Catalpa

right cheek to right cheek - works with French friends anyway. If someone is facing you, their right is always opposite but matches your right so it works. No clashing noses. One kiss if the person is a child... but we've never been able to figure out at what point the child suddenly graduates to junior adult and therefore 1+ kisses... and then, as with Coco (which isn't surprising since we're in the same area) it is either 3 or 4 kisses and it seems quite random as to which. Recently, our neighbour (female, late 70s) kissed a good friend twice, me 3 times and another friend (don't know how good) 4 times. Aaaaagh. I try very hard to read body language and get it right... but I've stopped caring if I get it wrong.

  Porth (with visibly raised eyebrows) said: << In saying that surely the nuclear power station is up on the top of the pennisular and to the left of Cherbourg. >> Correct. See, your grasp of geography is fine! << Are we suggesting that the new proposals are coming down the pennisular and then basically cutting across towards St Sever then cutting back again and down through Rennes the Loire and then down through Bordeaux and to Espagne? >>  I only know the bit that relates to St Sever => Mortain so can’t comment on the rest of the route except to say: yes, there obviously is one. << Know nothing about topography or geography but surely that is madness.  >> In crowded, environmental and health-aware, instant protest group Britain, yes. In France? Dunno. This is the project website – it’s a PR job to make the reader aware of the wonderful way our environment can change over the years to reflect and accommodate the way we live our lives now… such changes (soddin' great pylons) being a good thing celebrating man’s technological advances… http://www.ligne-france-espagne.org/sommaire.shtm << I think that the wine producers in the Loire then down through Bordeaux then the Corbieres and again Languedoc will have something to say about this. >> I’m sure you’re right and I’m equally sure that commercial concerns like that will have substantially more clout than a of host small farmers and individuals across poorer areas of rural France. For all I know, local landowners might be pleased at the prospect of compulsory land purchase – a few bob for their bank accounts. << Is there something which authenticates the information that is currently before us! >> http://www.ligne-france-espagne.org/sommaire.shtm plus the knowledge of local officialdom: several mayors in this area, one of whom is a deputy conseil-general for Manche, neither of which have anything on paper – or not that they shared with us. The deputy C-G for did say that it’s difficult to get information, that no one is saying anything. There’s a pressure group at St Sever and if anyone wants contact details, PM me. << In any event go to the restaurant near the power station and which overlooks Jersey and Guernsey its quite good.  Is its name Semaphore? >> Yes it is, it’s regularly recommended on various sites and I want to go there one day – but it’s 2 hours drive for us.   JUDIE! You’re a well-connected woman of La Manche… have you any insider or other info on this project?

   Registering a remorque (trailer) in France – ours was an Ifor Williams.   If a trailer exceeds 750kg, you will need to register and insure it separately from any other vehicles – ie, it will have it’s own registration number; it won’t carry the plates of the car that tows it.   We purchased an Ifor Williams trailer second-hand in the UK last year. In order to get it registered in France, it’s necessary to get an Attestation from the manufacturer. At this point we discovered there’s a step you could take before the purchase of a trailer. Ifor Williams, for eg, keeps a database for all their individual ‘products’. For an attestation, you have to provide them with the VIN number – from the manufacturer’s plate on the trailer. The VIN number is unique and comprises 17 letters and numbers. If this plate is missing or has been damaged (ours was scuffed and difficult to read), this may make obtaining the attestation more difficult. There’s also another aspect to this.   Trailers get nicked a lot in the UK. If an Ifor Williams trailer has been stolen, the owner may notify the company and this information is then added to the database against that VIN number. If you purchase a trailer that, on phoning Ifor Williams, turns out to have been reported stolen… well, you’ve bought stolen goods. This could be irritating for you. So, if you’re buying a second-hand trailer with the expectation that you’ll export it and register it in France, look for the VIN plate: can you read it? A quick call to Ifor Williams (or whoever the manufacturer is) might be useful?? This will also turn up any fake trailers which have had an Ifor Williams label nailed on. Our plate was difficult to read and on our first call to Ifor Williams, we were told the code number we’d given them referred to a canopy. Panic. Fortunately, our second attempt at deciphering was more successful.   Steps are:   Phone / write to Ifor Williams for a technical specification and Certificate of Conformity. You might not need the CofC if the trailer is very new. Ours wasn’t. It may be down-rated GVW (gross vehicle weight) for France. Ifor Williams Wales were very helpful. They spoke good English.   Write to Ifor Williams France - someone there speaks good English - asking for an “Attestation d’identification” for your trailer enclosing  A cheque (we had to pay 100 euros)the certificate of conformitycopy of passportthe invaluable copy of an EDF billcopy of the sales invoice for the trailer – which you need even if you bought it privatelyOn receipt of the Attestation d’identification, go to your sous prefecture with all the documents, passports, EDF bill etc, your cheque book (for us, this was 45 euros) and a Carte Grise (Certificat d’Immatriculation) will be forthcoming.   Insurance is also separate – for fully comp this year we paid 76euros.   Contacts: Approvals Coordinator Ifor Williams Trailers Limited Cynwyd Corwen Denbighshire LL21 OLS WWW.IWT.CO.UK Phone 01490 412626 Fax 01490 412770   Ifor Williams France Zone Industrielle Route de Doullens BP53   62270 Frévent Phone 03 21 47 00 60 Fax 03 21 47 00 56 Ifor.williams.france@ wanadoo.fr

