Opalienne

We have only been able to find the concrete-floored, minimal comfort variety in the Pas de Calais (though we have discovered an excellent cattery).   We advertised for someone willing to look after our dog in their home and have found it an excellent solution - the dog loves it there and is treated like a member of the family.   It's also cheaper than a kennell at €7 per night.  I suggest that you might think about doing the same thing.

Both my husband and our dog were stung by hornets last year in Burgundy.   The dog disturbed a nest and they flew out and attacked.   My husband felt very ill quite quickly and we went to hospital where they discovered that his blood pressure had shot up and kept him in on a drip overnight.    The dog went to the vet and got shot full of adrenaline to prevent anaphylacxtic shock.   She was vomiting and wouldn't eat for several days.  So maybe French friends are right about the danger hornets pose.......

Is it possible to do this (1) if one of you has a previous marriage with children and (2) if you already own the property en tontine?   There seem to be varying views on this.

Remember all the brouhaha about women ministers wanting to be called Madame LA Ministre? Now it seems to be pretty much accepted.

Strictly speaking, you should go and introduce yourselves to them rather than the other way round - but probably curiousity will get the better of them and they will turn up before you have the chance to make a move!

I can't help you on much on this but am sure there is no law against opening a cafe opposite a church.    Where I live there where two - one opposite on the side and one at the front.   Both are now closed, sadly, and we no longer have a cafe in the village.  I know you say you don't want to make a lot of money, but a word of warning - unless you are lucky you will probably make a loss.   That's what happened to all the cafes round us, and we live in a village of 700 inhabitants.

I bought English Cheddar recently in Auchan.   It was a strange orange colour but it tasted just like the real thing.   I know what you mean about missing it - there isn't anything else quite the same!

I have had my washing machine for ten years without a problem.   It's a UnicLine, Trois Suisses own brand, and it was the cheapest one they did (and it's a front loader).   We also bought a cheap fridge/freezer from Trois Suisses which broke down once - the service was excellent.

Leenda.   My name is Mary and I am always called Merry, followed by jokes about Christmas.........  I have also been called Marie and Mireille, which I prefer.

What about Barbara?   The first time I ever heard her I was completely bowled over, and still love her songs, especially L'Aigle Noir and Nantes.   But she's dead too.......

In that case I quote you this, from Le Monde, and the fact that the same paper, which I picked up in the airport on Tuesday, reported a poll which gave fear of unemployment and disapproval of the current government as the two factors which rated the highest in the decision to vote non, and the  'neo-liberal policies' of the constitution (which are not new and are already enshrined in existing treaties) as the least important factor in their decision. Extrait : LE référendum se décidera autour des questions sociales. Pourtant, le social a donné lieu, dans la campagne, à nombre de contre-vérités ou de « vérités cachées », les partisans du oui comme du non revendiquant la « légitimité sociale » de leur vote. Il est d'autant plus difficile de s'y retrouver que l'opposition à la Constitution est liée à l'élargissement de l'Union, réalisé il y a un an. Lequel, contrairement à la Constitution, n'a jamais donné lieu à débat public ni à référendum. Pour preuve, les craintes - systématiquement attisées par les opposants à la Constitution - à propos des travailleurs polonais ou lettons.

I live in the Pas de Calais and over the weekend spoke to lots of people about the referendum.   Only met one who was going to vote Yes.  But the reasons for voting no had nothing at all to do with the constitution, and seemed to be mainly based on fear of foreigners taking jobs (so the services directive, possible entry of Turkey into EU etc etc) , as well as dislike of Chirac and Raffarin.   I have always voted with the left but this time thought that the campaign they ran for the No vote was totally dishonest.   The fact that they teamed up with the national front to stir up scare stories about Polish plumbers etc makes it even worse. Though I was in Switzerland yesterday and the first thing I saw when leaving the airport was a sign saying "Schengen?  Nein!"  together with a picture of what was presumably a Swiss person raising their hands to protect themselves against foreigners.   So everyone's at it.   Shame they have such short memories.    

Where I live there is a regulation that says that fields must be cut before July 14 to stop thistles proliferating.   I would guess that it is the same in most areas.   Find a farmer who can cut it for you.  We pay 25 euros for about an acre.

You are very unlikely to find long-term rentals without looking in a local paper.   Mosr long-term rentals are for local people - the number of foreigners wanting them is pretty low.   And those that are specifically aumed at foreigners are very expensive.   Why don't you rent a holiday home for a month or so while you look?  Or buy on-line access to a French local paper (though youre mre likely to find rentals in a freesheet which is unlikely to be available on-line).

To 'composter' your ticket you put it in one of the machines at the station which stamp the time and date on it.   If you don't, and the controleur comes round on the train, you will have to pay a fine.  Just watch - everyone else will be doing it and it's quite simple.

There's no more need to be frightened of being attacked on a French train than on an English one (probably rather less).  I've never taken this particular train but imagine that it would be fairly busy.  Take the plunge!   You'll wonder what you were worried about......

So long as you don't travel on Sunday you'll be fine.  It's only then that the restrictions ocurr.

Our emptier just empties - doesn't put down any chemicals, so I'm not sure what he would have been referring to.   However, buy Tarax at the supermarket.   There is a kind you only need to put down every 6 months, and it works well.   There's also an 'emergency' one for unexpected smells.

On ours we have our name, name of the village and postcode on one side and phone number on the other.   

We moved from London to the Pas de Calais and found everything much cheaper.   Exceptions are heating, both wood, as others have previously mentioned, electricity, and gas because we have to buy bottles; and clothes (if you want smart work ones).   I am really shocked whenever I go back to London at how expensive everything is.  I reckon that what I buy for a euro in France I have to pay a pound for there. I too love this much under-rated area, particularly at this time of year when it is like a green heaven.  

They didn't compare it number-wise.  What they said was that both had been sparked off by the killing of colonials.  That seems fair enough

It was on the 20h news on TF1, with black and white footage of soldiers firing at unarmed families.   Someone compared it to the Amritsar massacre.   It was, all in all, quite a sympathetic piece.

Has your Dad stil gopt the Eurotunnel shares?   Over a certain amount you got free travel for life.  If he's in this situation maybe yu can benefit.........

Are you talking about Star Academy?  If you are, then I think it is much older than the UK version, which only started two or three years ago and in my view isn't a patch on the French one - you see much less of the training and rehearsal, which is the most interesting bit for me.   But I haven't seen either recently, so may be out of date,though. On the 'f' word:  a few years ago we were wandering round a small supermarket when all of sudden we heard from the muzak speakers "you sexy mother****er...."    We couldn't stop laughing - above all because it seemed such an inappropriate place......

Tripe in all its manifestations.   I've really tried, but the smell makes me feel sick.  Pigs ears, par contre, are delicious.   Best cooked as described in an earlier post, and then breadcrumbed and grilled.   Wonderful! Re the little pieces of bread that people use for pre-drink snacks with foie gras, lumpfish roe or whatever, they are fine if you brush them with melted butter and put them in the oven until golden.  It's a bother but you can do a large quantity at a time and freeze them.   I think French sausages are 100% better than English ones, even the best varieties.