Kazanton

You already have the property in mind? Go to the Notaire listing the property and do the compris through him/her. You can sign through the Notaire. (You can even have the Notaire sign the Acte for you as well) You don't need your own Notaire as notaires are employed by the state they don't represent either buyer or seller. Of course if you want to have your own Notaire, you are entirely in your right to instruct one. The two Notaires will split the fee charged. Kind regards Belinda

LAST EDITED ON 14-Jun-04 AT 02:24 PM (BST) Have a look at this thread: http://www.livingfrance.com/dcforum/DCForumID39/513.html You can wait 'til the flowers fade or have some now, it's entirely up to you and whether or not you like the size of the potatoes. If not, throw some earth back on and wait a week or two!

We received our deeds 1 year and 3 months after signing the final Acte. Almost to the day. I don't think you have waited long enough for the deeds to come through, believe it or not. (Unlike the UK where you have them straight-away almost) Sorry, just have to be a little more patient...

Hi Mike Read this? http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/1997/970925.htm http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r3101311.html Good luck with the almonds! They reduce cholesterol as well as being yummy to eat!

I'm pretty sure you can get it off the Pontivy marlet in the big square. I have seen it at Intermarch, the bigger ones. Lace netting is big in Brittany, not quite the way we do it in the UK, more 'panels telling a story.' Still some is really nice!

Hi Gay. I always par-cook my root veg in boiling water for 5-10 minutes then pan roast at 200C. Highly fibrous veg might benefit from the same par-cook (ie: broccoli, celery) but just 2-3 minutes at outside most. I use extra-virgin olive oil, coarse sea salt, bit of fresh rosemary and loads of garlic cloves. Make sure you give it a stir every 15 minutes or so to coat with the oil, prevent sticking and allow to brown evenly. 45 minutes seems to be enough, but depends on how big your veg is cut! Lovely day! Belinda

Teamedup does, see if she will part with hers!

I personally would have absolutely nothing to do with ANY immoblier or notaire who behaved in such a manner as that. I HATE mail shots and make a point NOT to use the services of any who do it. But thats just me, I suppose. They must get SOME business, probably from mugs, or else why do it? Belinda

Hi Sue Our children will be attending the local maternelle/primary school in Clgurec. We are thinking about the Catholic school since it seems to be quite good with languages. They teach extra classes in the Breton language (which we want the girls to take) and the Mairie has assured us of extra French lessons for our girls (4 and 6) through either of the schools. Why are you looking for an International school? Out of curiosity. You can try here as well: http://www.ecis.org/ Belinda in 56

If it ever happens again... you can call the passport service and they will let you go into one of the centres (we went to Liverpool for my daughters) and get a same-day renewal. It is a lot more expensive but, the service is there. As she had never had a UK passport, we couldn't do it on the day, only if it is a renewal. But we did use Fast-track (little more expensive) so called up and got an appointment time, went into Liverpool, gave all the pictures and documents on the Saturday and we had the passport back on the Monday! The process was quick and simple and we were in and out before the 1hour ticket for parking was expired! SO much easier than the palaver you go through with a US passport!

Gay You can go Brest-Lamballe-Dinan which takes 2 1/2 hours then to Dol-de-Bretagne then on into St Malo. I got this page from this link: http://www.ter-sncf.com/Bretagne/fiches_horaires/pdf_hiver/carte_reseau.asp?carte=1 Kind regards Belinda

Whooohooo! Thank GREAT news Wally! (at least, for me...)

