Relocating in London may be challenging. French Touch Properties can help you to “mind the gap” !

Founder and Managing Director

+44 (0) 7 811 723 976
+33 (0) 6 71 51 47 55
segolene@frenchtouchproperties.com

How long have you been living in London? 11 years

Where do you live? Chiswick

And what do you like the most in your living area? The thames surroundings with all the nice pubs and the view on Hammersmith bridge

What do you enjoy the most about your job? To meet everyday different people and to negotiate the best deal for our clients

What do you bring to the team? The experience and the positive attitude

London in a fews words? Business fever, muticultural, village spirit

What do you like the most about London? Everything is possible: just try!

Something you discover here and now couldn’t live without? Primark

Something you can’t get used to? To queue

What do you miss the most about France? The weather

Your favorite place in London? Camden town

A perfect day in London? A walk in Notting Hill with a pique nique in Hyde park, a little bit of shopping in high street kensington and to finish a thai at the Churchill’s arms

Any tips or best addresses in town ? Pitcher Piano in Richmond with its huge terrasse overlooking the thames

Whom would you like to find a property for? Hugh Grant

Best advice you would give to a newcomer? Don’t be scared to try a new job, the english people don’t care of your school degree

Financial Director

+44 (0) 7 894 037 290
christophe@frenchtouchproperties.com

Hello, I am Christophe and I am the CFO of French Touch Properties. In my spare time I am also acting as husband for Segolene.

How long have you been living in London? I arrived in London in July 1999. We initially came for 18 months but something went wrong apparently and here we are, 12 years after, we are just loving it! I came here to start, grow and run an English subsidiary of a big french consulting firm. That was a lot of fun and a lot of hard work but what a human experience! Then I felt I wanted to realize my old child dream and become an airline pilot, so that is what I am doing now in my other spare time. I am lucky enough to fly for British Airway so, as you see, we cannot dive deeper in the british culture but I am still eating a lot of camembert and saucisson and my ancestor was general with Napoleon. Beware my british friends…the worm is in the fruit!

Where do you live and what do you like the most in your living area? When I arrived, I didn’t know a great deal about London. As I was single, I initially rented a studio flat in Bayswater as this area was quite central. I loved the cosmopolitan atmosphere and the continuous buzz. Also I was a few steps away from Hyde Park which was very nice in the summer to relax on the typical green and white striped long chairs or for a run. Then I had to find something a bit bigger to welcome my new wife Segolene. I asked my assistant to find me a few estate agents in the West of London, called the first number and started visiting flats. After seeing a lot of not so nice flats, I found one I liked a lot. It happened to be in a place I didn’t know at all but which we would love and would become a few years letter, thanks to Segolene and French Touch a hub for French people or a second South Kensington. Later on, we decided to cross the river and bought a typical cottage in the charming Barnes village on the other bank of the river. There we loved the country feel, the cycling along the Thames and in Richmond Park, the peaceful and smart way of life minutes from central London. We stayed there 6 years and just moved in Chiswick, another area we love, it is lively, trendy with lots of shops and restaurants and we still have the Thames. Fantastic. Just need the weather now!

What do you enjoy the most about your job and what do you bring to the team? As for French Touch, I am involved in the financial and accounting aspects but also and mainly in the strategic development of the company. I think Segolene did a fantastic job, sharing her love for London and giving such a warm and dedicated service to our clients, so much that we could call most of them friends now. Based on this unique service level, we are now ready to grow, there are so much more we can do, so many French families who miss out on this free service. We are now helping our clients in buying their dream house as well. We are expanding our service to other communities (Spanish, Italians, Russians etc…) and we are thinking of helping our clients moving in other big capitals worldwide. That’s for the dream! But the priority is that we keep on giving the best welcome and support to our clients when they move so that we help them not only to find their house in the right area but to integrate quicker in the French or local communities and in 3 words: to love it here!

What do you like the most about London? Yes, we want you to love London as much as we do because it is an amazing city. A lot of us initially came for a couple of years but then could not leave because we loved London so much. Here, you feel that you live in the capital of the world and that you are in the place where things happen. I never felt like I was missing out something. It is buzzing, day and night, everyday even on Sundays. You have the best of both worlds, city and country as you have all the museums/expos, restaurants/bars/discos and shops you can dream of and at the same time you can walk, cycle, fish, you name it in all the stunning parks and surrounding rivers and lakes. Personally, going fly-fishing in Syon Park 15 mns away is just fantastic.