as requested... step by step... Landrover Discovery (12 years old) re-registered in France – February 2005 – Manche (50)  Apply to Landrover France for “l’attestation d’homologation’ For this you’ll need: A photocopy of V5CDate the vehicle was first registered in the UKA copy of the manufacturers’ plate from the engine bay of the vehicle (I took a photo and printed it)The type of bodyworkThe number of doors in the vehicleThe number of seatsSize of tyresType and number of engineYour name and address in FranceCheque for 119.60 euros payable to FMC Automobiles SAS Landrover France  Send all of this information to:Landrover France Service Homologation 34 rue de la Croix de Fer 78127 St Germain-en-Laye  Cedex   4        When you get your l’Attestation, apply to your local tax office (in France) for a “Quittus Fiscal” which is a document confirming tax was originally paid on the vehicle. For example, a private vehicle purchased in England will likely have had VAT as part of the price; a commercial purchase or one made in Jersey might not so tax might be payable. 5        Take a copy of an EDF bill with you (or something similar with your French address to prove residence) as well as your passport – and all the car documents. 6        Next book a Controle Technique (MOT test). This is much the same as a UK MOT except the suspension test is computerised and therefore much stricter. I fitted ‘French dip’ headlamps – but I don’t know they are strictly necessary. Mine weren’t checked. Having said that, I’d fit them again if we were going through the same process. 7        Next step is a visit to your sous prefecture – ask for an application form for a carte grise. Fill in the information from the “Attestation Homologation”. Write out a cheque for the registration fee – amount depends on age of vehicle. Within 5 minutes you should have your carte grise. 8        Final step: go to a garage and get the number plates made up and rivet in place. I believe from posts on this forum that the plates must be rivetted so if you don’t have a rivet gun, get the garage to fit them for you. 9        Get your French insurance sorted and bon voyage!   If you are bringing over a trailer which exceeds 750kg, you will need to register and insure it separately. See separate post on registering a trailer.   Regards, catalpa's OH   Ritual Disclaimer: This is what we had to do earlier in the year in Manche. The hoops anyone else has to jump through in another part of France might differ.

