Liz

Most of the Bricolage shops have kits. They usually consist of a satellite receiver, dish. LNB and remote control. To start from scratch you will also need a mounting kit, ie bracket, cable and cable connectors or you can buy the bits separately. If you have a Brico Depot reasonably near they have a kit at about 74 Euros plus the fixing kit and I can't remember the price of these, but not much. They also have an audible signal indicator to help get the direction right - I've no experience of these but at an extra 25 Euros they may be worth having. They work very well. We have had several FTA receivers over a number of years. I won't pretend they last for ever, they have a 2 year gusrantee and will generally see that out and as new things come on the market all the time it is not a long term purchase. They are reasonably easy to install for a competent DIY person (preferably 2 when it comes to pointing the dish). Liz (29)

Good News ! I have done nothing except read all your replies (thanks to all of you) but someone somewhere has tweaked something because all of a sudden today I am back to normal speeds, currently 45333bps which is about the best I can hope for on this particular modem and my 'end of the line' telephone connection. Long may it continue but how frustrating not to know the reason it went wrong in the first place. Liz (29)

My ISP is Tiscali and for the last few days it has been really slow with my 56k modem. Current speed indicated in the little box at the bottom of the screen is 9600bps. Previously I used to get up to about 35000 or more. Another computer with a different modem on the same telephone line is almost as slow. I contacted FT who tell me there is nothing wrong with the line. I have plugged in at the nearest point of arrival for the phone line to make sure that there is no problem with the extended phone line we take off from there. I contacted Tiscali who admit to nothing. I'm on Tiscali daytime (5am to 5pm). Anyone else had problems like this? Liz (29)

Thanks all for your suggestions and tips. I'm sure I'll get there in the end. Liz

I am thinking of going over to UK PAYG instead of my French Orange PAYG. I believe I need to get my phone unlocked and then simply buy a new UK SIM card. Does anyone know how I get my phone unlocked in France? I believe it's pretty simple in the UK, there seem to be market stalls offering to do it all over the place. I haven't seen these in France and the Orange web site hasn't helped. What is the french for 'to unlock' in this context? Liz (29)

I am not sure if this is the same thing but there is one in the Brico Depot catalogue at 589 Euros (Adouciseur Volumetrique Electonique 18l) which bears a resemblance to one we used to have in the UK. The one we had was completely automatic, just put in the salt and away it goes. It was absolutely wonderful and I wouldn't have been without it. I know that they sell them also in Leroy Merlin and probably Castorama and the salesmen are usually pretty knowledgeable. I would also try a a proper builders/plumbers merchant. They may have leaflets from the manufacturer. Not something they sell much round here. Liz (29)

I would suggest that your dish may have shifted a fraction. We have had this problem before now and it has needed a slight adjustment to get the pictures back. Some channels are more sensitive than others. Liz (29)

As I understand it a service charge should be included in your bill and there is no need to tip anyone. I would not normally do it unless something special has happened, like the day I was 20 minutes late for the hairdresser and she fitted me in anyway. In shops it would be very rare, I can only think of one occasion when we had a salesman who was particularly helpful with loading the car, over and above what one could normally expect. When the fire brigade etc come round with their calendars I would find it really hard to refuse and I am lucky that it is only the fireman and not other services that turn up every year. As for beauty salons and taxis, my first comment applies. Liz (29)

"So, I will ring them tomorrow & book the old-fashioned way. Will I get my online discount, I wonder?" No! But I'd love to know if you succeed. Liz (29)

[quote]Did intend plasteboarding the ceiling in between the beams which do take for ever when you have to scribe in! Is there an alternative. Please do not suggest lambris or polystyrene tiles!! Have seen r...[/quote] The fibre glass is not unlike a wall paper, it is for smooth surfaces and there is a version that is specially for ceilings. However, if you want to cover what is usually the floor boards from the floor above I do not think it would be suitable. A friend had plaster board put up and the chap put up an edging strip that covered any gaps, painted to the same colour as the beams.

I think this is pretty universal. Fortunately our nearest neighbours are at a good distance and it makes no odds at all whether we are at the bricolage at 6am (no chance!) or not. Like Iceni we sometimes get the combine 'arvester round in the middle of the night in nearby fields but this is a very short season and the work has to be done. I haven't heard the one about dogs being trained not to bark. That's a laugh. I wish they could also be trained not to rush out and try to sieze my ankle when I'm on my bike. Liz (29)

I think this is pretty universal. Fortunately our nearest neighbours are at a good distance and it makes no odds at all whether we are at the bricolage at 6am (no chance!) or not. Like Iceni we sometimes get the combine 'arvester round in the middle of the night in nearby fields but this is a very short season and the work has to be done. I haven't heard the one about dogs being trained not to bark. That's a laugh. I wish they could also be trained not to rush out and try to sieze my ankle when I'm on my bike. LIz (29)

Yes, it is that simple. I was going to add that there may be problem in obtaining the bags and filters for a UK model but as you're looking at Dyson the bags don't arise and the filters, I think, will be the same (expensive that is ). If you buy in the UK you may also want to find out if the guarantee applies thoughout the EU. Liz (29)

[quote]Very helpful, thanks to both of you. This is what I’ve managed to put together from the standard letters and phrases in the dictionary:

