[Strange diet?]

You can make a really good Courgette and Cumin soup. It is quite spicey. If you want the recipe let me know.

[Installing a wood burning fire]

I might be in peril of starting a 'flaming' subject - no pun intended, but on reading various queries like the above, and how to install gas cookers, water heaters etc, it seems quite worrying to me that in UK most people would employ fully qualified gas engineers, yet in France they feel they are qualified enough to do it themselves. Speaking as the wife of a fully qualified Corgi reg engineer, surely carbon monoxide can kill you just as well in France as in UK, and you have to be very careful with correct flueing and ventilation requirements including woodburning stoves. Do they not have the equivalent of Corgi in France?

[Website to learn French]

Just had a look and a go at the Manchester University site. It is really good, especially as it is so interactive - ie the vocabulary section, and grammar parts.
Well done for finding the site.

[Manche and Calvados]

Hi,
We bought our property near Vire in Calvados through Labadie Immobilier in Vire. Antoine Labadie speaks English well and he organised the changeover for electric etc and arranged the interpreter for the signing. There is also a branch near Granville.
I hope you have luck finding somewhere.