   How d’you fancy a line of 400,000 volt, high tension electricity pylons running through Manche? – Flamanville, down the Cotentin peninsula to St Sever Calvados and then on the Mortain? Swathes of St Sever woodland felled; pylons marching through St Michel de Montjoie… Gathemo… Vengeons… Sourdeval… or maybe Perriers-en-Beauficel… Beauficel… Lingeard… Brouains… there’s a lot of beautiful countryside in this area – as well as further up the Cotentin. See:    ligne-france-espagne.org To give you the background as we understand it: as you may have seen on other forums, there’s a plan for surplus electricity manufactured at the parc nucléaire at the top of the Cotentin peninsula – Manche, Flammanville – to be sold to Spain. To facilitate this, a brand new run of high tension pylons (400,000 volts) is planned from Flamanville (or nearby) to Spain. The pylon route from Flammanville to St Sever Calvados has been agreed in principle but not in detail - ie, a precise line has not been drawn on a map but a broad corridor has been announced. The route after St Sever Calvados is to Mortain. Precise route is yet to be announced and there's no known date for the announcement. Even when there is an announcement, it could be for a corridor 10kms wide, for example, so precise villages affected far less individual properties will not be known for some time. Another route that's being discussed is St Sever => Gathemo => Sourdeval => Mortain. And yet another idea is to run a parellel line of pylons adjacent to some already in place in the Reffuville / L'Embranchement area... which wouldn't be logical if the line was running to Mortain but at least would be further damaging an already damaged area. If you see what I mean. This information is via our Maire and the Maire of an adjacent commune who also happens to be one the deputy Conseil-Generals of Manche. Neither are happy because guess what - they don't want pylons running over their homes either - but at the moment, there's no news. So why am I telling you this? Well, if you’re considering a property purchase in the area, be aware. If you already live here, start asking your Mairie for information. I’m not sure yet what we can / should do – I don’t know that France has a culture of strongly opposing something that is for the “good of France” – so personally, we’re still in the process of chatting to people, finding out what they know, whether they even care about the prospect of their very own singing pylon in their vegetable patch…  If we hear more, I'll post the information. On the other hand, if anyone else hears or knows anything about this, please either email me or post something here. And if you want to email me, I’ll circulate any additional information we hear direct to you. For instance, I believe there’s strong opposition in St Sever Calvados and there’ve been various meetings. If I hear of another - or anything similar - I’ll tell you. If you’ve any experience of fighting something like this in France… let me know. NIMBY, moi? Yes, of course – but I think the bl00dy thing should go underground anyway - then it’s not obviously in anyone’s backyard. And then of course, there’s the landfill site planned for Cuves near Brecey…

** When asked if the constitution would improve the chances of young people getting jobs, (he accepted under 25 unemployment was currently around 25%), perhaps reducing unemployment to UK levels, he said that would involve introducing social practices that were unacceptable to the French people. ** specifically: ** (he accepted under 25 unemployment was currently around 25%) ** Is that really accurate??? Obviously it must be. And French people don't want social practices that would alleviate a statistic that dire? I knew from various sources that unemployment in France was high but I've never seen it segmented into age groups. I've never seen it broken down in the UK either so maybe the levels are comparable. Somehow, I don't think so. My other thought is: British parents bringing their children to France with the expectation that one day those kids will enter the labour market... good luck.

Congratulations, Anne! And now you're wondering what to do with all your spare time!

... and apply for your E106 6-8 weeks before you leave the UK as it can take Newcastle between 1 and 3 months to issue it. AFAIK you can't toddle off to CPAM to register till you've got your E106s.

it isn't difficult, just a variety of steps and hoops to jump through plus a few cheques to write. I'll get TOH to tell me exactly how he did it (this is in Manche - 50) for our elderly Disco a few months ago and post it tomorrow - by which time you may have an answer from someone else.

I wonder if, as caring, considerate individuals who tend to believe the best of most people, we look at a lost animal and assume that some poor family is devastated and searching for their beloved pet. Well, maybe that's happened in this instance - who knows? - but it's not their well-being I think should be borne in mind: it's the cat's. The cat is well-off where it is, it didn't exactly arrive well-fed, glossy and purring. It doesn't seem as if it's local because there was no response to the posters so... The reason I suggested that you make contact with Phoenix, Tresco - and Phoenix's contact details are posted in a 'sticky' at the top of this section - is that as a rescue centre, they presumably have taken in animals who've already got tattoos or chips and therefore have traceable owners. They can tell you what has happened - if they tried to trace the owners, the outcomes. Of course, you don't have to tell the vet the cat's a stray. If owners ever do turn up, make sure you present them with food and vet expenses incurred at the same time you express your strong willingness to keep the cat. That should sort out the caring owners from the casual. Having said all that: I do sympathise with Nick and Jan.

