Alane

I recall one member here posting a while ago that they had got a discount at the builders merchants just by asking. It may be there for the asking and they can only say no. Regards Alan.

Eutotunnel shuttles seem to run far less frequently than in the past and I see the company is pressing for a relaxation of the rule that they have to run at least 1 shuttle per hour. Tonight we got to the French terminal two hours early as we had a flexible ticket and decided to come home early. We were told that all earlier shuttles were full and we'd have to wait for our booked crossing. This when there were no queues at check in (we literally drove up to a vacant booth) and only 90 cars in the car park - yes we got so bored we counted them. They were adamant that despite the lack of crowds that the earlier crossings were full and we'd have to wait. Personally I'm coming to the conclusion that having to arrive on time for a ferry isn't such a disadvantage after all and will be trying Speed Ferries soon. Regards Alan.

I'd support the Pays d'Auge south/Southeast of Caen. Wonderful countryside, and yet, just a short drive from the beaches of Deauville, Trouville, Ouistreham, the Normandy landing beaches plus places like Suisse Normande, Rouen, Honfleur and Mont St Michel are easy day trips. Plus lots of superb cider and Calvados. Its wonderful countryside for cycling and walking as well. Best Regards Alan.   

While it is true that the value of UK exports to Europe is high the trade balance is in deficit. The rest of Europe send far more goods to the UK than travel in the reverse direction. Even if the UK were to negotiate an exit from the EU it is inconceivable that the rest of the EU wouldn't want to retain the free trade status quo as did Norway when they exited. The European Dream was something that I grew up with and was ingrained in my thinking from an early age. More recently I've become more questioning and as per the point made earlier come to wonder what the UK really gets from all this.The relative figures for contributions are freely available to those who want to see them. What seems to be getting lost in all the histrionics is that it wasn't the UK that started this argument. It was an attempt by Chirac to divert attention from his failure to get a "Yes" vote in the French referendum after HIS decision to call it in the first place. The arguments about the CAP then arose as a result. He transparently now wants to make sure that the UK presidency is seen as a failure to divert the attention from his failure. This however is all a smokescreen. The fundamental argument is between those who want to see the EU abandon the move towards federalism and a "one size fits all" constitution and political integration along the French social model (with protection from cheap Polish Plumbers taking work from their French equivalents who only want to work a 35 hour week) and those who want to see the EU as a vibrant trading bloc where the state doesn't get in the way of enterprise and able to take on competition from China and the Asian economies. The United States of Europe concept with Germany and France in the driving seat wouldn't allow for the differences in approaches in different countries. A looser trading bloc arrangement could allow for a France that wants to subsidise its own farmers and keep a 35 hour working week while allowing Lithuanian plumbers to work an 80 hour week if they chose. It really isn't as simple as either Blair or Chirac would like us to believe. Alan.

The country with the highest per capita income in the EU is Luxembourg which is a significant net recipient of EU funds. Greece on the other hand which is one of the poorest nations gets a pittance. Britain contributes over twice as much as France, even with the rebate - depending on which set of figures one believes of course. The budget process is a mess and Blair is right to say the whole process should be reviewed before Britain even thinks about handing back the rebate. Alan  

Continuing the off topic discussions on grease traps I was wondering why we don't have them in the UK? With mains drainage we often have long pipe runs to the main drains but don't seem to have any problems with congealed grease in the pipes. Is this because the French seem to use 100mm pipe rather than the 110 used used in the UK and so are more prone to blocking? It seemed to me that rodding out the pipe occasionally was as easy as emptying a grease trap in any case. Am I missing something fundamental? Best Regards Alan.

fait a .Rouen.......................... le...2me Juin 2005......................... signature: Fred Smith I've been told by bank tellers that I don't need to enter the location but always do "just in case". Regards Alan.

If you are planning to travel with Eurotunnel give them a try - their rates were very competitive last year although I've just received a letter from them telling me that I can only renew with them if I've booked travel for the coming year. Best Regards Alan.