Something you can’t get used to? There are so much things you can do if was not for the 2 main London enemies: it is expensive! And It is not always sunny at the WeekEnds in the winter! But our English friends have got an asset we haven’t, they are always happy even when it is dark at 4.30pm and raining cats and dogs so even then, London is fun!

What do you miss the most about France? The things I miss more from France, are the food. Even though you can find most of it, it is almost impossible to find a merguez. I also miss a hot and sunny summer.

Your favorite place in London? My favourite places in London are Richmond Park and Camden Town.

A perfect day in London? I think my perfect day in London would be a day in Camden shopping around, having a Chinese and a then a beer by the canal with friends.

Any tips or best addresses in town? I can recommend the Orangery in Hyde Park just by Diana’s Kensington Palace. We can eat there; it is good and cheap but absolutely fantastic. Not a lot of people know the place and think that it must be very elitist and expensive but absolutely not, enjoy brunching at the palace!

Whom would you like to find a property for? I would even share my own house with Natalie Portman

Best advice you would give to a newcomer? Life is expensive here, make sure that it has been taken into consideration by your employer! And don’t do everything yourself you will fall in every trap, moving here is not easy so use some help and some experience, it does not cost anything, use the help of our lovely consultants!!!

Property Consultant

+44 (0) 7 958 310 573
eleonore@frenchtouchproperties.com

How long have you been living in London? 14 years

Where do you live and what do you like the most in your living area? West Hampstead. Hampstead heath, being in London but with a lot of fresh air

What do you enjoy the most about your job? The great feeling when people find their perfect home

What do you bring to the team? My experience in hotels and serviced apartments

What do you like the most about London? Culture, still discovering London after 14 years, the people

Something you discover here and now couldn’t live without? The cream tea

Something you can’t get used to? Not having real market

What do you miss the most about France? Croissant

Your favorite place in London? Fenton house

A perfect day in London? Hampstead heath, Kenwood house, lunch at the wells

Any tips or best addresses in town? Hakassan, Columbia Market, cycling by the Thames

Whom would you like to find a property for? Matt Damon

Best advice you would give to a newcomer? Do not believe the people who talk badly abut london

Property Consultant

+44 (0) 7 852 705 217
sophie@frenchtouchproperties.com

How long have you been living in London? 5,5 years

Where do you live and what do you like the most in your living area? Brook Green and what I like the most is the green

What do you enjoy the most about your job? Meeting some new people

What do you bring to the team? My expertise in law

London in a fews words? Surprising, cosmopolitan, energetic

What do you like the most about London? The parks

Something you discover here and now couldn’t live without? My pair of wellies

Something you can’t get used to? Queuing

What do you miss the most about France? La baguette

Your favorite place in London? Tate Modern

A perfect day in London? Hanging out on the River Thames and having lunch in a pub nearby

Any tips or best addresses in town? Ping Pong a chain of dim sum restaurants

Whom would you like to find a property for? Jude Law

Best advice you would give to a new welcomer? Let’s give time to the city and you will soon feel at home

Property Consultant

+44 (0) 7 887 750 276
magaly@frenchtouchproperties.com

How long have you been living in London? 7 years…not enough…

Where do you live and what do you like the most in your living area? Clapham/ Battersea…the parks and the trendy prams…

What do you enjoy the most about your job? What job? This is not a Job! this is a human adventure

What do you bring to the team? My mojitos receipes…

London in a fews words? The international city where everything is possible…

What do you like the most about London? You can be who you are…

Something you discover here and now couldn’t live without? The rules…

Something you can’t get used to? The rules…

What do you miss the most about France? The Paris taxi drivers

Your favorite place in London? The Tate Modern

A perfect day in London? Richmond-Greenwich on the riverboat.

Any tips or best addresses in town? L’atelier de Joel Robuchon…un bijou de gastronomie…française, Of course!

Whom would you like to find a property for? Scarlett Johansson

Best advice you would give to a newcomer? Don’t think you are here for 2 years….that what we all said!

