Lori

Absolutely hearbreaking story that always gets the tears going each time I read about it or see it on the news.  Wish I could shelter some, but am too far away.

Ron  -  did it, don't get it....

mascamps - yes it does run around 20 euros per change-over.  I just take it out of the payment we receive.  The items I leave are not necessarily gourmet.  I shop at Lidl and Leader Price mostly - short of the wine, which is local.  The items are always of good quality, but reasonably priced.  I don't charge the guests for this as I think it is a nice welcome kit (one I would appreciate when I rent).  It is always very well received and that makes me happy. To arrive on a Saturday evening to a totally empty place - no loo paper, etc. is not very nice (my opinion).  But as I said, to each his own.  Some people don't mind packing those things in their luggage. My current guests arrived from New York into Paris hours late.  They missed their connection from Paris to Marseille and upon arrival in Marseille many hours later, their luggage did not arrive with them.  They called me frantic and exhausted, worried they would arrive around 9 pm with no food to eat.  I felt terrible for them.  They wanted to know if restaurants would seat them that late....  no  .... not here in the sticks.  Told them not to worry.  Something would be there for them.  I prepared a tomatoe tarte, green salad, homeade balsamic/garlic vinaigrette and purchased two tarte au citron.  Baked the tarte in the apt. so that it would smell nice in there and be warm around their time of arrival.  Okay, so it is a little out of the way, but you would not believe how good it made them feel - and therefore me too.  

Loopy Lou - I know.  We have rented many a gite over the decade and can recount so many occasions when we felt we had rented old clinics with absolutely NOTHING in them.  We try to make ours a little bit better.  Most people have been very grateful.  Especially the ones who arrive past 7:30 pm when everything is closed. Oh well.  To each his own.    

I agree with Arnold and Deby on their points.  Being American myself, my first trip to France was an eye opener, albiet ions ago, but never-the-less.  Was shocked to find that public phone booths didn't take coins, public toilets were very often shared by men and women, turkish toilets, no one ever properly waited in a line or waited their turn for anything, you must stay out of the far left lane on the autoroute - lest you get run over, many rental cars at that time did not state what type of gas they took, many gas stations didn't and don't take foreign credit cards or debit cards, etc., etc. But none of that really has to do with the gite.  sorry We have had only 3 American bookings in the last 2 years.  Perhaps due to the dollar to the euro rate, who knows.  Most of our bookings are from Canada, New Zealand, Great Britain and Holland.  The American guests we have had were very different one from the other.  It is a big country you know.  We had two men (partners) from California, a family from New York and currently a couple from New York.  With the exception of the ones in the middle it was a great experience.  We do provide good thick towels (expensive here !) and top line bedding.  I know Americans are picky about this sort of thing.  We also stock our kitchen with nearly everything one could think of for cooking, baking, etc.  We also provide a large amount of provisions at no extra charge.  All soaps, kitchen, dishwasher, bath, hand, laundry, foil, plastic wrap, olive oil, vinegar, eggs, mustard, mayo, sliced bread, jam, peanuts, chocolate, butter, etc., etc.  All of this freshly changed from week to week as I KNOW Americans detest the thought of using something the previous person might have used... just one of those things.  So, we put fresh, unopened items in the unit every week. Out of all the renters we have had, the Americans we had were not really much different from all the others.  Oh they do like ice, so I make sure there are fresh ice-trays in the freezer for them.  My current guests looked in the freezer the minute they got there to see if there were any ice trays.. I ALWAYS show them how to use the appliances, windows, doors.  A lot of Americans are not used to those door locks you must pull up as you turn the lock.  Many don't read French, so manuals for appliances are useless.  

JohnM - I love an intelligent man ! The LeClerc in Carpentras has also been remodeling for what seems like ions !!  They have remained open through it all.  Same gripes as were noted above.  Constant digging up of floors (the noise level is horrible), moving goods all over the place, tools and electrical wiring all over the floors. I suppose the worst part is the parking lot.  They are STILL building a high rise parking lot - and leaving it open as they do so.  Every single time I am in the store, they are on the loud speaker calling out some poor schleps tag number, telling him/her to go to their car in all urgency.  You take your life in your own hands driving in there. Long story short, I still find I get the best selection of products for the best price there...  Gas is cheapest there too.    

Zeb100 - not sure if your post was referring to mine, or just in general.  I myself, have no problem with hunters as long as they aren't shooting 50 meters from my backyard (alcohol in one hand, shotgun in the other).  It was a clear danger to my children, playing in the yard and perhaps even in the house - our house is filled with windows.    Oh and by the way, I do not fall into the cateory of Treehugger or Brit.

Just had ours done in the Vaucluse (Dept. 84) and it cost 62 euros.  I have no idea if you get a discount for more than one, but I would sure try to negotiate that.    