The British rebate was negotiated to correct the inequities of the deal that Rippon/Heath negotiated to get the UK into the EEC, by hook or by crook,  in 1973. By the early 1980's it was apparent that the Uk was paying into the EC far more than was reasonable as it was getting little return from the CAP. I heard Geoffrey Howe on Radio 4 yesterday speaking about the 1984 negotiations and to hear him it seemed like a deal struck between the UK and France only with little or no input from the rest of the members. The fact is that the UK is still, even with the rebate, contributing far more to the EU than France. Relative levels of prosperity and changes since 1984 don't change that. Since 1984 the UK has taken some very hard decisions, at great social cost, to end the subsidies to many non viable industries. Arguably, this has been a significant factor in the increase in prosperity in the UK. Blair's problem is that it will be impossible to sell to the UK public that has gone through this pain that they should now subsidise a (largely French) agricultural sector that is basically not viable without large subsidies. Particularly when those subsidies are distorting the world markets and causing distress and even starvation to third world farmers who are being forced out of markets by food dumped from the EU. This is a real problem for the whole EU and reduction of those subsidies is likely to cause significant social unrest in France. There is going to have to be give and take on both sides but it is unrealistic of the French to expect that this is going to go all their way and as far as I can see Blair/Straw have little or no incentive to inflame UK public opinion to pacify the French when they can veto the budget changes. It now appears that a numbe of other EU leaders are coming out of the closet and starting to voice their concerns about the CAP arrangements. Chirac may be starting to regret that he tried to divert attention away from his referendum result by hurling rocks at the UK rebate and re-opening the Pandora's box of the CAP particluarly if Schroder's replacement appears to take the UK view on the CAP.   Alan.

The maire of Lieurey is a Mme Le Maire - Elisabeth Simon.  General details below. I haven't met her but have met two of the other maires in the canton and some of the adjoints. They all seem very friendly and welcome a chat with new residents and I know that they work to gether. If you are over on the 18th of June the maire is inviting all residents to a ceremony at the war memorial at 19h followed by a "vin d'honneur a le mairie salle polvalente". This is from last week's L'eveil. I'd suggest you call or drop in at the Mairie during opening hours and make an appointment to see her or if you don't have a pressing need to see when she'll be around. Most of the maires in the canton seem to have a weekly surgery time - hope this helps. Best Regards Alan. Informations générales Maire : Madame Elisabeth SimonSecrétaire de mairie : Mme Christel ThierryCoordonnées Code INSEE : 27367Code postal : 27560Téléphone : 0232579038Fax : 0232562871Email : Site Internet : Arrondissement : BernayCanton : Saint Georges du VièvreHoraire d'ouverture : lundi au samedi : 09h00/12h30

I just wanted to add another restaurant to the list of those recommended earlier. We had dinner at the Auberge de la Fontaine in St Simeon last night and it was excellent and good value too with friendly service in a lovely location which will be great for summer lunches. We had been to the restaurant a couple of times under the previous owners and it had deteriorated so much the second time that we didn't go back. We saw on the roadside sign that it is now under new management and tried it last night and will be going back. St Simeon is about 3 miles out of Lieurey just off the Pont Audemer road. Best Regards Alan.

Is it possible to trim off the excess between the "Tableau" and "Total" size on Lapeyre windows? It looks to me from the pictures in the cataloge as if the extra is just a lip around the window, is that in fact the case? Best Regards Alan.

We have a slate roof and I've not seen any vent pipes locally sticking out of a slate roof. Does anyone know if the metal plate and sleeve type arrangement used in the UK is available in France or are they made specially to fit the roof slope? Best Regards Alan.

Sue I have information that may help, ie name and tel no of Vet. I'll post the details in your in-box. Best Regards   Alan.

Traps. The ones that look like a pair of wire tongs and can be purchased in Brico's etc. Not very pleasant but we've found it's the only sure fire way. They work best in wet weather and need to be stored outside for a week or so before use. In my experience the smoke bombes are a bit hit and miss and the repellers just move the moles around. I haven't tried the explosive devices as they are so costly. I can never work out where the blighters come from. We're free of them for months and then on the next visit the filmset for the Battle of the Somme has been created on our grass (I hesitate to use the term lawn). We started off with the sentimental - aren't they sweet approach but soon changed our tune. I think if you are in residence the approach of brushing the earth around is ok but for a holiday home elimination is the only answer. Regards Alan.  

Ewa   They told me the standard charge was €160 - obviously I also have to provide the equipment described by Paul in addition. It seemed reasonable although I suppose that all they are doing is connecting a supply at their existing post using my/hired equipment. Hope this helps. Best Regards Alan.

Your Maire is a very aimiable chap - a farmer I think judging by the manure covered wellies he was wearing when he was introduced to us by our Maire. I'm sure he'll be very welcoming. There is at least one other English owned house in St Georges along towards the church, nationality of owernship is obvious from its name, although I haven't seen the owners for some time it's likely that our visits just haven't coincided. Good luck - how long are you over for at the end of May? We were due to visit for two weeks from Bank Hol weekend but our daughter has to have an operation in May so we have had to delay a week or so. Best Regards Alan.  

Sue I don't know of anyone personally but we'll be over before the end of April and I can ask the neighbours (who have a dog) for you if you haven't had a reply by then from someone with personal experience. We too are near Lieurey as are some others on this forum - as you've probably seen in the "Informative Forum" thread. Best Regards Alan.

