Cerise

Blasted dragons stopped laying again Soz?  My lot are sick of the sight of figs, but we have figs aplenty so that's what they are getting. What is a dragon fruit anyway?

Not normally BUT if a wedding party book the whole house (4 rooms) and request it then I will.  Saves me getting up att he crack of dawn. Wouldn't do it for just one couple if the rest were having breakfast at 9.00.  Also if they are leaving on that day they need to be out at 10.00 so no exceptions.

Is your wife the sort of lady to whom friendships are important.  If so, I wouldn't recommend rural France.  There is difference between 'friendly' and 'friends'.   The local people here are perfectly friendly but realistically I have nothing in common with most of them.  Friendships seem to take years to develop and socialising is mostly in couples in the forms of aperos etc.  Talking about the weather and local gossip can lose its charm after a while. I have noticed that very, very few English people have any real French friends.  Let's be honest an evening where you can hardly speak to other people may be entertaining at first but soon becomes hard work.  In rural areas ladies are generally expected to be housewives, mothers and grandmothers first and their own social life comes a long way down the scale of importance.  Family life is sacred.  Most retired ex-pats do seem to move only in a circle of ex-pats. If you have a hobby which you love and you move somewhere where there is an association for that hobby it may be easier.  Thoses who settle best are those who like each others company best and don't seek too much outside life to keep them cheery.   PS just noticed that this post is quite old and you are now thinking of renting.  Very sensible.    

We're on the GR here too and I do this.  My car is already insured for occasional professional use (I sometimes pick folk up from the airport if they don't want to hire a car) and I make it clear to walkers that baggage transfer is at their risk.  The other chambres d 'hôtes along the route do the same and I always drop off at the same places, where I know the other owners.  If you are using your car make sure it is insured as I thought I was (I had asked) and when I checked the conditions discovered I wasn't.  When I went to see the insurers they said 'Oh well you could always say they were your friends'  !!!!  Too laid back for me - I like it done properly - now properly covered but just a warning to check.

So sorry to hear this - would like to add my wishes for speedy recovery.

It depends what tax regime you are on.  If micro then you don't need to bother, your expenses are fixed percentage of your turnover.  If réel then your accountant should advise you.  Most chambre d'hotes are on micro regime.

How about getting a white plastic patio chair and nipping over the border to Spain and hanging out on the side of the N9 Does anyone know the going rate?  It currently looks like a more attractive option than my next 3 hours of ironing.[6]

I don't need TV in my rooms, I think I'm taking part in some surreal play.  I've got an elderly entomologist and his wife in one room, making a collection of dead bumblebees and beetles (honestly)!   In the attic are a lot(I think 5 but from the noise it could be 25) of vintage Spanish motocross riders.  They are shouting loudly in languages I don't understand.   For the past few days we have had a Canadian lady with Aspergers and her mad professor husband - perfectly pleasant but bonkers, walked round using ski poles all the time. One of my husband's Indian cousins has taken up residence in our spare room.  It is fête weekend in the village and I've turned away 5 sets of people today.  More motorcyclists (don't know what nationality - but reliably informed they don't speak French or English) tomorrow and on Monday it is all change for a family with 3 young kids, Mr & Mrs Rose Tinted Specs Househunters and Mr & Mrs Perfect Parisiens.  I'm changing towels at such a rate I just hurl them through the doors of the rooms and they land somewhere.  I don't care because I've got to hurtle back downstairs and concoct meals for a load of people who don't know what time they'll be here for meals and are vegetarian/allergic/fussy/pain in the backside.  I've forgotten to order the croissants for tomorrow morning and Martine at the bakery gets a bit vicious if you do that (do you think I can send Mr Cerise?) and tomorrow night I've got to go to the fireworks and stay up all night for the rock concert. Why would we need TV in the rooms?  Real life so much more entertaining.  

If the picnic goes well, really freak them out and invite them to a buffet at your house[6]  A French friend joined me in drinking a milky cup of coffee the other afternoon - she said she enjoyed it but giggled all the time as though she had done something really naughty!  I find the regimentedness (is that a word?) of it all somewhat wearing.

I have been travelling in Greece for many years waiting to use the following immortal phrase from my Greek phrase book. "I say my good man, show me your hand woven stuffs" Strange really, the occasion never seems to have arisen![:D]  

Not sure I want to book if he uses language like that![:)]

Cow, goat or sheep?  I feel I need to know before I book![6]

In most supermarkets the dosettes seem to be near the 'puddings' i.e. where ever you find evaporated milk etc.  Make sure to check the dates on the back as they are long life but supermarkets don't seem to check them that often (you can usually buy with 6 months shelf life). Without exception our French guests have all been delighted by kettles etc in their rooms.  At the beginning a few thought they had to pay but I now explain when showing them round that it is 'offert par la maison' and they are impressed.  As I have a non-English name and reply to their enquiries in French they often don't realise we are English until they get here.  I can't imagine any of them being ignorant enough to complain about such a thing. We've got a guest fridge separately in the downstairs hall for picnics etc, so if anyone wants to have their own milk they can do so.  Milk in the rooms is not practical.  And, tell the GdF lady that I quite enjoy making a cuppa in my own bedroom.[:)]    Whenever I go away, as I'm an early riser, I hate it is there are no tea of coffee making facilities.  Don't want to wait 2 hours for himself to surface before I can get a drink, and I doubt most people would want me down for breakfast at 6.00 am

