joidevie

Lehaut - that's a whole 'nother topic!!

Great, thanks.. And any idea whether you can CT before the expiry and get the new one dated from the expiry? The points above point to having it done *on* expiry and then using the ensuing 2 months to remedy etc...

Is anyone able to clear up the CT date(s) schedule? I'm a little unsure of the exact protocol.. Is it possible (as in the UK) to take a test 1 month in advance of expiry and have a new passed test dated from the finish of the old certificate? If not, does one typically book a test for as close to the end of the old certificate expiry and 'use' the 2 month 'repair' period (should the car fail) to book a garage and get the car fixed etc. and then contre-visite within that 2 month period? And is one 'allowed' to use the car during this period - either for traveling to/from a garage/testing centre, or for personal use? I'm looking at when to (hopefully) book my next visit to France next year in order to sort the CT renewal, and as the car is at an airport there, I need to choose the best dates possible so I can still use the car to get 'home' (in France) and have the maximum amount of time to cover all eventualities. With travel currently being so restricted, I want to get this as right as possible (all with the added curve ball of another possible confinement when my CT is due next April)! Many thanks..

Thanks Théière.. Would you apply this straight onto smooth placo, or should I consider stapling some fine (7mm squares) mesh onto the board first as a key? Or apply a PVA or other 'primer? Thanks also for the other suggestions!

We've just had a room plasterboarded - a mix of boards glued on with MAP, and some rail work (ceiling mainly). We have a fireplace 'nook' with a canopy which has been plasterboarded with pink placos, including the fireplace surround (pillars, built from cellulose blocs, but now covered in the placos). Inside this 'nook', we plan to have a wood burner, which will have ample space around it. What we're hoping to do is 'render' (or coat) the space behind the woodburner and the surrounding 'pillars' in a 'stone like' finish (or render like) to make it less smooth and 'perfect'.. To make a sort of fake stone look (hopefully quite convincing!). What might we use? I have doubts a simple lime mortar will stick, or just crack at a later date.. Or just fall off.. What about a classic plaster like 'Lutece' (mixed with a little sand, and some PVA on the boards as a bonding aid?). Or a 'Weber' type crepi product which might have some resin additives to help with flexibility (and heat effect)? Or an 'out of the tub' type crepi? We're trying to use as many natural products as possible and are painting our walls with home mixed limewash (with pigments etc.), so would like to retain a nice 'organic/rustic' feel where possible! Any thoughts? 

Thanks Idun.. It seems to be what I've 'heard'.. In truth, the UK 'rule' is probably not far off this but people tend to take as much as they can.. When I got a fine, I was definitely on a red light, so fair enough. I was stressed with a heavy load sticking out of the back of an estate car, and I was paying more attention to looking in the rear mirror than the lights.. So you er on suggesting your visitors to not slam on the brakes on orange? It's a fine line - you could have crossed with your front wheels just as you notice in the corner of your eye the light change from green to orange.. Then what? Split second decision the check no one is 10cm off your rear and arrête! I'm truly paranoid, especially at that particular light, and even take detours to avoid it!

Having been caught out a couple of years ago, I was wondering if there is any definitive rule as to when you 'jump' a light, or are simply making a sensible decision. Since having been fined once, I am absolutely paranoid about crossing (that same) traffic lights with cameras - to the point of slamming my foot on the brakes at the mere whiff of a change of light. Dangerous in my opinion! In the UK it's clear, if you cross on orange, that's considered OK. However in France, on asking around, I get very mixed and confused responses.. Many say 'if your front wheels have crossed on orange...' etc etc. Is there a definitive rule? Anyone have a link to any sites? Many thanks!

Thank you Pomme, very helpful indeed [;-)]

Hello.. Does anyone know what EDF's policy is regarding replacing a very old blue electricity meter with a new one, possibly with the facility of meter reading from outside the house? And also the thick main cable which runs from their supply in the street outside, down the facade of our house and then into the meter? It's all very old (but functions).. Are they amenable to doing this, and is it at their cost? Many thanks!

OK, thanks again.... I'll do nothing for now and let the whole process kick in.. I'll be back on this thread soon no doubt, but it should help others later on as I'm sure I'm not the only one thinking of doing this [:)]

Thanks Jako. I actually now signed up with Coriolis myself, eventually... The online application crashed as I tried to make the €1 payment to confirm the order leaving me with a dead order (and order number) in my 'espace client'. I then phoned, and we went through the the whole shebang again, but the kind operator couldn't get my Orange 'RIO"(keep your existing phone number) code to work, so I went for the 'get a new number' option knowing I'll need to cancel Orange myself. My question now is, will Coriolis simply override my existing number for a new connection automatically, even before I 'manually' cancel my Orange contract? (ie. not cancelling Orange won't impede the new connection?). Things seem to work differently if you don't 'migrate' your number. Sue, just the clarify, my friend didn't cancel the Orange contract himself, it was done by Coriolis and he retained his phone number - however, thank you very much for your posts!

OK, thanks.. Seems it can take up to 15 days for them to send you (or email) the return forms, yet you're required to return the box within 30 days of ending your contract. So really only 15 days if the wind's against you! livebox return link here Will make for an interesting time... Not so great for my friend out in France who now has pinned down a Coriolis technician to visit, but not until next week - so around 3 weeks after terminating his Orange account. I guess as the 'haut débit' kit in the village is brand new, there may yet continue to be more and more problems - but I know of others who have had the basic Coriolis 1mbps there for a while now without problem, and I really don't understand the issue as he is not 'changing' to fibre, just to a faster 20mbps ADSL [blink]

.... a bit of a worrying update, a friend in the village 'signed up' with Coriolis nearly 10 days ago and Orange duly cut him off within 3 or 4 days leaving him sitting in the garden harvesting his Bouygues mobile data (when he can get it). Is there any obligation on either provider to ensure little or no interruption? I'm not there now, so I don't know exactly what's going on, but 10 days seems a long time.. And I'm not sure Orange have begun to request their Livebox back either.. Anyone?  [blink]

I second the 4G roaming if you get a good signal. My Vodafone is £20 a month with 20gb of data, and they don't restrict usage in the EU at all (unlike Three (no streaming + a cap) and EE who cap at 12gb). If you're fortunate like us, we have just gone 'degroupé' and have a much wider choice of ADSL starting at €15 (RED/SFR) a month but no on/off option..

Thanks Jako.. Did you have ADSL outage in between the changeover? I have a friend who's just signed up with Coriolis and says Orange have now disconnected him before Coriolis have set him up, which I was under the impression wasn't supposed to be allowed to happen? (He may, on the other hand, be 'live' but unable to successfully configure his new box..) I decided for to wait until I got a better idea of the time frame within which Orange would ask for me to return my Livebox. In the Coriolis booth, they looked it up and it says 'within 30 days' - but I have no idea 'when' the 30 days begin? (ie. when do they officially ask/give you a return form etc.). I need to be sure I can be at the property at the right time(s) to guarantee I can get their box back to them.. (Or can you drop it in store?). How soon after ordering a 'new' connection/provider contract do Orange take to send you the returns paperwork? Thanks again!