Catalpa

Some of this thread may be useful, Braveheart: http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1/1099958/ShowPost.aspx#1099958

Exactly. When I read comments like Steve's I always assume that the poster is failing spectacularly in some way that causes him / her to resent the apparent success of the person they criticise - and, in this case, also disparage the members who read Dave's contributions. Otherwise, what on earth provokes the attack? Writing about gite guests - whether the stories are embroidered or not, are amusing or not - in itself should hardly provoke such a bileful response. Interesting.

[quote user="Will"]So why is EDF closing the Barrage de Vezins? At the same time as a wind farm is proposed near Mont St Michel?[/quote] The barrage needs serious and very expensive - probably on-going maintenance work whereas windfarms receive big EU subsidies? I read (or was told) something along those lines but though I've searched through various links, unfortunately I can't now find the reference.

I said exactly the same "life" thing a few days ago on a different forum... where I'd "achieved" [Www] 5000 posts... in under two years. But posting keeps the fingers agile... even if reading some threads results in the death of brain cells and occasional (fortunately temporary) loss of the will to live. [:D] Still, there may fewer of those topics now...[6]

If you read the thread on the link http://www.thefranceforum.net/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=4489 Gites-de-France (Auvergne) said the course needed to be done. However, as I said earlier, it is probably misinterpretation of the regulation by one departement or region. It wouldn't be the first time that something was interpreted differently - and mistakenly - depending where you are. The CMU health issue interpretations various of 2 years ago proved that.

I read on thefranceforum (aka Roseland) that someone - in the Auvergne, I think - was required to go on the course when registering the business or applying for the licence and she did attend. As with most things, some departments are probably ahead of others with implementing / applying the new regulations. Or even newly mis-interpreting existing regulations. [;-)] Edited to add: Here you go: this is the thread. http://www.thefranceforum.net/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=4489&p=50725&hilit=breakfast#p50725

[quote user="Will"]... an area that the developers consider "not worthy of preservation". [/quote] And France has such a good reputation for accurately assessing what is worthy of preservation - lanscape, flora or fauna. [6] Thank for the link. I hadn't seen it.

I can't equate the destruction of the world trade centre and 3000 deaths with a line of THT pylons but be that as it may... Anxious, St-Laurent-de-Cuves is a nice little village in a lovely area of Manche but if the thought of THT pylons makes you feel uneasy, don't buy there, at least until there is a plan of where each pylon will go. There are lots of other beautiful areas in Manche and Calvados that are unlikely to be affected by the pylons. Admittedly, wherever you buy, you might suddenly find a factory, a landfill site, half-a-dozen éoliennes planned for your doorstep but to buy knowing that pylons are planned near your village may turn your happy purchase into a worry. Which seems a bit daft really. I don't think the precise route of the line is known even now - and the chosen corridor is broad - but the nearer you are to the centre of a village, the "safer" you are likely to be because - afaiaa - there are no plans to run the pylons literally across a village. Your agent may simply be unwilling to respond to emails at all - not his / her chosen form of communication. But even if you do get an email or letter from the agent confirming that to the best of their knowledge, "your" house will not be affected, it's worthless as the agent can have no control over any changes to the route or final decisions. If you're concerned, look elsewhere. Or negotiate a really good price and take a risk.

There may be doubts over the conviction but until those doubts are converted into a successful appeal, he was originally found guilty. Until a successful appeal, he should have remained in prison. Any prisoner who contracts a terminal illness while serving a sentence may therefore have to die in prison. Demonstrations of compassion are then best made by allowing family and friends less restricted access to the person during their last weeks of life, not releasing the prisoner. In this particular case, I suspect dying in prison would have turned the man into some form of martyr so the expedient (and cheaper) if not right thing to do was send him back to Libya.

[quote user="Frenchie"]...this is not what you get in people's homes or even in average restos..[/quote] Now that is my point... because from my experience over the past (say) 10 years that is what I'm getting from (non-French) restaurants and in people's homes... It's not a question of being patriotic - though it may be for you - it's a question of compare, contrast and analysis. I don't desperately want British food to be better - I live in France, I'm staying in France, I'd be delighted if French food was running rings around the rest of the world... but I don't think it is any more. And now I'm handing the thread back to Bob T et al... while pondering a nice (pink in the middle) magret for supper...[8-|]

[quote user="Frenchie"]For instance, I had the best steak pie ever up north, close to  the lake district . I adore trifles, a lovely sunday roast, scones, suasages, etc.. THAT IS British food to me. [/quote] That is stereotypically traditional British food but that isn't what I'm talking about and indeed, though when done well it is good, a diet of roasts, sausages, trifles, scones is dull and predictable too. Not to say a tad on the unhealthy side. [quote user="Frenchie"]But I'm sorry, the millions of restaurants that serve Chicken Korma, chinese fried noodles and sushi or samosa... You can't say this is UK food with a touch of exoticism.[/quote] <sound of forehead hitting keyboard in despair> No, I would not and have not. Though touches of those cuisines may influence more traditional ideas. And that open-ness to influence and innovation is what I'm talking about. But as you continue to miss the point, I think I'll leave you to your trifle and scones and wish you bon appétit!... not to mention... on egin! guten appetit! buon appetito! buen appetito! bon apetis! bom apetite! [:P] 

