Opalienne

We haven't had one in our village this year ( if I remember rightly it was last year or the one before) but in January we were visiting a friend about 20km away and he was in the middle of completing it.   He is French, BTW, so I don't think it's anything to do with checking up on Brits!

It's the same everywhere in France.   If you can, hop on a train to Belgium where opticians also do eye tests and you can have glasses made in an hour!

Look at www.sncf.fr and you should be able to find out

Speedferries go into Boulogne and the cost is the same whenever you come back.  They often have problems with lateness etc but for the price they're not bad at all.   See www.speedferries.com

I have been married twice and have kept my first husband's name; by the time I married for the second time I was known by this name professionally and it seemed too complicated to change it for some things and not for others.   My husband is perfectly happy with this, but it caused no end of problems in France - until recently the bank absolutely refused to allow me to use it on the joint account, so it meant that every time anyone asked for identification (happily it didn't happen often) I didn't have any.   Recently, though, they have given me a new bank card in my first husband's surname - i.e. my name, according to me.   I decided not to ask why in case they decided to change it! When I explain to people here that in the UK you can choose what you are called, they look at me as though I am mad.   I guess it's probably to do with the inheritance laws that things are so strict here.  But of course that doesn't explain the sexism........

I agree about Pagnol - wonderfully evocative writing and not too difficult.  From him I moved on to Jean Giono, who also wrote about Provence, though a bit further north.  He is more difficult but worth persevering with.  Un des Baumugnes is one of the most moving books I have ever read I (filmed years ago as Angele, if you ever get the chance to see it).

Like Quillan I was born and brought up in a village and therefore going to the salle des fetes is something I am used to.   We used to go to almost everything in the village hall, primarily because it was something to do in a very quiet spot.   Then I moved to London and this kind of thing was not really available - plus studying, working and travelling in a big city tale up so much of your time that it's difficult to fit it in.   So I was very pleased to be able to join in things in the village.   I work away during the week so don't have the time to be on committees etc, but we do go to everything in the salle des fetes that interests us (I pass up on the loto quine etc because I don't enjoy it).   I really don't think it has much to do with snobbery, inverted or otherwise, more passing the time in a convivial fashion with people I like.

Isn;t there an easier way - to give your address as xxxpersonxxx@wanado,fr, for example and just put 'renove Xs  to reply' next to it?

[quote user="Marc"]I'm fed up with our so-called buyers.  Having had the names changed and waiting ages, they have now pulled out stating a problem with finance. (Slightly odd as the house is cheaper than my car!) Am I right in remembering that finance problems gets them out of the 10% charge? [/quote]     Only if there is a clause in the compromis that says the sale is dependent on their ability to get a mortgage.   Otherwise they have to pay up.

And just the same in our village except that I accompanied the wife to the salle des fetes for the ceremonie des voeux and was asked to give a simultaneous translation of  all the speeches!  After two years she hardly understands anything, and her husband nothing at all.  We are heartily fed up with the constant phone calls asking for help on everything under the sun.  They belong to one of those 'we can help you' organisations but seem to feel the need to double check everything with us (probably just as well as often the advice they have been given is incorrect).   Sorry, I know I have moaned about this before but it's really getting too much now.   If they weren't English we probably wouldn't even have met them.......

We have one but the problem is that most of the nuisance calls we get (veranda salesmen etc) withhold their numbers.......

Be careful with the breakdown add-ons to insurance, though.   I assumed that it would provide the same service as Europ Assistance etc, but found that they won't come out if you have a puncture, and there is a limit on the distance you can be towed, so if you are too far from home you just have to be content with a garage in the vicinity.   Plus when I had a major problem with the car last year they wouldn't reimburse me for car hire but said we would have to take the train, even though I was accompanied by a husband with mobility problems, a dog, and luggage from 3 weeks' holiday.   And I had to pay a contribution towards the towing!   I will look more carefully at the small print in future........

Easter egg treasure hunts for children, and a leg of lamb for Easter Sunday lunch.  Definitely a time for the family to get together for a meal.  That's about all I can think of.   Good Friday is not a holiday, but Easter Monday is.

I can't help for Limoges, but ask your local doctor, at the pharmacy, or the district nurse for a recommendation.   I had an ECG and full cardiac check up about a year ago and I think it cost around €50 - I was very surprised how cheap it was, and it was quick to get an appointment too.   Good luck!