Often do hot milk for French guests with coffee.  Just ask what people want.  Croissants are straight from bakery and sometimes still warm so I don't re-heat them (except Monday out of season when bakery not open). Supermarkets sell little packets of milk (Regilait) in dosette things.  Fine for bedrooms.  Surprisingly large number of French guests love kettles etc (large percentage of our guests are French) and I put tisanes in the container as well as ordinary tea and coffee.

Yes Katie they normally do - and unfortunately that is why we can't accept them.  I've got two big dogs of my own, love dogs to pieces but don't ever want them on the beds.  And, sadly, a lot of owners let their dogs on the beds and other furniture and male dogs particularly are likely to do a little 'marking' if there have been previous canine occupants.  I do understand why people want to take their dogs on holiday, but many people are pretty careless about property which isn't theirs (ask any B & B owner!) and the careless ones spoil it for the others.  When I started out I thought of providing a couple of kennels for visiting dogs but this idea didn't seem popular so just reverted to no dogs.  Every single owner says 'My dog won't do that' but sadly much evidence is to the contrary. Nevertheless, hope you find a nice place with your doggie Frenchie!  

Mascarpone flavoured with alcohol - Baileys particularly good with chocolate meringues.

You coming over this way?

Glad all is well Twinks - are you going to take her for a lovely holiday now?

Poor Nectarine.  Our estate agent in England told us a wonderful tale of selling a house belonging to a working couple who to facilitate viewing gave him the keys.  One particular day he had to show round a very fussy gentleman so he rang the doorbell to ensure no-one was in and walked in.  He was completing his tour and flung open the bathroom door, only to find the owner's very fat and very deaf granny naked in the bath.  The fussy gentleman took one look and ran screaming from the place!!  The granny just looked bemused.

Sheets every 3 days (but might make them last if someone was staying 4 days).  Towels - I ask people to leave those they want changed on bathroom floor.  If they don't put out any I also change those which have obviously been used after 3 days. Personally I'd be happy with clean sheets once a week.  Don't change them more often than that at home!  I do tell people that if they want anything changed outside the regular periods they just need to ask.  

Sensible post cooperlola.  A young man was knifed to death in Figeac (Aveyron) the other Saturday when he asked another lad for a light.  The local papers made little of it, didn't see announced nationally at all.  So it happens here too - and fairly often - but English acquaintances living here refuse to believe it.  The media makes sure they can't ignore it in UK It worries me a little that people are lulled into a sense of false security in respect of their children here.  The drugs culture locally is appalling.  Our adjoint for jeunesse on our local council has many meetings regarding the ever increasing problem and a local English 19 year old who has been brought up in both cultures tells me she thinks it is far worse here than in Cambridge.  However same English acquaintances persist in thinking their adolescents are so much 'safer' here.   I myself wouldn't think a youngster of mine was safe at some the rural raves that happen in houes full of booze and unlocked gun cabinets either. I'm not a panicky person and I don't think anywhere in UK or France is so very unsafe.  However, I do think parents should be vigilant in both countries and not assume either that all is well or that all is appalling.

Hey - four times this year whilst going about my lawful business, men with guns have stopped my car and demanded to see all my papers, asked questions about where I'm going, asked who my passengers are, one time even got very unpleasant about my perfectly legal driving licence.  Oh, but that is OK then because I'm in La Belle France.  Or should I give up going out because obviously they think I'm a dangerous criminal? Daily Wail - the end of the world as we know it is nigh!  

Yes - go to Douanes, you should be able to get licence straight away.  There is no obligation to do meals every night but you can offer them if/when you feel like it.  If your first barbeque is tomorrow I don't believe the world will end if you have it without the licence.  I know this is heresy, but in 6 years NO-ONE (including Tourist Office, Mairie etc) has EVER asked if I have a licence (I do) and I know several B & Bs who do meals who don't have/didn't have licences.  When I mentioned it to one French lady she looked blank and said no-one had ever mentioned it. Hope the sun shines!  

The pillows - I just bin them.  Have one French and one English shape at each place.  Keep a stock in the cellar (cheapish but reasonable quality) chucking them out if they don't look clean works out cheaper than cleaning them.  New cheap pillows are nicer then old expensive ones!  Quilts I take to DIY laundry with monster machine and sit and read while they are going round.  During busy season I now pay someone to do a couple of hours ironing a week - cheque emploi so we get some of it back.  Mosly do it myself - I'll come back as something lovely in another life for having done this penance.

Un cake can be used for that kind of cake.  Cake can be sweet or savoury and is the loaf shap.