Paul They're not all bad! A guy phoned me yesterday morning as I was on my way to work - in the UK. He wanted to come round and fix the supply up that morning. He didn't seem too phased (no pun intended) when I said that I was in the UK and he said he'd call back nearer the time I'm back in France. I'll mail you separately about your offer of the box. Best Regards Alan.

Paul A somewhat bizarre experience. Managed to find the office, which was nowhere near the address given on the EDF Web Site - goodness knows when they moved address. My details were taken and I was asked for my phone number so that a technician could ring me to make an appointment for a site visit. Fax and e-mail weren't an option so I gave my UK mobile number, sorry that wasn't an option either - I had to have a French telephone number which the technician could call to make an appointment, and no, I couldn't call him!! So I went off and bought a Pay as you Go mobile SIM card on the Orange network, naively thinking that it would work in my UK Orange phone. But no, the UK Orange phone wouldn't accept French Orange SIM cards without being "unlocked". The only way to find out the telephone number associated with the SIM card was to insert it in a phone and make a call to Orange France. I called Orange in the UK and after a wait of several minutes (at 60p+ per minute) was told that it would cost £20 to unlock my phone and there was a 7 working day wait. I politely declined. I took the SIM back to the shop where I bought it and luckily the lady there was happy to put the SIM into another Orange phone they had on display and get the number for me. I then called the EDF and gave them the phone number to go with the earlier booking request. Somehow the conversation didn't sound quite right and as it was by now a quarter to 5 I just got the feeling that the operator hadn't actually updated any records and was more concerned with plans for the Easter weekend. As I was only 2 minutes away from the office I shot round and got into reception at 10 to 5. The lady on reception treated me like a long lost friend and confirmed that the phone details hadn't been added to the record - "it's lucky you came in, I don't know what can have happened". Now back in the UK I've put the SIM into an unlocked phone I had here and await the technician's call with bated breath. Best Regards Alan.

Paul Thanks very much for the info and the offer. No problems with the Permis de Construire or artisan - he's definitely registered. I wouldn't have thought of taking the Permis de Construir number with me on Friday so thanks for the tip. Am I likely to need the siret no of the builder? We are in dept 27 in Normandy - as you are in Mayenne then presumably not too far away unless you are on the far side. It's a shame the new Alencon-Rouen motorway isn't open at the moment. I'll be in touch if we get the go ahead from the EDF. I think our nearest power post is 30 or 40 metres down the road - do we have to run a cable that far while we are working? I guess my other option is to persuade my neighbour to let me plug into his supply!   Best Regards Alan.

Does anyone have any tips on getting a temporary power supply for use during building work? We've managed so far with a generator but are having major work done and the builder would prefer a supply. He tells us that we have to apply for the connection and that it doesn't always get approved. We're off to the EDF office on Friday so any tips would be gratefully received. Best Regards Alan.

We were over this weekend. Over on the Portsmouth Le Havre on Thursday night, back this morning. Weather magnificent! In T shirts all weekend. Sat outside at the Bar des Allies in PA during the Friday farmer's market nursing a coffee watching the world go by. Friday morning started foggy but as it cleared the temperatures soared and we had a great time. Dined at the Hotel de France in St Georges - simple pleasure, low cost and good food and company.  We did try to book into the Hotel de Post in Beuzeville but it is still closed although I was told that it will open next weekend. The mayor arrived for a chat and news update and proudly presented us with our new house number plate to be fixed using the "non corroding brass screws"! We also managed to meet up with the roofer who promised to start work next month after all the extra work he's had after the storms in January. The weather doesn't look so bad next weekend either although the forecast seems to change by the day. We're planning to go back for Easter via Eurotunnel although I see that all crossings on Friday morning are fully booked so it's either going to be a question of using one of the Club Crossings I've booked for the year or a long stay crossing and go over on Thursday night. The one negative point of the weekend was the deterioriation of the P&O service to Le Havre, obviously being run down in preparation for closure. We've pretty much decided not to use the route again which was sad after all the good memories of late night Friday crossings in the late 90s. Thinking back to the times when the Piano bar was packed every crossing and we had to queue for a place in the waiter service restaurant it was sad to see the empty ship on both outward and return crossing. Best Regards Alan.

All Thanks for the replies - it looks like I've got a few options. I'll let you know how I get on. Best Regards Alan.

Our company changed the months that it issued bills from June and December to April and October, no warning and the bills arrived so late that the prelevement was due to be taken within days of receipt of the bill. The first time it happened I had to resort to sending cash through the post to our bank to avoid the possibility of going overdrawn. As it happened there was no trouble with sending cash, if a bit risky, and the company was then late in taking the debit. Best Regards Alan.