Frogslegs

well, within one day of this message an apartment came up in Nice for christmas so we have booked for two weeks...not bad for £69 per week

We joined www.dialanexchange.com two years ago and have had a holiday in Portugal and Spain but we really enjoy France so the more members that join this brilliant and inexpensive club the better! bonne chance

Well the first guests have gone and booked for the same two weeks next year so that a great reaction. Its still available for the 9th if any gite owner would like to swap a week. www.le-tilleul.com  

We have just one week available (due to cancellation) until mid september so does any gite owner want to swap a week? We are near Melle a romanesque market town in the Deux Sevres region of Poitou Charentes, midway La Rochelle and Poitiers. We have a brand new sympathetically restored barn conversion with both bedrooms ensuite. Swimming pool, games room and bicycles. Perhaps swap for September? Any areas in France considered? Or even a winter let? There are just two of us! I can not leave website details so please email me as soon as possible.  

Anyone had such luck in meeting Madame down at the tax office in Melle? I now know what it is like to stand in front of Anne Robinson?? She neither greeted us with bonjour or suggested we sit down, grimaced each time my French was incorrect, sighed every time she went to the filing cabinet! Obvious she detests any British person trying to  live and work here! Be prepared

Unfortunately the b/b is very quiet due to very few house hunters. Our fourth year and the least bookings, but both gites are booked from mid june to mid september except one week. bonne chance

Thought we would treat ourselves as it was my cinquante anniversaire and John finished the new gite with two hours to spare before the guests arrived. So we booked into http://www.chateaudumax.com for four days and had a fantastic time. Could not leave our guests any longer!!! As we are b/b and gite owners ourselves I thought I would recommend a very good one. French owned Chateau in the Auvergne, near to Vichy. Maria www.le-tilleul.com    

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 rolls of some sort of fibre glass which I assume you paint over but not familiar with. thanks

We are a registered gite and b/b. Near Niort and available. http://www.le-tilleul.com

many thanks Les...while waiting for replies we did try as you suggested and voila we think we are winning

We have owned an above ground pool for 4 years are aware of problems.  Pool  is 30 M2 ... ... ph and chlorine levels are correct, pump and filter are good, sand has been changed in the filter recently, winterising chemical was put in over the winter period. Presently trying Bayrol Superflock! (fingers crossed) Problem is..... water slightly green, with millions of opaque particles between 1-4mm (never seen before). Impossible to remove by net as they break up! I have tried anti algea liquid, also desalgine and floculante. Pump is running 8 hours a day to try and sort out problem. Should I increase manufactures recommended doses? Any advice please!  

Ummnhh...that is a difficult one! we offer meals and have had our share of vegans. I once made three meals in three days for a couple, spent ages in the shops and in the kitchen avoiding fish, meat and eggs only to find out on the last night that they do sometimes eat the odd tuna sandwich and fish and chips How about vegetarian lasagne or curry? http://www.le-tilleul.com

Thanks very much for the speedy replies...there is no stopping him now....had dinner and he is off again!!!

when jointing plasterboard using the sticky mesh paper not solid papertape..do I try to completely fill the cavity between the plasterboard sheets with the first coat of filler or simply cover the mesh tape and finish with a second coat? Also do you use a large metal spatula for the second coat? Hope this makes sense because Hubby has scrawled this message down for me to ask the forum! tres urgent!!  

No it's very thin and looks and feels like wallpaper?

Has anyone use the fibre glass rolls sold in large 25 square metre rolls? Is is easy to use and does is 'give' if applied to the underside of floor boards?

Dear Angie I sent you a private message last week but it appears you have not read it?

Just stating the facts matey!! I can not win here?

We have just one gite. But if you are earning money then it is a business....however little income you recieve! hence you have to inform the chambre de commerce. If you are not paying cotisations then you are not paying towards the health system?    

Your joking!!! Apart from this week we were waiting for it to begin? Four years ago this time in the Deux Sevres it was freezing -9 i can remember. I actually turned the heating off for a week two weeks ago but its all change right now.

Just goes to show how many registered gite owners there are our there?? Micro enterprise is pretty painless, and filling in you tax forms will be easy, but a smattering of French is essential when visiting all the different departments. bonne chance    

o.k, o.k, before this gets silly...I thought I was doing cinema foyer a favour by promoting their event....and I know you can not have it both ways but there are some of us that do make an effort over here. We run a gite and chambre d'hote, we are registered with a siret number and I go to french lessons each week. We  invite our french neighbours in for aperitifs, go on ski holidays with french residents from another village: and are converting another gite using french artisans. maria http://www.le-tilleul.com  

Found interesting and probably accurate article in the Telegraph today about unwelcome brits in the Charentes! http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/main.jhtml;sessionid=1XDE4ERY5SKLNQFIQMGCM54AVCBQUJVC?xml=/property/2005/02/26/pfrance26.xml&pos=portal_puff1&_requestid=44924

From time to time English films are shown at Parthenay, last month we saw The Aviator. Hopefully on March 19th there will be Phantom of the Opera, contact [email protected] before wednesday for details as they must have at least 60 people.

We agree, any advertising is good advertising! We too are up for it. Bonne Chance http://www.le-tilleul.com