Property Consultant

+44 (0) 7 504 881 636
domitille@frenchtouchproperties.com

How long have you been living in London? 18 months

Where do you live and what do you like the most in your living area? Ealing, the possibility to live in London near the stags, excellent schools, french school if needed, lots of greens areas, 5 min from M4 to escape for the day or more, even to France, the opportunity to get more space and put up family & friends…

What do you enjoy the most about your job? meet people, listen to personnal journey, welcome, encompass needs and find the perfect ‘at home’…

What do you bring to the team? What a question!! Maybe a social fiber? Ask to my boss!

London in a fews words? space, green, family friendly, sales…

What do you like the most about London? caramel shortbread

Something you discover here and now couldn’t live without? Miniskirt and flip-flops in springtime, summertime, autumn-time and wintertime!

Something you can’t get used to? The Marmite!!

What do you miss the most about France? Strikes, french popular amicability, RER B at 8.00am…

Your favorite place in London? Ealing, the place to be.

A perfect day in London? Awakening with the sunshine at home in Ealing, English breakfast at home with the kids, walk or bike near the Thames, lunch in a family friendly pub, leave kids and husband at home for shopping and meet husband in central London for a show and a late dinner ( don’t forget to book the baby sitter).

Any tips or best addresses in town? Ealing: Walpole Ducks, Lammas sandy park, Pubs The Plough, The Grove etc etc; Kew: Garden, the Glasshouse Restaurant; Richmond: The Park, la Buvette Restaurant; Central London : Brick Lane, Regent’s Canal from Camden town! and Little Venice…

Whom would you like to find a property for? My favourite couple of the year, Willie and Kate of course but a friend of mine told me they already found something, a little flat I guess…

Best advice you would give to a newcomer? Come as soon as you can!

Property Advisor

+44 (0) 7 403 173 365
paulo@frenchtouchproperties.com
 

How long have you been living in London? 15 months.

Where do you live and what do you like the most in your living area? I now live in the north of Ravenscourt Park, but I have spend my first year in Notting Hill. I love both areas, Notting Hill for its amazing village spirit and trendy shops, and Ravenscourt Park for the quality of the living and the calm in the weekends!

What do you enjoy the most about your job? The thing is that my job is more than a job, it’s a passion for both real estate and customer service, linked together in one of the most beautiful capital of the world!

What do you bring to the team? Do you really need to know yet…?

London in a fews words? I have spend most of my time walking down the streets of London to visit it. What comes to my mind is that London combines a fastpaced life and a family friendly living altogether!

What do you like the most about London? People, you can just meet so many different kind of people everyday! It is just amazing how many cultures live together and manage to work together as one…!

Something you discover here and now couldn’t live without? Taxi’s around the corner, there is always a taxi whenever you need one!

Something you can’t get used to? Parking restriction and parking wardens…

What do you miss the most about France? Rare meat in restaurants…

Your favorite place in London? Kew gardens in late october…

A perfect day in London? Notting Hill Market in the morning, an italian meal at the Essenza, a walk down to Hyde Park, and a night out at the Royal Opera House.

Any tips or best addresses in town? The Westfield Shopping Center is a perfect option in rainy days for those who don’t want to stay at home, otherwise you can just walk to Hyde Park Corner, there is the “bar Boulud” at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, that offers you some exquisite scones with weaped cream and jam… whaou!

Whom would you like to find a property for? Zoe Saldana and her boyfriend Bradley Cooper…!

Best advice you would give to a newcomer? Keep calm! Some rules are strange, like the fact that cars have the priority over pedestrians…! You need to adapt to your new life but be sure you will soon be in love with London!

Communication Manager

+44 (0) 7 527 296 308
axelle@frenchtouchproperties.com

How long have you been living in London? In real life, 8 months. In my dreams, so much more. Luckily, I used to live in Paris, so I spent almost all my free time in London these last few years. When I arrived, Ségolène helped me to find such a great and spacious flat, far beyond the dodgy tiny studio I thought I would get. And not only she found me the perfect place, but she also offered me a job!

Where do you live? I live in Brook Green, in West London. I had never heard of it, focused on being in zone 1 between Kensington and Notting Hill, before Ségolène advised me to make a few viewings there. And it was trully worth it!