Yes, I guess I could have headed to the Gendarmerie to make a formal complaint.  But, this particular hunter had been showing up for several days - wine jug in one hand, shotgun in the other (I told the Gendarmes this when I called ...  ).  My French neighbors and myself were out there yelling at him to move on as he was too close to our homes/children.  We could see him clearly and he could see all of us.  He grumbled some incoherent words and continued his shooting.  That is when I called the Gendarmes.  I felt we needed response then, not days later when they managed to find the time to investigate a written complaint.  I have to admit, this is one area I am not too impressed with here.  Police/Gendarme protection is lacking and not just with regard to this issue.

When I got tired of buckshot flying over our house from hunters within 50 meters of our home (children outside playing), I called the Gendarmes.  They laughed at me and asked me what I wanted THEM to do about it.  I told them.  They didn't appreciated it and said there was nothing they could do.  I said that if one of my children or pets is shot, they will have me at their throat. 

Hilarious

Sounds so cute, but I guess it could get pretty annoying.

Can't remember the website, but they are online and always kept up to date.  Just do a search for 2006 France Vacances.  It will come up.

LeClerc is back down to 1.28 per litre for 98.  The local gas station in Bedoin is still at 1.48 per liter for same. I never thought I'd see the day I would be happy to pay 1.28 per litre....  well maybe not happy, but you know.

Nicktrollope - I wish she was my Mum, it would cost me a lot less...  

Jon, yes the U.S.A., to me, is a much cheaper place to live than France.  There are exceptions - New York, Boston, Chicago, and most of California (where we are from).  It is also quite pretty in many areas. If there just weren't so many Americans... (smiley face)  

Is it Maitre for male AND female attorneys?   I have an appt. with a female attorney this morning and the thought occurs to me that I am not sure how to address her.   ?

I figured I was being robbed, but I was on a deadline yesterday and had no time to go to one of the larger supermarkets, where I figured the price would be considerably less.  Oh well, at least I found it.  

Very good to know as we are replacing 55 year old windows in our house and really need the 5.5%.  We had asked that the windows be completed before Xmas.  The date was accepted and devis written up with 5.5.   Now, I will just make SURE the work and all billing is complete before Xmas. Not happy about the news (if it does transpire), but definitely need to know.  

Opel Fruit - You are exactly correct.  Went to Carpentras this afternoon and they are plastic pouches that are incorporated into a cahier.  8 Euros for a 50 page cahier .... !!  Good heavens. Thanks very much.

You mean the pochettes plastiques?  I have hundreds of those, but my daughter insists there is some sort of classeur or cahier that has the plastic pochettes incorporated into it - hence the different name.  I am so confused.  I am told I can just go to the music store where I bought the flute and they will have them...  I sure hope so, cause I have no idea what I'm looking for.  If it is simply the plastic pochettes, I have those. Guess I will find out when I venture out to visit the music store and/or tomorrow when I have sent her to school with the wrong/right thing.. Thanks for the help.  I appreciate it. 

Thanks Alexis - that is most helpful.  Now, do most people ask the driver to unload the wood and stack it - in order to make sure the delivery is the amount ordered?  That doesn't seem to be done here.  Depending upon how the wood is stacked onto the truck, it may be possible to get some sort of idea by sight. Le Bouffon - yes, my neighbor did already get the money back for the two stairs she paid for, but did not get.  However, it took constant letters (recommende) and a threat to proceed legally before he mailed her a check - no letter, no phone call, no response except to send her the check several months later.  I'd rather not have to go through that.  Hence the question.

It may be spelled wrong, but my daughter needs a "porte a vue" for her music class in sixieme - college.  I have no idea what this is.  She says it is some sort of notebook for music sheets, etc. I have to go to Carpentras to get this today as she needs it tomorrow.  Anyone have a clue??

Can anyone advise how I am supposed to measure a stere of wood?  Perhaps a stupid question, but my neighbor (French) ordered 6 steres of firewood and once it was unloaded (driver left), they stacked it and found they had only 4 steres (they measured it). Do most people just take what they get or is there some system to determine how much the driver is delivering (i.e. what you ordered and expect to get)? Thanks.  

Though I come from America, not the UK - therefore cannot speak on UK charges, but in comparison to the U.S., I have to agree with everything Jon said (only in terms of U.S. to France expenses). We have found some things cheaper here, but most are by far much more expensive than the U.S. We too have had the conversation about how much the annual cost to live here is.  As has been noted, there are so many variables.  I can honestly say that, here in the Vaucluse (Provence), a couple, with one car, no mortgage and no children, could survive on 20,000 Euros per year, but they certainly would have to be careful.  The healthcare issue would have to be considered.  Impots, water, electricity, heating fuel, petrol, white goods and food are much more expensive here than the U.S.  That may be irrelevant as you are coming from the UK, but still..  Any type of home renovations can cost very dearly, so choose your home carefully.  I do not see a couple with an income of 20,000 Euros per year being able to take any sort of International (including EU countries) vacation.  You'd be luck to have a week at a good B&B on that income, but maybe this is unimportant to you. Of course, this is my own personal opinion and I'm sure others will have some good input to add. Also, on another note, there was a recent post about unexpected expenses.  They happen every year to all of us and an income of 20,000 would make it difficult to put anything aside for the coming year.