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Officaldom gone mad. It's as I suspected, the loss of commonsense is spreading....BEWARE!

Good show, Edel! And don't worry about the bureaucracy too much. It's one of those things, if you say France people think bureacracy! In fact, it's no worse and often even better than in the UK. I say this rather sourly because I have been dealing with UK bureacracy for months now;

Ref Lori's post. It may be the seller paying the fees (on paper), as many adverts proclaim but in effect it's always the BUYER who pays. This is because only one party is paying in money and that would be the buyer. It's also the case that sometimes the agent agrees with the seller to take a lower fee in order to have the sale go ahead. While the agent would like the full fee, it's also reality that when a property sticks on the market, they get nothing. In times of buyers' market, the agent often agrees a lower fee to enable the sale to go ahead. The seller still gets the price they want, the agent gets their fee (albeit a bit less than they'd like) and the buyer gets the property because after all it is always the buyer who coughs ALL of the money;

I can just imagine your daughter's face.....and I am laughing already at the thought!

Edel, is there an agent? Could you not ask them to informally sound the seller out about price? Can't you just say, you'd like a rough guide as to acceptability before going ahead engaging a notaire and all the rest of it? Personally, I don't think it's a lot to ask of an agent, considering the level of their fees.

Lori, I was only thinking of a joke that used to do the rounds. Question: what is the difference between true love and AW? AW is forever.... Perhaps this joke doesn't translate well.....!

Lori, it's good to have your recent experience described. I suppose it could depend on the agent's input. The ones I met seemed to be able to negotiate with both parties and agree a mutually acceptable price and then get the compromis done. You were able to say that there would be clauses suspensives and then these were written down in the compromis. As you say, practices do vary and local conditions are always going to have to be met. I sold our last house myself and I had agreed everything informally with the buyers and then I made an appointment for us both with the notaire nearest to where we lived (which wasn't near the house being sold). I see now that the procedure is somewhat different which is no bad thing. Stops timewasters and makes people reflect carefully before commitment.

Jusy want you to know that my post wasn't anything "rude". The stars are only for a. n .a .l.!!

Hectorsdad, manners ain't what they used to be🤢

Trust the French to have a euphemism for that one! Er...sorry to lower the tone but do they have one for **** warts???

In my day, the agent could get your offer accepted or rejected by the buyer. And only then is the notaire involved in drawing up the compromis. Don't know the present rules and whether that is changed but hang on in there, someone will be in the know and hopefully will read your post.

Not just for pot holes, for other holes in the ground too. For example, when I am walking with my French friends and someone wants to warn of holes in the ground, they say attention, y a des nids de poule.

Yes, always be polite, which doesn't mean to say you couldn't put a bit of bite into your message. Merci de ne pas retarder la réponse. That sort of urges things along a bit. Or in English, I would greatly appreciate your rapid response.

Difficult watch yesterday's match as both Wales and France are my adopted countries. Would still have liked more competition in the second half. Wales was 22-20 ahead at half time so the final score line was shameful for Wales. However, they did have the best national anthems, no?😆 I mean both teams....

Safe, yes, but more or less confined to the house most days for months on end now. Only venturing out for shopping for food! And then only after consulting la météo. Same with washing clothes and house linen. Très mal fringué et mal nourri! No comparison of course with dying or being flooded out but very depressing all the same. Can't even walk much on rare respite from rain because all roads, never mind forest paths, are saturated, dirty and some are impassable.

I take back EVERYTHING I have said. What a wonderful afternoon of rugby we have had! Two matches providing superb excitement and huge entertainment. Bravo, tous les gars!

Phoning any sort of organisation is more or less a no-no these days because you press what you guess are the correct buttons and you get to the switchboard-of-multiple choices yet again. As for getting to speak to a person who has the answer to your questions, that requires superhuman efforts of persistence and patience. Of course, you can cross your fingers and write an email. That is not always a solution but, in the absence of anything else, you do write emails marking them high priority. The problem then is how do you address an organisation rather than someone with a name? It's easy in French as a simple "bonjour" does the trick. In English, however, we usually like to write Mr Mrs Ms or Name plus Surname, don't we? Nowadays I write "hello". Similarly, to sign-off is simple in French, "cordialement" does nicely. I notice that in English, people seem to write "kind regards". I don't feel able to write kind regards when I am frustrated and complaining about something. Plus I don't give kind regards to people I don't know. "Sincerely" seems gloriously old-fashioned. These days I translate from the French and write "cordially". I'd like to know what others write as greetings and sign-offs?

Not yet seen anything that's got me excited and jumping up and down. I agree with your predictions. But there IS something about this year's 6 nations...not up to expections;

The difference is that you put a hare in a jug but a rabbit in a pot? Sorry, here is one article of many I found: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/141219-rabbits-hares-animals-science-mating-courtship Light-hearted enough for the forum and after looking at the photos, I lean towards hare.

Thank you, rowland, but I wondered if there were a real life equivalent? I have seen cucumber like veggies with lines and knobs along the length in some Asian countries. I think they tasted bitter.

Mashed swede are only good with lashings of salted butter! What are snozzcumbers?

Good gracious, Lehaut! So my instinct to have a small piece of cheese for breakfast and my own unrefined bread serves me well. Have to hoot with laughter because I don't reckon my choice of breakfast makes my face look more attractive after breakfast. Maybe the large café au lait cheers me up somewhat and brings a smile to my face?😝 Mind you, when I go on holiday with French friends, I am amazed at the amount of jam they put on their bread, not to mention the spoonfuls of sugar in their coffee or chocolate. As for the inevitable fruit juice.....who could happily drink fruit juice from a carton or bottle? In fact, I never understand why people drink fruit juice instead of just eating fruit.

How right you are, rowland. I have yet to find a way to make them taste even mildly acceptable.

Forgot also about those fat white asperagus; simply not for me but I really like the green ones. When I am in a Grand Frais, I see plantains and wonder what they taste like. I know you fry them but does anyone have any tips about how to buy them? I mean do they have to be ripe or do you buy them before they are ripe. Are they sweet like bananas? I have had banana fritters and they are lovely if a bit greasy.

Topinambour! How could I forget! Yes, that's my least liked. Compared to them aubergines and kale taste positively yummy! Oops, sorry, DL had already named them. Topinambour IS jerusalem artichoke! I got what he said mixed up with celeriac which I also do not like.