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Geranium

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Everything posted by Geranium

  1. We're moving at the end of June and I've decided to bring over the huge quantity of interior paint we need. However I heard a rumour that removal companies won't bring it because of it being inflamable and therefore un-insurable!  Is this true? Have you used a removal company who are happy to transport paint (and did a great job all round)? Any advice is welcome! 
  2. Bob, could you give me some advice or your opinion please?  I am having a kitchen made in Uk to send out to France. But I am going to buy the oven in France (so I have the guarantee etc).  I have decided I really want one with a pyrolytic cleaning system and am considering choosing a Siemans one. What do I tell the carpenters about allowances around a built in oven with this system? Do you have any comments or advice on buying Siemens, or buying ovens in France in general?  I am also going to get a microwave/combination oven to go above it.   many thanks!
  3. These are great replies. Thank you so much. We are at early stages and just learning about how it all works, but this has given us some great information.
  4. Hi, We've just heard of a Heat Transfer System which apparently uses the heat in the earth to power the heating system. As this house is costing us a fortune before we've even moved in, I'm very keen to look into it further. I also hear the Queen is about to do the same so we are in good company! Has anyone done this in France though? Is it commonly known about? Easy to find engineers? I also gather the Government will refund 60% of the cost - to a french tax payer. Now that sounds good.
  5. I like the bit about blagging as it is us who will be living in France but not our daughter. However, as passports do not get stamped how would they know that she hadn't been around since her last visit? She's going to be popping over organising things so what do you think they will demand to see as 40 days residency? And to think you can fly off to the Bahamas and get sorted so quickly!! 
  6. We hope to move out to France next summer and soon after our daughter (who will remain living in UK) wants to get married from our new home.  Her fiance and her do not want a church wedding, having instead the equivalent of a english civil ceremony followed by a reception at our house. Can you tell me please what we need to start considering? Will it be quite easy to arrange? Are there onerous requirements (which wouldn't surprise me, knowing the french love of red tape)? Any advice gratefully received! Many thanks.  
  7. Someone did tell us that Les Rious also meant little streams or springs but as I can't find it in the dictionary, I'd like a bit more of an explanation.  If there is still anyone out there who can shed light................
  8. We bought a house called "Le Trois Sources" - The 3 Springs, but then found all mail was addressed to its proper name "Les Rious". However I can't find this in any dictionary. Does anyone have a translation please? Any suggestions welcomed!
  9. I used to like the page that looked at four different websites on the same topic and compared them. I'm sorry to see this go. We only get a review of one now.  There also used to be more book reviews....
  10. We have recently received service beyond the call of duty from an insurance broker and an insurance expert.  We'd like to say thank you but taking them out for a meal would be a little awkward due to our ineptitude in french (OK for the market but not 2 hours at the table!).  What would be a suitable token of our appreciation? We travel back and forth quite a bit.
  11. OK please tell me; now we have the internet to make communication so much faster, do the french seem to think emails are there to be replied to when they have time in about 2 weeks - if at all. Don't they understand that if I need a reply quickly I use the internet. Otherwise I'd just use the lovely french snail-mail. I've noticed that anyone living in France for a long time takes on the same attitude. Must be something to do with that laid back life we all hanker after!
  12. Thank you for the feedback, I will certainly make time for the course when I have the spare pennies. One question though - why do make so much soup each week? Have you gone into business, feeding a private army or have loads of builders to keep happy!
  13. Alec (Alex?) Day was recommended to us on this forum a couple of years ago. He took a load of furniture to France for us.  We need him again but have lost his contact details. Can anyone help please?
  14. Iceni you are so lucky! I have known of the Walnut Grove ever since it first opened and have it marked as a place to defintely go.  I'm so glad you were impressed.  Apart from the fantastic cooking, what was the rest of the place and the decor like?  Did you find the recipes you learnt were the sort of things you'll now cook at home?
