Monika

This is indeed a good Omen Saligo Bay, may all my wishes become as quickly fulfilled in 2006, especially my wish that our renovation project (you can't call it a house yet)  in France may at last be finished, ready for us to move in.

My New Year Wish is for all Forum Members to complete their profile. It is soooo frustrating to read a post and not know where they live! What is your New Year wish?   

We are always going to a hotel near us (Normandy)16 Euros for the Menu (starter, maincourse, cheese, sweet and coffee) and all very good.  

Thanks for that: It's the first time we go via Quistreham as there are no Ferries at the moment Poole Cherbourg.

We are going on a 24 hour trip to see our building site via Caen (Ouistram). Any recommendation what to do until the night ferry sails especially Restaurants if possible walking distance from the Ferry Terminal. Thank you.

We have two CODEVI  (of Euros 4600) with CA. We have now received a letter to say that these Codevi do not comply with our "non residential" status. Britline suggested that I should send a letter of apology to CA for taking these out and asking them to transfer the money into our current account. But really it was not our fault, we were simply adviced wrongly and can they deduct all the interest?

We are experiencing a very slow renovation/extension at the moment. Everything which is done is done to a high standard. But it does need patience and this feeling of happy anticipation/exitement for the build to be finished has vanished long ago because no plans can be made as to when we will be able to move in. We are now just trying to relax and trying to look at the positive side (A year ago we did not even have the planning permission yet!). Who knows we might be excited again one day about the whole project!

Any news on it??

We have got a roof at last! Unfortunately it will not be tiled until January! Patience is needed in this renovation/building game!

I have been teaching German although my mother tongue is Swiss German. We use different words in our languages and I must admit that I get slightly upset when Germans correct me. Some words in German just sound too haughty and I want to stick up for my nationality and use the Swiss German equivalent. It must be difficult for the English teachers in France to teach the english children and be corrected by them. I have been in England for 35 years, have a a Proficiency and I still make mistakes, never mind the accent! Watching a lot of American films on Telly does not help either.

[quote]That's interesting. When we applied for our permis our friends in Calvados told us to expect a bill of between 1,000-2,000€ but we have our permis and no charges so far incurred. We're in Manche, do...[/quote] I would be interestest to know if we will have to pay taxes as well. I realise that the taxe foncier and taxe d'habitation will go up as we will have one extra room, but I never realized that there will be something to pay after building it. Is it the TVA they mean?  

[quote]Could anyone recommend an architect god project manager/builder in dept 56near Pontivy[/quote] Although our Renovation/Build is not finished yet, we have been very satisfied with TB & S Building Services in St. James, their Website is: www.tbands.fr  

[quote]Hi First time on the forum. We have just bought a home in a small village close to Gorron in Department 53. Our parents will be living in it through the winter to look after it and keep it aired et...[/quote] We insure our house with a French Assurance. They seem to have agencies all over France and are very helpful and answer e-mails quickly and efficiently, even answering in english to my e-mail in french! Website is: www.thelem.fr

[quote]Like Dick, I'm a holiday home owner and I find that as my French improves my exasperation with the French government increases. My children are grown up and I would not like to have put them through t...[/quote] Our house in France will be our holiday cottage. We will go there, take part in the village life, shop locally, go to church and then close up and go back to our roots in England and look forward to our next stay. However I think I could see myself living in France all the time, and I would not see a problem bringing up children in France, I think their values are more old fashioned and family orientated. The English are much more tolerant and life is much freer.  But why not have the best of both worlds?

I have read in the LF "Who will inherit your holiday home" that you could apply the Community Marriage Regime so the property goes to the surviving partner. Has anybody amongst you done this after you have bought the property. Do we just go to a Notaire and ask him to do this? Whilst I should be able to get by in French, what would the technical term be, and what exactly would I ask for. Thanks a lot!

[quote]Have property prices started to move down yet ? Following a recent visit to France were surprised at how much people are asking for their properties (even though in comparison to the UK you are still ...[/quote] I think you are right, things have started to slow down in France, and we have it from the horses mouth, i.e. we met our immobilier who works in two offices in Normandy. However he said that this concerns mainly overpriced properties, so now comes the time again when you can make an offer. When we bought in 2003 things were different, and you had no chance if you did not offer full price. Regards your requirement have a look at: www.mancheimmobilier.fr. They have 4 offices in Normandy and a huge portfolio which is kept up to date.

[quote]Thank TU Bought some today and improvised a 'ready steady cook' style tarte tatin and they were really nice.[/quote] When I am in Switzerland I use Russet, as there are no Bramleys available. Russets are nice to eat and "pulp" up nicely when cooked. What is that on your Picture Viva: May I have a guess: Is it a fish on a boat?

