Mooney_Driver wrote:
Yea, I heard things like that from colleagues who live there. I wonder how people do who live in Switzerland and have planes in France.
This is no problem. You can be a Swiss resident, own a EU-registered aeroplane (i.e., VAT paid in the EU), and use it in the EU customs union. You have two choices:
Mooney_Driver wrote:
I was interested a few years ago in maybe buying a property in France for vaccations but was told by people who have them not to in quite strong terms, as you can end up in a fiscal disaster.
Do you know what specifically would cause “fiscal disaster”? (I can think of two relevant income-tax scenarios, in addition to the usual property taxes: (1) As a working person, you spend more than a certain maximum number of days in that place. The French might claim you are working or taking part-time residence in that place, and you might be on the hook for French income taxes, which would be a bummer indeed. (2)(a) You rent out the place for profit, or (b) let friends and family live in it for extended periods. In 2(a) you have to declare the rental profits obviously in France, and in (2)(b) there might be a tax liability similar to the Swiss “Eigenmietwert”, but I am not sure.)
Zorg wrote:
Do you know what specifically would cause “fiscal disaster”?
This was quite some time ago and I can’t really remember anymore, but I talked to several people in a forum who have/had places there. Cost they claimed were quite high, property tax amongst them and some places also have a special tax for foreign owners (the one I was looking at was in Montpellier). At the time a guy wrote an e-book about his experience in the Cote d’azur with a house and it was cover to cover why not to :) I would have to see if I still have got it somewhere.
Arne wrote:
For the region maybe, but eye-watering for many other places.
How about a Mooney M20M for about CHF 500 / EUR 450 per hour? 
I reckon those Robins are ALL overpriced unless that price includes instruction, and even then they are on the high side of average for french aeroclubs.
Having learned to fly there, I can confirm it’s significantly more expensive than most French clubs.
However both the quality of the fleet and level of service you get make it closer to a commercial training / rental organisation than to a club.
Additionally they offer a wide range of flying activities (IFR, multi, aerobatics, pressurized, mountain) in a beautiful region
It’s even more expensive than LFMD, which high is due to expensive fuel… But what a choice!
greg_mp wrote:
But what a choice!
I don’t disagree with that, but 217€ for an Archer? WTF?
Does it include catering and a flight attendant?
Arne wrote:
I don’t disagree with that, but 217€ for an Archer? WTF?
Prices in Annemasse are heavily influenced by proximity to Geneva. This is evidenced by comparing with general aircraft rental prices in Switzerland (see, e.g., my post above).
That’s probably below the UK price 
A club which allows you to take the plane away for a trip can charge extra. There are renters who will pay lots, for that capability. There aren’t many of them, but you don’t need many of them if you don’t have competition.