[quote]Another benefit of using a quiet local branch of La Poste is that given the ltotal ack of privacy at the counter , it may well speed up the process of integration into the local community as news o...[/quote] LOL. How very true! I very rarely go to my village post office but to a larger one and others in the area. This probably means that our business is known throughout a radius of 30km I was in another region recently and noticed that they had a line drawn on the floor and a sign asking people to stay behind it and respect people's privacy. Times they are a changin'. Liz (29)

"The forms seem so in depth , as I only need an account." All banks these days will require in depth information, there is no escaping the form filling and proofs of identity. Like Kevin I have found La Poste very good for a simple cheque account. If you intend to go to Calais I would suggest seeking them out although it is usual in any bank to make an appointment to open an account. You can then nominate another branch as the one you will use mainly and you can also, of course use any Post Office to draw out money. Liz (29)

If you haven't been before it is worth going once to see the French being, well, French. Get there very early, take your picnic table and chairs and large quantities of food (not just a measly British picnic). I loved the caravan but the throw outs are not much, just for kids. We did get a yellow cycling cap and a pack of cards. As for the cycling, unless you are on one of those very steep climps, and I imagine you have to get there about 3 days beforehand to get a place, you won't see a thing, just a woosh as they go past. Liz (29)

[quote]most perennials are happy to be cut back to allow a 2nd show of flowers, does anyone know if the same applies to aquilegia? I guess I should keep the first seeds as these should be the most robust..o...[/quote] I quite often cut them back and I cannot recall that they ever flower a second time in the same year. I obvously must miss a few as they still self seed to some extent but the original plants keep going as well. Liz (29)

AFAIK there aren't any particular regulations unless you have a swimming pool. It is not always necessary to register the property depending on local requirements so check with the Mairie. If you let through a management company they may have particular requirements. In your own interest you will want to check that everything is safe, in working order and arrangements in place if things go wrong. You will need an inventory. Make sure that you have a clear contract with your clients and lots of information on the property and area when they get there. Liz (29)

I was in the Brico Depot the other day. There was an english chap (70ish I guess) buying something on the bathroom counter. He was asking for what he wanted in French and, although not fluent, made a very good job of asking for what he wanted and as I passed by he was being complimented by some french people. He said he had been learning at evening classes for 3 years. I was very impressed; so many of the people I hear in there can barely string together two badly pronounced words. It just goes to show it can be done. Liz (29)

I am assuming you have a smooth(ish) render. I can only speak from experience without knowing the technical details. We wire brushed and power washed. We avoided chemicals because of the proximity to plants and just a general sense of nastiness. If you have mould caused by damp check gutters etc to make sure they are not doing any damge with water overflowing. Remove any loose or flaking paint. We used a Fixateur Oppacifiant from Brico Depot as an under coat and their monocouche Acrylic exterior paint that is guaranteed 10 years (there are others that are either not monocouche or guaranteed for 5 years). These filled hairline cracks and produced an excellent result. Neither of these products is cheap but they are worth it IMHO. We had previously used oil based paints (with Pliolite) and these had only lasted a couple of years before looking messy and flaking in some areas. Liz (29)

I do not think you will have any problem at all in Paris. There must be millions of visitors to the city who do not have a word of the language. I think you will find that English is widely spoken at all the major tourist spots and most signs will be at least in French and English and often in other languages as well. Restaurant menus in tourist areas will often be in English and waiters will be able to speak it also. Shop assistants will generally be able to muster sufficient English to help you. I think Parisians in the tourist trade are so used to speaking English they do not usually have the reluctance to speak it that you may have heard about. Arm yourself with a guide book and maps of the streets and Metro. The centre of Paris where most of the sights are is quite small and it is very easy to walk around or hop on the Metro (just one price for each journey). Aside from the language behave as any prudent tourist does and do not carry valuables with you. I do not want to imply that Paris is full of crime but it is sensible to keep you wallet hidden and your bag firmly attached to your back or shoulder. I was once approached by a small group of people whose object was to distract me while one made off with my handbag. Fortunately they did not succeed. Have a great trip! Liz (29)

No need to shave the cat , a quick run over with a comb or brush produces copious amounts of hair, particularly at this time of the year. One thing about having hard floors rather than fitted carpets you can see the damned stuff all over the place. I am sure simply the scent of a cat puts rodents off. As for the noise emitting things - a complete waste of time in my experience. Liz (29)

[quote]How easy is it to open a French bank account from England and what one would you recommend ? Also what would be the best way to transfer money from a uk sterling account to Euro's.?[/quote] Have a look at http://forums.livingfrance.com/shwmessage.aspx?ForumID=279&MessageID=168586 for info about Barclays. Also have a read through other postings in this section, there is a lot of chat about banks and tranfering money. Liz (29)

There are lots of testured paint finishes available. I find Mr Bricolage tend to have a good display, one make I have used is Boiro. I have also used Torchis a l'Ancienne from Brico Depot and they have a variety of other effects as well, usually with a display panel. Most have white or off white shades, but beware of asking for Magnolia it is much more pink than the UK version (probably nearer a real magnolia petal in fact). Crepi as mentioned already is probably a cheaper alternative. These finishes are usually water based and easy to apply with a spatula or roller depending on the effect you want. I think it is worth looking out for something that can be removed and most of them claim they can be stripped like wallpaper although I have not yet had to try. Some might say YUK ARTEX but I rather like these rough finiahes in moderation and in the right room. LIz (29)