Not quite sure where to start but here goes…
I am a victim of a moral prejudice (wrong) caused by the council in my village. I have been running the only commerce here for 2 and a half years, a gite d’étape and auberge. We had made a successful business in that we had a first year’s positive accounts, the business employed my partner, and we built a brilliant reputation locally, on Trip Advisor etc and even won gastronomic prizes. The council wanted to enlarge the gite and hired a professional strategist/economist to draw up a study with my help. The strategist and I worked out over five months that the auberge was not actually viable in the long term with the spectacularly high charges and rent. We created 4 different possible scenari of which only 1 hypothesis showed a viable option - that was to run the auberge in the season and close partially in the winter with a reduced or no rent. The mairie have refused and rejected this proposition and I now know that it is because they don’t like us. By the way, we are the 9th managers in 20 years, the last three all victims of the same problem, one going bankrupt the other almost losing his house. I have been forced to abruptly stop my activity (as Entreprise Individual) I believe that we are the victims of discrimination and other things but I’m not actually sure what’s it’s entitled in French Law. It is important to know that public support is completely in our favour. I have been to see the Defenseur de Droits who said that I should’t have stopped the business, that I could have had recourse. Now it gets worse… I have been truly badly advised by the Chambres de Metiers and my accountants at every turn. I no longer qualify for help with business difficulties, and not even the RSA. I have lost everything and owe a lot of money to the social organisms - RSI etc… I have no property or possessions and it’s a big big mess. And I do not know who to turn to. I’m personally insolvent. However (after my husband going bankrupt in 1995) I do know now how NOT to run a business in France. Fortunately I’m surrounded by angelic friends who have taken us in while the poo hits the French administrative ventilation system. It’s a nightmare, a bit like being in Alice Down The Rabbit Hole meets Carrie. Anyone who might know of how I can free legal advice will be gratefully received. And if you want to know how to start a French business just ask.
You might have paid Legal Advise with your building insurance. Please call them up to check for you.