Hi Karl I have been 'attempting' Pilates here in Cheshire. Its fantastic even though it IS 7 flavours of hard work. Where abouts will you be located? We are near Pontivy. Kind regards Belinda

Putting the feelers out, as it were, to try to locate a long-term rental from October through to April/May next year. Property would need to be non-smoking, at least 2 bedrooms for husband and two girls aged 4 and 6. We also have a well-behaved springer spaniel (Honestly! One of the only ones in Britain!) who is on monthly Frontline (so, no fleas) and sleeps in his own bed. (IMHO furniture is for humans, not animals. Besides, he loves to lay across my feet to keep them warm. ) A lawn, garden, patio area or access to a park/woodland is essential. We have already seen one lovely place which we like but is very far from town. We want the girls at school in Clgurec so want to be as close to there as possible. In exchange for reduced rent, we will pay in advance for the entire rental and John will do the gardening, coppicing, lawn mowing, general little bits and bobs, etc. We are flexible as to when we take up and finish the rental. We want to work it so we are using the property just during the low season. The property would be maintained and left in an immaculate condition after the rental. We need this because although we have the caravans at our property, we do not want to be 'on holiday' during school term! We will move into our property once the roof is finished, sanitation, etc. The builders are saying they should have it finished no later than the last week of October, which is why, of course, I want to rent until May... Thank you, any reply to my inbox please?? Belinda

Bois Meur 580 ha . Rgion Guinguamp. . Maison d'habitation et rendez-vous de chasse. . 443 ha de plantations Rsineuses de 1960 1992. . 61 ha de Pins Maritimes de 35 37 ans. . 9 ha de Pins Maritimes et Sylvestres gs. . 7 ha de sols agricoles . 40 ha Taillis et Taillis-Sous-Futaie . Solde divers, dont 1 ha 72 en eau. and a mere 1,900,000 Well, that lets us out of it. We would like to purchase 5 ha or so of forest and farmland in 56... but without 3 of those zeros... Belinda

I would agree with impots lady because 2/3's of your family is here, even though in rented accomodation. On the other hand, if it works out cheaper, I would be happy to disagree with her because your husband is the main wage earner. Are you working? Why did she want to know? Belinda

'La mique est une boule de pte poche au bouillon qui fait office de pain avec les soupes et les plats en sauce' So something like a cross between a matzo ball, dumpling and poached bread? Here are some recipes http://www.net-creation.fr/terroir/pages/r_farin01.htm http://perso.wanadoo.fr/auberge-de-conceze/auberge/auberge07.html http://perso.wanadoo.fr/yves.huot-marchand/Perigord/recette08.htm http://www.quercy.net/gastronomie/mique.html Belinda

Hi Di Yummy! What kind of peach tree is it? Is it one of those lovely white peach trees? If so, I have something else to be jealous about... (second was the shower...) If you have ants, you most probably have aphids or greenfly. Peach leaf curl can be prevented. I use a lot of garlic barrier spray, works really well. It's also rather satisfying to blast aphids off with a pressure washer... (I do this to my roses and nastursiums... simple joys for me) Try these sites with organic solutions to ant/peach problems: http://www.organicpathways.co.nz/AnswerFile.cfm?QuestionID=78 http://www.wildlifegardening.co.uk/mainindex.htm Belinda

Jill So what you are REALLY doing is going on a self-catering 'holiday' for 3 months. Rather like a gap-year student. Lucky you, I feel a bit jealous, actually. So who do you need to contact? You could go into the Mairie to let them know you are there but I don't think you need bother. Certainly go around to the neighbours and say hi. Thats it. Oh, and EDF, water and telephone; if they aren't turned on you will need to tackle that. After all, we are one big EU happy family, n'est pas? Happy renovating! Belinda

LAST EDITED ON 26-Apr-04 AT 07:45 AM (BST) Liesa Blond wrote: 'Hello. I have some gites at the mas I just purchased. We only just did start our advertising, so we still have some availability for the time when your friends would like to come. We are located in Calvisson, in the Gard. It is a fine base for exploring Provence, including the Luberon. Liesa Blond Ask me anything!' Please contact this person through their profile. http://www.livingfrance.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=user_profiles&user=liesablond

Why a rooster? Unless you want to have more little chickens, the hens will lay unfertilized eggs all on their tod. I thnk you have a very clever idea but to be sure, ask lepoulailler or Jongleur, they are quite au fait with chucks. Belinda