And what do you like the most in your living area? The green, the village spirit of this quiet and peaceful familly area, the proximity with Kensington – especially my favourite spot in London, Kyoto Garden in Holland Park – the location and network of public transport (15 minutes from Picaddilly Circus), the Thames Riverside in Hammersmith. Definitely, I really love my area.

What do you enjoy the most about your job? I’m proud to promote such a free and yet priceless service that might help people, like it helped me when I arrived in the UK. It is really gratifying to support French Touch Properties’s team while they all manage to find people’s dream home, which is in my opinion one of the most important thing, especially when you are in a foreign country.

What do you bring to the team? My skills in communication and PR in order to publicize French Touch Properties services. And of course, everyone in the team can count on me for any professional meeting over a pint of beer (or a mojito for some of them). Team building is indeed a subject close to my heart!

London in a fews words? Creative and so inspiring, both full of life and surprisingly quiet and peaceful. The rythm could be pretty intense and yet people feel happier and less stressed.

What do you like the most about London? Undeniably, the parks. To relax and gaze at wildlife, being able to think you’re in the countryside right in the heart of the city. The sky at the end of the day which is most of the time truly amasing with stunning colors at twilight. The quality of life from day to day, ideal to bring up children. The multicultural atmosphere, the open-mindedness of people who truly believe that anything is possible if you really want it. Well, the english way of life on the whole.

Something you discover here and now couldn’t live without? Marks & Spencer Simply Food, not a discovery but a huge traumatism when they closed their parisian store a few years ago. I’m now so relieved to be able to get there as often as I want. Similarly, Waitrose and Wholefood. Indeed, as a french woman, food is truly important to me. One other thing I could not live without anymore is the fact that almost everything is open seven days a week, even on Sunday. I feel completely lost when I’m back in Paris. And of course the Royal Parks! It would be really tough for me to move somewhere without all these green areas and omnipresent nature.

Something you can’t get used to? I would say the fatalism and resignation of our britsh friends when something does not go as it should, where our compatriots would complain and grumble during ages. Of course, Britsh phlegm spare them many disappointments but I must confess I still feel very french!
And I must add, the mini skirts (or the lack of skirt depending of your point of view) worn with really high heels by young – and most of the time completely drunk – english girls collapsing in the street. Sorry for the cliché and stereotype, but I can’t help.

What do you miss the most about France? Paris, my second true love apart from London, despite I prefer everyday life in the UK. But to be honest, nothing really much. We find almost everything here, even the food and wines (which are really important to me, did I already say that?) are great. Oh yes, I truly miss my bakery around the corner in Paris. To buy a fresh hot baguette while walking back home is such a typical french ritual.

Your favorite place in London? Kyoto Garden in Holland Park, a hidden gem that always succeeds to instantly relax me. Or drinking a lazy aperitif on the top of Primerose Hill or Parliament Hill in the golden light at the end of the day.

A perfect day in London? Start with a full english breakfast, then take a long digestive walk in a park, which is the perfect opportunity to feed a few squirrels. Then a healthy picnic and reading session laying on the grass if you’re lucky enough to have a beautiful sunny afternoon, or an always inspiring visit to the V&A if not. Then share a jug of Pimm’s with some friends before heading in the West End for a play or a musical in the evening.

Any tips or best addresses in town ? Borough Market, ideally on friday, it’s less crowded than saturday. The Grenadier, a tiny pub hidden in the lovely mews of Wilton Row, in the heart of Belgravia.

Whom would you like to find a property for? To mention just two of them, I would say Colin Firth and Alan Rickman. I confess I’ve got some kind of admiration for british actors. And as an Arsenal supporter, I would also be delighted to find a property for Arsène Wenger (although I’m pretty sure in that case my husband would make all the viewings himself).

Best advice you would give to a newcomer? Welcome! You’re about to start such a great new life. It might be a little bit difficult at the beginning (good luck for getting internet and the telephone), you will learn how to be phlegmatic but I swear, it is worth it. Some people cry when they arrive in London, they all do when they leave. And of course, if you’re looking for the perfect home sweet home, do not panic, keep calm and call French Touch Properties!