[quote user="Thibault"]Well, I love it.  [/quote]Me too! [:D] [quote user="Thibault"]Don't get me started on b****y cricket on longwave..........[/quote] Me too! [:@] [quote user="Thibault"]Wimbers is only on for two weeks then nothing is heard of tennis until the next year.  [/quote] That's not strictly true - at least this year. We had plenty of coverage from Roland Garros and Queens. [:D] [quote user="Thibault"]PS  Federer for the Cup [:D][/quote] Yes. Such a nice guy too...[:D]

[quote user="Frenchie"]Oh no,[:P] it is most of the time not adding an exotic touch to a pre existing British dish, but rather ADOPTING a foreign recipe ( I think of most Indian food, etc...[/quote] Did you hear a shrill whistling noise as my point passed over your head. [kiss] I'm beginning to conclude that you are one of the French people with whom I've unsuccessfully tried to discuss food, Frenchie. [6] Full of stereotypical ideas... [quote user="Frenchie"]Not hot enough to ruin all the taste?? [/quote][Www] Taking ideas from other cuisines and using them in the UK isn't adding an exotic touch to a pre existing British dish but is often intended to create something new, or at least a taking an established dish a step on from what it was. To make something well known fresh again. It is taking something good and interesting from elsewhere and seeing how it can be used in a different situation. It isn't ADOPTING a foreign recipe (although, I think you may have meant ADAPTING) it is being a bit innovative, hopefully a bit surprising. I admit if I was eating at Pierre Gagnaire's a couple of times a month I might have a different opinion about French food. But that is not the level of cooking we're discussing here - even if his ideas do filter down... possibly more readily elsewhere than in rural France. [:P]

[quote user="Frenchie"]How can yu write such things???? [/quote] Because it was quite good fun to do so. [6] [:D] And you did rather lay yourself open to a bit of a windup with your comment... [quote user="Frenchie"]But maybe it s the way you Brits cook it, indeed..[/quote] But slightly more seriously, the longer I'm here and the more I eat out both at people's homes and restaurants, the more I talk food, particularly with French people, the more I think that British people are often more knowledgeable about food generally: the quality of produce, where it comes from, animal husbandry and welfare and preparation methods than other nationalities. The plethora of UK tv cookery programs may have something to do with it... from an education pov. But something has happened. [quote user="Frenchie"]...but for the average French person, this is NOT UK cuisine. [/quote] And that's an interesting point because it misses the point. A <insert nationality of choice here> cook being influenced by ideas from Asia, Australia - wherever - is just adding a different dimension to often well-known dishes. It doesn't have to stick to being classically British. And I think that's why I'm finding French cooking a bit dull and predictable. [quote user="puzzled"]You don't sell any do you ?She asks hopefully[/quote] [:D] No. I don't think we ever would produce enough to sell. It's not what we want to do. And for that matter, we don't have enough land. Where approximately are you though?

Neither do we... because we now rear - and butcher - our own. And the abbatoir has finally accepted our desire for longer hanging of the carcases. [;-)]

Sorry Clair and Frenchie. I understand you need to defend your nation but I do understand meat and good steak and it is nothing to do with butchery (different cuts) or how well done it is - I prefer mine bleu, not well-done... the meat is shown the heat to sear it and taken it away. It is everything to do with poor quality meat and a lack of understanding of how carcases should be treated. Good quality beef can certainly be found here but not as easily as it is available nowadays in the UK - or England, anyway. The longer I am in France the more I am coming to the conclusion that "the average French person is genetically imprinted to understand and produce wonderful food" is a myth... just as is the myth that British people can't cook. Yes we can. Better than the average French person. And we are open to new ideas and external influences. [:P]

Recently discussed on TotalFrance - post 5 explains why so much French steak is so mediocre compared to British meat. http://www.totalfrance.com/france/forum/viewtopic.php?t=65277 CBPinet's last post on page 2 is interesting too.

[quote user="cooperlola"]Hooray, I am so pleased.  They look absolutely gorgeous - I've been quite worried about them.  [/quote] So am I and so have I! They reminded me of two of mine who lie sprawled across each other and knowing you (Tracey) had such a fixed deadline to re-home them, I've been mentioning them to people too. I am delighted you've found a new home for them. Good luck for your move. [:D]

[quote user="J.Rs gone native"][quote user="powerdesal"][quote user="J.R gone native"] I have never seen a French house with a name, except for those bought by the English perhaps I should add. [/quote] My house doesn't have a number, just a name. Never been English owned before either. [/quote] You have proved my point! [:D] [/quote] No he hasn't. You just (mis)interpreted what he wrote to fit with your theory. A "house name" is often the lieu-dit and there may only be one house in the lieu-dit so that is the "house name". And has been for decades, nationality of owner irrelevant.

And Mitch and Titch can be found in the southern Manche area of Normandy / north Mayenne (Pays de la Loire) near Gorron. So that's the borders of departements 50, 61, 53 and 35.

[quote user="Dog"]I sent a PM to Odile and got her email address in an error message.[/quote] In that case, you've just told anyone who wants to find Odile's email address how to go about it. Security issues are best discussed via PMs to mods or admin or at least, the possible flaws in the system shouldn't be catalogued "out front".

I have a cat called Bifidus...[:)]

You're very pale this evening, FNix. Are you feeling okay? [kiss]

[quote user="odile"]Am I missing something here? [/quote] Yep. And we're all missing Tressy. [6] Now it's summer, have you discarded your woolies, Wooly, and switched to cotton? Or perhaps a nice, crumpled linen jacket?

Instinctively, I felt was all a bit cheesy... and then she got into a right pickle... she had too much bread - all leading to gut problems. [6]