Thanks, Isles. This is a definite for the short list.

++ I now know that someone else has loved him too, although MOH is desperately trying to convince me the cat may have escaped from a fur farm. ++   Are you absolutely sure that a tattoo = a loving home? It sounds as if you've invested a lot of time and care on this cat. I'd think hard before I delivered her back to... who knows what? I have no idea whether it is legal to keep the cat or what will happen when you go to a vet and the number is noted / added to a database - although you've probably already been visiting a vet? Maybe the Phoenix people can advise. I'm with your OH on this! Especially if you can prove you tried to find the owner originally. The cat's future is certain with you. I'd try and keep it that way.

I enjoyed the R4 Today program hoax this morning - due to a long-forgotten, arcane and never repealed law, the order of succession to the throne will be changed when Charlie and Camilla marry next week. As Tom Parker Bowles is older than Wills and Harry, he will immediately become second in line to the throne. Not necessarily a bad idea...

quote: ++ I just hope you are ready for the consequences when he does ++   But what are the consequences?

Yes, I think it's different. If you read the original post, she's talking about walking through woods and fields not front doors. Just a bit different? Anyone got an answer to Pixie's question ? I'd be interested too.

has anyone done one of these / knows of one they can recommend ? I'm thinking in terms of 1 or 2 week residential (ideally staying with French family) taught by mother-tongue French speakers. I think the pros and cons of these have been discussed before but can't remember (or find) any recommendations.

I've been musing over why - in this case and others - it's okay to let someone starve to death. Is it utterly pain and stress free? Alright, it's... natural... but clearly it's not necessarily a fast process. I know the alternative would have to be drug-assisted euthanasia - ie, therefore currently no alternative - but I'm really not comfortable with the thought of watching a loved one starve to death over a period of days.

Surprised us, a few weeks ago, when we saw one of our local boulangeries (Gathemo) advertising their own *hot cross buns*. Obviously meeting a demand... we haven't tried them so don't know how successful they are. Bonne Fête de Pâques guys :-)

++ That is so wonderful, I want to live in Fairy land. ++ I think perhaps you already do, Furrynix. And I am very envious :^)

[quote]It sounds like you have everything but make sure that your birth certificates are full ones which include parents. We didn't have them and had to get new ones and then go back. Hope this helps.[/quote] This seems to vary. When we E106 / CPAMed, I only had a short version of my birth certificate. This was accepted without question. (I later ordered the full version from http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificate/index.asp#0 as it seemed sensible to have one 'just in case'). The short version was also accepted when we bought the house here 5 years ago. However, this is in Manche, Normandy and I think the various authorities have got used to seeing variations of UK paperwork because of the high level of home owners / residents. It may be different in areas where there aren't as many British. Though, Angouleme is borderline Dordogne, isn't it? As someone else said, I'd take an EDF bill too! In fact, we always travel with one now. I'm reasonably confident that if I ever lose my passport in the UK, I'll be allowed back into France if I wave an EDF bill.

Not many people have anything good to say about tranquillisers for cats. It was discussed recently over at Total France. Posts from about 10 down are relevant to your query. http://www.totalfrance.com/france/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4482

Quote: ++ I agree with you about the sex and peanut butter though. Dodgy, especially when mixed. I feel sorry for the people who have to clean up after these sex and peanut butter orgies. ++ This could generate a whole new - and possibly very scary - thread on the Chambres d'hote / Gite forums.

[quote]Perhaps it would be a good idea for anyone posting to find homes for GENUINE rescues only, to say so in their first post on the topic or use a name that indicates your status ? Some of us guess, but i...[/quote] And... when people are posting information about animals needing homes for whatever reasons, **please include the location** - at least the department but town as well ideally. Phone prefix isn't sufficient... 05 = ? south west, is it? Large area. Good luck with finding homes.

I didn't think the first ep was due to air till about 26 March? Maybe this was a preview for journos. Personally I'm looking forward to the scene where that Dr Who icon, the lavatory plunger, comes of age. (so I've heard )

not bull bars... *sanglier* bars. How many points for killing a bog hound? (I want one of those whistling icons inserted here)