[quote user="zeb"]We replaced our barn doors with a quadruple port fenetre (3 x 2) and that was 3500K four years ago but included the shutters (30% paid up front). Read your devis carefully! Our French builder charged 850 for fitting the above and then weeks later, we found the same fitting charge had been listed in amongst other works on another devi. .[/quote] Thanks!  In that case our quote is OK and it does include fitting plus windowsills etc.

I'm not 100% sure for planning permission but certainly for house insurance purposes you don't count bathrooms when calculating the number of rooms, so I would think that 2 pieces principales is probably correct.

Good!   I'm glad to be of help.   If you live in a town you should have no problem finding a local huissier.   Personally I would find one yourself rather than relying on the Mayor - you never know who is related to who in France!   It's a real problem in our village where there are two builders and the Mayor's secretary is married to one of them...........

You're right - I didn't notice how old it was.  Another Duff posting..... Sorry

[quote user="Iceni"] Big window, 4m x 3m, ish (being manufactured somewhere and due in January rescheduled to end March) + hand made oak staircase (installation in progress) - nothing paid so far. [/quote] Is your big window wood?   If so, would you mind telling me how much you are paying for it?   We have been quoted nearly €3k to replace a window - the menuisier told us it would take a week to make by hand so I guess that may not be too unreasonable, but it sounds a lot, all the same.   Many thanks

The translation of a huissier is a bailiff, but the functions are rather different.   I paste in below a definition I found on the web; the bit relevant to your case is the third paragraph L'huissier de Justice est un officier ministériel chargé de signifier les actes de procédures et de mettre à exécution les décisions de justice et les actes authentiques ayant force exécutoire. A ce titre et avant toute procédure, il délivre les convocations en justice : les "assignations" en matière civile, et "citations", en matière pénale. Il prend toutes les mesures matérielles visant à permettre à la partie qui a eu gain de cause d'obtenir l'exécution du jugement rendu en sa faveur. Il peut se faire aider si besoin est, par la force publique (expulsion pour non paiement de loyer...) Il peut intervenir pour donner des consultations juridiques. Il se déplace pour dresser des procès verbaux de constat qui peuvent servir de preuve à l'occasion d'un litige (constat d'état des lieux, constat de troubles de voisinage, constats d'avancement de travaux ou d'abandon de chantier...) Il peut en étant mandaté, délivrer certains actes judiciaires ou extrajudiciaires qui parfois font courir des délais d'exécution : sommation de payer, assignation à comparaître, congés donné par un bailleur à son locataire... L'huissier de Justice peut aider au recouvrement d'une créance soit à l'amiable en établissant un plan de remboursement accepté par le créancier et le débiteur, soit en faisant pratiquer une saisie sur les biens, les comptes bancaires, les parts sociales, les immeubles... du débiteur après la mise en oeuvre d'une décision de justice. L'huissier de Justice est responsable des actes qu'il délivre pour ses clients. Leur rémunération est prévue dans un tarif fixé par le décret du 12 décembre 1996, sauf cas particulier. Ils ne sont compétents (sauf exception) que dans le ressort du tribunal d'instance de leur résidence.

Why are you looking for an avocat (if that is what you mean by advocate)?   They are like barristers in the UK and no use at all in property purchase.   You need a notaire, who is like a state official who will be involved in any house purchase (normally for both parties).   But you probably don't even need him until you have somewhere you want to buy......    Best would be to find a property you like and ask a local builder to look it over for you - surveyors don't really exist in France either.   The system is very different and it would be a good idea to familiarise yourself with it before you arrive.

It's even happening in the north.   There are now four English families in our village and two of them complain constantly about lack of facilities for English speakers etc etc.   It's particularly galling because they only came because property prices were lower and they could still work for UK companies......

I find it excellent displacement activity when I am supposed to be writing.......

Just out of interest, since in one of the posts Ms Duff said that she and her husband had bought a house near Draguignan, I checked the Pages Blanches for the Var.   What do you know?   No Duffs...........

Get a huissier to come and make a report of the current state of the house, what is still be done etc (with photographs).   It will cost you about €150.   Then send a copy by recorded delivery to the builder with a letter saying that you have asked the huissier to make a formal, legal record of the work to date and that if he does not turn up to finish the job within, say, two months, you will go to court with it.   A huissier's report should make him get his skates on!   It's also worth telling the Mairie about this - they may be able to put some pressure on if he's from the same town.