  15. Nobody has mentioned the microwave. We adore asparagus and glut on it when it is season.  I put 2 very large handfuls flat in a shallow dish, add a little boiling water and pop in the microwave for up to 10 minutes. This seems to work perfectly. Asparagus should still have a little bite to it 'al dente' like pasta.  A drizzle of tasty olive oil and balsamic vinegar is another alternative to the melted butter dish. Yes you can BBQ it - or roast it in the oven. Again drizzle over olive oil and roast till ready. YUM!
  16. A couple of years ago we followed up a recommendation on the Forum and had Alec (Alex?) Day take a load of furniture to France.  We have lost his contact details. Can anyone help please?
  17. Thank you to all for answering my query.  It all sounds perfectly possible now and we just have to look at timing. We want to get a "Working Cocker"; they're like a Cocker Spaniel but lighter built and very intelligent (not casting aspersions on Cockers - my parents had them for years!). My husband reminded me that the breeder we know takes them back after a couple of months to do a thorough training with them. Then they can be used as working gun dogs or just fabulously well trained pets. So it looks like we will hopefully get the puppy earlier, bond with her, then send her for training and then finally move to France, taking her with us of course.  The poor old cat will have to cope too! Thanks again
  18. I was hoping (once we're settled) to go back to UK and collect a new puppy from a breeder we have got to know over time. But now I see you can't vaccinate until they're 3 months, and then you have to wait another 30 days for the test. At this rate our puppy will be full grown before we get her!  is it at all possible to bring over to France a very new puppy that won't have been out with other dogs yet?   Any other suggestions?
  19. I thought I would just let you know that our neighbours want to sell.  I said I would try and help but am not sure just what I can post on the forum.  It's a great village house with amazing character and history, in a medieval village just south west of Albi. If you're interested, please mail me direct.
  20. These poured in place concrete jobs do sound interesting.  I had a look at the book you mentioned Bob; does this book go into these particular types of worktops?  Also it is quite straightforward to get these done in France? Does anyone else have experience of concrete inside the home? 
  21. I think it depends on what is happening. For instance if we are out shopping and need to stay in town, then we'll take advantage of the closedown and have a proper lunch out.  However we prefer to eat dinner in the evening and are often at friends or have friends over for a full evening meal. As for the tu and vous, I think I rather look forward to being a highly honoured Grandmere and have everyone use vous. Now where's that pedestal?
  22. I'm going to reply on the forum first because concrete is used a lot for worktops and units in France, especially in the south.  There are moulded concrete shelves and fancy bits in our kitchen that always crop up in the various home magazines.  The bath has a concrete surround and so do the sinks. I think in a lot if not all cases, they are tiled over or painted and I have been wondering about the different finishes.  I guess you can just paint (and I've seen fabulous dark grey used in a bathroom) but I'm not sure what paint one would use and what if any, wax or varnish? I'm very happy to email you as you've obviously looked into this yourself, but I wonder if you have useful information that could benefit others? 
  23. Thank you for the info so far. Bob, you bring me to another question.  Units have been built in the house - some in the kitchen, a couple in bathrooms - out of concrete but I am wondering how I can finish them. I dont fancy them all tiled. I've heard of waxing concrete and maybe polishing, but what are the techniques exactly, and how do you obtain different finishes?
  24. We are having our kitchen done and I fancy a stone worktop. First I fancied limestone but have heard that it stains very easily.  I don't fancy polished granite - too bright and shiny for me.  I fancy either dark grey (yes I know I'm probably looking at slate) or something very pale.  Does anyone have any suggestions? I shall also be hunting for a row of kitchen units (which I could get from IKEA in Toulouse, but again, any other suggestions?) We are in between Albi and Toulouse.  I heard rumours of a place near Carcassonne too.  Thank you in anticipation!
  25. I don't know who on the forum is living in France, and who visits often like me so..... All I know is that when I do move to France next year I'm going to have to alter my eating habits or I will just balloon!  They do eat, and eat well, just differently and I'm gonna have to do the same. I love my food, but I don't want to be a podgy rosbif.
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