Jez

Hello, Does anyone know what the red/black beetle like, insects are, they tend to be in large groups and cling together right in my veg patch. There seems to be hundreds. Please tell me they are not going to eat my best potatoes and onions in years! Jez

Hi, does anybody know of a good stone mason in 79, or based in the UK wanting a 2 week working holiday! in a Chateau near Saumur. Thanks Kim

Hi, I know this would be a long shot BUT, will any of you lovely people, be travelling down from Cherbourg on 24th March on the 15.45 sailing from Portsmouth, My husband has conveniently broke his foot in France! I need to get to Saumur or as close to as possible, I will help with petrol and promise not to talk to much! thanks Kim  

Hi, Does any know or can recommend a good  decorator  needed for urgent wallpapering job. walls already striped, lining and paper ready and waiting, we are living in dept 79, near Saumur.   Thanks for help Kim Admin note - this was originally posted in the moderated 'employment vacancies' forum but we thought it more like to get an answer in the regional forum for dept 79, as it is seeking recommended tradesmen rather than offering employment

Hi Scotty, We did nothing but compare prices and market research, We looked at other Chateaux, Campanile/balladins hotels locally who add on breakfast etc... Some B&B`s locally charge £25 per person and they are not, all that ideal. So we thought our prices reflected this, only time will tell, we are marketing it well and are averaging 600 hits per month.  I am an Interior Designer by trade so all the rooms will reflect this with, quilted bedspreads, bolsters, bedcanopies etc...The rooms have all been renovated and will be finished by march, so photos will be available from end of Feb. We have started to fill up the book slowly, but as you said when the rest of photos are on, this will help.. The property is not a "young child friendly" place, due to the moat/spiral stairs etc.. So we can but try............ If we had'nt tried we would always think what if.....................

Quillan, We have had a lot of interest with the graphics on the car, people stop us ask for details or leaflets, especially at the ferry ports, hopefully people planning their next visit....   Bedders, We have had the same thoughts, will it work, how long do we give it.. People have said "wow" cannot believe you are going. lock stock and barrel.. At that stage panic sets in and out comes a brown paper bag.... Luckily we still keep in touch with the people we bought the house from, They said they will be one of our first customers..we bought them a Entente Cordiale coin when we signed, As it took six months to complete and with the coin celebrating 100 years friendship, we thought, not much in it really! and they had a good sense of humour.. They even took us after the signing to see their new house, another bottle of wine later.... I am sure I am not the only person who dreams of waking up and speaking fluent French....  

Thanks Miki & others, your help and advice is much appreciated, We have a 12th century chateau [whats left of it] and the local tourist office said they would advertise for us. We are not far from Saumur [southwards] so hopefully, a good tourists  trap. Our fisrt group of Americans are due in March, so hopefully our advertising will work. Because we have such a unusual property, we thought it would stand out in advertisements, Hubby has also got a picture on the back of his old 4x4 luckily we have had leaflets done, which works well and a new web page to be finished this week.. If everything fails we can always open a fish and chip shop!! www.chateau-les-peaux.com

Hi everyone, I am sorry this topic must have been covered before........ Picture the scene, you have moved to France[ 2 days and only one half of partnership] You have decided to open a B&B and other than knowing about cleaning, hard work and divorce [ that probably to come!].. we have no experience in how the system works...nothing like jumping in with two feet.. We will have 3 rooms to rent out, Do we have to register with anyone? The Marie knows what we are doing we spoke to him first.[very limited french] How do we work out the tax? will there be any due, if we do not make much money? When we stayed before in a hotel we paid 1 euro tax, is this just hotels? We are living in Dept.79. Do customers need to sign in, do you have to have passport copies, how will they pay [other than  cheque and euros.] how much does it cost for a credit card machine, is it worth getting one? We have a paypal account set up would this work? We are only in our early thirties would anyone like to take us under their wing? What are the regulations for Fire [or does that depend on number of rooms] Thanks everyone for help along a very long path... Kim

 Hi, Does anybody know what grants are available. I have a 12th century chateau, with links to the 7th crusade, how would I go about getting the building listed and apply for grants, There are 3 stone spiral staircases etc, but I need to get it re-pointed and into a good state of repair, using aritisans used to working on historical buildings. I also heard that if the property will bring in Tourism, it will get up to a extra 25% grant ontop of the 50% available.[ Am I dreaming?] I hope to open as a luxury B&B Later in the year,Along with a few!!!other brits] Would anyone have the ISMH E-mail or details, Can anyone help K2

Hi, I have a 12th century chateau, with links to the 7th crusade, how would I go about getting the building listed and apply for grants, There are 3 stone spiral staircases etc, but I need to get it re-pointed and into a good state of repair. I also heard that if the property will bring in Tourism, it will get up to a extra 25% grant ontop of the 50% available.[ Am I dreaming?] I hope to open as a luxury B&B Later in the year,Along with a few!!!other brits] Would anyone have the ISMH E-mail or details. Can anyone help K2

Dear all, My wife is a Interior Designer in England,does anybody know if this is a area that the French use, or if House builders use at all, thanks Jez

I am approved electrican in the Uk and I am moving to france. What would I need to do to be able to work as a sparks in France If anyone knows or who I could contact I would be very greatful Regards Jez