[quote]James - she's already trying that, if you read the thread, but is having problems with the actual update. She got 'page cannot be displayed...' which you often get when updating on this forum. I rec...[/quote] Hurrah!! I have done it, thanks to all of your advice and especially Debra's help. Thank you!!

[quote]Thinking of buying what is just a two up and two down shell. Need a fosse and all bathroom and kitchen plumbing, water is on site, but property has no plumbing as such. How much would one expect to pa...[/quote] For our shell we have been quoted: Euros 5665.00 this includes Kitchen sink, Bath with shower attachment, Wash Basin, W.C. and Water heater 250 ltrs and connection to Fosse. The Fosse is Euros 2950.00. This does not quite answer your question correctly but might give you an idea.

[quote]Speaking of badgers, I once saw a badger-like animal crossing the road in Switzerland. No idea what it was, but thought it looked a bit like a wolverine, or a badger in grey / brown. Was driving bac...[/quote] John: It could have been a Steinmarder. I think it is a stone marten in English. They look very similar to badgers. I am sorry that you had to eat horse meat in Switzerland, they are terrible for eating all sorts of things, I will not go any further than that as I know this Forum is read by lots of dog loving people. They certainly don't want anything to go to waste. I have seen several red squirrels in Suisse Normande but fear for their lives as the hunters were shooting the whole weekend while we were there. It's surprising anything, apart from worms in the ground, is still alive.

[quote]tony im not at all a missrable sod.i get enough work for me,more than enough and im really happy go lucky i have no great need to earn lots of cash,but i have frends here with wives and kiids to suppo...[/quote] Hardhat: where are you based? I am campaigning for everybody on the Forum to fill in their Member's profile. Surely a good way to do a bit of "legal" advertising!

On our journey through France last week we exited the peage from Beaune to Paris at exit 19 and came to a "card only exit". I completely paniked, we had lots of small change and a 50 Euro note. I could not see any sign of Visa or Maestro. Suddenly this voice came out of a loudspeaker trying to advice me what to do. "Have you got a card", it said. I said no, as I thought it would need a special card like at petrol stations. I tried to stuff the 50 Euro note through some slot. I felt such a twit!! In the meantime a queue had formed behind us. Another motorist came to my aid. The disembodied voice told her to take 23 Euros from me and settle with her card. So that worked! So I now need to know could I just very simply have used my VISA or Maestro card?

[quote]hi every one,im a builder,ive all ready got 15000 invested in a transit tipper 9 grand in a mini digger another 15 grand in assorted tools ,if ive got this thread right the starter of this thead thin...[/quote] We are renovating with the help of a Projectmanager but I have come to the conclusion that Val and Charles are the ideal people to employ, they are a building firm with a team installed and don't need to do all the chasing our poor maitre d'oeuvre has to do.  (I am under the impression that he is now starting to assemble his own team as well). The problem with a Maitre d'oeuvre type enterprise you are suggesting might be, that you might have a project 1 or 2 hours away from where you are based, you might have to employ artisans you don't know. As regards to payments, we had to pay 1/3rd upfront, then another 1/3rd now the mason is nearly finished etc. I find this only fair and never had a problem with it.  

[quote]We have had 4 delightful French students stay here this week, two had their Mothers with them. It is their "Gap year", (didn't really know if the French students actually did that, as quite honestly, ...[/quote] This sounded so familiar: I have a very good friend who has told all his married children to go to Oz, because, as he said, there is nothing good left in this country, meaning Britain. This makes me quite angry. There are good things and bad things about every country and I hate this defeatism. I think Britain for instance, had it never better than now. Our French neighbour remarked on it, saying that all English seem to have a big disposable income, when he was in England in the Eighties he saw a lot of old cars. Now all English have beautiful expensive cars (apart from us with our little Corsa!!!) and they can afford to buy property (true).

[quote]Access is much better in France than in the UK as the law is biased towards the common man rather than the riparian land owners (reult of the revolution I suppose). As long as you don't trespass on pr...[/quote] Thank you G. for your very useful reply. I looked up the recommended site, and it is brilliant, there is a good description of each boat. I think you are right about the "peoplepower" in France (and you are right, it could be due to the revolution, England never had one!) My french neighbour, in the meantime has answered my e-mail, saying that quite a lot of lakes or etanges are private in France, so one would have to look at the notices, but the rivers belong to the whole nation, apart from land adjoining it which can be private.