gloria

There are bits of turkeys in the supermarkets - really delicious ones. But where are the whole turkeys? Our local bistrot was full of French families tucking into the US Thanksgiving lunches so there is a taste for these birds but where are they hiding?

that's a hoot! you have a very creative imagination! bye for now, Gloria

So sorry to be so obscure. I decided to have a local joiner make units out of pine which I will then paint using Farrow & Ball, UK paints. I used this paint in the UK after years of Dulux. The colours are just amazing and here, they reflect the light in a way that ordinary paints don't. Everyone on this site bemoans French paint so I brought my favourites with me last summer. However, I didn't have enough ceiling paint but the local SIMC copied my off-white swatch. When I asked them to copy 'borrowed light', the result wasn't nearly as good. But it works!

Thanks Andy. I agree with you and have decided to keep it simple. I've found a German site that will deliver within a week all the white goods while a joiner in the next village will make me a pine set of units which I will then F&B to death! I've become overwhelmed with choice, all too modern, all too shiny and too much driving around arguing with sat nav en route! bye for now.

Thanks Mint, but I spend so much time walking my dog and trying to find socialisation for the little sweetie that I have little time to go either to Vitrolles [Marseille], Aix or Avignon which are all only an hour from me. Leroy Merlin has bath tubs, but they're all hanging from the ceiling which makes it impossible to really get a good idea of how comfy they'd be! Here in Provence, all bathrooms have little ceramic tiles, lovely though they be, they and the grout, can get disgusting. Thanks for getting back to me!

Thanks Andy, good advice.

Well that's not very kind! I didn't intentionally not put my location, I just assumed everything could be done online. I'm in Alpes de Haute Provence.

Hello. Does anyone know where I can buy simple, classic, non-shiny bathroom furniture? [i.e. like the Bathstore.co.uk]. Also, I need a bath that's deep - like a soaking tub. Does anyone have any advice about this too?! Thanks

Betty, I see you're quoting from a very well-respected magazine. One of the problems that those of us in the academic book trade continually battle against is the mis-and dis-information industry supported by big pharma. It is difficult to know who to trust regarding medical information as so much of the data that contradicts the peer-reviewed process is buried. Within the english-speaking medical publishing community, the US stands head and shoulder above all others in corrupting information to those susceptible to unchallenged belief.

I'm in 04. The signs all around Forcalquier say 'no pesticides, no herbicides zone'. Also included in this are the signs saying that the verges are not cut as they are planted with wildflowers. We are a pretty green area, lots of bio and locally sourced produce where a basket of fresh [picked that morning] would cost about 2.50. We have an bio/artisan boulangerie, the weekly producers market has pork, lamb and now sanglier - all local. Paying a bit extra for food that isn't sprayed to within an inch of its life pays dividends in low medical fees. It's an oasis amongst a growing corrupt food chain.

Sorry to be boring, but I bought a Samsung bio a few months ago and was astonished at how efficient it was. Plus, and it will sound bizarre, all the whites look cleaner, brighter - and I know, I sound like a commercial and even surprised myself with these thoughts ... but there you have it. I had a Miele a few years ago - the Samsung was cheaper, better value and more fun.

Hello, following global trends in agriculture and the looming concern over food security, has anyone noticed changes in their local agricultural production? For instance, in the south - vineyard owners are very worried about how the summers are getting hotter, affecting wine production. Some vineyard owners are looking into the UK market. Given that France is such a huge agricultural community, is there a national discussion about this? thanks.

Hello, my husband died a few months ago in the UK. Does anyone know how, and who, to notify? We've hardly used our French property over the years but some bills come in his name, some in mine. How to proceed? thanks

We are two, looking for a long let in the town, a two-bedroom property with a small garden/terrasse plus internet access. A log burner would be a bonus!

Is taxe d'habitation payable on a property that hasn't yet been restored? - previously used for animals/farm implements

Forcalquier, two bedroom house/apartment with garden/terrasse wanted for six to nine months, possibly longer from September. Internet access required, log burner would be a bonus.

Hi, does anyone know where to buy a phone for the hearing impaired? do supermarkets have them? online? help, please

Hello, does anyone know where to buy landlines for the hearing impaired? Many thanks, Jan

Thanks very much for this - a phone call was all it took!

We are looking for a winter let in Forcalquier for the two of us plus lovely border collie. Would need easy access to courtyard/garden [for dog!], a sunny place to sit, a good bed and a workable kitchen while we work on a cookbook which means that wifi would be very useful. thanks!

A jointly-owned 12th century property in the Var was awarded to me as part of a UK divorce process. I haven't been there in years and would like to sell it to a private buyer. Does anyone know what the French authorities require and if I can do the paperwork from the UK? thanks!

Hello, I am trying to restore a ruin in the Var - near Thoronet - and have come up against a PLU assessment which seems to have been going on for almost 8 years! The Mairie says I must be patient but I need to be sure about why I'm not allowed to restore and the only way to do this is to access the PLU documents. Does anyone know how to do this? Given that they are public documents, are they 'local' or based in Paris. My  postcode is 83570. Any ideas most appreciated.