Hi alorrain I think everyone is in a heightened state of security after the Madrid bombings. Remember, Paris was a target not so long ago. Being a Mother of 3, and an American, I do understand how you feel... but things are done a bit differently in Europe. Printemps is not like Neiman-Marcus or Nordstroms and Carrefours is nothing like Vons or Ralphs. Every concert I have ever been to in California the guards were 'uptight'. Yes, they do have every right to 'ask' you to place your backpack in a locker. I would always wear a fanny-pack (or bum-bag) containing 2 diapers, a small rubber mat, small flat Huggies wipe container and some animal crackers or perhaps a small jar of food with a spoon in a baggie. Yes, if my child was hungry, I could nip to somewhere quiet and discreetly feed him or her. (Benefits of breastfeeding, less equipment required!!) If they needed changing, I have had to juggle that on my knees squating in a toilet more times than I care to remember! (Good for hamstring flexibility, I must say...) Most places have baby-changing pull-down tables, but not all. As for that guards attitude, who knows why he was acting that way? He might have had a tip off to be on the lookout for 2 foreign national terrorists, and you fitted the discription. Its horrid but women posing as mothers (sometimes with kidnapped children, sometimes their own) have been known to blow themselves up... You just don't know. Many Brits have experienced the anxiety caused by bombing of department stoes, Harrods, Arndale centre in Mancester, Omargh, Warrington town centre, these are just in the last 10-15 years, or less. There are a lot, look at this link which doesn't include all of the terrorist events... http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/low/themes/crime_and_punishment/bombings/default.stm I was working in downtown London off Oxford Street when the nail-bombings happened back in July '82 with the Household Cavalry and the bandstand. Most injured were a group of disabled children who had come to watch the retired pensioner's band play. 11 killed and over 50 injured, plus the seven horses who had to be put down. Its stupid and sick, isn't it? I was strip-searched (at the tender age of 24!!) on the way back from a holiday in Germany coming from Hoek van Holland to Harwick. They kept me there for 3 hours interrogating me until I finally broke down and cried. No apologies, just finally a cup of tea and an explanation that Interpol had put out an alert about an International drug ring and one of the leaders was a foreign female posing as a backpacker with long red hair.... Its funny now, but it sure wasn't then! I hope your sister wasn't too off-put by the attitude of a couple of small-minded jerks. Its lovely in France and Paris is a great place to visit. Take care, Belinda

Well SaligoBay I don't know. But I was intrigued by your question. So I thought you might find this link interesting. If your eyes can stand the background colour! http://www.uwosh.edu/french/idiom.html Cheers! Belinda

Hi Lindylou You can tell your friend that, yes, you can fish on the Lac but! there are lots of 1st and 2nd catagories rivers around that area as well! You are linited to 10 23cm. long trout a day. For more on regulations go here: http://www.unpf.fr/56/VF/02_reglement.html Check out this article on the Blavet (which flows from the lac de Guerledan http://www.pecheur.com/petitfute/fiche.asp?code_fiche=29 Here is a 'fishing membership' site home page your friend might be interested in. This area of Brittany certainly has some of the best fishing in ,well, France (My opinion!!!!) http://www.pecheur.com/club/club-decouverte.asp You can happily fish all year for something! Cheers! Belinda

StJacques How can you possibly AFFORD to eat all the time at McDonalds in France? I just will not pay that kind of dosh for toss! or well, that kind of food I mean. On the other hand, if you've got children, it is convenient, just annoying to hear a chorus from the back seat, "Look Mummy! A McDonalds!" every 10 miles or less... Look children an Auchan! we can go in and pick out charcuterie instead! As for Flunch, the one at Rouen Barentin was excellent! We had never been before but because, in part, of the earlier posting on Flunch we decided to try it. Completely bewildering, there should be a 'Flunch for Flunch virgins' posting but finally figured it out after much hand waving and pointing. Exactily where do you start, the correct procedure for getting a kid's meal, the bronze, silver, silver squigly tokens for the coffee. But an adventure and the food was darn decent. Alas, not all are like that one, as we sadly discovered later. Never mind. Belinda