July I have spent most of my time in hospital - nothing individually serious, but the combination of a lot of different things and three operations has left me feeling like a packet of broken biscuits. Although I could not write, I have had a lot of time to be still and to think. Some thoughts from the morphine dreams were totally weird, but slowly coming back to reality has shown me what a wonderful place this is and how good it is to be alive - the disappointments, stress and pain I have had this year I can see as challenges and opportunities, so as my strength returns I plan to give a lot more help and information through my websites and writing.

In this newsletter...

  Renovating agricultural buildings for a home

  Health services and local taxes for visitors to France

  What can I buy for 30,000 euro in France

  If you are a Lawyer

  The next Google, own a part of it

  Languedoc and Paris, the best regions for property growth